Breaking world records: A Marketing Programme that ... - Infront

Background: Marketing Platform & Sponsors
Breaking world records: A Marketing Programme
that appeals to long-term sponsors and new brands
Throughout the last 30 years, Infront Sports & Media has developed the IIHF Ice Hockey World
Championship into a powerful global marketing platform, used by strong international companies
for their brand communications.
The 13 Official Sponsors receive a comprehensive rights package that includes; rink board and under ice
advertising, branded penalty and team benches, product placement and various other promotional
opportunities. Furthermore, Infront markets the team sponsorship rights for all 16 participating nations,
offering an even closer association between brand and players.
The Official Sponsors benefit from far-reaching media exposure alongside the positive association of
being connected with the premium event in international ice hockey. In addition, many of the brands
activate their involvement with the fans and leverage the international force of the platform by
launching special edition products and providing integral services to and around the Championship.
2012 Line up – Sponsor profiles
ŠKODA (Czech Republic — Official Main Sponsor since 1993)
ŠKODA Auto is acknowledged by the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS as
the “Longest Main Sponsorship of a World Championship in Sport
History” involved with the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship since 1993. ŠKODA has the most
comprehensive package of rights, including dominant advertising, branding, exclusive car product
placement in each arena and the provision of an Official Car Service. For 2012, ŠKODA is providing the
official vehicle fleet - a total of 45 white ŠKODA Superb Combi cars for use at both event venues. Its
package also comprises team sponsorship of the Czech, Slovak, Kazakh, French and Norwegian team.
Additionally, due to last year’s success, the “2012 IIHF WM App powered by ŠKODA” will again deliver
live results and provide comprehensive information on and around the tournament.
www.skoda-auto.com
AJ Products (Sweden — Official Sponsor since 1996)
AJ Products supplies its customers with office, warehouse and
materials handling products. Eliminating the middleman between
customers and manufacturers it offers a wide range of quality products at great prices. From its roots
in Sweden over 35 years ago, the company expanded into the rest of Scandinavia and then opened
subsidiaries throughout Europe. AJ Products is now represented by 26 companies in 19 European
countries. As part of the rights package AJ has a branded spot on the referees.
www.ajprodukter.com
Infront Sports & Media AG
Grafenauweg 2, P.O. Box 4442
6304 Zug, Switzerland
Infront Press Office
Jörg Polzer / Nike Möhle
www.infrontsports.com/press
press@infrontsports.com
Tel. +41-41-723 17 18
Fax +41-41-723 15 16

Bauhaus (Germany — since 1998)
Providing the customer with everything he or she needs for workshop,
house and garden, Bauhaus opened its first specialist shopping centre
in Mannheim (Germany) in 1960. It now has more than 220 branches in Europe. Under one roof, it
combines the wide offering of individual specialist shops and the self-service concept — a whole new
shopping experience. The friendly interior design of the stores and the clear division into specialist
departments creates a successful shopping formula. As part of its package Bauhaus sponsors the
German team.
www.bauhaus.info
Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany — since 2009)
The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world’s top 20
pharmaceutical companies. For many years, it has been conducting
pioneering research aimed at developing innovative drugs and OTC
medicals. In Russia, the heat cream Finalgon has been known and widely used for over 30 years, making
it a key brand that people trust in.
www.boehringer-ingelheim.com
Heineken (Netherlands/Russia — since 2011)
Heineken was founded in Amsterdam in 1864 and today is one of the
world’s greatest brewers. The brand that bears the founder’s family
name — Heineken — is available in almost every country on the globe and is the world’s most valuable
international premium beer brand. The Heineken Group brews and sells more than 200 international
premium, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders including one of Russia’s leading brands Ochota.
www.heineken.com
Henkel (Germany — since 2007)
For more than 130 years, Henkel has been a leader in brands and
technologies that make people's lives easier, better and more
enjoyable. Henkel operates in three business areas — Home Care,
Personal Care and Adhesive Technologies. It has chosen this international sponsorship to increase
awareness for the corporate brand Henkel and at the same time to create experiences and links on an
emotional basis between its brands and the consumers. As well as the main Henkel brand, Makroflex
(sealing foams) and Ceresit (adhesives) will also be featured.
www.henkel.com
MegaFon (Russia – since 2012)
MegaFon is a Russian mobile network, providing a range of services
throughout the country. It has more than 62 million active subscriber
accounts. Founded in 1993, the company has grown in record time from a small regional network to the
leading player in the vast Russian market and is widely known for implementing the most advanced
technologies. As part of its package MegaFon sponsors the Russian team.
www.megafon.ru
Subject: Marketing Platform & Sponsors
Event: 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship
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Nivea for Men (Russia – since 2007)
A skin care product of the Beiersdorf Group – Nivea is a brand that
enjoys international trust. The Beiersdorf Group is one of the most
internationally recognized and leading companies for skin care amongst consumers. The Group has
more than 125 years experience in skin care and one of the world’s most modern research centers,
Beiersdorf stands for innovative and high-quality cosmetic products.
www.nivea.com
KYOCERA MITA (Japan — since 2010)
KYOCERA MITA is one of the world’s leading office document
solutions companies. Its product range consists of printers,
multifunctional systems, wide format devices, parts, supplies and efficient office output solutions.
KYOCERA MITA provides innovative products with superior printer controllers, built on a foundation of
long-life components which allow it to offer customers low total cost of ownership and high efficiency in
any workplace. The company provides a print and copy service in the championship venues for the
media centre and the on-site offices, 24 hours a day. During the events more than half a million pages
will be printed and copied.
www.kyoceramita-europe.com
NIKE (USA — since 1996)
As the world’s leading designer, marketer and distributor of athletic
footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for sports and fitness
activities, NIKE provides all uniforms as well as a sewing service to the championship. All 1,120
championship tops will pass through the hands of a total of 24 seamstresses at 16 sewing machines.
While the Pacific Northwest region is the birthplace to NIKE, the company today operates in more than
160 countries around the globe. NIKE has been sponsor and supplier of the IIHF Ice Hockey World
Championship since 1996.
www.nike.com / www.nikebiz.com
Raiffeisen Bank International (Austria — since 2007)
Raiffeisen Bank International is a leading banking group in Central and
Eastern Europe. It is a fully-consolidated subsidiary of Raiffeisen
Zentralbank Österreich AG (RZB). Founded in 1986, Raiffeisen Bank International has consistently
entered growth markets and expanded its regional presence through acquisitions in Kosovo, Belarus,
Albania, Ukraine and Russia. Today, Raiffeisen Bank International is the most extensive distribution
network of international banking groups in the Central and Eastern European regions. This year,
Raiffeisen Bank International will award the best player of each team per game at all games in
Stockholm (except the two quarter-finals).
www.ri.co.at
Subject: Marketing Platform & Sponsors
Event: 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship
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Tissot (Switzerland — since 1996)
‘Innovators by Tradition’, Tissot has been pioneering craftsmanship
and innovation since 1853 and is a member of the Swatch Group, the
world’s largest watch producer and distributor. For the IIHF Ice
Hockey World Championship, Tissot awards the best player of each team per game for all games in
Helsinki as well as the quarter-finals in Stockholm. It is also team sponsor of Switzerland and the USA.
For over 150 years the company has been based in the Swiss watch making town of Le Locle but is now
also present in over 160 countries.
www.tissot.ch/sports
Zepter (France — since 1998)
Zepter International produces, sells and distributes exclusive, highquality
consumer goods in more than 40 countries worldwide,
principally by way of direct sales and also through high-end stores. Since 1998, Zepter International has
sponsored the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in recognition of the shared values between Sport
and Zepter’s Mission of Health – striving for a longer, healthier and happier life. The brand is also team
sponsor of Italy, Canada and Belarus.
www.zepter.com
Official and National Partners
The next tier consists of Official and National Partners, recruited by the Organising Committee of the
IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship and Infront. Their involvement - besides financial support -
includes a component of specialist service or product provision (value in kind) and in turn results in
brand exposure, either through television coverage or the live events. Additionally, brands receive some
specific advertising rights, with a focus on the national market in the host country. National partners
particularly benefit from the double-championship concept in 2012 and 2013, as they can make use of
consistent brand visibility for two years in a row.
Rovio Entertainment creates Official Mascot HockeyBird
Infront and the Organising Committee partnered with Rovio Entertainment, to realise and activate the
official mascot for 2012. The entertainment media company based in Finland, created the globally
successful Angry Birds franchise. Since its development in 2009, the strategy puzzle game for
touchscreen smartphones has been downloaded over 700 million times. And its popularity continues to
grow. As a result, Rovio has expanded into a variety of business areas including animation,
merchandising, and book publishing.
The mascot HockeyBird was designed by Rovio Lead Artist Toni Kysenius in order to delight both fans
of Angry Birds and the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.
As part of its extensive partnership with the IIHF, Infront holds the rights for the commercial use of
HockeyBird. Building a key element of the official merchandise programme this year, the mascot will be
activated by the official sponsors of the tournament.
Subject: Marketing Platform & Sponsors
Event: 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship
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