Brands
Kohler partners Manchester United for shirt branding
MUMBAI: Kohler, a lifestyle brand based in Wisconsin USA, has recently agreed to a global partnership with Manchester United. The brand logo will feature on the sleeve of the most iconic and best-selling club shirt, for both the men’s and women’s teams.
Kohler Co. is a leader in the design and innovation of kitchen and bath products and one of the largest manufacturers of power systems in the world. Founded in 1873, the two organisations have been in existence for over 140 years, sharing a long history steeped in tradition, excellence and innovation, as well as a common vision to make a positive impact on the world.
Manchester United and Kohler will be celebrating the partnership with United fans around the world on 19 July when the new 2018/19 home shirt, to be unveiled next week, is worn for the first time by the men’s team in the opening fixture of its Tour 2018 against Club America in Phoenix, Arizona.
Manchester United’s Group managing director, Richard Arnold said, “It is a pleasure to welcome Kohler to the Manchester United family as a principal partner and our first shirt sleeve sponsor for both the men’s and women’s teams. Our shirt is much more than what we wear, it embodies the passion of our fans and their allegiance to the club.”
“Kohler is known around the world not only for its cutting-edge design and luxury products but also a genuine commitment to stewardship and sustainability and is an exciting addition to our family of commercial partners,” he added.
Commenting on the same Kohler Co president and CEO David Kohler says, “Our partnership with Manchester United provides new opportunities to showcase the quality of Kohler products and services with passionate fans of the most far-reaching and revered sports team on the planet. We are excited to help build our global brand among people who align themselves and their lifestyles, with leading edge innovation and a desire to make the world a better place.”
“An essential component of the relationship is our support of the new professional women’s team, and we look forward to their debut and our ongoing support. Manchester United embodies sustained excellence in everything they do and our shared values are a perfect match as we expand our fast-growing international presence into new regions with purpose and a meaningful presence.”
The partnership also includes joint participation on game day activities, innovative improvements to club facilities, global sustainability and social responsibility projects and other partner collaborations with Manchester United fans and Kohler customers and associates.
Brands
Uber launches hotel bookings feature in partnership with Expedia
From hotel bookings to room service at your door, the ride-hailing giant is making its boldest push yet into everyday life
CALIFORNIA: Uber is done being just a taxi app. At its annual GO-GET product event, the world’s leading mobility and delivery platform unveiled a sweeping set of new features designed to plant itself at the centre of how people travel, eat and shop, hotel bookings included.
The headline move is a partnership with Expedia Group that lets Uber users in the United States book hotels directly within the Uber app, with access to a catalogue that will eventually grow to more than 700,000 properties worldwide. Uber One members get 10 per cent back in Uber One credits on all hotel bookings and savings of at least 20 per cent on a rolling list of more than 10,000 hotels globally. Vacation rentals from Vrbo, Expedia Group’s home-rental brand, will be added later this year. The partnership is expected to expand beyond the United States. From June, Uber rides will also be integrated directly into the Expedia app, with push notifications sent to travellers ahead of hotel check-in to book discounted Uber rides for the duration of their stay.
Dara Khosrowshahi, chief executive of Uber, framed the expansion in terms of the modern condition. “Uber is becoming an app for everything, helping people go, get, and now travel all in one place,” he said. “We’re all living through a moment of real cognitive overload: too many apps, too many decisions, too much noise. At the end of the day, our job is to help people reclaim their time, spending less of it managing the logistics of life and more of it actually living.”
Ariane Gorin, chief executive of Expedia Group, struck a similarly ambitious note. “Travel should feel effortless, and this partnership gets us one step closer to offering a seamless traveller experience,” she said. “By connecting our two-sided marketplace with Uber, we’re bringing Uber rides directly into the Expedia app and Expedia Group’s lodging inventory into the Uber app through our Rapid API technology. Together, we’re helping travellers spend less time planning and more time enjoying the journey.”
Beyond hotels, the product announcements come thick and fast. Travel Mode, available within both the Uber and Uber Eats apps, offers curated recommendations on local favourites, tourist destinations, OpenTable restaurant reservations and on-demand delivery to hotel rooms. Uber One International means the membership programme now works globally, allowing members to earn credits on rides abroad that can be redeemed once back home. A new Shop for Me feature lets users request items from any store, even those not listed on the app. Eats for the Way allows riders in select cities booking an Uber Black or Uber Black SUV to have a drink or snack waiting for them in the car. Voice Bookings, powered by artificial intelligence, lets users book a ride conversationally, without touching their phone. And a redesigned One Search bar consolidates results for places, food and items across the entire Uber platform in a single query.
Uber has now logged more than 72 billion trips since it launched in 2010. The question it is now answering is what comes after the ride. The answer, apparently, is everything else. Whether users want a hotel in Paris, a coffee in the back of a car or a snake plant from the local garden centre, Uber would very much like to be the one to provide it. The app economy’s land grab has a new front-runner.
NOTE: The image used is AI generated and only for representational purposes.
