When financial services company ING signed on as the first title sponsor of the New York City Marathon in late June, its Connecticut-based team of 22 planners was left with only four months to put together a slew of marathon-related events. Here Lynda Garvey, one of the company’s top planners, talks about her role in presenting the first-ever ING New York City Marathon for more than two million participants and spectators this week.
What special events are you planning surrounding the marathon?
The Health and Fitness Expo at the Javits Center and the four cheering zones along the marathon route are the showcase events. We’ve also got the ING Carbohydrate Extravaganza before the marathon for more than 1,000 of our internal people. We have some breakfasts planned as well, which may appear uncomplicated from the outside, but when you need 1,300 bananas—where do you get them? For after the race there’s the finish line banquet at Tavern on the Green, the awards ceremony, a sponsor reception and an after-race party for runners. In total, we’re working on 13 different elements surrounding the marathon.
Who are you trying to reach by sponsoring the marathon?
We know that a diverse group of people—including males and females, affluent and blue collar, young and old—enjoy the marathon and we hope to increase our brand recognition among this broad group. Marathon runners are also very purposeful people, they’re planners. You don’t just wake up one day and decide to run a marathon. You have to train. That mind-set fits what ING is all about: Our clients think long-term and they think about financial services.
How will you measure the return on your investment?
I think we’ve already gotten our return internally. Our staff is so excited about the marathon. We’re all as proud as peacocks just to be here in New York. These intangibles as are important as the quantitative returns.
How does the sponsorship of the marathon differ from other events ING sponsors, and what are the unique challenges it involves?
This is the only event of this magnitude we’ve ever planned, and this is the only one that has engaged all the planners in the company at once. There’s no historical precedent for this—we’re inventing history here today and it’s so much fun.
—Alesandra Dubin
Photo by Dan Hallman
Posted 10.29.03
What special events are you planning surrounding the marathon?
The Health and Fitness Expo at the Javits Center and the four cheering zones along the marathon route are the showcase events. We’ve also got the ING Carbohydrate Extravaganza before the marathon for more than 1,000 of our internal people. We have some breakfasts planned as well, which may appear uncomplicated from the outside, but when you need 1,300 bananas—where do you get them? For after the race there’s the finish line banquet at Tavern on the Green, the awards ceremony, a sponsor reception and an after-race party for runners. In total, we’re working on 13 different elements surrounding the marathon.
Who are you trying to reach by sponsoring the marathon?
We know that a diverse group of people—including males and females, affluent and blue collar, young and old—enjoy the marathon and we hope to increase our brand recognition among this broad group. Marathon runners are also very purposeful people, they’re planners. You don’t just wake up one day and decide to run a marathon. You have to train. That mind-set fits what ING is all about: Our clients think long-term and they think about financial services.
How will you measure the return on your investment?
I think we’ve already gotten our return internally. Our staff is so excited about the marathon. We’re all as proud as peacocks just to be here in New York. These intangibles as are important as the quantitative returns.
How does the sponsorship of the marathon differ from other events ING sponsors, and what are the unique challenges it involves?
This is the only event of this magnitude we’ve ever planned, and this is the only one that has engaged all the planners in the company at once. There’s no historical precedent for this—we’re inventing history here today and it’s so much fun.
—Alesandra Dubin
Photo by Dan Hallman
Posted 10.29.03
