Sponsor Spotlight -- Samsung Sponsors Bosporus Swim; 2014 Ad Spending Boost

(ATR) Samsung extended its title sponsorship of the Turkish Olympic Committee’s Cross-Bosporus swimming race.

The race went through a rebrand this year and will be known as the "Samsung Bosporus Cross-Continental Swimming Race."

"Samsung has supported the Turkish Olympic Committee and the Bosporus Cross-Continental Swimming Race for many years now," Ugur Erdener, president of the Turkish Olympic Committee, told Around the Rings.

Around 1,700 athletes will take part in the event with 2000 and 2001 "Female World Swimmer of the Year" Inge de Brujin serving as the guest of honor.

"We felt that it was important to honor this partnership in the title of the event following our renewed agreement with them this week. We are delighted to move forward with them for the next three years to spread the Olympic values throughout Turkey, the region, and the rest of the world."

World Cup, Winter Olympics Drive Ad Spending

Large sporting events such as the 2014 World Cup and Winter Olympics contributed to an increase in global advertising spending.

It is projected that advertisers will spend $545 billion this year, an increase of 5.7% from 2013, compared to an increase of 2.6% from 2012 to 2013.

The United States is projected to lead the world in advertising spending with $180 billion.

In addition to the large sporting events, spending on online and mobile platforms continues to grow, buoying the costs of advertisements.

Digital advertising spending grew 16.7% and accounted for 25.7% of all worldwide advertising spending.

According to NBC, 25 million people in the United States streamed the Sochi Olympics online, a 160% increase from 2010.

It is projected by eMarketer that digital and mobile spending will comprise more than half of total advertising spending by 2018.

India Gets Commonwealth Games Sponsor

Indian athletes travelling to Glasgow for the 2014 Commonwealth Games will receive assistance from Amul.

The company hopes to "[leverage] the synergies of milk and sports," according to the Hindu Business Times

.

"Amul is committed to strengthening the support to sports in various forms and encourage young generation from all corners of the country to take up sports," R S Sodhi, managing director of Amul, said in a statement.

Olympians Featured in Body Issue

Michael Phelps and Jamie Anderson bared it all for the 2014 ESPN the Magazine "Body Issue."

Both athletes were featured on different covers for the issue, which hit newsstands Friday.

Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time, while Anderson won gold in the inaugural snowboard slopestyle event in Sochi.

Written by Aaron Bauer

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