ANZ signs three-year Australian Open sponsorship
ANZ today announced its sponsorship of the Australian Open Tennis – the Grand Slam of the Asia Pacific region.
ANZ CEO Asia Pacific, Europe and America, Alex Thursby, who has responsibility for Group Strategy and Marketing, said ANZ’s three year Associate sponsorship would commence with the 2010 tournament.
“The Australian Open is one of the world’s great sporting events and the only tennis grand slam tournament held in the southern hemisphere,” Mr Thursby said. “This iconic sponsorship is a sign of our continued commitment to the Australian market, as well as being aligned with our goal to be a super regional bank and grow our presence in the Asia Pacific region.
“The Australian Open is the largest annual sporting event in Australia and holds a unique place in the hearts of Australians. It is a world-class competition, attracts the best athletes from here and overseas, and is played at one of our great sporting venues, Melbourne Park,” Mr Thursby said.
Mr Thursby said the Australian Open is the most watched television event in the Asia Pacific region, with a reach of more than 534 million people globally, including 170 million across Asia Pacific. This presents a significant opportunity for ANZ to showcase its new brand, scheduled to be rolled out in late 2009, to millions of people across the region.
“We are delighted to support such a high profile event and one that offers so many opportunities for our staff and customers to get involved. I am looking forward to working in partnership with Tennis Australia. “ANZ has a long history of supporting sport in Australia so I know our staff will enjoy playing their part to promote the Australian Open throughout both the lead-up and the tournament,” Mr Thursby said.
Mr Thursby said both ANZ and the Australian Open shared national and international outlooks, while being focused on the strong community history and participation in the tournament.