Saint Quentin en Yvelines, June 20, 2012
The Tour de France 2012 is due to start in ten days. Europcar, Europe’s leading car hire company, will be accompanying the 9 riders in Team Europcar and Tour organisers ASO along the roads of the Tour de France for the second year running. For this year’s race, Europcar launched a major communications campaign in its eight main countries. Via social networks, public relations and commercial offers, staff, clients, fans and sports lovers will be able to follow every minute of the 2012 Tour with Europcar.
With 22 wins and numerous podiums, Team Europcar riders were among the main players in the peleton throughout the 2011 season. For its second year as the main sponsor of the Vendée team, Europcar is rolling out a large internal and external communications campaign at all audiences to communicate passion for the Tour and instant news of Team Europcar.
“After an exceptional season in our first year as main sponsor, we would like to consolidate the brand’s visibility whilst enabling all our audiences to show their passion and love for Team Europcar. We have developed an ambitious communications programme. Customers, staff, fans, everyone will be able to live Team Europcar’s adventure during the Tour de France to the full”, says Marine Boulot, Europcar Group Communication Director.
Europcar Partners of the Tour de France
As the Tour de France’s official car hire company, Europcar will provide cars for ASO, organisers of the world’s most famous cycle race. Europcar Belgium will be at the pre-Tour in Liège, with a stand, and Europcar will then be at all the stages with the pavilion in the Village Départ.
Hospitality programmes
During the Tour de France, Europcar will be thanking its customers and would like to share with them a unique moment at the heart of the cycling team. A public relations programme has therefore been put in place, from the start in Liège to the finish on the Champs-Elysées. More than 120 guests will support Team Europcar before, during and after the race.
Internal communication
The Europcar Group’s 6,500 staff remain the Team’s main supporters. In 2012, they will be even more aware of what’s happening day-to-day in the team with a new dynamic programme of ambassadors in the Group’s main countries. Around 10 members of staff have been selected to mobilise in house around Team Europcar
At the centre of the internal communications plan, a secure platform will be provided on teameuropcar.com. This will be entirely for staff and provide exclusive information on Team Europcar, a competition, a “geoquiz”, bringing together international teams will be organised. The winning team will be invited to the finish of the race on 22 July.
Other internal events are planned before and during the Tour de France with the distribution of goodies, including an exclusive Team Europcar Happy Families symbolising team spirit.
Fans and online communities
The Teameuropcar.com will relay Team news every day with exclusive interviews with riders, photo reports and also videos and chats.
The Facebook Team Europcar Facebook page and the Twitter TeamEuropcar_fr Twitter account will provide live updates on what’s happening behind the scenes at Team Europcar. From 30th June to 22nd July, a photo competition will be open giving users on Facebook the opportunity to win a meeting with the Team Europcar riders as well as signed Team jerseys.
