Zug / Basel, Switzerland – Infront Sports & Media and Helvetia have announced that the Swiss based insurance service provider is to be the Official Sponsor of the Swiss FIS Ski World Cup events, exclusively in the insurance service provider category. The agreement is a long-term one and covers four seasons until 2010/2011.
Helvetia is the Official Sponsor of all FIS Alpine and Ski Jumping World Cup events in Switzerland. It is thus designated as a commercial partner in respect of the following events:
- Engelberg, 22/23 December 2007 - ski jumping (successfully delivered)
- Adelboden, 5/6 January 2008 - giant slalom & slalom men’s (successfully delivered)
- Wengen, 11-13 January 2008 – downhill, slalom & super combination men’s (successfully delivered)
- St. Moritz, 2/3 February 2008 – downhill & super–G women’s
- Crans Montana, 8/9 March 2008 - downhill & super combination women’s
A comprehensive sponsorship package
With the agreement, Helvetia secures strong, visible presence during all alpine events through extensive signage along the race course, in the Start and the Finish area – including the right and left of the start gate – together with the Helvetia logo on all race bibs and gate flags as well as brand exposure on inflatable structures.
During the ski jumping event in Engelberg, Helvetia has benefited from strong exposure through perimeter advertising in the Start and the Finish area as well as at the jump-off platform. Additional visibility was ensured through branding on all bibs and the video interview wall onsite.
Daniel Brunner, branding director of Helvetia, said: “Skiing and insurance services are inseparably linked in Switzerland. We are delighted that Helvetia continues to tie itself in with the most exciting winter sports events in our home country with strong visibility in all key markets across Europe. Being a sponsor for the domestic FIS Ski World Cup events perfectly complements our existing long-term commitment with ski-sport in Switzerland.”
Bruno Marty, Infront’s Executive Director, Winter Sports, said: “The four year agreement with Helvetia is another milestone in the marketing of the FIS World Cup events. It is a proof positive that the new skiing packages collectively offered by Infront are highly attractive to leading sponsor brands. During the upcoming winter sport seasons we will deliver excellent exposure and outstanding service quality to Helvetia."
About Helvetia Group
The Helvetia is a Europe-wide active insurance service provider with core competencies in risk management (life and non-life insurance business, reinsurance) as well as in private pensions. The Group is active in Central – and Southern Europe through its regional offices, subsidiaries and associated companies. The Group headquarters are located in St.Gallen/Switzerland while the headquarters for Switzerland are in Basle. Helvetia provides with 4’600 employees services to more than two million customers in six European countries. About 2’200 employees are working for the insurer in Switzerland. The Group generated a premium volume of CHF 5.3 billion in 2006 and a net profit of CHF 423.8 million. The registered shares of Helvetia Holding are part of the Swiss Performance Index (SPI) and are traded at the Swiss Stock Exchange (SWX) under the symbol HELN.
About Infront Sports & Media
Infront Sports & Media, based in Zug, Switzerland, is the strongest, most experienced marketing agency in the winter sports arena with a capacity for innovation that is helping to transform the industry. The Group has a strong market position in skiing. It is the commercial partner of more than 80% of all national skiing federations as well as several local organising committees. In Switzerland, Infront handles the distribution of all event media and marketing rights of the national federation Swiss-Ski. For the 2007/08 FIS World Cup season Infront is the central source for the very best skiing opportunities. It is offering a clearly perceived marketing platform including comprehensive marketing packages, which are considerably more attractive to potential sponsors, encompassing significant numbers of races and thus creating strong exposure in prime target markets.
