With the Start of the English Premier Season, Chelsea FC is Prepared to Defend Last Year’s Championship
Last season, Yokohama-sponsored Chelsea FC captured the English Premier League (EPL) championship for the second time in three years. It was the first title under Yokohama, which is the Official Shirt Sponsor of Chelsea FC.
Now, as the season kicks in, the Blues are donning new Nike uniforms and have added top-notch players like Álvaro Morata, Tiemoué Bakayoko, Antonio Rüdiger and Willy Caballero to help defend their title.
“Last season’s EPL championship was an amazing experience for fans and everyone associated with Chelsea,” said Alan Holtschneider, Yokohama Tire Corporation’s (YTC) director of marketing. “Chelsea’s an exciting global brand and we’re proud to support them.”
YTC has used the Chelsea sponsorship extensively in the U.S. – especially through social media – for branding and to connect with dealers and consumers.
“This will be the third season we’ll be incorporating Chelsea into several of our marketing programs,” said Holtschneider. “Chelsea winning the EPL title last season gives us a lot of momentum.”
New programs for the current season will be activated soon, but here’s a recap of some of YTC’s 2016-2017 Chelsea promotions:
• 100 Jerseys in 100 Hours: With YTC’s parent company – Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. (YRC) – celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, YTC and Chelsea teamed up to give away 100 Chelsea jerseys in 100 hours via a social media promotion on Chelsea’s geo-targeted marketing channels. More than 12,100 U.S. Chelsea fans registered to win the jerseys.
• Spring Getaway: For the second consecutive year, YTC combined its Chelsea sponsorship with the “Spring Getaway” national rebate promotion. Consumers could choose between a 2016-2017 Chelsea FC jersey or a $60/$80 Yokohama Visa
Consumers could choose between a 2016-2017 Chelsea FC jersey or a $60/$80 Yokohama Visa® Prepaid card after purchasing a set of four select Yokohama tires.
• Yokohama Skills Challenge/Chelsea FC Experience contest: YTC, in conjunction with US Youth Soccer, recently sent 12 Yokohama Skills Challenge participants to England.
The contest was open to US Youth Soccer members ages 13-18 who competed in select Yokohama Skills Challenge events, including the Needham Memorial Day Tournament Driven by Yokohama. The Yokohama Skills Challenge is part of US Youth Soccer’s nationwide tour and helps children of all ages develop a variety of core soccer skills in a fun, engaging way.
Photo Credit: Chelsea FC
