Sponsor Spotlight -- IOC Marketing Commission; Spanish Olympic Sponsor

JOC Chief to Lead Marketing Commission

IOC president Thomas Bach selected Japanese Olympic Committee president Tsunekazu Takeda to lead the IOC Marketing Commission.

Takeda will continue his role in the 2018 Coordination Commission for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

"I am, of course, extremely honored to have been appointed as chair of this commission by IOC president Thomas Bach. I am also acutely aware of the importance of and the responsibilities that come with the position," Takeda said in a statement.

"I am fully committed to leveraging the experience I have gained thus far and will exert my utmost efforts to further ensuring stable and secure sources of revenue for the IOC and to further promoting the Olympic Movement."

Spanish Group Adds Sponsor

The Spanish Olympic Committee, COE, announced the Barceló Group as a sponsor of the ADO Group through 2016.

The ADO Group is a joint effort by the Spanish Olympic Committee, Spanish Sports Council, national broadcasters, and companies to train Spanish athletes for Olympic events. It was created ahead of the Barcelona Olympics.

Barceló Group signed the sponsorship Wednesday at the Spanish Olympic Committee headquarters. COE president Alejandro Blanco; Miguel Cardenal, president of the Spanish Sports Council; and co-chairman of the Barceló Group Pedro Simon attended the signing.

Largest World Cup Ad Campaign

Coca-Cola unveiled its World Cup marketing program, the largest in the Olympic sponsor’s history.

Entitled "The World’s Cup," the program will contain a digital film, short documentaries, television and print ads, and a "fan face mosaic," as well as original music for the World Cup.

"Just as Brazil is everyone's country and Coca-Cola is everyone's drink, the FIFA World Cup is everyone's cup," said Coca-Cola executive Joseph Tripodi in a statement describing the campaign.

"Through 'The World's Cup,' Coca-Cola wants to celebrate real people playing football, demonstrating how the game is a force for a more inclusive and connected world."

Coca-Cola’s World Cup Trophy Tour that began in September 2013 is also part of the program. The tour will cover 92,000 miles, the longest pre-World Cup trophy exhibition.

South American Football Rights Sold

MP & Silva acquired the English language media rights to the top South American football competitions from 2015 to 2018 for the Asian market.

Covering all territories in the Asia-Pacific market, excluding China, the package includes the Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamerica, Copa America, Copa Brazil, CONMEBOL 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, and the U-17 and U-20 South American championships.

"We are very excited about extending our South American football offer in Asia until 2018," Andrea Radrizzani, founding partner of MP & Silva, said in a statement.

The acquisition comes in addition to the rights to the 2014 Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamerica by MP & Silva.

"Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay have a few of the best players in the world at the moment and some of those competitions are the only chance to see them playing each other."

Written by Aaron Bauer

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