Wrigley's Extra is now the official chewing gum of the Premiership, a partnership that will last until the end of the 2009/10 football season. It is thought Wrigley's will use its 'Get a little closer' slogan in the campaign. The ad and PR activity will be developed by Bray Leino.
A component of the partnership will be to engage football fans about responsible chewing gum disposal. Wrigley's Extra says it is working closely with the Premier League to develop the programme. The partnership will also include a presence on the official website from the start of the 2007/08 season, including ownership of the virtual goals section.
Toby Baker, marketing director of Wrigley's, said: "An association with the biggest domestic football league in the world is very exciting for Wrigley's Extra. Thirteen million adults in the UK chew Extra every day and many of these watch and follow Premier League football, so it is the ideal partnership for the brand."
The move comes days after Cadbury's chewing gum Trident launched its own £10m ad campaign, created by JWT. The integrated campaign calls on the nation to join a 'gum revolution'. The company claimed the ads, which begin on February 12, will invoke the spirit of 'revolutionary poets'. The campaign has been inspired by the recent rise of dub poetry - poems spoken to reggae rhythms.
Wrigley has associated itself with football before, launching its first detox chewing gum earlier this year with TV presenter and WAG Louise Redknapp, wife of ex-Liverpool and Tottenham player Jamie Redknapp, as the face of the brand.
Richard Scudamore, chief executive of the Premier League, added: "We are pleased to have Wrigley's Extra as the Official Chewing Gum of the Premier League. As a global brand enjoyed by everyone, Wrigley's Extra shares similar values as the Premier League, which is a great foundation on which to build successful partnerships." Wrigley's Extra sales in the UK last year were worth of £165m.
Wrigley's Extra sponsors Channel 4's teen drama Hollyoaks and its Airwaves brand sponsors GSE Racing's Ducati team in the British Superbikes Championship.