How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture
"We aim to be the connection point between the UBS brand and the outside world, [...] and align with areas that are shared passions with our client audience."
UBS's acquisition of Credit Suisse in early 2023 significantly expanded its sports and entertainment marketing portfolio, inheriting high-profile Swiss partnerships including the national soccer team and tennis legend Roger Federer.
Prior to this expansion, UBS was already focused on strengthening its presence in the sports and live entertainment space, including the signing of a naming rights deal for UBS Arena in New York in 2020. The Arena formally opened on November 20th, 2021, and just three years later, this partnership has grown UBS’s brand familiarity in the New York area and beyond.
As the media landscape evolves, UBS adapts its partnerships accordingly, seizing opportunities like digitally enhanced dasher boards (DED) overlaid on MSG Networks broadcasts for New York Islander games, effectively reaching a national audience.
Content creation and distribution are also crucial to UBS's strategy. In 2023, UBS’s partnership with Hot 97’s Summer Jam, which featured conversations with artists such as LL Cool J and Jadakiss, led to its most successful social media campaign to date. In 2024, the campaign returned featuring an exclusive interview with Wu-Tang Clan’s Method Man, where he discussed his illustrious music and acting career, thoughts on legacy, and his advice to younger artists.
In 2024, UBS also partnered with St. John's Basketball. Through interviews with star players Joel Soriano and Jillian Archer, the brand explored topics such as NIL (Name, Image and Likeness), legacy, and community impact.
At the heart of UBS’s content philosophy lies the celebration of craft. This is best exemplified by UBS's Craftmakers series, which showcases individuals like Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team driver and UBS Global Brand Ambassador George Russell and motorsport trailblazer Lewis Hamilton, who embody the unwavering focus, determination, and skill that it takes to succeed in their craft.
This emphasis on craft extends beyond individual achievements to UBS’s broader business philosophy, which remains centered on crafting sustainable, meaningful relationships. The strength of UBS’s relationships is evident in its 30-year partnership with Art Basel, marking one of the longest corporate partnerships in the art world. Over three successful decades, the UBS and Art Basel relationship has grown significantly.
It's easy to forget the true essence of what makes partnerships work: creating meaningful connections, telling compelling stories, and aligning with the passions and values of clients. When done right, strategic partnerships offer brands a powerful opportunity to build trust, enhance reputation, and drive deep engagement.
Enter UBS, the world's largest wealth manager. With a client base that includes high-net-worth individuals and a robust asset management and investment banking division serving global institutions, UBS oversees a portfolio of over 50 global partnerships across sports, arts, and culture.
With a focus on delivering excellence to clients, UBS’s sponsorship portfolio is designed with their interests in mind. Whether in the arts, sports, or entertainment space, UBS’s sponsorship portfolio allows clients to connect deeper with their passions through unique, premium experiences.
"We aim to be the connection point between the UBS brand and the outside world, where we present the brand in meaningful, and differentiating ways, and align with areas that are shared passions with our client audience," explains UBS’s Head of Group Brand Activation, Sponsorships & Events, Sven Schaefer.
By - Front Office Sports
Posted - October 7, 2024
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It's easy to forget the true essence of what makes partnerships work: creating meaningful connections, telling compelling stories, and aligning with the passions and values of clients. When done right, strategic partnerships offer brands a powerful opportunity to build trust, enhance reputation, and drive deep engagement.
Enter UBS, the world's largest wealth manager. With a client base that includes high-net-worth individuals and a robust asset management and investment banking division serving global institutions, UBS oversees a portfolio of over 50 global partnerships across sports, arts, and culture.
As Art Basel expanded into new international markets over the past two decades—in the US through the launch of Art Basel Miami Beach in 2002 and in Asia in 2013 with Art Basel Hong Kong— UBS has continued its support in facilitating cultural initiatives worldwide and in using contemporary art to inspire ideas and enrich lives, which paved the path for UBS assuming its role as Global Lead Partner of Art Basel today. UBS and Art Basel have also jointly contributed to the insightful conversations around the art market since 2017, through the development of The Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market and The Survey of Global Collecting.
UBS’s commitment to long-term partnerships is also perfectly illustrated in its renewal with Alinghi Red Bull Racing, a challenger in the 2024 America's Cup. With UBS as a sponsor, Alinghi became the first-ever newcomer to win the 172 year-old race in 2003 and secured the first victory for a European nation since the contest's inception in 1851.
names, images and information regarding each personality featured or mentioned in this material are used with the permission of the respective individuals. No recommendation or sponsorship of, or association or affiliation with, UBS and/or any of our products and services is made or implied by any of the featured individuals, unless expressly stated herein. Non-UBS logos, brands, other trademarks and third party content are the property of their respective firms or its subsidiaries. This is used for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to convey any endorsement or sponsorship by, or association or affiliation with, the trademark holders.
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UBS exemplifies the power of successful strategic partnerships. The longevity of UBS's collaborations and the caliber of partners the company attracts serve as a testament to its ability to build and maintain meaningful, impactful sponsorships that resonate with clients and drive engagement. As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position not only as a leader in wealth management but also as a brand deeply committed to building lasting relationships and creating unforgettable experiences for its clients.
Photographer Credit: Oriol Castello / Alinghi Red Bull Racing
External views of Art Basel in Miami Beach, held at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Sven Schaefer
Head of Group Brand Activation, Sponsorships & Events, UBS
Further demonstrating this commitment is UBS’s partnership with 43 Oak Foundation and the New York Islanders, pledging $1 million over five years to increase access to youth ice hockey.
As Anneliese Mesilati, Head of Brand Activation, Sponsorships & Events, UBS Americas, explains, "The key to our long-term partnerships lies in building strong, sustainable relationships built on communication and collaboration. We also take a really considered approach when selecting who to partner with, and that leads to a solid foundation from the outset. As the world’s largest wealth manager and a leading financial institution, UBS is a relationship business at its core, our sponsorship approach mirrors that model.”
