2 years to the Waitrose boys...

[Pandoras Box]

Pleased its Waitrose. I was worried with the massive great new distribution centre next to the Madstad, the 13 + shops in Reading and the shirt that sort of looks like one of their carrier bags (especially with the red bit) - our friends TESCO.

[Norfolk Royal]

I heard the 99p shop was also in the mix.

[yuuichi]

NOOOOOOOOOOOO ;(

My Kyocera shirt is getting a bit worn out, but i refuse to buy a shirt sponsored by rich toff pcunts. Was looking forward to getting a shirt this year. Looks like i'll have to wait a few more years. (Bet it's got something to do with SJM being a hardcore tory).

KYOCERA COME BACK!!!!

Edit: I've worked at John Lewis in Reading and Waitrose in Wokingham. I don't like them or their condescending values

[Alexander Litvinenko]

..... but i refuse to buy a shirt sponsored by rich toff pcunts.

They're a workers' co-operative, a mutual organisation owned by its members. You can't get much less rich toff pcuntish than that.

[(.)Boobies(.)]

Would most likely have been the Xbox branding on the shirt (if true) rather than microsoft anyway, and that would have been ugly and a bit shit.

Of course it's not true.

If Microsoft ever enter the world of football sponsorship they'd be looking for a global brand with global coverage - and their brand values and Reading's are quite different. Just because their office is local is irrelevant to who they'd sponsor.

And anyway, why would Reading go and speak to a potential new sponsor when they already have one who they love and with whom their brand values mesh so perfectly?

We almost certainly spoke to a couple of potential new sponsors. That's how it works! TSI would want to maximise their potential revenue, but that said, relegation would have lost one or two potential clients as well. Whilst we may enjoy the current relationship with Waitrose, we would drop them at the end of the new 2-year deal if someone is prepared to pay double what they are. At the end of the day it has very little to do with values and relationships - that's just good old PR. It's all about money.

[Deadlock]

If Microsoft ever enter the world of football sponsorship they'd be looking for a global brand with global coverage - and their brand values and Reading's are quite different. Just because their office is local is irrelevant to who they'd sponsor.

Seattle Sounders are a global brand with global coverage?

[RoyalBlue]

NOOOOOOOOOOOO ;(

My Kyocera shirt is getting a bit worn out, but i refuse to buy a shirt sponsored by rich toff pcunts. Was looking forward to getting a shirt this year. Looks like i'll have to wait a few more years. (Bet it's got something to do with SJM being a hardcore tory).

KYOCERA COME BACK!!!!

Edit: I've worked at John Lewis in Reading and Waitrose in Wokingham. I don't like them or their condescending values

I suspect they weren't too keen on you either! It's funny, most people who work for them speak very highly of them. It's pretty difficult to knock an employer that shares their profits with their staff the way that they do!

[RoyalBlue]

If Microsoft ever enter the world of football sponsorship they'd be looking for a global brand with global coverage - and their brand values and Reading's are quite different. Just because their office is local is irrelevant to who they'd sponsor.

Seattle Sounders are a global brand with global coverage?

Not sure whether they still do it but at one stage I believe that Microsoft had a policy of annually firing those that they perceived to be their lowest 10% performers. Would fit in well with top level professional football's values.

[Pandoras Box]

yuuichi wrote

NOOOOOOOOOOOO ;(

My Kyocera shirt is getting a bit worn out, but i refuse to buy a shirt sponsored by rich toff pcunts. Was looking forward to getting a shirt this year. Looks like i'll have to wait a few more years. (Bet it's got something to do with SJM being a hardcore tory).

KYOCERA COME BACK!!!!

Edit: I've worked at John Lewis in Reading and Waitrose in Wokingham. I don't like them or their condescending values

Was it because you were nicking their chips and putting them on your shoulder?

[Westwood52]

So what's the deal ?

[Brian's left bollock]

Lol a yuuichi being a Reading fan.

[Stuka]

I briefly worked for John Lewis and thought it was a good company that had lots of perks for staff.

[USA_Loyal_Royal]

i like the waitrose logo on our kits so i am pleased with this! i obvioiusly cant shop at a waitrose since i live in the states so i have no idea what its like.

[Terminal Boardom]

When I worked for Yellow Pages back in the 80s and 90s, we frequently asked the Head of Marketing is there were any plans to sponsor Reading FC. The answer was no. If they were to go into football sponsorship it would be with a far higher profile club. Admittedly, we were 2nd / 3rd Division but the facts were there. What they did embark with was pitchside advertising in the top flight and they did sponsor the first scoreboard at the Mad Stad.

I would expect a company with the global profile of Microsoft to get involved in a sport more global like F1 - if they don't already.

[rob the royal]

Waitrose clearly love Reading as they have just announced a new mantra: "The Waitrose Way".

[Stuka]

i like the waitrose logo on our kits so i am pleased with this! i obvioiusly cant shop at a waitrose since i live in the states so i have no idea what its like.

They target the middle classes and have a lot of higher end brands, but also some reasonably good own brand stuff. Because they are slightly more expensive you don't have to queue up for long (if at all) and there's hardly any children. They are also part of a bigger company called John Lewis, and as such they are owned by the workers as a co-operative business. I like them.

[winchester_royal]

Plus, in the Winchester one at least, they seem to exclusively hire very attractive females.

[maffff]

What is The Waitrose Way?
Waitrose believes in championing British produce, treading lightly on the environment, supporting responsible sourcing and treating people fairly.

What is The Reading Way?
Reading believes in championing British produce, treading lightly on the environment, supporting responsible sourcing and treating people fairly.

[Stuka]

Plus, in the Winchester one at least, they seem to exclusively hire very attractive females.

Agreed. In fact I slept with a checkout girl from the Caversham branch when I was 18.

(she was my girlfriend at the time, and got a job there after we were going out though)

[Green]

I briefly worked for John Lewis and thought it was a good company that had lots of perks for staff.

I've never worked for them but know people who do.

Seems like a fooking cushy deal - basically civil service without the bullshit that goes with it.