Sponsor Spotlight - New Deals for Gwangju, ITU, Man Utd

GMR Marketing,SportsMark Merge

Two key Olympic marketing firms are merging, hoping to create a "one-stop shop" for Olympic marketing.

Jan Katzoff, Head of Global Sports and Entertainment for the new firm, said the merger will bring the business-to-client expertise of GMR Marketing with the business-to-business knowledge of SportsMark.

SportsMark will also bring its event management skills with GMR’s strategic consulting, Katzoff added

"Taking those skillsets and bringing it together all under one house; that was the primary driver behind the merger," he said.

"There’s an enormous amount of creative development going on inside both agencies and we want to maximize that.

"We are hoping to take SportsMark’s expertise having operated in more than 40 countries between Olympics, World Cup, and global events and being built more on the operation side of business, to strengthen GMR’s side on the operations."

Katzoff added the firm already has extensive work underway in both Russia and Brazil.

"We are still continuing relationships with P&G, Visa, and Omega. And we are going to be working with a fourth TOP partner going into Russia," he said, sizing up the firm’s Olympic contracts. "On the USOC side we are working with BP America, Highmark and Chobani and then in Rio we are working with Visa, P&G, and Nissan. Those are our primary Olympic clients right now."

The firm handled 18 Olympic sponsors in London.

First Partner for Gwangju 2015

SK C&C and SK Telecom are the first global premium partners of the Gwangju 2015 Summer Universiade.

Mayor Kang Un-tae traveled to SK headquarters in Seoul on Monday for the signing of the contract with SK C&C CEO Jung Cheol-gil and SK Telecom CEO Ha Sung-min.

"The global corporations, SK C&C and SK Telecom have joined GU 2015 in the first ever sponsorship for its successful hosting," said Kang, who also chairs the organizing committee.

"I hope they would help the GU 2015 be a state-of-the-art IT Universiade with its world's leading technology in addition to contributing to development of the world's youths as the leading companies in social contribution activities."

Gwangju 2015 is scheduled for July 3 to 14 of 2015 with around 20,000 participants from 170 nations taking part.

New Triathlon Sponsor

The International Triathlon Union agreed to a sponsorship deal with PruHealth.

Per the agreement, PruHealth will sponsor the 2013 World Triathlon Grand Final in London.

"We are very excited PruHealth will be the title sponsor of the Grand Final London for several reasons," said Marison Casado, President of the International Triathlon Union.

"PruHealth's goals of empowering the community to live healthy, active lives are symmetric with our own objectives to encourage overall wellbeing. It is always special to return to an Olympic venue, and the fact that PruHealth is a UK-based company will only serve to increase our outreach for the Grand Final in London."

Thai Brew, Man U Renew

Singha will stay on tap at Old Trafford for another three years.

With the Thai beer brand’s original three-year sponsorship of Manchester United due to expire later this year, the renewal ensures Singha will remain the Official Beer Partner of the Reds through 2016.

"2013 sees Singha celebrate its 80th anniversary and what better way to commemorate this than to renew our successful relationship," Man Utd Commercial Director Richard Arnold said in a statement.

"Manchester United is delighted to be keeping Singha within its family of sponsors and looking forward to building on the fantastic achievements the partnership has created so far. I am confident the next three years will be just as positive."

Written by Aaron Bauer.

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.