Aberdeen Asset Management plc announced as title sponsor of Cowes Week

Global investment management group Aberdeen Asset Management plc has been announced as the new title sponsor of Cowes Week for an initial term of three years.

Cowes Week, now bearing the official title Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week, is one of the world's best-known sailing regattas, with a rich heritage dating back to 1826.

The announcement of a new sponsorship agreement for the event was made on Friday at a press conference at the Royal Thames Yacht Club, and, say the parties to the agreement, "heralds a new and exciting phase in the regatta's continuing evolution".

One immediate benefit of the sponsorship will be a reduction in race entry fees, a move that will be welcomed by the 1,000-strong Cowes Week racing fleet. Other new developments are in discussion and will be announced over the forthcoming months.

Commenting on the announcement, John Grandy, Chairman of CWL, said: "We are delighted to have formed this new relationship with Aberdeen Asset Management and are looking forward to working together to develop Cowes Week further, for the benefit of everyone involved in this great regatta".

Martin Gilbert, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Asset Management added: "We are very proud to be supporting one of the world's premier sailing regattas. Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week is set to be a tremendous success and we are very much looking forward to enhancing the experience of both the crews and spectators who will descend upon the Isle of Wight later this year".

The dates of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week for the next three years are:

6th to 13th August, 2011
11th to 18th August, 2012
3rd to 10th August, 2013

Entries are welcomed from in-house corporate professionals, beneficiaries of corporate partnership arrangements, sponsorship consultants, business strategists, PR consultancies, non-profit organisations, and government agencies.

Judged by a jury of sponsorship, CSR and partnership experts, and communications practitioners and academics, entries are now open in all categories.

The entry deadline is in March. Shortlisted candidates will be notified in April and the winners will be announced at a gala dinner in June 2011.

"As a company headquartered in the UK, but with many employees and operations in Australia, we have strong connections with both countries. The themes and motivation of Australian Season resonate strongly for us".

Launching the season British Museum Director, Neil MacGregor commented: "This is a very pertinent time to be examining Australian culture through the unifying topic of landscape. The Museum is very grateful to Rio Tinto for allowing us to host these three exhibitions and an extensive public programme highlighting the extraordinary diversity of Australia".

Rio Tinto is the largest private sector employer of Indigenous Australians, who represent eight per cent of the Group's Australian workforce.

Rio Tinto's biodiversity strategy commits Rio Tinto to achieving the goal of a net positive impact on biodiversity - ensuring that biodiversity ultimately benefits as a result of Rio Tinto's activities in a region.

Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor's Transport Advisor, said: "This is yet another example of our determination and ability to land great deals with major private companies in order to get the best value for money for Londoners".

Shashi Verma, TfL's Director of Fares and Ticketing, said: "Oyster has been a huge success and most Londoners now have a card in their pocket - almost forty million have been issued since 2003.

"The branding of Oyster card wallets is a prime example of the work being undertaken to secure valuable sponsorship to support investment in London's transport network.

"The revenue generated will make a significant contribution to protecting frontline services and maintaining investment in the Tube upgrades and delivery of Crossrail".

Caroline Rush, CEO, British Fashion Council, commented: "This year’s Fashion Forward recipients are an incredible group of designers, watched each season by the world's media and buyers as they build their brands. I am excited to see what the year ahead will bring for Edward, Ben, Peter, Chris and Todd and the collections that they will be showcasing at next month's London Fashion Week. I thank our sponsors Coutts & Co and the London Development Agency for their continued support".

Michael Morley, Chief Executive of Coutts & Co, commented: "Coutts is thrilled to be sponsoring Fashion Forward, supporting London's status as the hotbed of emerging talent. This sponsorship re-enforces our commitment to the world of contemporary creative industries, where the last few years have seen us enjoy highly successful relationships with fashion designers such as Stella McCartney and Oswald Boateng; and sponsorship of Matthew Williamson's 10 Years in Fashion retrospective at the Design Museum and most recently Coutts London Jewellery Week.

"The UK is a world leader at creating new fashion designers and Coutts is determined to support this emerging talent with mentoring schemes, providing business acumen and training and financial advice to support the next generation".

Picture: The winners at the announcement event - (left to right) Peter Pilotto, Christopher de Vos, Edward Meadham, Benjamin Kirchhoff and Todd Lynn

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "We're delighted to bring Caesars Casino, a globally-recognised online gaming firm, on board for what will be a fantastic and frenetic three days of snooker.

"This is the most radical of the new tournaments we have introduced to the calendar this season. It will be full of drama and glamour, bringing the sport to a younger audience. It will be great fun for those watching on Sky and I'm expecting a packed house in the arena.

"We're excited about working with the team from Caesars and looking forward to a thrilling event".

Sabin Brooks, Head of Marketing for Caesarscasino.com, added: "Caesarscasino.com is delighted to be sponsoring the innovative and ground breaking new Snooker Shoot-Out event. Our brand is all about excitement so the association was just too strong for us to miss the opportunity to be part of it".

Picture: Shaun Murphy and Ricky Walden warming up for the Caesarscasino.com Snooker Shoot-Out

"The fans always have been, and always will be, a huge part of the Blackpool Football Club's success, and at the heart of what makes it one of the best clubs in the country", said a spokesman. "With the significant amount of positive PR this partnership will generate for the sponsor, combined with the exposure to local, national and international audiences, there are obvious benefits for any organisation that wishes to join the BFC family".

In what is an exciting time for the club's management, players and supporters, finding a high profile organisation that wants to be part of what the club and its fans are trying to achieve will be as important as the commercial opportunity rebranding the stadium represents.

There are only four other Premiership clubs with branded stadiums, so the chance to become Blackpool Football Club's inaugural stadium sponsor will be seen by many as representing one of the most attractive sports sponsorship opportunities currently available.

John Perera, ECB commercial director, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for a major brand to be at the very heart of English cricket.

"Test match cricket attracts huge interest across the country and occupies a special place in our nation's culture - it has come to symbolise the very essence of an 'English' summer.

"The Lord's Test match is an established part of the summer 'season', whilst famous grounds around the country play host to annual fixtures that attract significant levels of public and media interest".

The ECB points out that over the course of the English domestic season, Sky Sports broadcasts over 190 hours of live Test coverage across the UK each summer, while a 45-minute highlights show on Channel Five adds reach across primetime terrestrial TV.

The radio rights continue to be owned by the BBC, whose Test Match Special "is widely regarded as a British institution".

Internationally, the Ashes continues to grow in popularity, especially across South East Asia, where it attracts an ever-growing TV audience.

With England the only country to host Test cricket during June, July and August, there is significant interest from overseas broadcasters, adds the ECB, such as ESS, Fox Sports, Channel 9 and SuperSport, who are keen to satisfy an increasing demand from consumers across Asia, Australasia, the USA and Southern Africa to watch live cricket.

It will also see Vauxhall become the Official Vehicle Supplier to The FA and the governing body's Official Youth Partner, covering activities undertaken to promote football in the 12-18-year-old age group.

"This announcement represents a major landmark for The FA and the England teams", said FA General Secretary Alex Horne. "I am looking forward to a long and prosperous relationship with Vauxhall in the coming years.

Picture (left to right): Alex Horne (FA General Secretary), Fabio Capello (England Manager) and Duncan Aldred (Managing Director, Vauxhall)

"Through a difficult economic climate we have concluded a deal of considerable value to the FA and we can now look forward with optimism. Everyone is aware of the difficulties of last year, but we have an opportunity to move forward and there is much in 2011 to be excited about. It is also significant news that Vauxhall are also our Official Youth Partner for 12-18 year olds, a key area of attention at the moment. Adrian Bevington, Sir Trevor Brooking and I have been investing a lot of time on our plans for Youth Development and this partnership will be key to those plans.

"Vauxhall is a company with a great history and through our initial conversations it became clear they share our goals and vision for how this relationship can prove mutually beneficial. I'm very much looking forward to getting started."

Announcing the partnership at Wembley Stadium today, Vauxhall Managing Director Duncan Aldred said: "This is an historic day for Vauxhall. To become the lead partner of the England team is a great honour for us.

"We are delighted to be partnering The FA and hope to be a driving force behind the further development and activation of an expansive grass roots football strategy encompassing the whole of the country. We have a strong heritage in supporting football including official sponsorship of the highly successful UEFA Euro '96 Championship in England. Football and cars are two of our nation's biggest passions and this partnership is a clear and unequivocal sign that Vauxhall is firmly behind not only a successful England senior team but is also committed to supporting grass roots initiatives covering youth and junior football as well as women's football and disability football".

England Manager Fabio Capello said: "I'm very happy that Vauxhall are the new team sponsor.

"Vauxhall is a strong company and it is good for everyone at The FA and all the England teams that we have such a strong commercial partner. To achieve your goals in football you need as much support as possible, and it is very important for us all that Vauxhall have provided this strong commitment. We will do all we can to reward Vauxhall for their support and this begins with our first objective of this new year: to qualify for Euro 2012".

The agreement was negotiated by The FA's sponsorship team, led by Peter Daire, who commented: "I'm delighted that we are announcing the England Lead Partner for the next two major tournaments, sitting alongside our existing Official Supporter and Official Supplier agreements.

"Everyone at The FA was determined to link up with a brand which has national relevance and matches our aspirations. Vauxhall's 108-year British heritage, including many years supporting football, perfectly echoes these objectives."

A global icon, the London Eye provides a unique and very high profile international platform in the year leading up to 2012 and beyond. EDF Energy is a tier one sponsor and the first sustainability partner for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games; and no doubt this link with the London Eye will optimise the organisation's visibility in the capital.

Gareth Wynn, Director of London 2012 Programme, EDF Group, said: "Our partnership with the London Eye will be a powerful way to help EDF Energy communicate our vision of a low carbon future. EDF Energy and Merlin share a commitment to sustainability and to engaging people to play their part in tackling climate change. We will be using our expertise as Britain’s largest generator of low carbon electricity to help lower the carbon footprint of the London Eye.

"Merlin’s expertise in providing a fantastic visitor experience will help us inspire people to do their bit for a more sustainable future".

David Sharpe, Merlin Entertainments' Divisional Director Midway London, added: "Merlin is absolutely delighted to be partnering with an organisation of the quality and reputation of EDF Energy. We have always believed that working with the London Eye offered unique and compelling opportunities for the right partner.

"The London Eye is one of Merlin's premier attraction brands and is recognised internationally as a twenty-first century symbol for modern Britain and a global icon. It has therefore always been very important to us that any agreement, particularly if it involves naming rights, is with an organisation which not only reflects the same values as our own, but which also brings something extra to the party like environmental expertise.

"In EDF Energy we believe we have found the perfect partner, and we very much look forward to working with them in the future".

This year's event will again take place at leading London music venue, O2 Academy Brixton.

NME publishing director Paul Cheal said: "The fact that Shockwaves are headline sponsor for the NME Awards for the seventh consecutive year speaks volumes for the success of this partnership. The Shockwaves NME Awards continue to be a highlight in the musical calendar".

A Shockwaves spokesperson added: "The Shockwaves and NME combination has proven to be a success year after year – style and music have always worked well together. The Shockwaves NME Awards 2011 attracts an incredibly diverse audience, and this year looks to be even better than the last".

The Shockwaves NME Awards 2011 will kick off in February with a line-up featuring Crystal Castles, Magnetic Man, Everything Everything and The Vaccines.

Meanwhile, the London Shockwaves NME Awards Shows run from February 1st to 23rd, featuring Carl Barat, White Lies, Caribou, Crocodiles and recent NME cover stars Warpaint.