Kerri Walsh, Tyson Gay,
Paula Radcliffe and Robbie Grabarz come together with moms to help grow the
next generation of Olympians
Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG), a Worldwide Olympic Partner, today announced
plans to raise $25 million to help say ‘Thank You Mom’ by helping establish and
sustain youth sport programs around the world, as part of its 10-year partnership
with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
“At
the start of our ‘Thank You Mom’ program, we asked moms everywhere, what would
be a great way for us to help you and they said – “Help support youth sports
because sport helps moms too. It helps moms raise healthy, happy kids. This is
why we are committing to support not just the moms of Olympians – but every mom
who does whatever it takes to make her child’s life the best it can be,” said Marc Pritchard,
P&G Global Brand Building Officer.
He
added, “Through our leadership brands including Pampers®, Tide®, Gillette®
and Pantene® we have already exceeded our goal of raising 5 million dollars in
2012. More than $6 million is going to support sports development, school equipment, youth funds & scholarships and
places in summer sports camps across the world. Today’s announcement
means extending our plans until the end of our ten-year IOC partnership working
with NOCs from around the world to increase the opportunity for more children
to experience sporting & Olympic values.”
IOC President Jacques Rogge said, “I am
delighted to see the success of P&G’s world-wide youth sport program and
welcome this commitment to extend through to the 2020 Olympic Games. By
partnering with the global Olympic Movement, P&G has committed to touching and improving lives through sport –
particularly the lives of young people. Investment in youth sport is essential
to the future of the Olympic Movement.”
US Olympian and
London 2012 Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh helped P&G establish a Youth Fund in
the US and is working with P&G’s biggest brand Pampers to help inspire
babies with the spirit of play.
“Sport has played a
rich and meaningful role in my life since early childhood and, as a mother, I
value the role it plays in helping my children have healthy, well-rounded
lives. Supporting today’s little athletes, whether or not
they grow up to become tomorrow’s Olympians, is essential. Play helps babies
develop, just as sport helps children learn important life skills and I’m
delighted to help P&G and Pampers® in their announcement today,” she said.
GB Olympian Paula
Radcliffe helped P&G announce their global commitment in Innsbruck and is
also a Pampers spokesperson. “I genuinely believe it’s important for all
children to have sport in their life as it has so many benefits; not just
health benefits, but self-confidence, self-esteem, working as a team, better
results at school. As a mother, I know this starts in childhood. Play has a
massive role in a baby’s development just as sport can help nurture happy, well
balanced kids, and I am delighted to help P&G and Pampers in their
commitment to support moms and families world-wide,” she said.
US
Olympian Tyson Gay has been part of the Gillette Get Started campaign. “I
was born with sport in my blood and, as a child, my passion was nurtured by my
parents and grandmother and then through training programs at school. With
their support, the seed of inspiration I had as a child has grown to help me
become the athlete I am today. I believe that all children deserve the same
support to give them a great start in life,” he said.
GB Olympian and
bronze medalist Robbie Grabarz helped support P&G’s announcement and
acknowledged the role that his heroes had in helping him get a good start. “Support
for young athletes is essential. Helping P&G support kids to experience
sport is an honour for me, given the fact that without the support of Roger
Black, Steve Backley and the Ron Pickering Foundation, I wouldn’t be here with
a bronze medal today,” he said.
Marc Pritchard
concluded, “By investing in youth sport, we can honor our commitment to moms
and to the IOC by supporting families and helping grow tomorrow’s Olympians.”
The
Thank You Mom campaign is being brought to life across all media
channels and in-store with a worldwide retailer program that began in April and
runs through August. Olympic Games-themed P&G branded products are
featured in more than 4 million stores across the globe.
In
addition to P&G’s commitment to youth sport, the Company has also activated
several programs aimed at leaving a positive and lasting Legacy post-London
2012. These include a promise from P&G brands Ariel®/Tide®, Flash®,
Febreze® to help London get ‘Games Ready’ through its UK Capital Clean Up
campaign, which has dedicated more than 5000 hours of cleaning, filled more
than 1000 bags of litter and helped recruit and train 8000 volunteers to act as
‘city ambassadors’ and a global P&G promise to leave a ‘clean footprint’ at
the end of The Olympics by donating the contents of the P&G Family Home to
local charities that support moms and families.
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