Macklin Motors becomes official club partner of Heart of Midlothian FC

Macklin Motors has been announced as an official club partner of Heart of Midlothian Football Club.

The two-year partnership will see Macklin Motors, part of Vertu Motors, benefit from a package of digital and in-stadium branding, hospitality, and activations with the Hearts football club in Edinburgh.

In May 2021, Macklin Motors secured sponsorship deals with rival team Hibernian FC, also in Edinburgh.

Victoria Black, brand manager at Macklin Motors, said: “Hearts fans are well-known for their incredible engagement and we are keen to build a strong association with the Club following their move into fan ownership.

“We are excited to be working with Hearts and are looking forward to two years in partnership with everyone at the club.”

The move follows a string of high-profile sponsorship and marketing deals for the AM100 PLC and an assertion from chief executive, Robert Forester, that the business will continue to drive growth with the help of a “big brand” profile.

In 2020 Vertu begun sponsorship of Formula One coverage on Channel Four with Macklin Motors as well as striking up sponsorship deals with Durham and Yorkshire County Cricket teams and gaining the naming rights to Newcastle’s’ Eagles Community Arena.

Andrew McKinlay, chief executive officer at Heart of Midlothian Football Club, said: “Macklin Motors is a well-established and respected national brand with a strong presence in Edinburgh and throughout the country.

“We are confident that our fans will respond well to the club working with such a reputable brand.

“Like Hearts, they have ambitious growth plans, and our shared values will help us to ensure the success of the partnership for the next two years and hopefully beyond.”

Forrester recently told AM that he is “buying used cars everywhere I go” as part of its efforts to keep its forecourts stocked.