Crain News Service report
MELBOURNE, Australia (Jan. 21, 2014) — For the fourth straight year, Taiwan's Cheng Shin Rubber Co. Ltd./Maxxis International will sponsor the Australian Open.
The open, which started on Jan. 14 and runs until Jan. 26 in Melbourne, is billed as the largest sports event in the southern hemisphere and the first of the Grand Slam tennis tournaments each year.
In addition to being an official sponsor, Maxxis is the official tire of the Australian Open. Under terms of the deal, Maxxis will have signage on Rod Laver Arena and is entitled to use the Australian Open logo in marketing materials and promotional activities.
The 2013 Australian Open was broadcast to more than 200 countries and drew additional attention through social media and more than 8.8 million views on the official Australian Open YouTube channel. The tournament typically attracts a large spectator audience, with last year's event welcoming more than 684,000 fans.
Maxxis said it has organized a “high-impact marketing push,” including a major national billboard campaign, for the lead-up and duration of this year's Australian Open. The campaign carries the tag-line, “Game, Set...Maxxis.”
This report appeared on the website of European Rubber Journal, a UK-based sister publication of Tire Business.