Sealed With A Kiss: Hershey Co. Signs Deal To Sponsor USOC Through '20 Tokyo Games

The USOC is back in the candy game, as the Hershey Co. signed a five-year deal with Team USA today, making the iconic candy maker an official sponsor and confectionery partner through the '20 Toyko Games. It is the USOC’s first deal in the confectionery category since Hershey’s supplier deal for the ’08 Beijing Games. Financial terms were not disclosed, but Olympic marketing experts say a sponsor-level partnership with the USOC sells for between $1-3M annually. With only 10 months left until the Rio Games, the USOC and Hershey will immediately tackle activation details, said USOC Managing Dir of Business Development & Marketing Michael O’Conor. He said, “We hope we have a really great footprint in the candy aisle thanks to Hershey.” Among the brands included in the relationship are Hershey’s, Reese’s, Hershey’s Kisses, Twizzlers, Brookside dark chocolates and Krave premium jerky. O’Conor said the USOC’s “The Power Of” program, which brings together its consumer-packaged goods partners like Coca-Cola, Kellogg’s and Procter & Gamble for Team USA displays at retailers during the Olympics, appealed to Hershey. O’Conor: “Being able to go in as a collective and figure out what a retailer wants beyond their footprint and their aisle has really been something we’ve been able to capitalize on and get our partners motivated around.”

CANDY CRUSH: Hershey Dir of Partnership Marketing David Palmer was instrumental in reuniting the two sides, talks which Hershey initiated, he said. Palmer has a long history with Olympic sponsorship and the USOC. Prior to joining Hershey in '14, he spent more than four years in sports marketing at P&G, where he created the P&G U.S. Family Home, a private hospitality setting for athlete’s families during the Games. P&G also became a worldwide Olympic sponsor during his tenure. O’Conor: “Over the last multiples of months, we were able to get this happening. Certainly David was a major force for us on the Hershey’s side, and he really helped us figure out who were the right people to get in front of and who were the decision makers to come in and make the decision.” Palmer added, "Hershey and USOC are both important pieces of American culture.” No agencies were involved in the deal, O’Conor said. Hershey’s has been a longtime supporter of USA Track & Field, and signed a deal in '14 to become its second-largest sponsor behind Nike. “The experience Hershey has with USTAF spans 30-plus years," Palmer said. "This is just a part of our longtime commitment to supporting skills for a lifetime of physical activity for people of all ages. This legacy at Hershey will undoubtedly benefit in our sponsorship of the USOC.”