Hovis signs Olympic cyclist as brand ambassador
Hovis has signed Olympic cycling champion Victoria Pendleton up for a three year deal to be its brand ambassador.
![Hovis ad featuring Olympic cycling champion Victoria Pendleton](https://marketingweek.imgix.net/content/uploads/2010/01/01_Hovis.jpg?auto=compress,format&q=60&w=160&h=161)
The Premier Foods-owned brand will deploy Pendleton in a series of campaigns, including encouraging cycling ; healthy-eating and education initiatives. The first initiative will be the Hovis Wholemeal Challenge that urges people to move their breakfast bread choice from white to wholemeal.
Pendleton will be used in advertising, although Hovis could not confirm when or how.
Hovis marketing director Jon Goldstone says “Hovis is renowned for Britain’s favourite ad, the iconic ‘Boy on a Bike’ and we are delighted to announce Vicky as our new ‘Girl on a Bike and are very excited about our plans for the next three years.’”
Pendleton is training in Perth before March’s World Cycling Championships in Copenhagen, says: “I hope my work for Hovis will inspire a new generation of ‘girls and boys on bikes’ who enjoy cycling as much as I did when I was younger and maybe even inspire some champions of the future.”
She ,won Olympic gold in the individual sprint at the 2008 Beijing Games.and will defend her achievement t the World Championships in Copenhagen in March and the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October.
Hovis celebrated its 122nd anniversary in 2008 with a two minute television advertisement that is credited with helping boost sales.