Nationwide Builds New Sponsor Scheme

Nationwide Building Society has launched a new sponsorship initiative, aimed at
offering its customers greater access to the football teams of all four home
nations.

The benefits listed within the ‘Sponsored by you’ campaign include
using customers in Nationwide football TV adverts and giving them access to 100%
of Nationwide’s ticket allocation for matches played by the home international
sides. The company currently sponsors England, Wales, Scotland and Northern
Ireland.

In addition, individual Nationwide customers will get the chance to
see their name appear on match programme adverts, have their child lead out the
team for a match, attend team training sessions, meet the players and management
and receive exclusive signed merchandise items.

Peter Gandolfi, Head of
Brand Strategy at Nationwide, commented: “Our mutual status means we are owned
by our customers.  It therefore made perfect sense for us to develop our
sponsorship programme in a way that totally involves our customers and enables
them to share the benefits we receive from our strong association with the
national sport.”

Jonathan Hill, Group Commercial Director of the FA, has
also recognised the power behind the new campaign, commenting: “We welcome this
innovative and new approach to the new England sponsorship.  This is a bold and
imaginative way to build on the success of our long term
relationship.”

The campaign, which was developed in conjunction with
Nationwide’s incumbent agency, Leagas Delaney, will launch for the
internationals at the end of May and start of June – including England’s first
match at the new Wembley against Brazil.