28 May 2013

British Athletics today confirmed that Unilever, one of the world’s leading suppliers of fast-moving consumer goods will partner this summer’s Sainsbury’s Summer Series.

Unilever will become “Advertising Partners” for the Sainsbury’s Summer Series, which will see some of the biggest names in athletics take to the track this summer, including Olympic champions Usain Bolt, Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah, and Paralympic champions David Weir, Jonnie Peacock and Hannah Cockroft.

 Unilever’s sponsorship will include advertising and activation around the following events:

• Sainsbury’s Grand Prix – Birmingham (29-30 June) – incorporating the Sainsbury’s IPC Athletics Grand Prix Final and the IAAF Diamond League
• Sainsbury’s British Championships – Birmingham (12-14 July)
• Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games (26-28 July) – incorporating the IAAF Diamond League and the Sainsbury’s International Para Challenge

Unilever will activate its sponsorship through three of its key family brands: Flora will be inviting visitors to watch live cooking displays using Flora Cuisine to make athletics themed recipes and celebrate with sandwiches and summer games; Persil will encourage kids to celebrate their mighty sporting moments with some medal-winning activities and product sampling for parents, and Magnum will host a Magnum Lounge, to enable visitors to relax and chill out in between the games. The brand will also create entertaining moments inside the stadium.

Jon Goldstone, VP Brand Building – Foods and Refreshments at Unilever UK & Ireland said:

“Athletics has never been so popular in the UK and with many of the Sainsbury’s Summer Series events sold-out already, it’s a fantastic opportunity for our Persil, Magnum and Flora brands to engage with our consumers." 

British Athletics Commercial Director, Sophia Warner said:

"We are absolutely delighted to welcome Unilever to the British Athletics family as Advertising Partner. The sport has gone from strength to strength since London 2012, not only because the nation has fallen in love with athletics again but through our commercial programme, partnerships with global companies, such as Unilever, are engaging the sport with a new, wider audience.

Unilever’s work with families will go a long way to raising the profile of the sport and allow us to engage not only with our existing fans in a new and exciting way, but with new fans who were captivated by the magic of last summer.”

Tickets for Sainsbury’s Grand Prix – Birmingham (29-30 June) and Sainsbury’s British Championships (12-14 July) are available via the British Athletics website – www.britishathletics.org.uk