Photo: Apollo Tyres Ltd
When it comes to team sports, clubs don't get much bigger than Manchester United. It doesn't really matter where you're from or what kinds of sports you like, the name "Manchester United" will not be completely unfamiliar to you.
That's what a very rare combination of great results, substantial financial power, and clever marketing can do for a football team. But there has to be some other explanation as well because there are more European clubs that can match United in all three areas, and yet they don't enjoy the same worldwide popularity.
That probably has to do with charisma. The British Premier League club has a very dark moment in its 135-year-long history when the plane carrying the whole team crashed on its third attempt at taking off. It happened on February 6, 1958, but instead of burying the club for good, it turned into a moment of rebirth, one that also captured the sympathy of everyone who heard about the disaster.
The Manchester United name is a very valuable brand, one that many other companies would like to link their products with. A testament to the power the Premier League club has is the team's current main sponsor: despite withdrawing from the European market, the Chevrolet bowtie logo continues to feature on the chests of every Manchester United player.
Now, another long-time partner of the club has chosen to become a fully-fledged global sponsor, thus increasing its visibility. After three years of regional association with United, Indian tire maker Apollo has signed a deal that will move the cooperation between the two on a global level.
The name Apollo Tyres Ltd might not be too familiar to those outside India, but that's only because the manufacturer has two different brands in its portfolio, with the second one being Vredestein. Apollo currently has production facilities in India and Holland, but it also has a planned investment of $475 million for a new plant in Hungary.
“The three-year association with Manchester United has supported our business expansion plans especially in India, Middle East, South East Asia and Africa," commented Marco Paracciani, Chief Marketing Officer for Apollo Tyres Ltd. "Our various campaigns have helped in connecting with the young people, increasing awareness of the brand Apollo and customer acquisitions in these regions. We believe that the global partnership will further help us position our brand and the products in the minds of the consumers across geographies, in addition to being visible to the 659 million fans of the club.”
That probably has to do with charisma. The British Premier League club has a very dark moment in its 135-year-long history when the plane carrying the whole team crashed on its third attempt at taking off. It happened on February 6, 1958, but instead of burying the club for good, it turned into a moment of rebirth, one that also captured the sympathy of everyone who heard about the disaster.
The Manchester United name is a very valuable brand, one that many other companies would like to link their products with. A testament to the power the Premier League club has is the team's current main sponsor: despite withdrawing from the European market, the Chevrolet bowtie logo continues to feature on the chests of every Manchester United player.
Now, another long-time partner of the club has chosen to become a fully-fledged global sponsor, thus increasing its visibility. After three years of regional association with United, Indian tire maker Apollo has signed a deal that will move the cooperation between the two on a global level.
The name Apollo Tyres Ltd might not be too familiar to those outside India, but that's only because the manufacturer has two different brands in its portfolio, with the second one being Vredestein. Apollo currently has production facilities in India and Holland, but it also has a planned investment of $475 million for a new plant in Hungary.
“The three-year association with Manchester United has supported our business expansion plans especially in India, Middle East, South East Asia and Africa," commented Marco Paracciani, Chief Marketing Officer for Apollo Tyres Ltd. "Our various campaigns have helped in connecting with the young people, increasing awareness of the brand Apollo and customer acquisitions in these regions. We believe that the global partnership will further help us position our brand and the products in the minds of the consumers across geographies, in addition to being visible to the 659 million fans of the club.”
Google News