Kent Spitfires

Spitfire is the main sponsor of Kent County Cricket Club’s Totesport League side.

Our sponsorship of the one-day side forms part of a three-year package, worth in excess of £400,000, which sees the four-day County Championship side wearing the colours of Holsten Export – also brewed at Faversham.

The sponsorship is part of an exciting marketing support package for Spitfire, together with its controversial and award-winning poster advertising campaign.

Getting to know you

Getting to know the team’s sponsors was one of the first priorities of Kent’s 2002 overseas signing, Aussie skipper Steve Waugh.

He readily accepted our invitation to tour the Faversham brewery and discover how prize-winning Spitfire Ale is brewed.

Spitfire also sponsors Essex, who signed Steve’s twin, Mark, as their overseas player for the same season.

Kent Cricket League

SHEPHERD Neame, already sponsors of the Kent county side and Kent village cricket, sponsored the Kent Cricket League for the 2004 season.

We invested £10,000 in the sponsorship, which further demonstrates our commitment to cricket at all levels in Kent.

League chairman Howard Smith says: “We are delighted that our league is being sponsored by Shepherd Neame, who are not only Britain’s oldest brewer but also based in Kent.

“Their involvement with cricket is second to none, not only sponsoring the County but now at grass roots level. We look forward to a long and happy association with Shepherd Neame and I know our clubs are delighted to have a major sponsor onboard.”

Over 60 clubs play in the league, which will now be known as the Shepherd Neame Kent Cricket League. The season lasts until Saturday 28 August 2004.

Spitfire Twenty20 Cup

IN 2004, Spitfire is backing a new cricket competition - The 2004 Spitfire Twenty20 Knockout Cup - open to 128 1 st and 2 nd XI teams from the Shepherd Neame Kent Cricket League and Kent Village Cricket League.

The 20 overs-a-side evening matches will be played midweek during July and August. The semi-finals and Cup Final will take place at either Canterbury or Beckenham on the same day - yet to be decided - in September.

Essex Cricket

SPITFIRE is part of a three-year sponsorship deal with the Essex County Cricket Club’s one-day Totesport League side.

The sponsorship, which totals more than £150,000 over the term of the deal, will see Shepherd Neame brands across the team shirts through to 2006.

Shepherd Neame now has 14 pubs in Essex and supplies 90 free trade accounts throughout the county.

Holsten Export, the premium German lager brewed under licence in the UK by Shepherd Neame, will sponsor the Totesport League Man of the Match Award.

Shepherd Neame also sponsors individual clubs within the Essex cricket and rugby union leagues.

Test Cricket Coup

Spitfire secured a sole sponsorship deal of coverage by Sky Sports of the 2003 five Test match series between England and South Africa – a first for the brand.

Sky Sports viewers watching the Test highlights saw cricket-themed ‘idents’ running at the opening and closing sequences of the programme and on either side of each of the six commercial breaks.

The ‘idents’ featured stick men animation, developed by ad agency RPM3 to reflect the Spitfire’s first TV campaign with its wartime themed, punchy brand of humour.

One ad featured couples dancing to Glenn Miller being interrupted by an air raid siren and running for cover. The punch line read “No Ball”.