Havas And Cake Unveil New Sports Offering

Havas Sports & Entertainment has unveiled a new dedicated sports PR division, run in partnership with sister agency Cake, with Dan Connolly, the former head of PR for the England 2018 World Cup Bid, to lead the new offering in the role of UK sports PR director.   

Jim Dowling, Cake managing partner, will drive the department’s creative output from Cake, the ideas agency, whose services include consumer PR, experiential marketing and social media.
 
Havas Sports & Entertainment’s current sports PR client list includes Annecy 2018, the French bid for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, and Friends Life T20 Cricket.

Next week, the Havas Sports & Entertainment team will be leading Annecy 2018’s PR effort in Durban ahead of the International Olympic Committee’s final decision on the hosts of the 2018 Winter Olympics, set to take place on 6th July.  

They will be looking to emulate the success of another Havas Sports & Entertainment client, the French bid for the 2018 Ryder Cup. 

Connolly, who has prior agency experience with clients such as Nike, the RFU and Barclays sponsorship of the Premier League, has overseen the international media relations and strategy for Annecy 2018, since joining in January 2011.

Havas Sports & Entertainment, global president and CEO, Lucien Boyer said: ‘Our UK Sports PR offer combines Havas’ expertise in sport with Cake’s cutting-edge creativity to develop campaigns that engage and excite audiences. It’s important for us to have someone with Dan’s background in place who can work across Havas Sports & Entertainment and Cake to draw upon our network’s best talent’.

‘In 25 offices around the world we have expertise that connects brands, sporting bodies and consumers through sport. We believe we can bring global perspectives to the market at a very interesting time for sports business in the UK’.

Havas Sports & Entertainment, UK CEO, Keith Impey added: ‘Havas Sports & Entertainment is an eclectic mix of characters and backgrounds from the sports and entertainment world.  Havas Sports credentials combined with the creative spirit of Cake is a unique blend’.

‘We have talent adept at operating in boardrooms, bootrooms, newsrooms, playing fields, stadia, street corners and the pub.  We’re buzzing with ideas and look forward to working with our clients to tell stories people want to share’.