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T o u g h M u d d e r c h a l l e n g e s e s t a b l i s h e d r i v a l
I n t h i s m o n t h ’ s O u r T h o u g h t s O n w e e x p l o r e t h e c o m p a r i s o n b e t w e e n t h e well- established London Marathon w i t h t h e up- and- c o m i n g T o u g h M u d d e r . B y u s i n g t h e L o n d o n M a r a t h o n ( a tried- and- tested e v e n t ) a s t h e b e n c h m a r k f o r o u r r e s e a r c h , w e h a v e utilised our SponsorDNA study to explore awareness , fan attitudes and perceived sponsorship fit of both events . B y e x t r a p o l a t i n g t h i s d a t a , S p o n s o r D N A a l l o w s u s t o m a t c h s p o r t s e v e n t s w i t h s u i t a b l e b r a n d s a n d a n a l y s e t h e perception of existing sponsorships . I n t h i s s t u d y , w e h a v e s e e n a n i n t e r e s t i n g s h i f t i n m o m e n t u m f r o m t h e t r a d i t i o n a l f o r m a t o f t h e L o n d o n Marathon to the alternative , new look of Tough Mudder .
A s t a l w a r t i n e n d u r a n c e e v e n t s , t h e L o n d o n M a r a t h o n h a s b e e n a n d g o n e f o r 2 0 1 7 , w i t h a r e c o r d n u m b e r o f 3 9 , 4 0 0 + r u n n e r s c o m p l e t i n g t h e g r u e l l i n g r a c e . N o w , a l t h o u g h w e h a v e t o w a i t another year for 2018 ’ s edition to run its course , f e a r n o t ; l e t u s i n t r o d u c e y o u t o the c o m p a r a t i v e l y n e w , i n n o v a t i v e l y brilliant Tough Mudder . A s i m i l a r l y d e m a n d i n g c h a l l e n g e , y e t s t y l i s h l y u n i q u e , i n v o l v i n g a 10- 12- m i l e m u d obstacle c o u r s e d e s i g n e d t o d r a g y o u ( a n d y o u r c h o s e n c o m r a d e s ) o u t o f y o u r c o m f o r t z o n e a n d t e s t y o u r physical strength , stamina , and mental g r i t . T h e b r i g h t s p a r k s b e h i n d T o u g h M u d d e r h a v e c r e a t e d t h i s e x c i t i n g n e w e v e n t t o c h a l l e n g e t h e traditional endurance test , bringing a whole new approach to this genre of mass participation . The attraction of accessibility a n d a l l - inclusiveness f o r a n e c l e c t i c g e n e r a l p u b l i c p r o v i d e s a fascinating opportunity for brands l o o k i n g to d e l v e i n t o m a s s participation as a l a u n c h p a d t o d r i v e b r a n d a w a r e n e s s a n d d e v e l o p b r a n d perceptions .
T o u g h Mudder ’ s i m p a c t o n t h e g e n e r a l p u b l i c i s h i g h l i g h t e d b y 82 % b e l i e v i n g t h a t t h e enterprising event is steadily gaining popularity ; this represents a 23 % winningm a r g i n o v e r t h e L o n d o n M a r a t h o n , w h i c h s i t s a t 5 9 % o f t h e p u b l i c ’ s v o t e . A r e s o u n d i n g superiority for an event such as Tough Mudder i n o n l y i t s 8 th f u l l y e a r o f f r u i t i o n .
There ’ s no doubt that Tough Mudder provides p e o p l e w i t h a s t r o n g t r i b a l a f f i n i t y ; a n o u t c o m e t h a t c a n b e e x p l a i n e d b y o u r f i n d i n g s o f p e r c e i v e d i n n o v a t i v e n e s s a n d u n i q u e n e s s o f b o t h e v e n t s . T o u g h M u d d e r r u n s a w a y f r o m t h e m o r e t r a d i t i o n a l a p p r o a c h o f t h e L o n d o n Marathon , with 86 % of people believing the e v e n t t o b e m o r e u n i q u e c o m p a r e d t o i t s r i v a l ’ s 5 6 % . T h e 30 % difference underlines that their a m b i t i o n t o c o n s t a n t l y s t a y c o n t e m p o r a r y a n d different from other endurance events keeps the g e n e r a l p u b l i c h o o k e d . W i l l D e a n , founder and c h i e f e x e c u t i v e , s u g g e s t s t h a t " P e o p l e d e f i n e t h e m s e l v e s a s b e i n g a T o u g h M u d d e r i n a w a y t h a t I d o n ’ t t h i n k m a n y o t h e r b r a n d s d o . ”
A s a r e s u l t , T o u g h M u d d e r p r o v i d e s a n i n v i t i n g platform for new brands looking to establish t h e m s e l v e s w i t h a n e x c i t i n g , i n n o v a t i v e e v e n t . Differentiating themselves from the London Marathon with its individuality , it allows b r a n d s t o r e l a t e t o a n e v e n t i n a u n i q u e w a y . Furthermore , Tough Mudder provides consumers w i t h a constant cycle of events throughout the year , d e l i v e r i n g a c o n t i n u o u s s t r e a m o f c o n s u m e r - f a c i n g o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r b r a n d s . S t i l l i n i t s infancy , it delivers opportunities that shouldn ’ t be ignored . With H e a d & S h o u l d e r s m o s t r e c e n t l y j u m p i n g o n t h e b a n d w a g o n , w a t c h t h i s s p a c e f o r m o r e i n e v i t a b l e , u p c o m i n g sponsorship deals with the exponentiallyg r o w i n g p h e n o m e n o n !