Chinese dairy products manufacturer the Mengniu Group has signed up as the latest official sponsor of the 2018 Fifa World Cup national team football tournament in Russia.
The company becomes the fifth official sponsor of the event, alongside Budweiser, Hisense, McDonald’s and Vivo. World Cup Sponsors represent the second-tier of Fifa’s commercial ladder, below Fifa Partners.
The new deal covers four categories of Mengniu’s products and names the group as the official drinkable yoghurt and pre-packaged ice cream of the World Cup, and the official milk and powdered milk of the tournament for Greater China.
As part of the agreement, Mengniu’s branding will appear on all key promotional platforms such as Fifa’s digital channels, LED boards and match tickets. The company will also provide its customers with a chance to win World Cup-related experiences.
Philippe Le Floc’h, Fifa’s chief commercial officer, said: “Mengniu is one of the biggest dairy producers in the world and is a strong brand in the Chinese market. Growing the game worldwide is one of our key priorities, and we now have another strong official sponsor in such an important region. Naturally we will also benefit from the fact that Mengniu’s business appeals to children and youngsters, giving us the opportunity to engage with a new generation of football fans.”
Mengniu Group chief executive Jeffrey Lu added: “Thanks to our sponsorship of the Fifa World Cup, we have an opportunity to reach an even bigger global market and, more importantly, to showcase the Chinese dairy industry to the whole world. This is not only a proud moment for Mengniu, but also for the Chinese dairy industry as a whole.”