Mccain To Sponsor UK Athletics

UK Athletics has reportedly signed a lucrative five-year £5m sponsorship deal with frozen food brand McCain running through to London 2012.

The deal, which sits beneath the governing body’s primary sponsorship deal with Aviva, will look to place McCain as a healthy eating brand.

Marketing activity promoting the deal will kick off in September to capitalise on increased interest in athletics following this summer’s Beijing Olympics.

The tie will support the frozen-food firm’s ‘It’s all good’ positioning and marks its first significant shift into sports sponsorship.

A campaign, entitled ‘McCain track and field’, will be fronted by former Olympic champion Sally Gunnell and aim to support young UK athletes at grass-roots level as well as encourage wider participation in athletics.

The sponsorship will be activated through a series of branded roadshows inviting people to try out different athletic disciplines.

The deal was handled by BMB Live, the sponsorship arm of McCain’s advertising agency, BMB.