RMIT experts available to comment on Australian Open

Sports fans

Dr Kevin Argus (kevin.argus@rmit.edu.au or 0419 889 465)

Topics: sport consumer behaviour, commitment and loyalty, self-esteem and social identity, the role of sport in society, sport sponsorship and social media engagement

“Sport acts as an effective means for many people to build their social identity and maintain their self-esteem.

“Supporting players, teams or national identities enables people to feel like they belong to a group.

“Sport can provide escapism and stress release during challenging times, such as the current bushfire crisis in Australia, enabling people to express positive and negative emotions in a socially accepted way.

“Many attendees at the Australian Open prioritise the carnival atmosphere, sponsored interactive experiences and social engagement over watching tennis; similar to the Spring Racing Carnival.

“Sport sponsors tap into social media networks of fans by creating engaging activities that reward fans for sharing content. For example, rewards for sharing selfies on social media at the tennis, linked to a sponsor's brand, provides social value to fans linked with positive associations towards the sponsor.”

Dr Kevin Argus is a Lecturer in Marketing and Design Thinking at RMIT University. His research interests include sport marketing, sport consumer behaviour, sponsorship and social media, and designing for a circular economy.

Air quality and respiratory health

Professor Ross Vlahos (ross.vlahos@rmit.edu.au or 0419 519 426)

Topics: asthma, lung inflammation, respiratory infections, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

“Poor air quality could be of concern to athletes in the Australian Open and they will need to take precautions to minimise their exposure wherever possible.

“Exposure to poor air could potentially have similar consequences to smoking and this was seen at the recent Australian Open qualifying matches where players were affected, including Dalila Jakupovic who suffered a serious coughing fit, which forced her to retire from the match.

“It is known that smoking impacts on athletic performance by decreasing lung function which translates to a decrease in stamina and performance, as muscles that get inadequate oxygen become fatigued more quickly.

“Another impact smoking has on athletes is its effect on heart and circulatory health. Smoking causes the blood vessels to constrict and blood pressure to increase. Collectively, this reduces blood flow to the muscles, further limiting the amount of oxygen the muscles receive.

Loss of blood flow can significantly reduce muscular endurance, while the heart itself may also tire more quickly, as it works harder than it should to pump blood through clogged blood vessels.

“Smoking can lead to greater chance of injury in athletes because when muscles, heart and brain do not receive enough oxygen, mental and physical acuity can drop. This can cause athletes to make poor decisions, use bad form when exercising, or even become dizzy or faint.

“We are in unchartered waters with respect to the long-term impact of chronic bushfire smoke inhalation. We currently don’t have data to inform us about this kind of exposure on health.”

Professor Ross Vlahos is a Principal Research Fellow and Head of the Respiratory Research Group in the School of Health and Biomedical Sciences at RMIT University.

Gender and marketing

Dr Lauren Gurrieri (lauren.gurrieri@rmit.edu.au or 0411 205 396)

Topics: gender and marketing, gender and consumption, body ideals and social media, ethical representations in advertising

"There is a continued focus upon the appearance of female tennis players, as opposed to their skills and performance on the court. For example, what a female tennis player is wearing, how she has styled her hair or the shape of her body.

“Focus on women’s appearance reinforces an expectation that image is important for women and girls when playing sport, when it is well established that self-consciousness acts as a barrier for female participation in sport.

"There is increasing public scrutiny of the reduced visibility and airtime given to women's matches. The relegation of women to outside courts at the Brisbane International with the men's ATP Cup occupying the Pat Rafter arena has been called out as sexism by many tennis fans.

"Male and female tennis players are held to different standards, with men's aggressiveness permitted whilst women are admonished and reprimanded for expressing anger or frustration.

“This extends to sponsorship deals in which women are expected to always behave as positive role models, whilst 'bad boy' behaviour is often courted and rewarded by sponsors."

Dr Lauren Gurrieri is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing at RMIT University. She is an expert in gender, marketing and consumer culture.

Luxury brand sponsorships

Dr Marian Makkar (marian.makkar@rmit.edu.au or 04 322 14452)

Topics: sponsorship, luxury brands, brand fit, associations, image, consumer engagement

“Luxury brands are often looking for new ways to differentiate themselves through unique forms of advertising. Even though today’s brands use targeted ways to reach customers, sponsorship is still an important marketing communication tool.

“Sports sponsorship offers huge opportunities for brands to engage in innovative ways with their campaigns to build excitement pre, during and post events to keep engagement going.

“Sports also provoke a sense of belonging, celebration and empowerment for millions of people across Australia, potentially transferring these positive emotions to the sponsor.

“With luxury brands, fit with the sponsored sport is key for image. Tennis, a luxury sport in its own right, is the perfect sporting event for brands to reach mid-to upper class viewers.

“However, what some luxury brands disregard is the presence of other sponsoring brands. A consideration of fit, the impact other brands might have on the luxury brand, and cross-associations consumers might make on the long run is critical.

“Traditionally, luxury has been associated with uniqueness, heritage and exclusivity; we are seeing luxury brands changing the way they position themselves to meet new demands of global markets for luxury, its accessibility and changing consumer needs.

“For instance, sponsorship tiers combining luxury and mid-range brands is not unusual; luxury brands utilising digital and virtual promotional spaces during sporting events is becoming a popular channel. This is the ‘new’ luxury.

“The best brands are the ones that choose long term goals over short-term returns. When audiences perceive a partnership, the sponsoring brand can capture maximum reach, become memorable and eventually build trust with consumers.”

Dr Marian Makkar is a Lecturer in consumer culture and design thinking at RMIT University. She is an expert in luxury consumption and retail, the sharing economy and the use of technology in enhancing consumer’s lives.

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