Introducing thinkBeyond Talent
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
16 JANUARY 2019
ATHLETE ACTIVISTS DRIVING ONE OF SPORT MARKETING’S BIGGEST 2019 TRENDS AS BRANDS WITH PURPOSE SET TO OUTPERFORM STOCK MARKET BY 120%
Talent agency relaunches following watershed year that saw athletes leading on social causes, attracting brands seeking to leverage the power of athletes’ voices for purpose-driven campaigns
LONDON/ NEW YORK: In recognition of the radical shift in sports sponsorship from endorsement to impact as consumers demand more of their sporting heroes and brands, Benchmark Talent has today relaunched as thinkBeyond Talent. Building on 20 years’ experience, the offering provides a new and distinct service to the talent management and strategy marketplace, focused on supporting athletes towards a career underpinned by social values.
The agency, whose clients include Michael Johnson, Brian Dawkins, Lewis Pugh, Carl Frampton, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh, Will Greenwood and Tokyo 2020 hopeful Molly Thompson Smith, joins forces with sister company – and world-leading sport-for-social-change consultancy – thinkBeyond as part of the strategic move.
With 86% of consumers saying companies should take a stand on social issues , both athletes and brands have been emboldened to have a strong stance on potentially divisive topics. In 2018, athletes such as Serena Williams and LeBron James led the way, staking their reputations and image on social issues, while campaigns such as Nike’s already iconic advert with Colin Kaepernick netted Wieden + Kennedy Adweek’s US Agency of the Year.
Commenting on the new offering, Benchmark CEO Nick Keller said, “As a group, we have been a key player in the sport for social change movement for over 10 years. It is clear that many athletes are not only compelled to make a difference in the world, but also that they have a powerful voice and influence to make a positive difference. We will be merging our pioneering position in the sport for change movement with 20 years of knowledge of talent management to create a best in class global offering that will help personalities connect with society and to the ever-changing corporate world in their own unique way.”
Operating out of New York and London, the agency will provide narrative creation, strategic development and delivery and positioning, with the aim of building long-term and rewarding careers that blend good business with positive social change.
At an exclusive event on 16 January, the agency brought together prominent UK athletes to share insights on their careers from their current competing and retired perspectives, the personal values that underpin their careers, and the importance of using these convictions to build a wider narrative that can form the foundation of their eventual transition out of competitive sport.
Significant work already delivered in the field includes the creation of the Michael Johnson Foundation’s Michael Johnson Young Leaders program; developing a strategic narrative, direction and structure to support retired NFL star Brian Dawkins' desire to give back; and narrative creation, sponsorship sales and activation for UN Patron of the Ocean Lewis Pugh’s historic 2018 530km English Channel swim and campaign for marine protected areas.
Michael Johnson, multi-Olympic Gold Medallist and President of Michael Johnson Performance said, “I have long supported global organisations doing incredible work in communities through sport, but have often wanted to make more of a personal impact in the areas I care about the most. With the help of the thinkBeyond Talent team, Michael Johnson Young Leaders was born and in just three years has exceeded even my own goals. Today’s environment has been invaluable in this process, allowing us to build a global community of leaders supporting each other online and allowing us to have new conversations with the corporate world.”
Speaking at the launch, Lisa Markey, Executive Director of thinkBeyond Talent, said, “Helping athletes to develop a clear focus on the issues they truly care about not only allows them to be more socially impactful, but also provides depth and identity to their personal narrative and brand, driving commercial opportunities and forging links with like-minded organisations. Social purpose can not only be hugely rewarding, but can also drive good business.”
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Lisa Markey, [email protected], +44 (0) 20 7240 7700
Karen Asare, [email protected], +1 646 854 5535
NOTES TO THE EDITORS
1. About thinkBeyond Talent
thinkBeyond Talent places positive social change at the heart of talent careers and narratives, driving commercial value, positive social change and personal fulfilment.
2.The agency comprises two divisions:
tBt Management provides management services for talent that want to build long term, valuable careers that go hand in hand with social impact. Looking after some of the most respected and legendary names in sport, tBt Management works with talent to identify the causes they care about, create their brand narrative and position, develop commercial and media partnerships and create long term career direction and opportunities built on their convictions and values. Clients include Michael Johnson, Carl Frampton, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh, Will Greenwood, Jade Jones-Jones Hall, Molly Thompson-Smith, Richard Hill and Matt Prior.
tBt Strategy services are available to any non-managed personality, their agents, advisors or individuals working in athlete care and education, that would like to more fully explore the intersection of sport and society or require support to shape strategic direction and delivery around social cause. This can include: workshops for young athletes around the importance and potential benefits of using their platform for positive social change; working with an individual or agent to decide on a clear focus and narrative; or, identifying the right partners to collaborate with, set up a foundation or run a campaign. Clients include Michael Johnson, Brian Dawkins, Lewis Pugh, Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh and Joshua Buatsi.
3. About thinkBeyond
thinkBeyond helps organisations and people that do good, do it better through sport. The global agency provides a diverse range of forward-thinking clients – encompassing brands, sports teams, leagues, federations, talent, media and governments – with effective and innovative strategies, campaigns, events, content and platforms that use sport as a tool to create positive social change and deliver strong business returns. Together with sister company, Beyond Sport, thinkBeyond has delivered events and activated client partnerships around the world for over 30 clients, including the NFL, NHL, WWE, IOC, ESPN, BT, EY, Bloomberg, World Rugby, Commonwealth Games Federation, Greater London Authority, Sport England, The Change Foundation and the World Economic Forum among others.
4. About Benchmark
Both thinkBeyond Talent and thinkBeyond are part of the Benchmark group of businesses whose mission is to combine shared experiences, powerful networks and clarity of purpose. The company believes these are the only ways to deliver value in organisations and the communities we live in. The result is a family of companies, diverse in nature but powered by a common unifying entrepreneurial spirit, developing communities, uplifting people and shaping purpose driven brands. Businesses in the group include thinkBeyond Talent, thinkBeyond, Beyond Sport, Sport Industry Group, National Student Esports and Square Mile Sport.
5. Interbrand’s Best Global Brands: Brands with purpose set to outperform stock market by 120%
6. 2018 Shelton Group’s ‘Brands and Stand: Social Purpose is the New Black’: 86% of consumers saying companies should take a stand on social issues.