Hyundai logo to be pasted on Lyon jerseys in two-year deal

Hyundai Motor said yesterday it has clinched a two-year sponsorship deal with French football club Olympic Lyon as part of its efforts to strengthen its sports marketing interests in Europe.

Under the agreement, Hyundai will be allowed to attach its corporate logos to players’ jerseys and display its brand images on the walls of the team’s stadium and vehicles, the company said. It will carry out other marketing promotions such as test-drive events with the team.

The Lyon-based football club is one of the strongest teams in France’s leading Ligue 1. It claimed the league championship for seven straight years from 2001-7. The sponsorship deal will help boost Hyundai’s brand image in Europe as the club has 18.6 million fans and attracted 240 million viewers between 2007-11, said Hyundai. The nation’s top automaker has been supporting a number of sports clubs and events in the region, including UEFA’s European Football Championship, since 2000.