Neymar was announced as a brand ambassador for Pilão for '18. The Brazilian coffee brand will use him in its advertising campaigns, and "plans to have activations in place" ahead of the 2018 World Cup. Pilão will continue its "Who shook the world" campaign, "which celebrates the lives of ordinary Brazilian citizens, through focusing on Neymar’s daily life" (SOCCEREX, 12/14).
La Liga added Iranian telecom Irancell as a new regional partner. Irancell has more than 230 million customers in 22 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. La Liga has a "strong" following in Iran and the league has "strategically targeted what is a committed and passionate football market for a content-led growth for its brand" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 12/14).
Serie A side Juventus "rolled out licensed product in Japan, China and Australia to expand and strengthen its presence globally." The deals were brokered by IMG. Juventus introduced new product categories like apparel, gadgets, car accessories and luggage. The club is also adding animated Juventus illustrations along with designer jackets, shirts, sweatshirts and polo shirts (THE DRUM, 12/14).
Michelin Motorsport Dir Pascal Couasnon said that the tire manufacturer does not "currently have any plans to return to Formula 1" in '21. Michelin provides tires for the likes of Le Mans, Formula E and MotoGP, but has not been involved in F1 since the '06 season (PLANET F1, 12/14).
The Indian Super League partnered with Apollo Tyres for the current season. With more than three months of the season remaining, Apollo Tyres planned multiple activations across cities where matches are scheduled to be held. Apollo Tyres is currently the global tire partner for Premier League sides ManU and Crystal Palace, in addition to Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach (NEWS 18, 12/14).
India's Premier Badminton League will kick off on Dec. 23 and has retained Vodafone as its title sponsor, while Servo will be the co-sponsor. Bajaj Electricals and Bisleri have also been signed as sponsors (ECONOMIC TIMES, 12/14).
Spartan Race announced fitness products manufacturer Power Systems as the title sponsor of its inaugural Ultra World Championship, which will take place on Saturday outside of Reykjavik. Power Systems will present the live stream of the race, which will be available in three three-hour periods throughout the 24-hour event, on the Facebook Watch platform (Spartan).
The Swiss Volleyball Federation (Swiss Volley) announced sponsorship deals with insurance companies Mobiliar and Concordia. Mobiliar will be a premium partner from January, and will be the title sponsor of the country’s Volley Cup through the ’20-21 season. Concordia will be an official partner with the organization through the ’20-21 season (Swiss Volley).
