S ANNOUNCES WORLDWIDE OLYMPIC PARTNERSHIP THROUGH 2012 TOP

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1 THE OLYMPIC MARKETING NEWSLETTER APRIL 2004 ISSUE 23 McDONALD S ANNOUNCES WORLDWIDE OLYMPIC PARTNERSHIP THROUGH 2012 TOP Partner Makes ItsBiggest Olympic Commitment to Date McDonald s has announced the renewal of its Worldwide Olympic Partnership through 2012, continuing the company s long-standing commitment to the Olympic Movement. The eight-year agreement marks the first time that McDonald s has renewed its sponsorship for four consecutive Olympic Games. The announcement was made on 26 February 2004 in Beijing. The TOP partnership renewal continues McDonald s exclusive marketing rights in the restaurant and food service category for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy; the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China; the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada; and the 2012 Olympic Games, for which a host city will be elected in July Commenting on the announcement, IOC President Jacques Rogge said, McDonald s is a long-time valued friend and partner of the IOC and the Olympic Movement. This continued commitment to the Olympic ideals plays a key role in the success of the Olympic Games themselves, and the ability of young athletes around the world to achieve their dreams. We are delighted that our partnership with McDonald s will continue for the next two quadrenniums and believe that this longterm agreement is a reflection of its confidence in the Olympic Movement. IOC Marketing Commission Chairman Gerhard Heiberg added: "McDonald's has long been a strong supporter of the Olympic Games. We are very pleased that McDonald's will continue to serve Olympians well into the future, working with us to promote sport and inspire active lifestyles". Jim Cantalupo, McDonald s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer commented: McDonald s has been a proud Olympic partner for nearly three decades because we believe in the spirit and ideals of the Games. As a worldwide brand serving 47 million customers every day, we share the same core principles of teamwork and excellence. As a Worldwide Olympic Partner, McDonald s serves food to thousands of athletes, coaches, official and spectators at the Games, and works to promote the Olympic ideals throughout its global restaurant system. As a Partner in the IOC-managed TOP sponsorship programme, McDonald s supports all 202 active NOCs, the OCOGs, and the IOC. The 2004 Olympic Games in Athens will mark McDonald's fourth Games as a TOP Partner and fifth as the Official Restaurant of the Olympic Games

2 Lenovo Joins TOP Programme IT Company Becomes First Chinese TOP Partner The IOC has announced that Lenovo will join the sixth generation of the TOP programme. Lenovo is the largest information technology company in the People s Republic of China and the first company from China ever to become a TOP Partner. The partnership was announced on 26 March 2004 in Beijing. Commenting on the announcement, IOC President Jacques Rogge said, " We are delighted to welcome Lenovo into The Olympic Partner Programme. For the Olympic Movement, this partnership delivers funding to help stage the Olympic Games, technology equipment to operate the complex systems, services to manage the logistical demands, and people to staff some of the most critical functions. In addition, the relationship will play an important role in the promotion of the Olympic Movement and sport throughout China, Asia and across the globe. We look forward to a strong and beneficial partnership with Lenovo". Lenovo, founded in 1984 as Legend by 11 technicians at the China Academy of Sciences, is headquartered in Beijing. The company s exclusive TOP Partnership product category is computing technology equipment. Lenovo is the eleventh Worldwide Olympic Partner to commit to participating in TOP VI ( ), which encompasses the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. COCA-COLA AND SAMSUNG CARRY THE FLAME Worldwide Partners Provide Support for Olympic Torch Relay Worldwide Olympic Partners Coca-Cola and Samsung are the Presenting Partners of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay, which began with the torch lighting ceremony in Olympia on 25 March Coca-Cola and Samsung will provide financial, promotional and operational support for the first global Olympic Torch Relay in history, which will touch five continents and a total of 27 countries. Important Torch Relay Dates 25 March Lighting Ceremony March First Part of Greek Torch Relay 31 March Hand over ceremony at Panathinaikon Stadium 31 March 4 June Flame remains at Panathinaikon Stadium 4 June 9 July International Torch Relay 9 July 13 August Second Part of Greek Torch Relay 2

3 COCA-COLA AND SAMSUNG CARRY THE FLAME Continued Coca-Cola is conducting torchbearer selection programmes in 33 cities around the world to provide inspiring individuals from the local communities with the chance to carry the Olympic flame during the relay. The company has invited civic leaders and other influential individuals from each city to serve as jurors in the selection process, which will name the Coca-Cola Olympic torchbearers and escort runners. Samsung also will select torchbearers by generating publicity in cities along the route and by taking torchbearer nominations on its corporate web site. International Relay Facts First global Olympic torch relay 5 continents visited 26 countries visited 33 cities visited 33 end-of-day celebrations staged 1,265 km covered 3,300 torchbearers 660 escort runners The Presenting Partners also are working with local governments and National Olympic Committees along the relay route to plan, develop and stage special cultural events and end-of-day city celebrations to enhance each local community s enjoyment of the torch relay experience. The festivals and celebrations are planned to align with and showcase local culture and heritage. Planned events include large-scale outdoor festivals with grandstands and large-screen TVs, concerts by renowned musicians, cultural programmes for youth, art contests, roadshows, and community activities such as hospital visits by torchbearers. Coca-Cola also plans to deploy its Green Team to provide clean-up services to ensure that the Torch Relay and the city celebrations do no harm to the local environments. ATHENS 2004 marks the sixth time that Coca-Cola has supported the Olympic Torch Relay and the fourth time the Greek Relay Facts 174 destinations visited 54 prefectures visited 41 end-of-day celebrations staged 32 islands visited 7,700 torchbearers company has been the presenting partner. 24 historical sites visited 1,600 escort runners Coca-Cola supported Barcelona 1992 and 2,566 km covered Lillehammer 1994 by sponsoring the Olympic Torchbearers Program, and was the Presenting Partner of the Atlanta 1996 and Nagano 1998 Relays and co presenter of the Salt Lake 2002 Relay. ATHENS 2004 marks the first time that Samsung has sponsored the Olympic Torch Relay. 3

4 Ticketing Update ATHENS 2004 ticket sales to date have totaled 131 million euro, representing 72% of the ATHENS 2004 ticketing programme revenue target. As of 13 February 2004, ATHOC made available to the public 35,230 tickets for high-demand sports competitions as well as Opening and Closing Ceremonies. The second phase of ATHENS 2004 ticket sales to European Economic Area residents through the official ticketing website, as well as through 140 Alpha Bank sponsor outlets throughout Greece, will end on 16 April The third phase of public ticket sales through the same channels will begin on 1 June ATHENS 2004 Grand National Partners Product Category OTE Cosmote Alpha Bank Heineken / Athenian Brewery Delta / Fage ERT (Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation) Hyundai Hellas Hellenic Post Olympic Airways ATHENS 2004 Official Supporters Ticketmaster Shell Hellas SA AASD (ABB, Alstom, Siemens, Diekat) Adidas Jet Set GE ATHENS 2004 Official Providers KOEP (Altec, Info-Quest, Intracom, PC Systems) Schenker A.G. Mondo Mizuno Telecommunications Bank and Bank Services Brewery Dairy Products Television and Radio Stations Automotive Post and Courier Services Airline Companies and Airline Tickets Product Category Ticketing Services Petroleum-based Products Electric Power Distribution Plants Sport Clothing for Uniforms Sports Travel, Hospitality Management Back-up Electric Energy with the Necessary Studies Product Category Workstations, Computer Servers and Storage Freight Forwarding, Customs Clearance Sports Equipment Sports Equipment 4

5 Swatch Countdown Clock Unveiled TOROC held a special event in Piazza Castello on 9 February 2004 to present the Olympic Countdown Clock that will mark the time remaining until the start of the XX Olympic Winter Games. The clock is provided by Swatch, a Worldwide Olympic Partner and the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games. The event, which included a theatrical performance and the unveiling of the clock, was preceded by a press conference earlier in the day. Visa Formalises Partnership with TOROC Visa International has formalised its partnership with TOROC. A symbolic signing of the partnership took place on 3 February 2004 at the Spazio Sironi in Milan. As a Worldwide Olympic Partner participating in the TOP sponsorship programme, Visa has been set to support Turin 2006 as well as all Olympic Games and Olympic Winter Games through 2012 for several months. The 3 February event was held to announce the completion of the formalised partnership agreement specifically between Visa and TOROC. TOROC Signs New Official Sponsors and Suppliers TOROC and Anheuser-Busch, Inc., have announced that Budweiser will be the Official Beer Sponsor of the XX Olympic Winter Games in Turin The agreement, announced on 11 March 2004, marks Anheuser-Busch s first sponsorship of an Olympic Games held outside the United States. Reale Mutua has signed an agreement with TOROC and is now an Official Sponsor of Turin The company will provide insurance services for the XX Olympic Winter Games. The partnership was announced on 11 February

6 TOROC Signs New Official Sponsors and Suppliers Continued Founded in 1828, Reale Mutua is the leader company of the Reale Mutua Group, present throughout Italy with more than 900 insurance agencies. TicketOne has signed an agreement with TOROC to be the Official Supplier for Turin 2006 in the category of ticket office and ticket sales network. The agreement was presented at a press conference in Milan on 17 February TicketOne is the number one company in Italy for ticketing, marketing, information and e-commerce for sports, entertainment and culture. TicketOne is the exclusive Italian partner of Tickets.com, one of the largest suppliers of ticketing services in the world. As the Official Supplier, TicketOne will: supply the software, hardware and connectivity required for all ticket planning, allocation, sales and distribution provide its own call center and a network of more than 400 points of sale throughout Italy for the sale and distribution of the tickets use its own staff for ticketing activities at the Olympics venues create an Internet site for the online sale of the tickets for Turin 2006 and directly managing all the e-commerce functions TOROC has announced that Pininfarina is an Official Sponsor of Turin 2006 and will design, produce and supply the Olympic torches for the XX Olympic Winter Games. The partnership agreement was announced on 24 February 2004 at the Pininfarina plant of Cambiano in the province of Turin. Pininfarina will work with the Image and Communications management of TOROC responsible for the Turin 2006 Torch Relay and the Look of the Games to develop the style, design, development and engineering of what is considered a key Olympic icon. The company eventually will manufacture, supply and deliver to TOROC 12,000 torches, which must conform to specific technical requirements. 6

7 THE OLYMPIC MARKETING NEWSLETTER CONTACT INFORMATION International Olympic Committee Tel: Fax: Emmanuelle Moreau IOC Communications Meridian Management SA Tel: Fax: Steve Eden Director, Communications ATHENS 2004 Tel: Fax: Emmy Markoglou Sponsor Media Communications, Section Manager Sponsoring Department Torino 2006 Tel: Fax: Nevio Devidé Marketing and Sponsorship Managing Director Giuseppe Gattino Director, Media Relations Beijing 2008 Tel: Fax: Yuan Bin Chief of Marketing Weijia Sun Deputy Director, Media and Communications PRODUCED BY MERIDIAN MANAGEMENT 7