Bostik has announced that it has signed up as an official partner of a cycling event, the Tour de France. The new sponsorship agreement upgrades the firm’s previous participation as an official supplier in 2015 and 2016 and will run for the next two years. The event will be used as a platform to communicate and promote the Bostik brand to a global audience.
The 2017 event, the 104th time the race has been held, starts with the Grand Départ from Düsseldorf in Germany. The 3,540 kilometer route across 21 states will also visit Belgium and Luxembourg. 198 riders from 22 competing teams will encounter some of the most challenging terrain in world cycling before crossing the finish line on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
The race will be broadcast to an estimated audience of 2 billion TV viewers and 10 to 12 million spectators are expected to line the route. In addition, the Tour de France official website will attract 36 million visitors during the event while an additional 6 million fans will follow the race’s social media accounts.
Confirming the sponsorship agreement, Bostik Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Vincent Legros says, “We are pleased to reinforce our association with the Tour de France, which remains among the most popular sporting events.” He continues, “This agreement will enable us to both increase our brand visibility and demonstrate our performance over each of the 21 stages.”
Using a promotional theme of The Gecko Sticks Everywhere, the partnership will leverage:
- Four Bostik-branded vehicles in the Publicity Caravan which will precede the peloton on each stage and will distribute over 500,000 gifts and rebate coupons worth a total of €500,000 to spectators
- Brand visibility along the route – Particularly in the closing thirty kilometres of each stage
- Branded warning signs on each stage to safeguard riders at dangerous turns
- Branded self-adhesive information guides available to all riders for each stage
- Interactive gaming with the first Facebook Messenger Treasure Hunt
- Online presence on www.letour.com and social media accounts
- Corporate hospitality opportunities for over 550 invited guests
In addition to marketing opportunities at the event, the sponsorship will be leveraged internationally through in-store and product promotions during the summer months.