Del Monte strikes 2m
Del Monte has signed a 2m sponsorship deal with the well-known Italian football team Lazio.
Lazio players including Christian Vieri and Marcelo Salas, who have recently joined the team in high profile transfer deals worth a total of 31m, will wear the Del Monte logo on their shirts.
Stephen Thorpe, commercial director of Europe at Del Monte, says: “Del Monte needs to attract and motivate a younger target market and football will help us to do this. Lazio and Del Monte are both strong European brands.”
Del Monte has ended a three-year sponsorship deal with ITV show Gladiators, which promoted its children’s juice drink Fruit Burst.
Thorpe says: “We are focusing on the parent Del Monte brand rather than Fruit Burst.”
As the official sponsor of Lazio, the Del Monte logo will feature on shirts sold to fans around Europe. Players may also agree to consume Del Monte products – the two parties are holding talks about product placement as part of the lire 6bn (2m) sponsorship deal.
The football club is part-owned by Italian food company Cragn otti & Partners, which bought a 30.46 per cent stake in Del Monte Royal Holdings in July (MW July 17).
