Strong sponsor presence as key element for success - Infront

2 | Media Information
Strong sponsor presence as key element for
success
The contribution of the Official Sponsors is an important element in the on-going
success of the IIHF World Championship. Seven brands have been involved with the
event for 10 years or more, including the Official Main Sponsor, Škoda, occupying this
role for the 17th year in succession.
The 2009 event has a structured sponsorship hierarchy which consists of 12 Official Sponsors and
14 Official Partners. Official Sponsors come from eight different countries and three continents,
reflecting the international appeal of ice hockey.
Official Sponsors lead the way
The impressive group of Official Sponsors
— led by long-term partner Škoda as the
Official Main Sponsor – remains solidly
loyal. Its agreement provides Škoda with a
most comprehensive package of rights,
including dominant advertising and
branding, exclusive car product placement
in each arena as well as the provision of
the Official Car Service. The package also
includes team sponsorship of the Czech
Republic and Slovakian teams.
The Official Sponsors packages are
designed to be flexible and meet the
marketing objectives of major brands.
Such opportunities include advertising
around the perimeter of the arenas;
numerous other branding opportunities,
tickets, VIP hospitality and an exclusive
status. They can even include advertising
on the uniforms of the participating teams.
This is highly effective during close-up shots and is complementary to board advertising, ensuring that
the company name is seldom off the screen.
Infront Sports & Media AG
Grafenauweg 2, P.O. Box 4442
6304 Zug, Switzerland
Infront Press Office
Jörg Polzer / Mark Hauser
2009 IIHF World Championship sponsorship hierarchy
Seven Official Sponsors have been involved with the event for 10 years or more, including AJ (Home
and office furniture - Sweden), Bauhaus (Homestores - Germany), Intersport (Sports retailing -
Switzerland), Konica Minolta (Copies and document solutions - Japan), Nike (Sports apparel - USA),
Tissot (Watches/timing - Switzerland) and Zepter (Home and kitchen ware, cosmetics, health lamps -
France). They have recently been joined by high-profile blue-chip sponsors, including Boehringer
Ingelheim (OTC medicals - Germany), Henkel (Detergents - Germany, already since 2007), Ramirent
(Rent and lease of construction machines - Finland) and Zurich Group (Insurance - Switzerland).
www.infrontsports.com/press
press@infrontsports.com
Tel. +41-41-723 15 15
Fax +41-41-723 15 16

Official Partners are recruited as partners of the Organising Committee (OC). Besides the usual
financial contribution, their involvement normally includes a component of specialist service or
product provision (value in kind). They receive a selection of advertising rights, with a focus on the
national market in the host country. This category is owned and serviced by the OC.
Connecting brands efficiently with consumers
The IIHF World Championship is the biggest annual winter sports event in the world and it always
takes place at a good time of the year (April/May), with little competition from other international
events and an excellent time to get good television distribution.
It has a strong appeal to affluent commercial markets in Northern Europe, the USA and Canada,
helping sponsors to target their customers in an efficient manner. Television audiences are also
excellent in the new consumer markets in Central and Eastern Europe.
The event has an attractive, easy to follow format with 16 top nations and 56 games. The world’s best
ice hockey nations and players take part and the action is always exciting. It provides a good business
to business environment for sponsors and partners.
Car and sewing services, watch prizes, washing powder and copying machines
The sponsors of the IIHF World Championship are not passive partners, but are actively involved in
making the event a success, providing many enhancements for fans and demonstrating their products
and services in an attractive environment. Škoda, for example, displays two cars in each arena and
also has other car presentation platforms in fan zones and outside the arenas. It provides the official
car service for officials and VIP’s, with more then 40 cars and drivers. Among its promotional
activities are “Become a Hockey Star”, which is a photo competition, and the offering of the Škoda
Roomster ”COOLY” as a special edition for the Swiss market.
Other sponsors are also actively involved in the promotion of the event and in the event itself. E.g.
Tissot, the Official Time Keeper of the 2009 IIHF World Championship, is rewarding the “Tissot best
Player of the Game” for the best player of each team in every game. Nike provides all uniforms,
including a sewing service to apply all event stickers and badges. Henkel washes them, by delivering
sufficient washing powder to keep all team uniforms and officials’ uniforms sparkling clean. Konica
Minolta helps look after the press, by providing copying services 24/7 in the Media Centre and also in
the organising committee offices for the 12th year in succession.
Serviced by Infront
Behind the scenes, Infront supports the Official Sponsors. Its servicing role is on-going and includes
not just the event itself, but the many years of planning and preparation that lead up to it. Infront’s
main responsibility is contract delivery, ensuring that sponsors receive all the rights and benefits that
they have been promised in an efficient and constructive manner. It is responsible for the design,
construction and maintenance of all on-site advertising and signage. It co-ordinates the correct design
and display of sponsor logos in all composite situations, such as interview backdrops, posters, website
and television advertising.
Infront is also delivering all promotional activities, such as the organisation of the "Tissot best Player
of the Game" ceremonies.
Subject: Strong sponsor presence as key element for success
Event: 2009 IIHF World Championship / 24 April — 10 May in Berne and Zurich-Kloten, Switzerland
Page: 2 of 5

Introducing the Official Sponsors
Škoda (Czech Republic - Official Main Sponsor since 1993)
Škoda Auto has been the Official Main Sponsor of the IIHF World
Championship since 1993. This involvement is acknowledged by
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS as the "Longest Main Sponsorship of
World Championships in Sport History". Ice hockey combines dedication and intelligence with speed
and physical appeal. These values match the brand identity of Škoda and the company therefore is a
committed partner of the world's fastest team sport.
www.skoda-auto.com / www.iihf09.skoda.ch
AJ Products (Sweden – Official Sponsor since 1996)
AJ Products supplies its customers with office, warehouse and
materials handling products. By eliminating the middleman between
customers and manufacturers, it can offer a wide range of quality products at great prices. From its
roots in Sweden 30 years ago, the company expanded into the rest of Scandinavia and then opened
subsidiaries throughout Europe. The AJ Catalogue is now printed in more than 20 languages and has
become synonymous with celebrities and sports personalities.
www.ajprodukter.com
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) back in 1960. It now has more than 185 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.
www.bauhaus.info
Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany – since 2009)
The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world’s top 20
leading pharmaceutical companies. For many years, it has been
conducting pioneer research aimed at to develop innovative drugs
and OTC medicals. Finalgon is a key brand in Russia. People trust Finalgon experience which is known
and widely used for 30 years in Russia.
www.boehringer-ingelheim.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 to create experiences and links on an
emotional basis between its brands and the consumers.
www.henkel.com / www.henkel-powerplayers.com
Subject: Strong sponsor presence as key element for success
Event: 2009 IIHF World Championship / 24 April — 10 May in Berne and Zurich-Kloten, Switzerland
Page: 3 of 5

Intersport (Switzerland – since 1989)
Intersport is the world leader in the sporting goods retail market. In
40 years, it has grown into a worldwide group, with over 5,000
stores in 35 countries, as it fulfils the multi-sport needs of the
175,000 customers that enjoy its service and professional advice.
www.intersport.com
Konica Minolta (Japan – since 1998)
Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe is a leading provider of
turn-key solutions in the field of company wide print workflows. The
focus is on solutions and services in the B2B area, such as industrial
companies, banks, governmental organisations and insurance companies. Konica Minolta Europe has
been an Official Sponsor of the IIHF World Championship since 1998. Speed, endurance, fighting spirit
and dynamics of ice hockey are attributes that fit very well with its brand.
www.konicaminolta.com
Nike (USA – since 1996)
Nike is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of
athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for sports and
fitness activities. Wholly-owned Nike subsidiaries include Converse
Inc. (athletic footwear, apparel and accessories), Cole Haan (luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and
coats), Umbro Ltd., a UK-based global football brand and Hurley International LLC. (action sports and
youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories). Nike is a proud sponsor and supplier of the IIHF
World Championship since 1996.
www.nike.com / www.nikebiz.com
Ramirent (Finland – since 2009)
Ramirent is the leading machinery and equipment rental company for
the construction and industrial sector in the Nordic countries, Central
and Eastern Europe. It employs 4,000 people. Out of the 13 countries
where Ramirent is operating, nine are strong ice hockey nations with teams competing in the 2009
IIHF World Championship. Ramirent shares common values with this dynamic team sport, such as
team spirit, competence, vitality and strength.
www.ramirent.com
Tissot (Switzerland – since 1996)
‘Innovators by Tradition’, Tissot has been pioneering craftsmanship
and innovation since 1853. Today Tissot is a member of the Swatch
Group, the world’s largest watch producer and distributor. For over
154 years the company has had its home in the Swiss watch making town of Le Locle in the Jura
Mountains but now also has a presence in over 150 countries. The Tissot leadership in innovation is
expressed by the development of high-tech products, special materials and advanced functionality. Ice
Hockey is dynamic and fast-moving, offering hours of excitement and suspense as the teams battle it
out across the ice, in a game of skill, precision and speed. The elegance of their movements combined
with the innovation and skill required to score makes this sport a great match for Tissot.
www.tissot.ch/sports
Subject: Strong sponsor presence as key element for success
Event: 2009 IIHF World Championship / 24 April — 10 May in Berne and Zurich-Kloten, Switzerland
Page: 4 of 5

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 World Championship in recognition of the
shared values between Sport and Zepter’s Mission of Health – striving for a longer, healthier and
happier life.
www.zepter.com
Zurich Group (Switzerland – since 2009)
The Zurich Insurance Company (Zurich), founded in 1872, is an
insurance-based financial services provider with its headquarters in
Zurich, Switzerland and a network of subsidiaries and offices in more
than 170 countries. Zurich Switzerland, Germany and Russia support the 2009 IIHF World
Championship, identifying with this hugely popular winter sport in many of its core markets.
www.zurich.com
-Ends-
Subject: Strong sponsor presence as key element for success
Event: 2009 IIHF World Championship / 24 April — 10 May in Berne and Zurich-Kloten, Switzerland
Page: 5 of 5