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Richa Mishra

New Delhi , June 8

LOOKING at sports sponsorship beyond cricket and Olympics, the Indian arm of the Korean consumer electronics and durables major, Samsung India Electronics Ltd. (SIEL), is now toying with the idea of striking an association with some other popular games in India.

The company, which is currently involved with the Athens Olympic and sponsoring the Indian Olympic team, says that it is part of its global strategy as it helps in creating brand familiarity and generate goodwill.

"Globally, we are involved with different sporting events like equestrian, golf and the Asian Games. In India, we are also considering getting associated with another popular game," Mr K.S. Kim, Managing Director, SIEL, said. Without disclosing the name of the sport, Mr Kim said, "It is under negotiation. Hence, it would not be appropriate to disclose the name."

This year, the company has been involved with two mega sporting events - first, the Samsung Cricket Cup (the India-Pakistan series) and now, the forthcoming Athens Olympics. The company is spending about 25 per cent of its total market budget on sports sponsorships, he said.

Discussing about the promotional strategy of the company for the Olympic, Mr Kim told Business Line, "Samsung has arranged for some caravans, which are going around Delhi to promote the Olympic Torch Relay and invite people to come ahead on that day and cheer the torchbearers along the route."

The caravans are stationed at popular hangouts of the city where leaflets are distributed which talk about the relay. Further, there are various contests and quizzes related to the event and the winners go home with Samsung freebies. Further, Samsung is also partnering with VISA for the latter's Olympic-related promotion between May 1 and June 25, whereby it is giving away Samsung mobile phones as gifts that can be won by consumers as part of the lucky draw.

Besides, Samsung, which is a wireless communications sponsor for the forthcoming Athens Olympic games, had launched its `Share the Experience' promotion for mobile phones. The promotion, valid between April 23 and May 31, 2004, entitled all Samsung mobile phone buyers in this period to a lucky draw, whereby the company will select three winners who will be taken to Athens to watch the Olympics live.

The Olympic Torch arrives in India on June 10 from Beijing and will leave for Cairo the same night. Samsung India, which has been associated with the Indian Olympic Association since 1998, kicked off its Olympic programme last year .The company has set up an `Olympic Fund ' through which it will provide scholarship to five top Indian athletes as they prepare for the forthcoming Olympics. Patterned on the Olympic Solidarity Fund, the Samsung Olympic Fund will support the training expenses of these players between, August 2003-2004.

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