Abu Dhabi bank to sponsor Harlequins Rugby Club

It's good to see a constant trickle of sponsorship deals, both local and international, being struck by UAE companies.

Take today's announcement from Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), concerning its sponsorship of the Abu Dhabi Harlequins Rugby Club.

The bank has signed a deal with the "Quins" to cover the next rugby season, which begins in September. A spokeswoman for the bank would not be drawn on the value of the deal.

The "Quins" are based at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi. Its other sponsors include Etihad Airways, BDO Corporate Finance and Zayed Sports City, according to the club's website.

According to a press release, the sponsorship is linked to the bank's "Long Live Ambition" campaign, which has been running for two years. The campaign was created by the high-profile US-based ad agency Fallon - and drew a mixed response from the media types commenting on this story.

As The National reported last month, Gulf companies have had a good run with their international sponsorships.

Emirates is one of the UAE's most active sponsors in international sport, given its endorsements of teams such as Arsenal football club and AC Milan. The airline has a $195 million deal as a FIFA Partner, which runs until 2014.

Other high-level deals include Etihad's sponsorship of Manchester City Football Club, which is reportedly worth £24 million over three years.

But there is also a market for local 'grassroots' sponsorships: The ADCB's Quins deal, for example, covers the whole club - including the juniors' and veterans' teams.

Sponsoring such teams may not bring the kind of exposure as, say, Emirates gets during the FIFA World Cup final. But, as has been shown in other markets, 'grassroots' sponsorships are an effective way of connecting with consumers in a company's home market.