Our news SPAR UK signs European medal hopeful, Jenny Meadows, to support athletics sponsorship

Thursday 15 July 2010

SPAR UK today announced a three year endorsement deal with top British athlete and medal hopeful, Jenny Meadows to support its long standing sponsorships of athletics in the UK and in Europe.  The 800m ‘pocket rocket’ won bronze at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin last summer and followed this up with silver at the World Indoors in Doha. 

Inspired to switch from 400m to 800m by Kelly Holmes’ performances in Athens 2004 and tipped for gold at this summer’s SPAR European Athletics Championships in Barcelona, Meadows will be working with SPAR UK to promote its Summer of Sport campaign and will feature on Spar’s revamped website, spar.co.uk.

Meadows, a realistic medal prospect for the London Olympic Games, will be making several personal appearances per year for SPAR and will feature on advertising and point of sale between now and May 2013.  The deal was negotiated on behalf of SPAR by MEC Access, a leading partnership marketing agency specialising in sport, entertainment and cause, (www.mecaccess.com), as part of its remit to activate the brand’s long standing support of athletics.

Jenny Meadows commented, “I’m excited to be working with SPAR as they’ve been such a big part of athletics for as long as I can remember.  Having the right food and nutrition is so important for me so SPAR is an ideal partner, and if a big brand is prepared to back me, then it gives me that added bit of confidence and self belief.”   

Adam Margolin, Head of Marketing Support for SPAR UK, added, “Not only is Jenny a fantastic athlete with more medals to come, she’s also incredibly down to earth.  Her ‘girl next door’ image fits perfectly with our local convenience message and her athletic success will enhance our healthy credentials alongside our wider support of athletics in the UK and in Europe.”

SPAR has been principle sponsor of the European Athletics Association since 1996 and a sponsor of UK Athletics since 2004, but this is the first time the company has ever entered into an individual athlete endorsement deal.