Read on and discover how some of our partners have been successful through their Special Olympics partnerships: Procter & Gamble, Bank of America, Cingular Wireless and Bank of Ireland.

Procter & Gamble
In the United States, Special Olympics and Procter & Gamble have partnered for more than 25 years to mutual benefit. Special Olympics has consistently driven sales, market share and incremental retail activity for more than 35 P&G brands through a U.S. national free-standing insert and merchandising effort each January.

Specifics of the relationship:

• More than 35 P&G brands are advertised in a U.S. nationwide promotion and merchandising effort. Coupons for P&G products are inserted in New Year’s Day Sunday newspapers (circulation 50 million) and offer discounts to consumers who use them.
• When a consumer purchases one of the P&G products, Special Olympics receives 10¢ per product (with or without the coupon being used).
• Procter & Gamble Ireland came to the rescue when 15 African countries encountered financial problems that left their participation at the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in doubt. Thanks to a combination of support from Special Olympics, Inc., their Host Towns in Ireland and 2003 World Games' Official Supplier, Procter & Gamble, emergency funding was secured to cover the travel expenses of the delegations. A comprehensive 10-million voucher campaign has been rolled out under the banner "Join the Winning Team," where each redemption of vouchers from leading Irish grocery brands including Ariel, Fairy, Charmin, Flash, Bounty, Pampers and Pringles will make a 10-cent donation to 2003 World Games. "Through the 'Join the Winning Team' Program, we wanted to help make these the best World Games ever. We were happy to be in a position to provide additional support to ensure the African countries could compete in the Games," said Derek Scobie, Procter & Gamble, Ireland.

Factors contributing to success:

P&G is a long-established marketing powerhouse, having built many strong brands since its founding in 1837. But P&G also believes in the benefits of cause-related marketing. It has dedicated cause-marketing staff who are able to ensure consistency from year to year. And P&G knows that Special Olympics’ name and logo will appeal to a key segment of their customers: women.

Special Olympics’ strong brand and fine reputation have been contributing factors as well. In addition our grassroots volunteers’ efforts have helped promote the campaign and enabled P&G to realize tangible success from the partnership.

Bank of America
In February 2006 Bank of America partnered with Special Olympics through a premier sponsorship of Special Olympics Team USA. The partnership with Special Olympics Team USA highlights Bank of America's commitment to the community in the United States. At the end of 2006 the partnership between Bank of America and Special Olympics was extended to include support of the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games.

Special Olympics Team USA

Through this partnership Bank of America committed a cash donation to Special Olympics Team USA, allowing 399 athletes and 144 coaches to train and compete in the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai.

Athletes selected to the Special Olympics Team USA represent all 50 U.S. states. Because there is local presence in virtually every community, activation opportunities for Bank of America include presence at team member announcements at the local level and at Team USA training camp, hosting Team USA send-off and return reception, and employee volunteer opportunities at local Team USA events.

Co-Sponsorship of the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games with China Construction Bank

In 2005 Bank of America acquired a 9 percent stake in China Construction Bank (CCB), which represented the company's largest foray into China's growing banking sector. In the same year CCB underwent restructuring, part of wich entailed strengthening its corporate social responsibility to rebuild and reinforce the bank's profile in China.

Bank of America thought that their partnership with Special Olympics could assist with CCB's restructuring and elevate its profile in the region. With a successful partnership established with Special Olympics Team USA, Bank of America decided to capitalize on this partnership to extend its support of the Special Olympics movement to the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games.

Sponsorship Detail

In October 2006 Bank of America and CCB announced their joint support for the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China. The 2007 World Games provides an opportunity for Bank of America and CCB to strengthen their relationship through a strategic joint venture.

The largest sporting event to be held in Asia in 2007, the Special Olympics World Summer Games was an ideal platform for Bank of America and CCB to increase brand awareness and highlight their commitment to corporate social responsibility and community development in this key market. Bank of America and CCB's support was a joint sponsorship of the 2007 World Games in exchange for exclusive rights and benefits in the commercial banking category around the Games. 

Cingular Wireless
In 2000, Cingular became an Official Partner of Special Olympics USA and an Official Sponsor of Special Olympics Team USA. Its primary fundraising vehicle was a 60-day promotional campaign drive to collect donations on behalf of Special Olympics. In just three years, Cingular Wireless helped raised more than $28.1 million for Special Olympics USA.

Specifics of the relationship  

• During each yearly promotional campaign, when consumers donated $20 to Special Olympics and signed up for one year of Cingular's service, they received a package of incentives with perceived high value. For example, in 2001 consumers received a special wireless rate plan, a free phone and coupons for free movies rentals at Blockbuster video stores.
• With participation from Blockbuster video, the cause-marketing relationship gained a quality third party, which increased distribution points and provided a valuable promotional overlay.

Factors contributing to success

Several factors contributed to the early success and expansion of this relationship: an initial relationship that started locally, serendipitous timing and executive leadership. A partnership in 1999 between Special Olympics Northern California and Pacific Bell Wireless worked so well that it became the pilot for the nationwide campaign. With the Northern California experience to build on, Cingular and Special Olympics could hone the relationship and plant seeds in the company and among the public for the larger campaign. Another key factor was the commitment of Cingular's leadership, led by President & Chief Executive Officer Stephen Carter, who demonstrated his dedication to Special Olympics by accepting a position as a member of its Board of Directors. Commitment was also outstanding at the state and local levels, with countless Cingular employees volunteering for Special Olympics.

Bank of Ireland
In 2003 Bank of Ireland became the Premier Sponsor of the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games, held in Dublin, Ireland. More than 9,000 athletes and coaches traveled to Ireland for the 10-day World Games, the biggest sporting event in the world in 2003. As Premier Sponsor, Bank of Ireland received exclusivity in the category of banking. And by supporting and leveraging Special Olympics’ Host Town program, the bank was able to generate great awareness, gain market share and have a positive impact on the entire country of Ireland.

The Host Town Program is a central part of every Special Olympics World Games and was an important element of the Bank of Ireland’s premier sponsorship. For four days prior to the Games, 178 Irish locales served as host towns, providing warm Irish welcomes as visiting delegations from around the world acclimated and prepared for the Games.

To support the Host Town Program, Bank of Ireland created a massive awareness campaign with various forms of advertising, not only in its branches but throughout each of the host towns. Also, through fundraising initiatives, the bank contributed more than 4 million Euros to assist with expenses associated with hosting and transporting an international delegation in each of the host towns.

One unique fundraising campaign that Bank of Ireland developed for the Games was a coin collection scheme entitled “Share in the Spirit of Change.” In advance of the change to the Euro, the campaign encouraged customers to donate their hoarded Irish and foreign coins. In just one year, the Irish public donated more than 1 million Euros in coins from a staggering 88 nations, from Albania to Zimbabwe. The coins funded the Host Town program in the towns where they were collected.

For more information on corporate partnerships with Special Olympics, contact Tanya Baskin, Vice President, Corporate Partnerships, +1 (202) 628-3630 or tbaskin@specialolympics.org.

For more information about corporate sponsorship and partnerships on a regional, national, state/provincial or local level, contact the appropriate Special Olympics region or Program. To locate a region or Program, use our Program Locator.