By Paul Kennedy
Mondelez International, the maker of such snacks and gums as Oreo, Ritz, Trident and Sour Patch Kids, is making a major consumerplay with soccer through a series of wide-ranging deals with U.S. Soccer, Mexican club Chivas de Guadalajara and U.S. national team players.
Based in East Hanover, N.J., Mondelez signed athree-year sponsorship as the official snacks of U.S. Soccer and a three-year sponsorship as the official snacks of Mexican club Guadalajara for games played and sponsorship within the UnitedStates.
Individual marketing deals were signed with Clint Dempsey, Alex Morgan and
“This is so much more than a business deal — it’s the start of a movement to help our great brands connect soccer, communityand snacking in a way that makes consumers stand up and cheer,” said Stephen Chriss, the senior director for North America consumer engagement andmarketing services at Mondelez International. “We’re so excited to have the opportunity to partner with these great athletes and organizations just as U.S. love for the sport is about toreach a fever pitch.”
The deals represent Mondelez’s largest multi-brand program it has conducted.
SUPER CLASICO NUMBERS.Saturday’s Súper Clásico between Club America and Chivas de Guadalajara was Univision’s most-viewed Liga MX regular-season broadcast this season, reaching 4.2 million viewers whotuned in to all or part of the match won by America and averaged 1.1 million viewers adults 18-49.
El Súper Clásico beat out two MLB playoff games and nearly doubled theopening game of the NHL season.
Univision was first or second in the time period in five of the six biggest Nielsen DMA markets.
CREWPARTNERS WITH SPORTSDIGITA. The Columbus Crew became the first MLS club to partner with interactive sports agency Sportsdigita to launch ticket renewals, as well as season-ticket and groupsales platforms.
The Minneapolis-based company is providing season-ticket holders with a digitally based interactive portal to customize their buying experience and share their teampride. Sportsdigita also works with clubs in the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB.
“At Sportsdigita,” said CEO and founder Angelina Lawton, “wepride ourselves in being able to deliver digital solutions to our forward-thinking partners like the Crew, who are a big reason why Major League Soccer continues to grow in innovation andpopularity.”
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