DHL to become shipper for the United States olympic team
DHL, the world’s leading express delivery and logistics company, has announced that it has been signed as the Official Express Delivery and Logistics Provider of the United States Olympic Team for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. As part of the agreement, DHL will provide express delivery services to and from Athens for U.S. athletes, United States Olympic Committee staff, volunteers, and attending sponsors.
DHL recently launched a highly visible integrated marketing campaign emphasizing the company’s enhanced domestic strength and commitment to bringing competition to the U.S. express delivery and ground parcel market. The 2004 Olympic Games promise to be this year’s most broadly watched sporting event in the United States – with an audience reach expected to equal the viewership of eight Super Bowl broadcasts — providing DHL with significantly enhanced visibility in the U.S. market. DHL will begin airing Olympic-related television ads nationally in mid-July that focus on DHL as a supporter of Team USA and build on the message of a new spirit of competition and choice in the U.S. express delivery market. Through an exclusive U.S. broadcast agreement with NBC, DHL will be the only express delivery company to air national television ads during the broadcast of the Games.
“On behalf of the 40,000 dedicated men and women who are DHL in the United States, we are proud to bring our comprehensive global network to support the U.S. Olympic Team and USOC throughout the Olympic Games,” said Dick Metzler, Executive Vice President of DHL Americas. “Our relationship with the U.S. Olympic Team is a perfect fit for DHL. We understand competition on a global stage and look forward to helping our U.S. athletes take on their competition and win.”
As an Official Provider of the U.S. Olympic Team, DHL will support the team during both the upcoming Olympic Games and Olympic Winter Games. In support of Team USA, DHL will handle delivery of a wide variety of documents and different sized packages to include the USOC’s official letter of acceptance to participate in the Olympic Games, the U.S. Team’s sports medicine supplies, and the official U.S. Olympic Team apparel and uniforms, in addition to Team USA sporting equipment.
“Since DHL was born in San Francisco in 1969 by three partners with a rusted car and a vision to invent the express industry, DHL has been a pioneer in delivering all types of things in all types of places, including the most unforgiving places on the planet. We plan to be there for Team USA with that same spirit and can-do attitude – whether it is through the delivery of Olympic and Pan American Games tickets or the delivery of javelins, bows, snowboards and skis for the U.S. Olympic Team – no matter what or where,” Metzler said.
“Settling in a new location and setting up new operations smoothly is a complicated and intricate process. As the newest member of the U.S. Olympic Family, DHL will contribute significantly as we make Athens our home during these 2004 Olympic Games,” said Jim Scherr, acting Chief Executive of the United States Olympic Committee. “With DHL’s assistance, we look forward to an easy transition for our staff and athletes as we establish our team in Athens.”
