Gsk

[Wee Dave]

Seeing as they helped us out with drinks for WWIII, what possibilities of an ongoing relationship?

I don't want this thread to turn into a long rant about vivisection or AIDS medicines and lots of pictures of mutilated monkeys. I'm as against animal testing as they come and think their attitude to the third world is fairly despicable. Let's leave the ethics out of this, assuming we have any.

I just found it interesting that they supplied us with drinks seeing as (to my knowledge) they've not been very forthcoming before now - so can we expect anything more? Particularly (taking my lead from Gee Bee in Chit Chat here) that they're looking to advertise Lucozade in a big way....

 

[City_Bee]

I would like to think that the relationship could develop. Having one of the world's largest companies on your doorstep should be fuly exploited.

Whilst I know the avenue of sponsorship for the team has already been discussed many times before, what about GSK advertising on the New Road roof. As you quite rightly point out if they do want to drive Lucozade sales, this could help and for GSK would surely represent a cheap and cost effective way for the product to be advertised. Failing that perhaps more looser forms of a partnership could be developed between BFC and GSK, such as BFC providing discounted tickets for future games. GSK's office on the Great West Road must employ a few thousand so even if only a small percentage of these took advantage of the offer it would represent much needed revenue for BFC and could lead to a much improved fan base.

 

[King Bee]

I'm reasonably well known by the GSK management team and have approached them on a number of occasions to sound out the possibility of some form of cooperation. However, they don't consider Brentford to be a worthwhile charity cause. People often cite Manfred Schneider's obsession with Bayer Leverkusen as the root cause of much of Bayer' ills of late.

GSK have a lot more things to worry about than Brentford. Like how to explain to the market that they need to go through another merger to realise any value for shareholders...

 

[BenMoses]

I'd like to think that they would care just a tiny bit about their local football club

 

[Wee Dave]

I'm reasonably well known by the GSK management team and have approached them on a number of occasions to sound out the possibility of some form of cooperation. However, they don't consider Brentford to be a worthwhile charity cause. People often cite Manfred Schneider's obsession with Bayer Leverkusen as the root cause of much of Bayer' ills of late.

GSK have a lot more things to worry about than Brentford. Like how to explain to the market that they need to go through another merger to realise any value for shareholders...

I don't think we're asking for charity! More approaching them with commerical ideas and the potential for an ongoing relationship...

 

[King Bee]

Seeing as they helped us out with drinks for WWIII, what possibilities of an ongoing relationship?

I don't want this thread to turn into a long rant about vivisection or AIDS medicines and lots of pictures of mutilated monkeys. I'm as against animal testing as they come and think their attitude to the third world is fairly despicable. Let's leave the ethics out of this, assuming we have any.

I just found it interesting that they supplied us with drinks seeing as (to my knowledge) they've not been very forthcoming before now - so can we expect anything more? Particularly (taking my lead from Gee Bee in Chit Chat here) that they're looking to advertise Lucozade in a big way....

The only thing Lucozade would be interested in is the roof - however don't expect them to pay anyhere in the region of £100k + that has been quoted on this message board. Advertising still sucks and people are becoming a lot more savvy as to what generates a return and what doesn't. If we were in the first division, GSK would be knocking on our door. In fact, they was a grain of light some time ago in the mid 90s when GSK used to regularly send staff over on matchday VIP packages. Those were the days....

 

[King Bee]

I don't think we're asking for charity! More approaching them with commerical ideas and the potential for an ongoing relationship...

Unfortunately, the only way GSK can contribute large sums of money to BFC is through charitable donations as these are tax deductable. The pharma group spent around £150m last year on what it considered worthwhile causes i.e. certain charities and scientific achievements

Now, convince GSK that investing in the education of sport (not just football which is what I've been trying to tell BU for the last god knows how long) via BFC Sports in the Community programme and we might just get somewhere.

Remember Lucozade requires exposure far greater than what Brentford can achieve. And let's face it nobody is going to donate money to Brentford with the prospect of administration hanging over our heads.

 

[GABS]

GSK's office on the Great West Road must employ a few thousand...

3000 people work in that office. I was there for 2 and a bit years pre/post-merger as SB/GSK. They do a staff discount scheme with
Kew Gardens whereby two adults and two children per staff card holder get free or discounted (cant remember which) entry in turn for GSK's sponsorship of the Gardens. I know Kew has a worldwide profile, ala GSK, thus no wonder they are happy to get involved there. However it does indicate they are prepared to get involved in local sponsorship schemes.

 

[King Bee]

Their charity team is split into global and local teams, and by local they mean UK. People forget that GSK is a global business - had one particular Hounslow councillor not intervened at the last moment then GSK may well have built its corporate headquarters in Pennsylvannia. Such was the intransigency by our beloved council in rubber stamping planning permission that most of the GSK board had elected to do just that - which just goes to show how short sited our council is. GSK's CEO lives and works in the US, most of their employees are based their too. To be honest with you, the CEO would rather GSK be a US company as his remuneration would certainly be a lot higher if it were.

GSK House will by the end of next year house 4000 employees.

 

[GABS]

GSK House will by the end of next year house 4000 employees.

Thats funny - aint seen any new wings going up and the capacity of the building is 3000 when full to the rafters. I should know, I had to try and get lunch in the place, nightmare ! Maybe the desks have been made smaller ?

Even with 3000 there were only 1000 car parking spaces with a weekly rotation system on who could use it and shuttle buses running everyone else from the carpark down the road (formerly known as SB House !)

Cant see how that would work with 4000 ???

 

[Gee Bee]

Unfortunately, the only way GSK can contribute large sums of money to BFC is through charitable donations as these are tax deductable. The pharma group spent around £150m last year on what it considered worthwhile causes i.e. certain charities and scientific achievements

In a thread in Chit Chat titled "Lucozade" it says that their longtime advert on the A4 is coming down. Now why don't they look to advertise on the New Road roof, which also can be seen by thousands every day at street level and millions every year at flight path level. It would probably be cheaper than erecting something new at their new site. It also not just about advertising it is about branding, and as it is supposed to be a much heathier drink than other fizzy sugar based crap, why not attach a slogan highlighting this fact on a hoarding seen by millions each year. It will benefit GSK and also see them collaborating with their local community. It is not charity, it about enhancing the healthy image of the driink and attaching it to a local sports arena.

 

[King Bee]

Thats funny - aint seen any new wings going up and the capacity of the building is 3000 when full to the rafters. I should know, I had to try and get lunch in the place, nightmare ! Maybe the desks have been made smaller ?

Even with 3000 there were only 1000 car parking spaces with a weekly rotation system on who could use it and shuttle buses running everyone else from the carpark down the road (formerly known as SB House !)

Cant see how that would work with 4000 ???

I was told a further 1000 places would be made available as am led to believe that much of the tower is still just plant. I like the a la carte restaurant reserved for dignitaries - very nice food

 

[King Bee]

In a thread in Chit Chat titled "Lucozade" it says that their longtime advert on the A4 is coming down. Now why don't they look to advertise on the New Road roof, which also can be seen by thousands every day at street level and millions every year at flight path level. It would probably be cheaper than erecting something new at their new site. It also not just about advertising it is about branding, and as it is supposed to be a much heathier drink than other fizzy sugar based crap, why not attach a slogan highlighting this fact on a hoarding seen by millions each year. It will benefit GSK and also see them collaborating with their local community. It is not charity, it about enhancing the healthy image of the driink and attaching it to a local sports arena.

They are well aware of the roof being available Gee Bee. However did you know that it will cost BFC somewhere in the region of about 60k to re paint and treat the roof spaces. Give current advertising spend, it is unlikely BFC will receive more than say 80K for two years. That means 10k per season. Despite GSK's riches, no one is going to sanction spending anything more than the market worth. And as I've pointed out above, with the state of football as it is, and the prospect of more clubs going into administration, no company worth their salt is going to invest in a business that could go under three or four months later. The executive who sanctioned that deal would be shot.

The only way BFC will get more corporate sponsorship is through success on the football pitch.

 

[GABS]

I was told a further 1000 places would be made available as am led to believe that much of the tower is still just plant. I like the a la carte restaurant reserved for dignitaries - very nice food

May have changed since I was there but as I was involved in an IT project role during the merger I had detailed access to who was moving to where and when etc etc... the place was full.

Yeah the a la carte dining area was good, even let peeps like me in there to eat from time to time ! You don't have to be a 'dignitary' - just have to book ahead and dress smart.

 

[Gee Bee]

They are well aware of the roof being available Gee Bee. However did you know that it will cost BFC somewhere in the region of about 60k to re paint and treat the roof spaces. Give current advertising spend, it is unlikely BFC will receive more than say 80K for two years. That means 10k per season. Despite GSK's riches, no one is going to sanction spending anything more than the market worth. And as I've pointed out above, with the state of football as it is, and the prospect of more clubs going into administration, no company worth their salt is going to invest in a business that could go under three or four months later. The executive who sanctioned that deal would be shot.

The only way BFC will get more corporate sponsorship is through success on the football pitch.

I am aware the cost of the painting the roof. However it needs to be done whether someone sponsors it or BFC have to pay for it. BFC though are currently not in a position to paint it themselves. They therefore may have to accept just the cost of the job as the advertising revenue, no money made, but local residents happy with no paint flakes dropping in their gardens.
Your final comment about companies not willing to invest in companies likely to go under 3 or 4 months later, is probably a bit speculative, especially as a large proportion of Premier & FL clubs are in the same if not far worse state financially than BFC and yet many large brand names are associated to them. Walkers for instance didn't get any damage to their reputation or sales when Leicester went into administration, and they have the stadium named after them. I wouldn't think people would ever associate Lucozade with BFC when they go to buy a drink. People view the advert where its sited is not overly important as long as it can be viewed by many.

 

[Mikey Bee]

Yeah the a la carte dining area was good, even let peeps like me in there to eat from time to time ! You don't have to be a 'dignitary' - just have to book ahead and dress smart.

It's not bloody cheap, though, is it ?

 

[GABS]

It's not bloody cheap, though, is it ?

Thats what project team budgets are for !

 

[JTofBFC]

They are well aware of the roof being available Gee Bee. However did you know that it will cost BFC somewhere in the region of about 60k to re paint and treat the roof spaces.

60 grand to repaint the roof. You're having a laugh aren't you??

Have we thought of handing the ad space over to an agency , eg J C Decaux or somebody similar.

(I wonder how much F P Herting and Sons pay for that massive F*** off advert behind the Brook rd goal)......which has also just been repainted??

 

[237bee]

GSK are for all intents and purposes a US company. Their big problem at the moment is that they have nothing in the new drug pipeline and their existing anti depressant causes you on occasion to take a freshly sharpened axe to the family/neighbours when you come off it .

A mate who 'ayes B knows well works for Lucozade - they used to sponsor the Wycombe v Bees matches but as even Lucozade is probably not in GSK's long term plans - they would sell it tomorrow if they could get the right price - forking out to sponsor a small second division club's stand roof is not even on the radar (air traffic control analogy there for brentford bob )

 

[BoroBee]

Strange that if 4000+ people work not half a mile down the road from GP, no-one who works there / visits there (except King Bee) posts on the Grapevine. Are there no local people who work there? Don't forget the lucrative monorail plan was supposed to get GSK involved as well.

Surely a company that makes drugs for heart attacks and stress management can find customers at BFC ????
"Zantac are proud sponsors of Brentford Football Club!"
rofl rofl

 

[Mikey Bee]

Strange that if 4000+ people work not half a mile down the road from GP, no-one who works there / visits there (except King Bee) posts on the Grapevine. Are there no local people who work there? Don't forget the lucrative monorail plan was supposed to get GSK involved as well.

Surely a company that makes drugs for heart attacks and stress management can find customers at BFC ????
"Zantac are proud sponsors of Brentford Football Club!"
rofl rofl

Myself and GABS both used to work there though never met to my knowledge despite both working in IT and knowing the same people

Zantac is actually an antacid so prevents heartburn and stomach pains. It is also a great hangover preventitive. Take one of them before a major session and - voila - no hangover the next day. Aren't drugs great ?

 

[BoroBee]

Zantac is actually an antacid so prevents heartburn and stomach pains. It is also a great hangover preventitive. Take one of them before a major session and - voila - no hangover the next day. Aren't drugs great ?

There you go - the ideal sponsor!

 

[Pauly Paul]

Have we thought of handing the ad space over to an agency , eg J C Decaux or somebody similar.

J C Decaux are another GWR company.

 

[Brentford Bob]

(air traffic control analogy there for brentford bob )

I thank you.

 

[King Bee]

Listening to the GSK R&D conference today - what a load of tosh