Successful dress rehearsal for Continental AG:
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08/05/2005 FIFA Confederations Cup 2005 is an unqualified success in the run-up to the 2006 FIFA World CupTM |
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Hanover, August 2005. The entire range of activities organised by Continental before and during the 'Festival of Champions' - the FIFA Confederations Cup 2005 - was designed as a dress rehearsal for the 2006 FIFA World CupTM. "We wanted to see whether we would receive a positive response to the wide-ranging programme of events drawn up to involve our business partners from the specialist tyre trade and car dealerships, as well as from the trade and sport media", explains FIFA project manager Ralf Claes. Feedback from the guests showed that Continental was indeed on the right track. "All those involved have become football fans, at the latest by the time the FIFA Confederations Cup 2005 was held, and they have enjoyed this time - one full of sporting emotions - with Continental and the world's top football players." |
 Great atmosphere in the group of mexican tyre dealers and employees of Continental at the 1:0 win from Mexico against Brazil |
 Fredi Bobic, Continental board member Dr. Karl-Thomas Neuman, Charly Körbel and Giovanne Elber in the hospitality tent from Continental |
The main focus of the activities was Frankfurt, where the opening match and the final were held. The handling of ticket distribution came under as close scrutiny as the accommodation for guests including numerous transfers, the catering and the organisation of the supporting programme. This included, for example, the use of a giant goal display outside the stadium, product presentations of the new ContiWinterContact TS 800 or the entertaining expert discussion rounds with football stars like Giovanni Elber, Fredi Bobic, Charly Körbel, Alexander Schur, Renate Lingor and Steffi Jones, and featuring Dieter Kürten as a presenter. Numerous other professional players from German First Division teams Hannover 96 and Eintracht Frankfurt also participated. |
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Continental's brand ambassador Timo Hildebrand attended after the 4-3 win in the opening match against Australia to personally answer the questions put to him by the hundred guests present in Continental's hospitality suite. "Without our sponsorship of Hannover 96 and Eintracht Frankfurt and the excellent links we have with the teams, an event like this would be unthinkable as a campaign module" summarised Norbert Busch, Head of Car Tyres Replacement Business Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Proof that Continental is focusing consistently on football, the world's most popular sport, as a communications platform and is using a mixture of international, national and regional activities to help establish an exclusive market position for its premium tyre brand Continental. |
 Moderator and ZDF legend Dieter Kürten, Continental brand ambassador Timo Hildebrand and Fredi Bobic in the hospitality tent from Continental |
 Commercial football display in front of the FIFA World Cup stadium in Hannover |
During the 12 matches in Hanover, Cologne, Leipzig and Nuremberg, several supporting events were also organised and successfully run. Hospitality was provided in different forms, whilst guests discussed all aspects of football and tyres and attended the matches together, enjoying the many goals. The supporting programme included a giant football display outside the FIFA World Cup stadium in Hanover, plus various sales campaigns and two promotional drives involving media partners from the sports world where a total of 40 tickets for the final could be won. At the same time, there was extensive coverage of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2005 on www.ContiSoccerWorld.com, in addition to the seven-part series "Insights" featuring background information about the German national team. |
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As exclusive tyre partner of the 2006 FIFA World CupTM, Continental has also refitted the coaches being used by the eight participating teams with a special edition of the Continental HSL1 bus tyre. What makes this tyre so special is the fact that the sidewall features numerous footballs vulcanised into the tyre rubber together with two Continental colour logos. |
 Bus tyre speial edition HSL 1 from Continental |
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Looking ahead to the 2006 FIFA World CupTM. |
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 Raf Claes (holding the World Cup) and his team |
"There is of course still a great deal to be done before the 2006 FIFA World CupTM - for a start, there will be four times as many matches. However, we know what we want to do and after the success at the FIFA Confederations Cup 2005, we are convinced that we can make the World Championship an unforgettable experience for all involved - with the objective of increasing international awareness of our company, giving our image a more sporty and emotional appeal, and intensifying our business relationships" explains a forward-looking Ralf Claes. |
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In addition to the activities mentioned above, Continental has also manage to secure use of the public bathing area of Lake Maschsee in Hanover, the city in which the company has its headquarters, for its own events during the period of the 2006 FIFA World CupTM. The bathing area is directly adjacent to Hanover's FIFA World Cup stadium and will be available to both Continental and the venue's owners, the Strandbad GmbH, as a unique football arena for numerous activities on days when FIFA World Cup matches are being held. Wide-ranging entertainment facilities will be provided for national and international guests, who will also even be transferred by water to the five matches. The Continental Corporation is a leading supplier of brake systems, chassis components, vehicle electronics, tyres and technical elastomers. In 2004 the corporation realised sales of EUR12.6 billion. At present it has a worldwide workforce of more than 81,000. The tyre business unit is an Official Partner of the 2006 FIFA World Cup GermanyTM.For further information visit the websites www.ContiSoccerWorld.com, www.ContiFanWorld.com and www.conti-online.com. |
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Alexander Lührs
Tyre PR Continental AG Büttnerstr. 25 D-30165 Hanover Phone: +49 (0) 511 / 938 2615 Fax: +49 (0) 511 / 938 2462 email: alexander.luehrs@conti.de _ Image library under www.continental.fotocentrum.de/en/ |