By Emily Goddard

team gb gymJune 4 - After winning three bronze and one silver medal at the London 2012 Olympics British Gymnastics is now looking to match this success in the commercial arena with the launch of a new business strategy.

The sport's national governing body has been working with London-based sports marketing agency b-focused, which has been involved in every Olympics since Atlanta 1996 and worked with the British Olympic Association (BOA), Commonwealth Games England, Sport England and Olympic worldwide partner Panasonic, to develop the commercial strategy to help it "capitalise on its growing profile" and secure partners.

As a sport that attracts more than 2.3 million participants every year and with more than 210,000 members, executive director of business and development at British Gymnastics Mark Gannon claimed the body presents "a unique opportunity" for brands looking to target a young demographic.

"As a result of what has been a significant piece of work undertaken over the last six months, we have a much more in-depth understanding of our commercial opportunity, but more specifically we have a stronger offer in place for potential partners," he said.

"The gymnastics audience is constantly growing.

"There are kids participating at schools and clubs, and people of all ages and abilities taking advantage of the many new and exciting activities and programmes that sit under the gymnastics umbrella.

"You've also got millions of people watching elite level competitions on television, or supporting Louis Smith, Beth Tweddle or Spelbound.

"Gymnastics has a resonance at so many levels."

Louis Smith 050613Louis Smith won a bronze and silver medal at London 2012

Over the next three years, Britain is scheduled to host a number of international gymnastics competitions, including the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, the 2015 World Gymnastics Championships and the annual Glasgow World Cup, which should also boost the governing body's global reach.

"Having worked in sports sponsorship for many years, we were impressed by the depth and reach of the sport – particularly its appeal from children through to adults, as well as the scale of audience at major events," Marzena Bogdanowicz, b-focused managing directorand the former director of marketing at the British Olympic Association, said.

"The opportunities for brands around gymnastics are extremely exciting and offer significant creative scope."

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