WOODCLIFF LAKE, NJ--July 27, 2012: Along with millions of others, BMW, the Official Mobility Partner of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), will tune into the Opening Ceremonies of the XXX Olympiad tonight as the London 2012 Olympic Games get underway. Debuting during NBC's broadcast of the event, BMW's U.S. Olympic-themed advertisement "Victory" will enhance an already comprehensive activation of the company's first-time sponsorship, which called upon all business units to infuse the Olympic spirit into key product, retailer and brand marketing initiatives over the past two years.
“Our approach to sponsorship is firmly and uniquely rooted in material contribution”
"Our approach to sponsorship is firmly and uniquely rooted in material contribution," said Dan Creed, Vice President, Marketing, BMW of North America. "Our relationship with the USOC has enabled us to reinforce our brand ideals -- passion, performance, efficiency and excellence -- with our employees, retailers and customers in new and interesting ways, which has resulted in a direct and positive impact on our business."
"Victory" is a 60-second spot that illustrates the unique symmetry between two benchmarks of sport performance: the BMW 3 Series and the athletes of the BMW Performance Team. Featuring current 2012 U.S. Olympic Team members Ricky Berens (swimming), Natalie Coughlin (swimming), Sanya Richards-Ross (track & field), Evelyn Stevens (cycling) and Mallory Weggemann (swimming, Paralympic), as well as Olympic legends Bryan Clay (decathlon) and Janet Evans (swimming), "Victory" draws parallels between the speed, efficiency and traction of an athlete to that of a vehicle.
U.S. Olympic Marketing Campaign
In addition to national television commercials, BMW's marketing campaign in support of its sponsorship of Team USA includes digital and local television advertising as well as social media executions, making it the largest media investment by BMW of North America in company history. Leveraging its growing social media channels to engage directly with current and future BMW owners, BMW this week overhauled its Facebook (www.facebook.com/BMWUSA), YouTube (www.youtube.com/BMWUSA) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/BMWUSA) channels in celebration of the Olympic Games. Creative themes and content on the channels crystallize the connection between the dedication to performance and passion displayed by BMW Performance Team athletes in sports and BMW in engineering. Fans have various opportunities to interact with the brand, including learning more about the athletes and what drives them, watching the latest commercials or joining the conversation with hashtag #BMWTeamUSA.
Connections and Conversion at Retail
Following a hugely successful 2011 drive campaign in which retailers tallied a purchase rate of one vehicle per four attendees, BMW has reprised its Drive for Team USA national fundraising campaign this year, increasing the number of events from 277 last year to 315. More than 20,000 consumers registered for events taking place between April 17 and Aug. 25, 2012, and, to date, host retailers have experienced a 75% attendance rate.
BMW Drive for Team USA events invite consumers to BMW retailers across America to test drive any one of five different BMW 3 Series models. For every participant who test drives a vehicle at the event, BMW will donate $10 to Team USA. In addition to the opportunity to test how the Ultimate Driving Machine measures up against the competition, the events also offer the chance to meet U.S. Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, legends and other members of the Olympic community.
Innovative Contributions to Team USA
An integral part of its partnership with the USOC, BMW is also applying its resources and technologies to advance the training and performance goals of Team USA athletes and hopefuls. In the lead-up to London 2012 Olympic Games, BMW has undertaken two technology transfer projects in response to real-time data needs identified by USA Track & Field and USA Swimming. The first, a velocity measurement system that captures a long jumper in motion and automatically calculates and delivers performance metrics for coaches to use in training scenarios, was tested by Clay. The second, a motion tracking system that analyzes a swimmer's dolphin kick within the allowed 15 meters of underwater swimming and provides quantitative performance data to coaches, was tested by Berens. These technologies are now deployed at the Olympic Training Centers in Chula Vista, Calif. and Colorado Springs, Colo., respectively.
"It's significant that BMW is able to make such a direct, impactful and lasting contribution," said Lisa Baird, Chief Marketing Officer, USOC. "We've been extremely pleased to have BMW in our sponsor family and look forward to the future innovations this partnership is sure to yield."
BMW Performance Team U.S.
In the lead-up to London 2012 Olympic Games, BMW of North America has supported 11 Olympic and Paralympic athletes and hopefuls, the BMW Performance Team U.S. They are:
- Ricky Berens, swimming
- Matt Chrabot, triathlon
- Bryan Clay, track & field
- Natalie Coughlin, swimming
- Janet Evans, swimming
- April Holmes, Paralympic track & field
- Jonathan Horton, gymnastics
- Clay Johnson, sailing
- Sanya Richards-Ross, track & field
- Evelyn Stevens, cycling
- Mallory Weggemann, Paralympic swimming
BMW of North America's global parent, BMW Group, is the Official Mobility Partner of the United States Olympic Committee and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams through 2016. BMW Group is also the Official Mobility Partner of four National Governing Bodies (NGBs) -- USA Swimming, USA Track & Field, USA Bobsled & Skeleton, and US Speedskating.
BMW Group (which includes BMW, MINI and BMWMotorrad) will also lend its support to more than 150 Olympic and Paralympic athletes and hopefuls in other countries, including the United Kingdom and France. BMW Group also supports the National Olympic Committees of Great Britain, China, France, Austria, Spain, and Greece.
At the Games
For the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, BMW UK has provided approximately 3,200 low emission diesel, hybrid and electric cars, as well as motorcycles and bicycles, to the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG). Voted by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index as the most sustainable automotive manufacturer for seven consecutive years, BMWhas provided a fleet to achieve the challenging average emissions threshold as set by LOCOG of 120g CO2 per kilometer.
This weekend, BMW Group will also debut to the public an impressive pavilion space built on an elevated site above the Waterworks River, situated inside Olympic Park, between the Olympic Stadium and the Aquatics Center. Every element of the BMW pavilion has been designed to reflect the company's heritage in environmental innovation. The pavilion is expected to host 5,000 visitors each day of the Games, and admission is free to anyone with a ticket to Olympic Park.
Also reflective of this commitment to sustainability is the recent unveiling of the world's first BMW i Store in London. The showroom presents the future of mobility with a new version of the BMW i3 Concept car, a revolutionary, lightweight, all-electric, carbon fiber vehicle alongside the futuristic, plug-in hybrid sports car, the BMW i8 Concept car. These vehicles will be available in 2013 and 2014 respectively, and the BMW i showroom will remain a permanent fixture on Park Lane.
To learn more about BMW Group's partnership with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and its designation as a Sustainability Partner of LOCOG, visit the dedicated press page www.press.bmwgroup.co.uk. To learn more about the BMW Performance Team, Olympic technology projects and BMW's partnership with the USOC and NGBs USA Bobsled & Skeleton, US Speedskating, USA Swimming and USA Track & Field, visit BMW Team USA.
BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 and X3 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 139 BMW motorcycle retailers, 114 MINI passenger car dealers, and 32 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
