12/08/2006 National goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand to continue promoting Continental car tires until 2008

Sponsorship package ensures Continental TV presence at over 170 qualifying matches for UEFA EURO 2008^TM.

Hanover/Stuttgart, December 2006. Continental AG has extended its contract with Germany's national goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand for a further two years. Following on from its successful sponsorship of the 2006 FIFA World Cup^TM, Hanover-based Continental has now switched its promotional communications for car tires to focus fully on UEFA EURO 2008^TM.

Whilst detailed plans on implementation of this sponsorship are currently being worked out, the 'Goalkeeper' TV commercial starring Timo Hildebrand is already being used successfully for the third year running, with only slight adaptations made in August 2006. "We look forward to continued successful co-operation with Timo Hildebrand, and with his support we hope to further increase awareness of our premium tire brand Continental, as well as using the UEFA EURO 2008^TM environment to give the brand image an even more emotional appeal" explained Ralf Hoffmann, Brand Manager Replacement Market Cars Europe at Continental. In addition Timo Hildebrand is supporting Continental AG at trade fairs and other promotion activities.

Here you can download the press release as a doc-file (1,40 MB).

As an Official Sponsor, Continental has also obtained a sponsorship package from the sporting rights marketing company Sportfive for four panels of perimeter board advertising at each of over 170 qualifying matches for UEFA EURO 2008^TM, as it did as an Official Partner before the 2006 FIFA World Cup^TM. That ensures TV presence in the run-up to the next major football competition, as well as providing support for further marketing activities and promotional campaigns.

Continental's car tire division had already enlisted Timo Hildebrand as the first personal sponsor in February 2004 and had used the 'Goalkeeper' TV commercial internationally since March 2004. "The selection criteria included the pleasant manner of VfB Stuttgart's goalkeeper, his straightforward and highly successful progress in sport, the reliable way he plays and his dependable personality. Hildebrand has by now moved on from a successful First Division goalkeeper for VfB Stuttgart to being Germany's current No. 2 goalie" reflected Hoffmann.

Continental AG has used football sponsorship since 1995 (the company was sponsor of the UEFA Champions League until 2000) as a strategic communications platform, was an Official Partner of the 2006 FIFA World Cup^TM and is now an Official Sponsor of UEFA EURO 2008^TM and the UEFA U21 European Championship 2006/2007 in Holland. Continental uses its dedicated football/tire website www.ContiSoccerWorld.com to report extensively on all football-related activities.

The Continental Corporation is a leading supplier of brake systems, chassis components, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers. In 2005 the corporation realised sales of EUR13.8 billion. At present it has a worldwide workforce of approximately 85,000.

The tire business unit is an Official Sponsor of UEFA EURO 2008™. For further information visit the websites www.ContiSoccerWorld.de, www.ContiFanWorld.com and www.conti-online.com.