Norwegian footballer Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who plays for Manchester United, has signed a collaboration agreement with Statoil.
Under this deal, the player will make himself available to the group for promotional activities ranging from campaigns and advertising to participation at events.
Statoil will seek to relate the contract to existing promotional efforts. It already has sponsorship deals with the Norwegian Football Federation and the Norwegian Olympic Committee and Confederation of Sports.
A campaign to distribute football shirts to children and young people in Norway has played a central part in the existing agreements.
“We’re hoping to achieve synergies between this campaign and the contract with Solskjær,” explains Oddvar Høie, manager for promotional activities in Statoil.
He emphasises that the footballer is well known not only in Norway but also in the rest of the world.
“We can call him a brand in his own right, and a high-profile figure in the media. He is also a very good player with a professional attitude to his sport, a reputation for sound values and a positive image.”
In a comment, the footballer observes: “I think Statoil is an exciting company, and look forward to good mutual collaboration.”
The contract with Solskjær runs to the end of 2004, with opportunities for extensions.