Toyota just scored one of the biggest sponsorships around: the Olympic Games. Toyota’s president Akio Toyoda announced the automaker’s new position as a Olympic Partner last month. The partnership will begin next year and run through the 2024 games.
"We will do everything possible to fulfill our new role in The Olympic Partner program, and justify the trust the IOC has placed in us. The addition of a mobility category to the TOP Partner field is an important recognition for our entire industry," Mr. Toyoda said in a statement.
The majority of Toyota’s sponsorship will concentrate on vehicles – especially fuel cell cars, but Mr. Toyoda also said that the car giant will be covering “mobility services and mobility solutions.” The upcoming 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janerio will be Toyota's first sponsorship opportunity, but insiders say the automaker will not have a very large presence at those games. Instead, they think the bulk of the automaker's campaigns will take place at the Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, which is closer to Toyota's headquarters in Japan.
The company’s announcement came during a ceremony in Tokyo. Mr. Toyoda was joined by International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, as well as several other Toyota and IOC dignitaries.
"The IOC welcomes Toyota as a key partner for the provision of sustainable mobility solutions for the Olympic Games as outlined in Olympic Agenda 2020, our strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement. Toyota is the world leader in its field, and this partnership signifies a strong commitment to the future of the IOC and the Olympic Movement,” said Mr. Bach.
