In addition to the company’s 5-year commitment to Springbok Rugby as official vehicle partner – announced in May 2011 – BMW South Africa has announced a number of local rugby icons to act as ambassadors for the premium German vehicle brand.
Alongside Springbok captain, Jean De Villiers (DHL Stormers) and Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer, the BMW ambassadors include Schalk Burger (DHL Stormers), Pierre Spies and Chiliboy Rallepelle (Vodacom Bulls) and Francois Steyn, JP Pietersen and Jannie du Plessis (The Sharks).
BMW has also appointed Springbok rugby legend Victor Matfield as a non-playing ambassador. Matfield will act as host for BMW’s VIP hospitality suites at local matches as well provide expert content for the company’s rugby-specific website.
As part of the agreement, each playing ambassador receives a brand new BMW 335i Sport, built at Plant Rosslyn in Pretoria. De Villiers, Meyer and Matfield also each receive a BMW X6 XDrive40d in addition to their BMW 3 Series vehicles.
“The new BMW 3 Series epitomises speed, power and dynamism in every respect and delivers ultimate performance in every field. Even more significantly, this car is locally built and exported around the world,” explains Guy Kilfoil, General Manager: Communications and Public Affairs at BMW South Africa. “Because of this, the BMW 3 Series is the perfect vehicle to embody BMW’s involvement with Springbok Rugby. It highlights all of the reasons we’re involved in the dynamic, high-performance sport which has played such a huge role in showing the world just what South Africa is capable of.”
Since South Africa’s readmission into top-flight international sport, the Springboks have come to represent agility, power, passion, precision, speed, skill, teamwork, courage and, above all, the thrill of competition. Following Rugby World Cup wins in 1995 and 2007, the Springboks are also an integral element of the cultural and sporting makeup of South Africa and the brand is instantly recognizable globally.
Similarly, BMW is characterized by dynamism, innovation, aesthetics and the sheer joy of driving. It has also become part of South Africa’s social fabric thanks to its long-term commitment to the country’s economy. The company’s local subsidiary was its first outside of Europe when it was established in 1973 and has become the tenth biggest for BMW worldwide.
“It’s a real privilege for me to be one of BMW’s Springbok Ambassadors and to be driving these brilliant cars,” explains Springbok Captain, Jean de Villiers. “As the Boks we strive to be the best in the world and this is shared by BMW, probably one of the most iconic car brands in the world. This passion for performance is clearly evident in the products we’re driving.”
STORY BY BMW
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