Heineken® has launched its first ever truly global UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour, bringing the famed trophy closer to football fans around the world.
The Trophy’s first exotic destination in this year’s UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour, the sixth Heineken® has undertaken, is Mexico City before it moves on to Guadalajara. The Trophy will then start its African journey travelling from Dar-es-Salaam to Mombasa and Nairobi and ending its tour in Shanghai, China. As the Trophy travels around the world, fans will be able to take photos with the legendary cup, thanks to Heineken.
Accompanying the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour this year will be two Heineken® legendary ambassadors – former Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar who will be with the Trophy in Mexico and former Dutch legend Ruud Gullit who will be travelling with the Trophy in Kenya and Shanghai.
Well-known UEFA ambassadors will also join the tour, including two-time UEFA Champions League winner, Christian Karembeu in Mexico, Chelsea legend Celestine Babayaro in Kenya and Dutch footballing hero Ronald de Boer in China.
Hans Erik Tuijt, Heineken’s Brand Activation Manager commented: “Each UEFA Champions League season, Heineken® strives to ignite fans conversations. This year’s UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour launch brings football fans around the world closer to action enabling them to interact with Heineken and the tournament. As we get closer to the final, we will continue to engage with fans by offering legendary experiences.’
Commenting on the Trophy Tour, David Taylor, UEFA Events S.A. CEO, said: “The UEFA Champions League has a long and distinguished heritage and is the pinnacle of European club football. The Trophy Tour really demonstrates the true global reach and appeal of the UEFA Champions League. We are delighted that together with Heineken we can reward the passion and dedication of football fans around the world by taking the trophy to them.”
The Trophy Tour
The schedule of the 2012 UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour presented by Heineken is:
March 9 Mexico City Press conference & media event
March 10/11 Guadalajara Trophy presentation show, exclusive VIP event & Open public event
March 17/18 Mexico City Open public event
March 24 Dar es Salaam/Nairobi Press conference & media event
March 26/27 Dar es Salaam Exclusive VIP event & open public event
March 28 Mombasa Exclusive VIP event
March 29/31 Nairobi
April 6/9 Shanghai Press conference, exclusive VIP event, open public event
The UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour presented by Heineken visited Asia in 2012, North America in 2010, Africa in 2009, South America in 2008 and Asia in 2007.
Heineken – UEFA Champions league sponsorship
In its seventh year as a sponsor of the UEFA Champions League, Heineken has launched its new 2011/12 season campaign titled, ‘Legendary Football’. The Legendary Football campaign is built around Heineken’s new television commercials, featuring legends of the tournament and showcases Heineken’s sponsorship of the 2011-12 UEFA Champions League. The ‘Legendary Football’ television commercials star: Gianluigi Buffon, Rene Adler, Patrick Vieira, Clarence Seedorf and Ruud Van Nistelrooy. The contests that take place between the players within the television commercials represent the legendary moments created during the UEFA Champions League.
The core focus of Heineken’s activation of the sponsorship is to bring fans in Europe and abroad high quality UEFA Champions League experiences. Legendary Football combines two premium products to form ‘black tie football’, Heineken and the UEFA Champions League. Using legends of the tournament to draw attention to masterpiece moments that occur in the UEFA Champions League, Heineken identifies the finer qualities of football that Men of the World can appreciate.
Enjoy Heineken Responsibly
Heineken continues to integrate its responsible consumption program into all UEFA Champions League sponsorship activities. Every stadium hosting a UEFA Champions League match features “Enjoy Responsibly” on one of its three perimeter boards around the pitch, complementing the regular Heineken boarding. In addition, an Enjoy Heineken Responsibly 5-second match bumper broadcasts several times during UEFA Champions League matches with an estimated audience of 150 million viewers per match week.