Samsung Launches Its Sochi 2014 Campaign, Celebrating the One-Year-to-Go Countdown

Moscow, February 5, 2013 - Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a Worldwide Olympic Partner, is pleased to announce the start of a campaign to support a key event in the modern Russian history and international sport – the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

After the success of its London 2012 Olympic Games campaign, Samsung will help the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee to make Sochi 2014 the most innovative and socially accessible in the entire history of the Olympic Winter Games. As part of its “Everyone’s Olympic Games” campaign strategy, Samsung plans to implement several initiatives in support of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, among them: Team Samsung, a programme that will bring together many promising athletes from around the world, and Public WOW (Wireless Olympic Works), a communications platform that is aimed on involving more sport fans around the world to join the Games and provide info about all of the events reliably and fast. Additionally, the company plans to continue with its international programme called Samsung Global Blogger aimed at inviting bloggers to cover the Olympic Games and events surrounding them.

Team Samsung is one of Samsung's key Olympic Games initiatives. By involving athletes in the activities carried out as part of the Team Samsung programme and using Samsung’s innovative mobile technologies, the company contributes to the promotion of the Olympic Movement and establishment of a personal link between athletes and sport fans, thus making the Olympic Games accessible to each and everyone among true sport fans.

Today, Samsung revealed the first line-up of Russian athletes who will be taking part in Samsung’s global marketing campaign, interacting with fans throughout the build-up of Sochi 2014. Starting with Elizaveta Tuktamisheva, Nikita Krukov and Tatyana Borodulina, Team Samsung will gather a diverse range of the best sportsmen from around the world.

"It's a great honour for me to be part of Team Samsung," said Ms. Borodulina. "I'm delighted to join Samsung on its campaign to promote the Olympic Movement, sport and healthy way of life to fans around the world, and to prove through my own example, especially to the younger generation, that sport is all about believing in yourself and making it an inseparable part of your life."

Samsung’s Brand Ambassador Maria Sharapova, who supported Sochi’s bid to host the Olympic Winter Games, will also take part in Team Samsung project to inspire people to take part in sports and the Olympic Games.

In addition to Team Samsung, the company's initiatives for Sochi 2014 will include an interactive communications platform called WOW (Wireless Olympic Works). The WOW platform will allow the Olympic Family including VIPs, organisers, staff and officials to receive the latest and most up-to-date information about the Games via their newest Samsung mobile devices. Furthermore, the unique communications platform will be available to general public users around the world for Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. The innovative Public WOW service will be designed to provide sports fans and the media with a free real-time access to the news and other information about the Games, including updated event schedules and weather forecasts, as well as the latest results, medal count and record statistics, throughout their duration.
 
The international programme for blogger involvement titled Samsung Global Blogger, which was successfully implemented since the Nagano 1998 Olympic Games, is Samsung's signature marketing initiative designed to unite sports fans from around the world who wish to come to Sochi during the Olympic Games and witness all the events and activities at first hand. By using Samsung’s innovative wireless technologies, each and every participant in Samsung Global Blogger programme will be able to share their experience of Sochi 2014 with the entire world.

Samsung will further enrich the Olympic experience through the flagship Olympic Games phone to offer meaningful and fun experiences leading up to and during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. Samsung’s smartphone technology will create a strong connection between fans and the Olympic Games, and will be at the center of the social activities surrounding Sochi 2014.

"Samsung supports Sochi 2014 to be a truly social Olympic Games by enabling fans to be actively involved and share their experience anytime, anywhere. We also provide the most advanced wireless technology to the Olympic family to contribute to the successful staging of the Games," said Yung Kook Lee, Vice President and Head of Global Sports Marketing, Samsung Electronics. "Through our Olympic sponsorship, Samsung aims to emotionally connect with consumers and build an aspirational brand on a global level.”

Through its wireless communication technology and campaign initiatives, Samsung has helped make London 2012 an Olympic Games for everyone. Samsung invited 76 of the world's most creative young people for a once-in-a-lifetime visit to the Olympic Games for the Samsung Global Blogger programme, and virtually extended the Torch Relay experience to more people around the world through the Samsung Hope Relay campaign. Samsung’s latest smartphones were featured in the spectacular show of the Opening Ceremony, and were demonstrated in the Olympic Village and throughout London for the duration of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

“Samsung’s Olympic Games campaign strategy that invites and involves more people around the world to be a part of the Games fits perfectly with our vision for Sochi 2014. We welcome Samsung’s marketing plans and expect that they will play an important role in elevating the Olympic spirit,” said Dmitry Chernyshenko, President & CEO of the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee.

“Samsung has been a passionate supporter of the Olympic Games for many years. Through their leading technology, we are able to share all the memorable moments, the inspiring achievements, the emotion and celebration of the Olympic Games with our friends and family,” said Timo Lumme, Managing Director of IOC Television & Marketing Services.

The history of Samsung's support for the Olympic movement goes back to when the company became a national sponsor of the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. Samsung has been a Worldwide Olympic Partner in the wireless telecommunications equipment category since 1997. Under the existing agreement, Samsung's support for Olympic Games will continue until the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.