Apollo Tyres joins team ManU

Will become the club's official tyre partner in UK and India; create football-cased play zones for local communities using recycled rubber

Gurgaon-based Apollo Tyres has entered into a three-year partnership with Britain’s leading Premier League football club Manchester United. As part of the agreement, the tyre manufacturer and distributor would become the club’s official tyre partner in India and the UK and create football-based play zones for local communities in both countries, using recycled rubber.

Marco Paracciani, chief marketing officer, Apollo Tyres, said, “Our objective is to make Apollo Tyres a global brand. Manchester United gives us a fantastic platform. They have a fan base of 659 million globally, of which 46 million are in India and the UK. We will create local football play zones and the first of such pitches will come up at Old Trafford (Manchester United’s home ground).”

For local communities, Manchester United would provide expertise through training programmes for football enthusiasts. Initially, 160 people would be trained across such communities every year, Paracciani said.

The initiative, part of Apollo’s ‘Go the Distance’ theme, would include various skills challenges. Apollo Tyres would also have access to certain players from Manchester United for marketing, communications and branding activities. “This is a very important partnership for us and it clearly demonstrates our global ambitions for our business and the brand...We believe the impact of this relationship will be significant in helping make Apollo a globally recognisable brand,” said Onkar S Kanwar, chairman, Apollo Tyres.

Apollo, which has annual revenues of about $2.34 billion, would leverage the high-profile partnership to raise awareness about its brand among potential customers, business partners and consumer audiences around the world.

RAISING THE GAME

* Apollo to create football based play zones in nations

* 160 people to be trained every year

* Fans to get a chance to meet their favourite stars

* Apollo to promote the brand among ManU fans