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| The Helsinki Olympic Stadium will host the 2012 European Athletics Championships through 27 June to 1 July. |
Helsinki 2012 has surpassed its sponsorship revenues target with 10 months to go until next summer’s European Athletics Championships, with sales of 2.7 million euros eclipsing the original goal of 2.5 million.
National Partners Adecco and Bridgecare are the latest companies to agree contracts for European Athletics’ flagship event. They join new National Suppliers Get On, Pixmill Group and Toshiba.
They will join European Athletics International Partners SPAR, Omega, Le Gruyére and Eurovision in supporting the 27 June to 1 July event.
The 2012 European Athletics Championships, which has an entire budget of 14.4 million euros, now has 20 different partners and suppliers on board.
Helsinki 2012 General Secretary Esa Honkalehto said, “The success in sponsorship sales shows that athletics in general and the European Athletics Championships as a sports event is of great appeal to people.”
Jari Töykkí¤, Helsinki 2012 Marketing Director, has worked alongside sports marketing specialists Infront Finland, under the leadership of Managing Director Mikko Vanni, in securing the valuable national partnerships for the championships.
“Considering the current unfavourable market conditions, the target of 2.5 million euros was hard to reach. We can be very satisfied in our achievements. It shows that people are interested in athletics and especially this type of unique mega-event,” said Töykkí¤.
Top names of sales and marketing as support group
From the very beginning, a group of top professionals has been involved in sponsorship planning, especially in the marketing to companies. Members of the advisory board of marketing include CEO Marco Mí¤kinen of Sek&Grey, Director (Marketing and Communications) Jukka-Pekka Vuori of Fonecta Oy, Vice President (Communications and Marketing) Anne Westersund of Cargotec, the owner of Espoo Blues, businessman Jussi Salonoja, and Managing Director Mikko Vanni and Project Manager Jukka Kunnas of Infront Finland Oy.
“This advisory board established for Helsinki 2012 is a groundbreaking group, in which the top professionals in marketing support the marketing plan of the organisers of the European Athletics Championships. The contribution of this group has been invaluable. It is great that promotion of such a huge event and athletics has activated such a prominent group of people,” said Töykka.