New FIS sponsors

21/12/09

Article from www.fis-ski.com

This week we are proud to present Ricoh (www.ricoh.eu), a global leader in digital office solutions, which has supported the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup since 1995 and brought a high level of innovative technology to the competition results and information services. Javier Diez-Aguirre, Director of Corporate Communications at Ricoh, discussed the company's involvement and goals for its long-term engagement as the official data service provider for the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup.

Q. How does sports sponsoring help Ricoh meet its marketing and communication goals?

Javier Diez-Aguirre: The FIS Ski Jumping sponsorship is allowing us to promote our new brand platform to customers and partners. The new approach is part of the company's strategy to raise overall brand awareness in the region and present a consistent brand identity to the market. Under the new brand platform - ‘Moving Ideas Forward' - Ricoh is communicating its three key attributes; innovation, expertise and sustainability. By connecting all three, Ricoh is helping its customers achieve their goals with innovative solutions that add true business value. We are also indicating that the game has changed for Ricoh - we are now fine-tuning our business. This is the beginning of a very ambitious brand strategy for Ricoh.

Our key targets are primarily Fortune 500 companies regardless of whichever industry they operate in. We truly believe that Ricoh's expertise in services and production printing can offer global strategic solutions that deliver real business results to multi-national companies whatever their key business area.

All in all, we are aiming to raise overall brand awareness. Our main targets are potential customers but we are also enhancing the experience of our current customers and business partners by presenting a consistent brand image to market.

Q. Please describe the different ways that you are involved in ski sports.

Javier Diez-Aguirre: Ricoh is proud to sponsor many European sporting events, such as the Ricoh Women's British Open, ATP Masters Series and FIS Ski Jumping World Cup. Ricoh has been involved with the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup for the last 11 years and has signed a deal that will take us to 2011. Ricoh is the FIS Official Data Service Partner and Official FIS World Cup Data Partner for the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup.

Our sponsorships do not solely focus on the prestigious events; we are passionate about outstanding performance, at every level. That is why we are as proud to be the Official Partner of the FIS Grand Prix Ski Jumping in the summer.

Q. What is it that makes the FIS partnership special for Ricoh?

Javier Diez-Aguirre: It was important for us to find an event that had parallels with our own business. We're always looking at ways we can better reach our customers and set ourselves apart from our competitors.

That's when we started to see the synergies with ski sport. There is also an immediate benefit to work with a prestigious association like FIS. The international flavor of the FIS World Cup coupled with the key tactics of Ski Jumping itself, we could see direct associations with our own values and business approach.

Ricoh believes that behind every sporting or business success there is a team making every achievement possible and this is why as sponsors of sports like Ski Jumping, we're helping the teams of today and tomorrow move their game forward just as we work closely with our customers to move their ideas forward.

Q. From a sponsor's perspective, is there any special message that you would like to deliver to FIS?

Javier Diez-Aguirre: We are certain that the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup and FIS Ski Flying World Championships 2010 will yet again demonstrate all the traits which are closely linked to the sport - excitement, expertise and precision.

Q. What do you expect from the upcoming season?

Javier Diez-Aguirre: Measurement is a priority for us and we have a threefold approach to measuring the success of the overall sponsorship.

(1) Performance measures: Including on-air delivery of brand impressions, online impressions, "Above the deal" added value by sponsorship agreement, media coverage and hospitality experience.

(2) Impact measures: Including name recognition and brand awareness in key countries, brand awareness gains in non-advertised countries where Ski Jumping is being broadcasted and improved customer relationships and associated satisfaction with hospitality experience

(3) Balanced Score Card: Including overview of performance of Ski Jumping by country

In a nutshell, we expect an increase on the broadcast coverage, gross media value, cumulative audience (year on year), branding exposure, ROI (lead generation), satisfaction with hospitality, online engagement, press coverage, relationship with organizers and levels of employee