Kingfisher Airlines partners with Toyota Motorsport GmbH

Indiantelevision.com Team

(12 January 2007 7:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Kingfisher Airlines announced its multi-year partnership deal with Toyota Motorsport GmbH to be an official partner of the Toyota F1 Racing team. With the signing of this deal, Kingfisher Airlines enters the high-profile Formula 1 circuit and will be designated as official partner for the Toyota Racing Team of the Köln based Toyota Motorsport GmbH. The deal will initially be for a period of two years commencing with the 2007 racing season and is rated as one of corporate India's biggest overseas brand partnerships according to the company.

The deal also marks the largest sports partnership programme so far for the 21-month-old Kingfisher Airlines says the release. This partnerhsip also marks the first time ever that an airline based out of India has partnered on this scale with anyone in the F1 circuit worldwide.

The deal was inked just ahead of the official unveiling of Toyota's long-awaited 2007 challenger, the TF 107 at Cologne's 'Expo XXI' exhibition grounds, in the team's home town. Drivers Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli were both present at the unveiling of the car. The announcement was made by Dr. Vijay Mallya, Chairman and CEO, Kingfisher Airlines Limited and Toyota Motorsport President John Howett.

Starting from the next Grand Prix, the 'Fly Kingfisher' insignia will feature prominently on the TF107 Formula 1 racing cars at race events across the globe. The insignia will also appear on the drivers' helmets and overalls, as well as all corporate branding platforms.

The release also states that the partnership between Kingfisher Airlines and Toyota Racing team will aim to raise the profile of the team and Formula 1 in India aim to raise the profile of the team and Formula 1 in India while showcasing the Kingfisher Airlines brand to the world.

Toyota Motorsport president John Howett said, 'This partnership is exciting news, not just for Panasonic Toyota Racing but for Formula 1 in general. We hope this partnership will strengthen Formula 1's position in India and bring Panasonic Toyota Racing to the people of India. We are grateful for the support of an ambitious and successful brand like Kingfisher Airlines and we will help them as they expand into an international operation.'

In previous qualitative studies in India, results showed a high trust ranking of 33 per cent for media among stakeholders in India, followed by 30 per cent for NGOs, and 25 per cent each for government and business. In contrast, the media in the rest of Asia got a low trust ranking of just three per cent to 18 per cent, with Australia at just six per cent. The ranking was higher (25-28 per cent) in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

Sharing the vision behind partnering with a global sports event of this scale Kingfisher Airlines Limited chairman and CEO Dr.Vijay Mallya commented, 'Of all the available sponsorship opportunities and platforms, Formula 1 is the most premium and the most visible one. This association will naturally enhance the image of Kingfisher Airlines and catapult it to a league of select and renowned international brands that typically support Formula 1 initiatives. The shared values of Kingfisher Airlines and Formula 1 racing - a dedication to innovation, delighting viewers and guests, and commitment to absolute excellence - are highly complementary.'

Dr. Mallya further added, 'Given the ever- increasing volume of inbound international visitors into India, it makes eminent sense for Kingfisher Airlines to leverage a global sports platform like Formula 1 to augment visibility and appeal for all audiences worldwide. Besides, we intend to weave together a series of compelling consumer engagement initiatives that will reward our guests flying on board Kingfisher Airlines with free opportunities to watch Formula 1 races live amongst other exciting rewards.'