The Israel Marketing Association's marketing committee has selected Alona Barkat, owner of Israel soccer champion Hapoel Beersheva, as its 2016 marketing woman of the year for her key role in building Hapoel Beersheva as a strong and stable brand with values that are changing concepts and behavior. The benefits of Barkat's marketing campaign are visible in the team and the entire city.
Barkat acquired the Hapoel Beersheva soccer club in 2007, thereby becoming the first woman in Israel to own a soccer team. Over the years, Barkat has introduced a new language stressing the values of community, modesty, and achievement. These values have had a positive effect on the behavior of the team's fans, the atmosphere in the Beersheva soccer stadium, and the club's sales of subscriptions and tickets.
Hapoel Beersheva has been a regular contender for the league lead in recent years. Last May, Barkat realized her ambition of leading the club to the championship for the first time in 40 years.
Explaining the selection of Barkat, Marketing Association CEO Talma Biro said, "In the difficult situation facing Israeli soccer recently, Alona Barkat has succeeded in building a different, strong, and stable brand that is changing concepts and behavior. This required persistent work in all facets of management: organization, personnel, logistics, and of course marketing and advertising. Alona has managed to build a team based on characteristics and values that are a model both in soccer and outside it - values such as persistence, perseverance, modesty, professionalism, and team spirit.
"Building a soccer club in an outlying area and bringing it to the top of Israeli soccer constitutes an example and model of how to building a winning brand. Alona has built a new, refreshing, leading, and unique brand linked to the community and sportsmanlike behavior that is admired by large parts of the public. All of these accomplishments unquestionably entitle her to the honorable title of Marketing Woman of the Year, and to the esteem of all marketers in Israel."
Published by Globes [online], Israel Business News - www.globes-online.com - on January 10, 2017
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