Lucia Salmaso, CEO BKT Europe, Arvind Poddar, CEO BKT, Didier Quillot, Executive General Director LFP
At Pavillon Etoile Presbourg in Paris, a sponsorship agreement stipulated between BKT, a major player in the Off-Highway tire market and Ligue de Football Professionnel has been officially announced. The Indian multinational group assumes the role of title sponsor for the Coupe de la Ligue, which has changed its name into “Coupe de la Ligue BKT”. The name chosen for the football competition will be represented on a logo designed on purpose, which will be the companion to teams, clubs and fan communities for the seasons 2018-2019 through 2023-2024. The benefits of this new partnership will be effective until June 30, 2024.
Many are the motives, for which BKT has decided to sponsor the Coupe de la Ligue. First of all, because of sharing the values of this sport such as team spirit, looking for always new goals, sharing both victories and defeats, and loyalty. These are core values of BKT's international CSR vision. Likewise important is the aspect of supporting the training of young talents and the determination of entering into a direct relationship with clubs and fans – momentous occasions to enhance the awareness for the BKT brand in France.
As a result of this co-operation, the brand will indeed benefit from the visibility in all stadiums where the matches are played. The BKT logo will appear on the players' shirts both on the sleeves and on the back, but also at the stands, in the advertising spaces as well as in video clips on the big screens. Large space will be offered to BKT in the Coupe de la Ligue's digital activities, within the official website in specific editorial contents, and on the social networks, capturing this way a large audience of enthusiastic fans.
“Starting from today, we are embracing a new marketing initiative within the French world of football. I am really pleased about this happening. Staying close to the world of sport, indeed, is perfectly in line with the themes belonging to our CSR vision,” Mr. Arvind Poddar, Chairman and Managing Director of BKT, states. “For us, sport is synonymous to commitment, determination and the strong desire to win – meant as overcoming any difficulty respecting the competitor. BKT is a multinational group that is attentive to the market, to new challenges, to the continuous looking for opportunities enabling both growth and competitiveness. These are the aspects our decision to sponsor the “Coupe de La Ligue” derives from. This initiative seamlessly integrates with many other sport events that BKT supports actively all over the world. It is a new adventure that is going to reflect our values made of real and lasting contents.”
“I am very glad about this new experience in the world of international sport,” Lucia Salmaso, Managing Director of BKT Europe, states. “The Coupe de la Ligue perfectly goes with our strategies and our playing scheme. It will hence help us enhance our brand awareness in France, which is one of our main global markets. As we all know, the Coupe de la Ligue is one of the most appreciated and most supported competitions in France. Being its sponsor means a lot to us, since we can approach our numerous final users and – I am quite sure – also all great football enthusiasts.”
The Coupe de la Ligue is the football competition organized by the French Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), the body that manages and organizes also the championships of Ligue 1 Conforama and Domino's Ligue 2 under the authority of the French Football Federation (FFF). At the competition, hence, 15 teams of the Ligue 1 Conforama and Domino's Ligue 2 take part, as well as the professional clubs of the National. The competition is much followed in France – the winning team qualifies for the UEFA Europa League of the season to come.
Didier Quillot, CEO of LFP: “LFP is very glad to welcome BKT as Title Sponsor of the Coupe de la Ligue. This agreement shows the increasing popularity of the Coupe de la Ligue. In times, in which going always more international has become a priority for LFP, the partnership with BKT offers likewise a unique opportunity to liaise with the business world in India. Thanks to BKT's support, we are looking forward to make the Ligue 1 Conforama better known to Indian broadcasters.”
The partnership agreement between BKT and Ligue de Football Professionnel has come into being thanks to the good offices of Havas Sports & Entertainment (Havas SE), a specialist team of Havas Group that operates actively in sport and entertainment environments for the purpose of effective marketing strategies aiming at creating meaningful relations among brands and fan communities.
BKT's path seems to be a never-ending story marked by its countless victories in the field of sport. Many are the goals, indeed, BKT can show in this “season”, including the most recent partnership with Lega Nazionale Professionisti B, the Italian professional football league of Serie B clubs in Italy, and many other projects ready for realization, which will soon turn into top business results.
BKT and sport – A boundless passion
Sport has always been a synonym for commitment, determination, and the strong desire to win. And this is where BKT's passion for sport stems from, whether it is about football or Monster Jam.
A real sportsperson has some outstanding qualities: a perfect balance of resolution, persistence and tenacity, self-confidence, and the awareness of one's limits. Whether it is about football or the amazing stunts at Monster Jam – BKT loves sport because it fully reflects its corporate philosophy: the joy of achieving goals, the feeling of satisfaction and content when being rewarded for all efforts and sacrifices, the ability of hitting new records aiming at always higher and greater ambitions.
Many are the sporting events that the multinational group from India supports and follows actively all over the world. These are selected based on a precise strategy aiming at more user proximity and increased brand awareness.
Recently, the company has entered the football pitch by means of a three-year partnership agreement with the Lega Nazionale Professionisti B, the National League of Professionals B, the governing body of the B football series in Italy, which has changed its name in Serie BKT starting from this season. The aim is to increase brand awareness, which is going to benefit from the great public and media attention at all stadiums hosting the Lega B matches, both on the stands and by means of TV broadcasting, meeting this way a vast community of enthusiastic fans.
But that is not all. BKT's relationship with football is very close, indeed. So close that the company has made Iya Traoré, the king of football freestyle, its official special guest at all main corporate events worldwide. In addition, on the occasion of all trade show appearances, the distribution of footballs to visitors and guests has become a traditional appointment.
From football to motors: Since 2013, BKT is also the Official and Exclusive Tire Manufacturer of Monster Jam, the world-famous American motor show with giant Monster Trucks performing breathtaking stunts. Therefore, BKT has designed a purpose-built highly resistant tire that is fitted on all monster trucks during the over 300 stages of the Monster Jam Show all around the globe.
Besides, there has been the recent Xtractor Around the World South Africa edition, a 50-day lasting expedition. Aboard some latest-generation McCormick farming tractors, some drivers belonging to the 1st Parachute Regiment “Tuscania”, part of the Italian Carabinieri Corps, have travelled almost 8,000 km on that territory supporting also humanitarian initiatives alongside with AMREF, such as building a 100m x 50m football field and a vegetable garden for the community.
In a nutshell, BKT's passion for sport, for team spirit, for targeting the same goal, and for team play with the aim of mastering always greater challenges is more than tangible, indeed.
