Sponsor Spotlight -- Sochi Sponsors Impressed; Holiday Inn 2012 Discount

Sochi Sponsors Impressed

(ATR) Days after the IOC gave the thumbs-up to Russia's Winter Olympic organizers, Sochi's worldwide and domestic partners gathered in the 2014 host city for an update on preparations across the project.

Representatives from the Sochi 2014 Partners’ Club took part in a two-day seminar, starting Monday, to discuss commercial opportunities and to check out progress on Games venues and initiatives.

Officials from Coca-Cola, Dow Chemical, Omega, P&G, Samsung, Panasonic, Visa, Aeroflot, BOSCO Sport, MegaFon, Russian Railways, Rosneft, Rostelecom, Sberbank, Volkswagen Group Rus and Ingosstrakh attended the annual meeting.

A venue tour took place with Sochi 2014 leaders providing a detailed update on the partners’ activation programs and marketing opportunities in the Russian market.

Sochi 2014 President and CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko said the partners' support had helped the organizing committee break Olympic sponsorship records with a commercial program worth more than $1 billion.

Members of the Sochi 2014 Partners’ Club were impressed with what they saw and heard from Games organizers.

"On our visit to Rosa Khutor today, I thought back to my trip to Sochi two years ago and the vision outlined for the Olympic Winter Games then," said Thierry Borra, Coca-Cola's director of Olympic Games management.

"Now I can see those dreams are becoming a reality. Coming here to Sochi makes you realize the immensity of what is going to take place in just over three years time."

George Hamilton, vice president of Olympic operations at the Dow Chemical Company, added: "The beauty of the area, both in the mountains and at the coast reinforced the message of preservation and sustainability and Dow's role in contributing to a green footprint for the Games."

Royal Mint to Make London 2012 Medals

London 2012 Games medalists will be awarded medals created by UK company Royal Mint.

The coin and medal manufacturer will make nearly 4,700 victory medals for the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in London.

"The Olympic and Paralympic medals are presented to elite athletes at the biggest sporting events in the world – a moment which represents the pinnacle of their career and we’re pleased to announce that they will be produced in South Wales," Paul Deighton, London 2012 CEO, said in a press release.

The company will produce gold, silver and bronze medals for the Games. A UK-based artist will design them.

"As a UK manufacturer, this is great news for the country, the 800 people we employ and our suppliers," Royal Mint CEO Adam Lawrence said in a press release.

Holiday Inn Offers 2012 Olympic Discount

London 2012 sponsor Holiday Inn will offer a 2012 Olympic discount on rooms booked for dates Dec. 26 through Jan. 9.

The rooms will be available in nearly 150 selected Holiday Inn hotels across the UK for the special rate of £20.12. The rooms can only be booked on Dec. 20.

"The sale is for one day only and the rooms will go quickly so people should put 2012 day in their dairies and be ready to book their break," Holiday Inn spokesperson Chris Hale said.

Holiday Inn is the official hotel provider for London 2012.

Briefs...

... U.S. Bobsled & Skeleton Federation sponsors will have their logos placed on the sleds used for competition for the first time. Sponsors include BMW, Under Armour, Vilter Manufacturing, KOA campgrounds, Whelen Engineering, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Autism Speaks.

Media Watch …

… An article in The Telegraph says London 2012 has told sponsors to urge its guests to use their Olympic tickets to fill stadiums.

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With reporting from Isia Reaves Wilcox and Mark Bisson

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