Branding as the base of development of competitions of the european championship on football

Introduction. Branding is the marketing activity on creation of long-term preference to the goods of the given firm; it is realised in the course of influence on the consumer of a trade mark, packing, the advertising appeals that allocate the goods among competitors and creating its image. Research objective is to prove approaches of using branding for development of the European football championships.

Research problems:
1. To generalise historical experience of the European football championship brand development.
2. To analyse influence of 2012 European football championship carrying out in Ukraine on country brand promotion.
Methods of researches: the analysis of references, the analysis of regulatory legal acts, a method of expert estimations for which realisation experts of the Ministry of Ukraine in affairs of a family, youth and sports, Federation of football of Ukraine have been involved.

Results of research. There are some concepts connected with brand which experts operate. Each brand possesses certain attributes (Brand Attributes) – the functional or emotional associations, the buyers and potential clients appropriated to a brand. Attributes of a brand can be both positive, and negative, can have various strength and importance for different segments of the market. Any brand possesses the main, basic characteristic which defines its essence (Brand Essence). All attributes of a brand in aggregate make individuality of a brand (Brand Identity) which is created and supported by brand expert. Individuality of a brand expresses that should mean a brand and is the certain long-term promise to consumers from authors of a brand.

At each concrete moment any brands have certain image (Brand Image) – a unique set of associations which are in minds of consumers at the moment. These associations express that means a brand right now, and are the momentary promise to consumers from authors of a brand. In particular, the advertising campaign can generate image of a brand. It is important to notice, that image of a brand is that what is in minds of consumers at the moment, while individuality of a brand is much more long-term concept.

In practice often you meet those two close concepts - a brand and the trade mark. Actually the brand is not only the trade mark consisting of the name, a graphic presentation (logo) and sound symbols of the company or the goods. Concept of a brand is wider as it has such aspects in addition:
• The good or service with all its characteristics.
• A set of characteristics, expectations, the associations perceived by the user and attributed to the goods (brand-image).
• The information about the consumer.
• The promises of any advantages given by the author of a brand to consumers, that sense which is put in it by founders (widespread enough error consists that founders of a brand believe that their perception and perception of target audience are identical; in practice often enough it differs from perception of the consumer).

Discussion of the research results. In 2012 Ukraine should carry out the final tournament of the European football championship, the main competition of the national teams held under the guidance of UEFA. Since 1960, tournament passes between the World championships. It is possible to consider this year the beginning of the Championship brand development which at present is the third on popularity sports action in the world. Originally tournament was called the European nations Cup, and in 1968 the name have replaced with the European football championship.

Untill 1980 only 4 commands took part in a final part of tournament, 1980-1996 – 8 national teams, 1996-2016 - 16 national teams, and since 2016 24 teams for the first time will take part in a final part of the championship. In the given tendency development of quality of competition, its commercial appeal and popularity among various levels of population is seen. As consequence, the European championship became elite competition, a brand which is one of the most popular in the world.
Today the states show consideration for carrying out of large sports actions within their countries, as much as possible using them for development of the image, a brand of the country.

This year South Africa Republic which carried out the world football championship actively used the fact of the tournament during last three years. The main objectives which have been put by this country: attraction of investments into infrastructure development, attraction of tourists. Southern Africa has created the favorable environment for development of private and state partnership in which frameworks the country branding program has been realised. The culmination of this program was carrying out of the world football championship. Similar work was done also by Germany which organized the World football championship four years ago. «Germany - the country of ideas» This was the main slogan of the 2006 World football championship. The overall objective of the state campaign on national брендингу Germany consisted in showing, that "Germany is the country of ideas", and to prove to the world, that the country is competitive, innovative, with spirit of production.

The conclusion. Today the international community interest to Ukraine is low enough, for many people it is difficult to find the country on a world card. At the same time there is an understanding that Euro-2012 from the point of view of PR is the international information occasion, it is necessary for to take advantage for improvement of The Ukraine reputation from it. The European football championship is over billion the people attracted which attention will be chained to our state during viewing of matches. It is hundred thousands spectators who will on stadiums, and millions foreigners which will enjoy advantages of the fanzones. The companies have a chance of own development in the Euro-2012 context, they can draw attention of these already interested audiences mainly indifferent to knowledge of Ukraine.

Concerning an internal audience (for the companies it is own employees, the inhabitant of areas, small towns or the bridge where they do business, their partners and suppliers), the Euro-2012 is a good occasion for qualitative internal mobilization of Ukrainians. As well as business, Ukraine requires owners who are capable to lead own economy to an order and to be ready to show hospitality and it is to use Championship carrying out favourably.

Conclusions. In the conditions of modern development of market economy the branding is one of the basic mechanisms of business development and gaining loyalty of wide ranges of clients. The European football championship today is the large business-project, which client audience coverage is the population of practically the whole world. Therefore the fact of carrying out of the given action in Ukraine should become a push for development, both sports, and a national economy in whole.

The list of the used literature
1. Marketing and branding: [http://www.intalev.ua/index.php? id=9518]
2. National branding of Ukraine: [http://innovations.com.ua/uk/event/1630]
3. Lagae W. Sports Sponsorship and Marketing Communications: A European Perspective. – London, 2007. – 248 pages.

Valentin A. Kutsev