Maria Sharapova Becomes New Face of Avon Luck after French Open Triumph

After winning the prestigious French Open Women’s title for the second time, sales international tennis star Maria Sharapova has secured an agreement with the Avon fragrance family as the face of Avon Luck, two new sparklingly luxurious fragrances for men and women.

She won her fifth Grand Slam title with her French Open victory over Simona Halep last Saturday and now seems to cashing in with this partnership.

“I am excited to represent Avon Luck, a fragrance that reminds us to savor and truly enjoy our triumphs,” says Sharapova. “I always say the harder you work, the luckier you are because you strive for bigger goals. I love being able to partner with a company like Avon that empowers women around the world to accomplish their dreams.”

Vice president of global fine fragrances at Avon, Danielle Bibas, suggests Maria is the perfect choice for the venture

“Maria is an amazing athlete and businesswoman who has had lots of success in life,” Danielle said. “She has this sophisticated natural beauty. She’s someone who really exudes happiness.”

Sharapova currently boasts sponsors that include Nike, Porsche, Evian, TAG Heuer, Samsung, Head and Cole Haan.

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Ayr United Renew Shirt Sponsorship Deal with Bodog

Scottish League One team Ayr United have extended their partnership with long-term sponsor Bodog for a third year.

The online gaming brand, who are also Official Asian Betting Partner of English FA Cup winner’s Arsenal FC, have seen Ayr make it to two Cup semi-finals as well as the high of promotion and the low of relegation but remain confident that the season ahead will bring back those highs.

Calvin Ayre, founder of the Bodog brand, commented: “Its not easy being an Ayr United fan but, equally, its never boring and there’s nothing worse than boring. It could be the Hendricks talking, but I feel a big year ahead for The Honest Men. As they say on the West Coast: ‘Mon Super Ayr!”

Graeme Miller, Commercial Manager at Ayr United, added: “Its great to have a consistent sponsor behind the club and one that is born out of passion rather than purely financial considerations. With Rangers back into the Championship the League is wide open this year and I can see no reason why a strong promotion push cannot be achieved.”

PGA Tour Golfer Jason Day Signs Sponsorship Deal with Concur

Spend management solutions and services company Concur has announced today a multi-year sponsorship with PGA TOUR player, Jason Day.

Day is currently ranked seventh in the Official World Golf Rankings and has won 4 times globally, including the 2014 WGC Accenture Match Play Championship; finished in the Top 10 at the 2010 and 2013 PGA Championship; tied for second at the 2011 and 2013 US Open; and finished third in the Masters in 2013.

The partnership kicks off this week at the 2014 U.S. Open event in Pinehurst, North Carolina, where the Concur logo will be displayed on Day’s golf shirts during the tenure of the multi-year sponsorship deal.

“Jason Day is a tremendous competitor who has built his game on hard work, attention to detail and a willingness to compete against the best, and we’re equally impressed with who he is off the course,” said Robson Grieve, Executive Vice President of Concur. “Best of all, Jason is a global traveler and entrepreneur who instantly recognized the value that Concur offers to businesses, and he’s genuinely excited to wear the brand.”

“I learn about a lot of businesses through the PGA TOUR, and Concur really captured my attention because of their innovative approach and track record of success,” said Jason Day. “I’m looking forward to partnering with such an impressive company with a great culture I can identify with.”

The sponsorship will promote the Concur brand name as well as explore different partner and community engagement opportunities with Day.

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Harlequins Ink Three-Year Adidas Partnership

Harlequins have announced a three year partnership with German sports brand, adidas.

adidas will provide a new Home, Away and Training Kit for the 2014/15 Harlequins squad, as well as the club’s Big Game 7 shirt. All kits will add proven adidas technologies to augment the iconic playing shirts, including Formotionfor better fit and ClimaCool to aid with temperature regulation.

James Kendall, Harlequins Commercial Director commented: “We are really delighted to welcome adidas to the Harlequins family.

“adidas are a powerhouse in the world of sport and the partnership we have agreed highlights the ambition and potential of our club. We are truly aligned in our outlook and approach to Harlequins and rugby and I am excited for both our players and supporters that they will be wearing such an iconic jersey developed by such an iconic brand.

“adidas will bring creativity, choice and quality to our match day, training and replica kits which we have spent considerable time and effort working on. We have developed a range of clothing that will work for both players and supporters, which we can’t wait to launch next month.”

Nick Craggs, adidas Brand Director added: “We are excited to announce the new partnership with Harlequins – a rugby club steeped in tradition and outstanding achievement. We look forward to supporting Quins in the next chapter of their long and illustrious history.”

Manchester City Announces Jiwasraya as Official Insurance Partner in Indonesia

Premier League Champions Manchester City have announced today a new club partnership with insurance and financial planning company, Jiwasraya.

The two year deal will see the state-owned company become the Official Insurance Partner in Indonesia. 

As part of the partnership, Jiwasraya have the rights to produce TV ads with City’s stars, in addition to featuring the Club crest and player imagery in marketing campaigns throughout Indonesia.

Commenting on the partnership, Tom Glick, Chief Business Officer for Manchester City, said: “Jiwasraya’s outstanding reputation in Indonesia for educating people to plan for the future, in addition to their core values such as integrity and competence, make them the perfect fit for Manchester City. We look forward to working with Jiwasraya and their customers over the coming seasons to bring them closer to the game they love.

“Manchester City is extremely proud to have a rapidly growing and passionate fan base in Indonesia. This enthusiasm for football was clear for all to see in a recent City supporter event at a Jakarta shopping mall that was attended by thousands of local fans. While the launch of our Indonesian website, twitter and Facebook page has resulted in our Indonesian fans now accounting for our biggest social media following outside of the UK.”

Hendrisman Rahim, President Director of Jiwasraya, added: “Since it was founded in 1859, Jiwasraya has established itself as the best service provider and the most trustworthy investment and insurance company in Indonesia. We saw partnering with Manchester City, the current champions of the Barclays English Premier League and notably the most progressive football club in the world both in global development and fan base, as the right strategic approach to boost Jiwasraya’s brand.

“It can help us to win potential consumers’ minds, because football will always be the biggest passion of Indonesian society. Aligned with the winning-spirit of Manchester City, Jiwasraya will always seek to grow through continuous innovation as well as continuing to facilitate Indonesian society to build a better future, to be champions, together.”

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Birmingham City Sign Zapaygo as Principal Partner

English Championship club Birmingham City have revealed Zapaygo as the football club’s principal partner for the next two years. 

The deal will see the lifestyle payment app’s branding adorn playing and replica kit across the 2014/15 and 2015/16 campaigns, as well Blues fans benefit from exclusive offers and competitions.

Commenting on the partnership, Zapaygo co-founder, Richard Dilworth, said: “As a small local company with great backing and huge ambitions we are very proud to be associated with Birmingham City Football Club, its global brand presence and great heritage. We look forward to the coming season.”

Birmingham City’s head of commercial, Ian Dutton, added: “Zapaygo are going to revolutionise the way consumers purchase anything moving forward.

“The great thing about this product is that it’s really going to benefit not only our supporters but also venues as well. The venues that implement and support this app will genuinely find it to be of benefit to their customers.

“I’d like to thank all the team at Zapaygo, we’re really excited about this new campaign. We’re looking forward to making Zapaygo really successful.”

Truphone to Supply Volvo Ocean Race

Mobile provider Truphone has become official global supplier for mobile voice and data services of the Volvo Ocean Race.

Truphone will provide global mobile voice and data services to employees of the Volvo Ocean Race for 36 months. The partnership aims to convey Truphone’s international data speed, high quality voice calls and customer service across 66 countries.

The race spans 38,739 nautical miles, 11 countries and five oceans. It begins in Alicante, Spain on October 4 2014 and ends in Gothenburg, Sweden on June 27 2015.

This will be the 12th running of an event first held in 1973 when it was launched as the Whitbread Round the World Race. It is one of the three major events in sailing, together with the Olympics and the America’s Cup.

Knut Frostad, CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race, said: We have employees travelling around the world and providers spread across five continents. It is crucial that we are always connected – 24 hours a day, without surprises, with seamless communications, with the best voice quality and high speed data. In this new edition, we can count on a single partner in Truphone capable of providing extreme mobility of the kind we need around the world.”

Meanwhile, Steve Robertson, CEO of Truphone, commented: “We are proud to have been chosen as the Official Supplier of Mobile Communications for The Volvo Ocean Race. It’s a truly global event that embodies the spirit of passion for innovation and performance – values which are deeply embedded in Truphone’s DNA.

“The Race pushes people to the extreme limit of their skills, their emotions and their endurance. We’re thrilled to be a part of the team – providing the global mobile network that enables the Volvo Ocean Race employees to share these experiences with the people that matter most.”

DHL Named Official Logistics Partner of Rugby Canada

Rugby Canada has announced that logistics company DHL will be the Official Logistics Partner of the organisation heading into 2015 Rugby World Cup.

The partnership, which officially launched on June 7th, when the Canadian Senior Men’s Team faced Japan at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, BC, will see DHL provide international shipping services for the national men and women teams in their bid to climb the 15s and 7s international rankings.

“We are very excited to be joining forces with Rugby Canada to support this great sport in Canada and match the world class performance that fans will surely be treated to on the pitch,” said Andrew Williams, Vice President – Sales, DHL Express Americas. “DHL sees tremendous synergies between a sport that is built on teamwork, passion and a will to win and the values that we strive to bring to life every day for our customers.”

“Rugby Canada is proud to partner with DHL Express, a global leader in logistics,” said Graham Brown, CEO – Rugby Canada. “This strategic business partnership will enable both organizations to leverage the growing momentum in the sport of rugby throughout Canada and around the globe. The DHL logo will be proudly displayed on our National Senior Men’s and Women’s 15s and 7s teams as they prepare and compete for both the 2014 (Women’s) and 2015 (Men’s) World Cups as well as the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.”

As the official logistics sponsor, DHL will ship kit, exercise and scrummaging equipment to all Rugby Canada matches internationally, removing significant logistical burdens from the international squads and allowing them to focus on their play on the field. DHL will also support Rugby Canada’s commercial activities, shipping merchandise to Canadian stores and stadiums. DHL will also help fund Rugby Canada’s development programs through financial support.

United Technologies Becomes Presenting Sponsor of WTA’s Connecticut Open

United Technologies Corp. has been revealed as the presenting sponsor of the newly named Connecticut Open, search Tournament Director Anne Worcester announced today.

The annual Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) event will be held August 15-23, symptoms 2014, at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale University. 

The tournament’s new name — Connecticut Open presented by United Technologies — will broaden the event’s overall appeal to fans and sponsors and appropriately reflect the State of Connecticut’s investment.  

The tournament generates an estimated $26 million a year in regional economic activity, while also supporting a wide range of activities that build community pride and spirit, especially among young people. 

“United Technologies is proud to support the Connecticut Open as its new presenting sponsor,” said United Technologies Chairman & CEO Louis Chênevert. “Our partnership with the tournament, the State of Connecticut, Smilow Cancer Hospital and the other corporate sponsors will ensure a world-class event and build on UTC’s long history of supporting leading organizations in our community.” 

“With an economic impact of approximately $26 million annually, it goes without saying that this tournament is good for Connecticut. Each year, the tournament draws tens of thousands of spectators and volunteers from across the country, many of whom eat at local restaurants, stay at local hotels and shop at local businesses,” said Governor Dannel P. Malloy. “UTC’s decision to become the corporate sponsor of the Connecticut Open demonstrates the company’s commitment to being a good neighbor and sharing our vision for making this state a more attractive place to visit, live, work, invest and do business.” 

On Monday, August 18, United Technologies will present Military Appreciation Night, featuring a performance of the National Anthem, a Color Guard, and special veteran recognition in the Stadium. Active duty military personnel and veterans who purchase one ticket for the night will get a second ticket free.

In addition, United Technologies will partner with the tournament in fundraising for Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven, a cause proudly supported by United Technologies. Tournament players will ride an on-site spin bike to generate awareness and donations for Smilow’s “Closer to Free” bike ride on September 6. 

“The last nine months have been incredibly transformational for the tournament, in large part thanks to the State of Connecticut. Rebranding as the ‘Connecticut Open presented by United Technologies’ is another significant step in the growth of this event,” said Worcester. “The tournament is a large-scale international sporting event and we are thrilled to be partnering with a global leader in United Technologies. Together, we can take the tournament to the next level, and continue to give back and positively impact our local communities.”

New Iveco Daily Announced as Title Sponsor of MotoGP’s 2014 TT Assen

Italian vehicle manufacturer New Iveco Daily has been announced as the new title sponsor of the MotoGP’s 2014 TT Assen.

Iveco will also have trackside advertising and banners around the MotorLand Aragon circuit during the MotoGP race weekend.

The Iveco brand enjoys a long-standing association with the MotoGP World Championship as Official Trucks & Commercial Vehicle Supplier to MotoGP and as a previous title sponsor of the TT Assen, Aragon and the Australian Grands Prix.

Pau Serracanta, Managing Director of Dorna’s Commercial Area, stated: “We are delighted to announce this agreement with Iveco for the title sponsorship of the Iveco Daily TT Assen. Iveco is a trusted sponsor and supplier to the sport and their brand is a natural fit with the MotoGP World Championship. Furthermore, it is great to see that Iveco has chosen the TT Assen as the leading platform to advertise its new model, the Daily.”