Falsterbo Horse Show, the classic and prestige-filled equestrian competition, will take place as usual this summer along Sweden's idyllic southern coast, but with one major difference - it's name.
So, What Happened?
As Falsterbo Horse Show pulled out of being one of the hosts of the Nations Cup serier, they sequentially lost their main sponsorship partner, the luxury watchmakers Longines. Instead, the competition was left to find a new sponsorship deal and finally closed an agreement with the Abu Dhabi-based, but internationally operating, Al Shira'aa Stables. In what has turned out to be a controversial business decision, the iconic competition will change it's name to Al Shira'aa Falsterbo Horse Show - a name that has prompted strong reactions among equestrian enthusiasts as well as the Swedish public - but why?
When Naming is Greater than a Combination of Letters and Words
"We're living in a new world", says Falsterbo's chairman and equestrian legend, Jan-Olof Wannius, meaning that the name change is a result of the steady increase in the global interest of equestrian sports. Wannius believes that any sponsor coming forward, showing their interest and presenting an offer should be received and negotiated with on a level playing field, indifferent to the country they represent.
Despite his comments, man in the public disagree. They argue that the name change goes beyond a mere business decision, with some threatening to boycott the once beloved event. The public expressin of dismay and disapproval stems from the associations tied to the name, specifically, its origin, raising important questions regarding what these connotations express, and importantly, their vast contrast to Swedish society. After the name change announcement, both social media and news platforms were overcome with posts and comments from the public sharing their opinion on the new name. "Do the associations to a Middle Eastern-based brand coincide with those of Swedish society?" was the underlying question, with discussions regarding the Middle East's political system and reputation for their treatment of horses, alongside the crucial matter of women's rights. Commentors mean that this new name contradicts the values of Swedish society, which prides itself especially on gender equality and human rights, and that by implementing the name Al Shira'aa, Falsterbo gives it's nod of approval, or even support, to the United Arab Emirates stance on these matters. We see here that it's not the words "Al Shira'aa" that wake controversy, rather the associations that the Swedish public make to the name.
What Does the Public Say?
Scrolling through any Swedish news outlet article social media post regarding the controversy, and an overwhelming majority of the commentors agree: the name Al Shira'aa carries connotations that don't fit into Swedish society. Women's rights and equality - an area in which Sweden consistently ranks towards the top of global lists, is among the debated topics, with one TikTok user expressing, "I really don't understand how you would want to cooperate with such a degrading country, especially in such a female-dominated sport" (TikTok/@seffannn). Another commentor in the newspaper Aftonbladet sharing "the woman has no rights", regarding the UAE's political system (Aftonbladet/annki). Scaling into politics, Douglas Thor, chairman of the youth wing of Sweden's Moderate Party, shared his concern in the newspaper Expressen, saying, "with their name, they become a symbol of the oppression that is exercised against minorities in the United Arab Emirates and the Sharia laws they have".
Although these are just a handful of the comments made, they are a great symbol of the ongoing debate of public opinion, that is, the name sparks negative and unwanted associations to the competition's image and legacy.
A Deeper Look at the Issue
The controversy surrounding the name change highlights the deeper implications of branding and naming. A brand's name is not just a combination of letters and words, but a strong symbol that carries meaning and connotations. The decision to incorporate Al Shira'aa into the name of the competition has brought to light the importance of carefully considering the broader, and even unexpected, associations tied to a brand.
Interestingly, whilst many disapprove completely of the name change, others have expressed support for the sponsorship itself, although sugesting that Al Shira'aa should be left out of the competition's offical name - showing just how much weight a name carries in representing a brand as well as steering public opinion and impressions. In this case, the name change from Falsterbo Horse Show to Al Shira'aa Horse Show gives us a powerful reminder of just how deeply a name can impact perception, and how ciritical it is to centralize this thinking in a naming and branding choices to optimise a brand's value.
As an undergraduate marketing and communications student, I recognise that a brand's name is indeed it's most powerful, but also vulnerable, tool, and takes on a crucial role of carrying and communicating the company's desired message, associations and values to the public.
Ellen Ackland
Marketing Assistant
