Coopers Brewery and V8 Supercars are joining forces, with the iconic South Australian brewer becoming a platform partner of the sport.
Coopers, now the largest Australian-owned brewer, and V8 Supercars have signed an agreement that will give Coopers pourage rights to all V8 Supercar events and the title of Official Beer Partner of the sport.
The announcement coincides with the 150th year celebration for Coopers which just last year was named as the world’s top family business ahead of giant global brands such as Lego and Estee Lauder.
The South Australian born and bred company will make its V8 Supercar debut at the Clipsal 500 next month (March 1-4), an Adelaide event that is a four-time winner of Australian Tourism’s Best Festival or Event.
V8 Supercar Chairman Tony Cochrane said the partnership between two of Australia’s greatest home-grown products and international exports was a coup for both brands.
“It’s an absolute honour to announce this agreement with Coopers, and particularly with Coopers Chairman and Marketing Director, Glenn Cooper and Managing Director, Dr Tim Cooper, who are such great Australians,” Mr Cochrane said.
“Coopers is a family-owned company with more than 150 years of tradition and a very acute sense of its heritage. We at V8 Supercars enjoy a very similar culture.
“And just like V8 Supercars, Coopers continues to grow at an extraordinary pace.”
Coopers has been a long-term supporter of sport and the arts, although this is the first major national partnership it has undertaken.
Coopers Chairman and Marketing Director, Mr Glenn Cooper, said the sponsorship agreement followed extensive discussions with the V8 Supercars’ management.
“The opportunity to gain sponsorship of the V8 Supercars as we entered our 150 year was too good to pass up,” he said.
“It is a high profile sport which generates enormous interest from racegoers and millions of television viewers around the world. It is an ideal way to get our products in front of Australian and international audiences.
“We anticipate the exposure which will be generated by this agreement will act as a major boost to our image and sales."
“Getting the opportunity to sponsor such a high profile series shows that the planets have aligned in our favour.”
Mr Cooper said that Coopers Mild 3.5 and Coopers Clear would be on sale at all V8 events in Australia, with some additional products offered at Clipsal in Adelaide.
“Coopers Mild 3.5 is a mid-strength ale which shares many of the same characteristics as our best known products, Coopers Original Pale Ale (Coopers Green) and Coopers Sparkling Ale (Coopers Red).
“It is Australia’s only mid strength ale and is a testimony to the skills to our brewers.”
Mr Cooper said Coopers, along with the V8 Supercars organisation, fully endorsed the responsible use of alcohol message and was a key reason that Coopers Mild was being used as the lead beer for the series.
Coopers Managing Director, Dr Tim Cooper, said the sponsorship was the most significant in Coopers 150 year history.
In 2012, V8 Supercars will also celebrate two major milestones – the 50th anniversary of the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 and the 50th birthday of Sandown Raceway.
Photo Caption:
Left of image, David Malone – V8 Supercar CEO
Right of image, Glenn Cooper – Coopers Brewery Chairman
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