Premier League club Manchester United has signed a multi-year global sponsorship with major food group Mondelēz International.
The deal with Mondelēz, which includes confectionary brands such as Cadbury, Oreo, Toblerone and Milka in its portfolio, will see the two organisations create dual-branded products as well as interactive campaigns for the club’s global fanbase.
Mondelēz will also get display time on United’s LED boards at Old Trafford.
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The sponsorship will launch this weekend at United’s home game against Watford with activity to support Cadbury’s ‘Donate Your Words’ campaign. ‘Donate Your Words’ is a UK initiative to highlight the issue of loneliness among the older generation.
Richard Arnold, group managing director at Manchester United said the deal will bring Mondelēz’s popular products to the club’s fans and enhance United’s ability to continue investing on the pitch.
Arnold said: “Whether it’s Cadbury, Ritz, Oreo, or one of its many other brands, Mondelēz’s products are renowned around the world. This global partnership will assist Mondelēz with its expansion into key markets whilst deepening the affinity their customers have for their products.”
Colin O’Toole, associate marketing director at Mondelēz, added: “As a global company with a presence in many different markets our alliance with one of the most recognisable sports teams in the world will give us the ability to differentiate us from competitors by offering our consumers added value through engaging products and experiences.”
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The deal is consistent with United’s current sponsorship strategy which prioritises global deals over regional deals – even if the global deal fails to hit the £5m-(€6m/$6.5m) per-year price marks achieved by the club when United was at its peak both on and on off the pitch.
Regional deals have been downgraded because of the costs associated with sourcing and account managing brands in multiple markets overseas.
