Sponsorship? By Tristan Tuckey - Sport Guy Posted July 06

International label Adidas has upped the ante with its long-awaited take over of the All Blacks' apparel sponsorship. They have gained massive media yards already in New Zealand just by changing the colour of the collar from the traditional white.

Then there is the inevitable first tele ad. It's rubbing salt in the wounds of Canterbury New Zealand if you ask me, but good on Adidas. They've paid big money to have their logo on the All Blacks' other tit. Though you can't help but feel a little for Canterbury New Zealand when the ad starts out with a string of famous and successful All Black captains pulling on their respective Canterbury (minus the logo) test jerseys.

The question also presents itself, for which audience is the ad intended? Is this thing intended to have an international appeal or a domestic one? If it is an international one, fair enough, Adidas have registered their intention to milk the All Black aura and history right from the word go.

However, the ad is airing here. And if it is intended to have domestic appeal why was my immediate reaction a suspicious one?

Some notable omissions aside, we have a successful line up of All Black captains, if not icons. With the big branding finale being Taine 'Captain' Randell. Well excuse me! You could have stuck a political party logo on the end of it and made it a legit build up to an election campaign as far as I'm concerned.

No doubt Taine will eventually earn his place in this prestigious line up eventually. But look at the facts, his record as captain suggests he's still a yard or two off the pace. However it is in the sponsor's best and very expensive interests to be associated with a winning and dominant brand, in spite of the fact that Taine doesn't yet belong in that company.

And for the record, I wander what Randell himself thinks about the illustrious company he is keeping? Or why, in a World Cup year there is a conspicuous absence of David Kirk, our only ever World Cup winning captain?

Sure we have to accept that Adidas have something the All Blacks need, and that gives them the right to market the players and the All Black brand how they see fit. But is it their job to instil public faith in Randell's ability as a Captain?

Is this sport politics or sponsorship?

Have another look at the tv ad, see what you think.

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