Advtech partners with Cricket SA to drive brand reach and enrolment

Private education and resourcing group Advtech has partnered with Cricket South Africa (CSA) in a strategic move aimed at boosting brand visibility and enrolment growth.

The partnership, announced at Advtech’s support office at Benmore Gardens, Sandton, on Tuesday, gives the education and resourcing group access to one of the country’s most prominent sporting platforms, helping to elevate and strengthen its portfolio and drive growth across its education divisions.

This makes Advtech the official sponsor of the national U13, U16 and U19 boys’ and girls’ youth weeks and women’s Test cricket for three years. It will also be an associate partner of men’s Test cricket.

While the partnership has clear commercial objectives alongside its support for youth and women’s cricket, Advtech chief marketing and strategy officer Steve Miller told Business Day the group had been reviewing its brand portfolio to ensure its individual education brands occupied distinct positions, but the group also recognised its name needed greater visibility.

“Unashamedly, part of this is about raising the Advtech group profile,” Miller said.

According to Miller, the strategy is to ensure that when Advtech opens a new school or tertiary institution, the group name provides confidence about the quality of the offering.

He said the cricket tie-up gives the group access to several of its target audiences at the same time, including students, parents and investors.

Enrolment growth remains a key objective for the group. Miller said partnerships such as the CSA deal need to support that goal.

Advtech has set a target for brand awareness to increase by at least 10 basis points, with different targets for some of its key markets.

Miller said the group had also estimated what an increase in awareness could mean for growth. The group believes adding 0.25%-0.5% to its overall growth would represent a successful outcome from the partnership.

The partnership is not limited to sponsorship. Advtech said it would work with CSA on ways to apply its education expertise and technology platforms to support player development programmes.

According to Advtech CEO Geoff Whyte, Crawford International and Trinityhouse will also introduce girls’ cricket programmes at their schools, supporting the development of a pathway into elite women’s cricket.

“The partnership represents a powerful investment into South Africa’s most inclusive sporting code that will also significantly benefit our brands,” said Advtech CEO Geoff Whyte.

Miller said the relationship would be evaluated on both publicity and measurable changes in awareness, allowing Advtech to report the return on investment to its board.

The cost of the sponsorship was not disclosed ahead of Advtech’s interim results, which are due to be released on Monday August 24.

The partnership represents a powerful investment into South Africa’s most inclusive sporting code that will also significantly benefit our brands.

—  Geoff Whyte, Advtech CEO

Miller said the sponsorship represents a relatively small portion of the group’s broader marketing expenditure while emphasising that cricket provides access to the audiences Advtech wants to reach.

Advtech is considering whether to expand its partnerships beyond cricket. Miller said the group is open to working with other sports, potentially including athletics and less-supported sporting codes, but would first assess the lessons from the CSA partnership.

The group’s strategy is not to pursue sponsorships indiscriminately but to use selected partnerships to strengthen its brand and support its education businesses.

“For CSA, it is important that our work has meaningful social impact, and partnering with Advtech strengthens the connection between cricket, education and the development of young people throughout our pathway,” said CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki.

“From introducing young boys and girls to the game through the KFC mini-cricket programme, our youth weeks and the professional game, education has an important role to play at every level. This partnership aims to unlock support for the system and help prepare cricketers for opportunities beyond their playing careers.”