GM bets big on Man-U sponsorship, drops from Super Bowl

GM bets big on Man-U sponsorship, drops from Super Bowl

MUMBAI: General Motors has entered into a five-year sponsorship deal with EPL club Manchester United as it seeks to ride on the global appeal of the club that has an estimated 659 million fans worldwide.

GM‘s strategy behind associating with Man-U as official automotive partner through its car brand Chevrolet is part of the auto major‘s marketing strategy to make the brand into a global icon.

The new strategy follows the auto major‘s decision to go without advertising in next year‘s Super Bowl games of National Football League and halt paid advertising on Facebook as it seeks to adopt cost effective marketing platforms in order to build its brand.

What also prompted GM‘s decision to pull out of Super Bowl advertising is the fact that the competition has limited appeal beyond American shores which doesn‘t fit into its new marketing strategy of reaching out to global audience.

Man-U, on the other hand, is by far the most popular football club in the world and is adding new fans every year particularly in emerging markets like China and India, which are key markets for GM.

General Motors Global CMO Joel Ewanick said, “Manchester United has some of the most passionate supporters of any sporting club in the world. The Chevrolet family is proud to partner with Manchester United and is fully committed to putting these fans at the center of everything we do.”

Chevrolet is pledging that fans will be at the heart of its sponsorship with a constant focus on bringing the club supporters and football fans around the world closer to the game than ever before.

Manchester United CEO David Gill said, “Although part of two very different industries, Chevrolet and Manchester United share many of the same values. Like the Club, it is steeped in history having recently celebrated its centenary and it has also grown to be a global brand, selling cars in more than 140 countries. Above all, it too strives to be the best in its field and I am delighted to welcome Chevrolet as our Official Automotive Partner.”