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Tennis Channel Teams With California Giant Berry Farms to Promote Network's Inaugural Wimbledon Coverage

LOS ANGELES — Tennis Channel and California Giant Berry Farms have developed a national co-branding effort that will coincide with the television network’s first-time coverage of Wimbledon, one of the most prestigious - if not the most prestigious - tournaments in the sport. The partnership, titled “The Sweetest Match,” includes a national retail campaign, multimedia outreach and a “Win a Trip to Wimbledon” sweepstakes that offers the chance to attend the 2009 event. The promotion opens May 9 and runs through the conclusion of this year’s competition, set for June 23-July 6.

Playing off Wimbledon’s traditional strawberries-and-cream answer to a baseball game’s peanuts and Cracker Jack, California Giant Berry Farms will place co-branded Tennis Channel messaging on 20 million packs of strawberries during the promotion. The messaging, which promotes the network’s coverage of the London tournament and its accompanying sweepstakes under the tag line “The Sweetest Match,” will also appear on in-store header cards and in retail trade media advertisements.

“This partnership with California Giant Berry Farms takes advantage of a unique circumstance that brings both of our worlds together each summer,” said Robyn Miller, senior vice president, marketing, Tennis Channel. “More than Wimbledon and the strawberries and cream associated with the tournament though, both brands reach health-conscious consumers and benefit from a cross-promotion that’s clever and fun.”

All told, 2.5 million packs per week will reach 3,000 retail stores around the United States, including national chains such as Kroger, Albertson, Safeway and Wal-Mart, and regional chains like Giant Eagle, Harris Teeter and H E Butt.

Tennis Channel will produce short-form program pieces that detail Wimbledon’s iconic strawberries tradition and history, in addition to the overall health benefits of the fruit. The promotion’s Web site, thesweetestmatch.com, will offer healthy strawberry recipes to visitors.

“The combination of California Giant and Tennis Channel is a natural since both companies are focused on communicating and promoting health and fitness,” said Bill Moncovich, president and CEO, California Giant. “As women 35-54 with an active lifestyle are part of Tennis Channel’s audience, this partnership also aligns with our shoppers who focus on eating healthy foods like strawberries and promoting a healthy and fit lifestyle for the whole family.”

Both California Giant Berry Farms and Tennis Channel will hold special strawberries and cream tastings in relevant cable-affiliate markets leading up to and during Wimbledon.

Contest details, including entry form, rules and recipes can be found at thesweetestmatch.com. The “Win a Trip to Wimbledon” sweepstakes grand prize winner will receive two tickets to the 2009 edition of Wimbledon, airfare and accommodations. In keeping with the health-oriented aspects of the promotional partnership, the contest’s three runners up will receive Bowflex home gym equipment.

“The Sweetest Match” promotion continues the network’s tradition of partnering with like brands to promote Tennis Channel’s tournament programming. Previous partners include McWilliam’s Wines, Chamarre Wines, and Starwood Hotels and Resorts.

This year will mark Tennis Channel’s first telecast of Wimbledon, and the network will offer well in excess of 100 hours of tournament-dedicated programming in the weeks leading up to and during the two-week event. Beyond access to the tournament’s vast library of classic matches and other historic video, the network will bring viewers nightly coverage through a four-hour prime-time program that will immerse audiences in the unparalleled Wimbledon experience.

California Giant (calgiant.com) California Giant Berry Farms grows and ships over 15 million trays of berries annually. From its nurseries to state-of-the-art cooling facilities, the family-owned company controls every aspect of its’ strawberry production to ensure superior quality and supply to its customers. Based in Watsonville, California, California Giant produces strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. The company’s operation encompasses all aspects of growing, handling and shipping of fresh berries. The management and employees know the future depends on the actions of today and places concerns for the environment, food safety, excellent quality and service at the core of their business.

Tennis Channel (tennischannel.com) is the only 24-hour, television-based multimedia destination dedicated to both the professional sport and passionate lifestyle of tennis. A hybrid of comprehensive sports, health, fitness, pop culture, entertainment, lifestyle and travel programming, the network is home to every aspect of the wide-ranging, worldwide tennis community. It also has the most concentrated single-sport coverage in television, with telecast rights to Wimbledon, Roland Garros (the French Open), the Australian Open, US Open Series, ATP Masters Series, top-tier Sony Ericsson WTA Tour championship competitions, Davis Cup and Fed Cup by BNP Paribas, and Hyundai Hopman Cup. Tennis Channel is carried by eight of the top 10 MSOs and has a national footprint via DIRECTV and DISH Network.

Posted on May 5, 2008
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