Guinness paid #2m to sponsor the event, #4m to become ITV's broadcast sponsor and an estimated #4m on associated marketing. Said Guinness marketing director, quoted in yesterday's Sunday Business newspaper: "We spent a ton of money on this to make sure we were completely associated with the tournament. We thought it was vital to be the pre-eminent sponsor, so we had to get the broadcast sponsorship. I reckon at last half the sales increases is down to the sponsorship."
Some of the eight official sponsors, however, voiced criticism of the tournament, questioning, in particular, why matches were played at venues which were never likely to be filled. Mark Harper, marketing manager of Lloyds TSB added: "There needed to be a centralised marketing effort to drive some of the anticipation in the lead-up to the tournament and support early round matches."
In response, Nick Chesworth, IMG vice president said: "Our research so far shows that the public's recognition levels of the tournament sponsors are very high, better than the 1995 cup and the 19991 cup by a country mile." He added that over half the sponsors have expresses an interest ion sponsoring the RWC 2003.
UK TV Audiences for the 1999 RWC were down on 1995 levels. The crucial England versus South Africa game averaged 5.7m viewers, peaking at 6.5m, giving ITV an audience share of 47%. This compares with figures for the equivalent match between England and Australia in 1995 which averaged 6.3m viewers with a peak of 8m, giving ITV a 68% audience share.
Guinness announced a 15 per cent sales increase in the UK for the September/October period during which they sponsored the Rugby World Cup.
