The sponsorship builds on OIKOS' recent involvement with such marquee sports events as the 2017 Rogers Cup tennis tournament in Montreal, while reinforcing its commitment to its core consumer base of active professionals.
OIKOS will leverage the sponsorship through an integrated marketing and retail strategy that will allow hockey fans to discover Canada's best-selling Greek yogurt brand in a variety of new environments.
"OIKOS being named the official yogurt of the National Hockey League in Canada is a case of the dream snack teaming up with the dream sport," said Mélanie Robitaille, Marketing Director at DanoneWave Canada. "This sponsorship takes OIKOS into a bold new territory, allowing us to leverage the NHL's brand equity to introduce healthy snacking to new consumers, including men -- a growing target for us. We're excited to work with the NHL to realize the full potential of this opportunity."
"We're thrilled to welcome OIKOS to the NHL family," said Kyle McMann, NHL Group Vice President of Business Development and Global Partnerships. "The NHL values the importance of healthy snacking, and we look forward to collaborating with OIKOS to build fan engagement across Canada, starting with the OIKOS activation at the 2017 Scotiabank NHL100 Classic next week."
The sponsorship's preliminary rollout will coincide with the launch of the new OIKOS Triple Zero product line, slated for February 2018. Made with zero fat, zero artificial sweeteners, zero preservatives and 25 percent less sugar, OIKOS Triple Zero will be the brand's first product line in Canada targeted primarily to active male consumers.
The NHL Shield and an accompanying official partner designation will be prominently featured on all OIKOS Triple Zero packaging, and in various marketing collateral.
Additional activations include:
• OIKOS product sampling and brand activations at the 2017 Scotiabank NHL100 Classic outdoor game featuring the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens, on Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. ET at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa.
• The brand's flagship Snack to Win promotion in spring 2018, which will feature a grand prize trip to a 2018 Stanley Cup Final game. Official Stanley Cup branding will be featured on OIKOS products and point of sales material during the Snack to Win promotional period.
New activations will be announced throughout the three-year partnership term.
