PUMA, the global sportswear brand, has announced today that it will enter a boat in the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race. Three boats are now officially involved and further sponsorship announcements will be made.
Under the deal with PUMA, which distributes products in more than 80 countries, the sportswear company will also become the official supplier of replica merchandise for the event which starts in October next year.
“The race’s global reach, lifestyle appeal and true sporting characteristics match the PUMA brand perfectly and provide PUMA with exciting new opportunities to make a strong mark in the world of sailing, on and off the water. This continues our strategy to expand into new product categories and explore the potential of the brand”, said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman and CEO, PUMA AG.
Commenting on the latest high-profile sponsor for the event, Glenn Bourke, the Volvo Ocean Race CEO, said: “I am delighted for the Volvo Ocean Race that a company with such global gravitas as PUMA has come on board. What I am most pleased about is that a big consumer brand sees the race as a viable mechanism for promoting their brand and showcasing their products.”
“Puma are involved in Formula One, Moto GP and NASCAR and they see us as an extension of that portfolio of sporting events. The Volvo Ocean Race provides them with an ideal platform to reach an entirely new consumer audience.’
PUMA’s decision underlines the race’s stature as a compelling marketing platform. It comes after confirmation from Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson that it will participate again following its entry in the 2005-06 event.
Including the Mean Machine syndicate, three boats are now officially involved and further sponsorship announcements will be made in the next few months with entries from Europe, the Americas and Asia.
