Lenovo Group Limited today announced a cooperation with FC Barcelona, and its super star Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, otherwise known as Ronaldinho Gaúcho. Ronaldinho will be a Lenovo Worldwide Brand Ambassador. Ronaldinho, the FIFA World Player of the Year for two years running, currently plays for Barcelona and the Brazilian national team, and is expected to play a key role in Brazil’s defence of its World Cup title when the tournament begins on June 9, 2006.
Ronaldinho will feature in worldwide marketing campaigns and promotional activities for the recently announced Lenovo-branded notebooks and desktop PCs.
"Through innovation and excellence in customer service, Lenovo is building a global brand that we believe customers will recognize and trust," said Milko van Duijl, senior vice president and president EMEA, Lenovo. "FC Barcelona and Ronaldinho bring world-class play and teamwork to the field, and they are always trying to improve his game. These traits resonate well with us at Lenovo – we believe Ronaldinho represents our culture of innovation and our pursuit of excellence.”
Marc Ingla, Vice President of FC Barcelona, said:” We are very delighted to have Lenovo as our partner and have Ronaldinho to promote Lenovo and the FC Barcelona brand together globally. I believe the excitement of football combined with cutting edge technology will bring more happiness and enjoyment to people in the world”
Strengthening the ties between technology and sports, Lenovo earlier this year completed its first-ever sponsorship of an Olympic Games. With over 6,000 systems in place supporting the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games, Lenovo's flawless technology debut served notice that the world's third largest PC company is ready to compete on the world's largest stages, and serve the world's most demanding customers, with quality products and reliable customer services.
“I am glad to be a Lenovo Worldwide Brand Ambassador," said Ronaldinho, “From keeping in touch with friends and family when I am in training, designing my exercise routines, to keeping an eye on Barcelona's standings, technology and products provided by Lenovo have added value to my life as a sportsperson.”
Ronaldinho first made his mark on worldwide soccer in 1997, as the top scorer for the winning Brazil team at the Under-17 World Championships. In 1999 he lead his team to victory at the America’s Cup. In 2005 he took the European Footballer of the Year and the FIFPRO World Player of the Year awards. His unique football skills have won Ronaldinho numerous professional accolades and have endeared him to fans around the world.
About Lenovo Group Ltd.
Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is dedicated to building the world’s most innovative personal computers. Lenovo’s business model is built on innovation, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction as well as a focus on investment in emerging markets. Formed by Lenovo Group’s acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable high-quality, secure, and easy-to-use technology products and services worldwide. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information, see www.lenovo.com.
About FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona is one of the greatest football clubs in the world, with a history of 106 years since its foundation in 1899 by the Swiss Joan Gamper. FC Barcelona is the club that has most members and one of the most impressive track records in winning titles. Its spectacular playing style has created a global fan base that reaches from the Americas to Asia and has been characterized by mystic figures of football: Kubala, Cruyff, Maradona, Romario, Rivaldo and now Ronaldinho. The philosophy of attractive and offensive play has specifically won the support of the youth, to whom stars like Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Messi are role models and idols. The club, current UEFA Champions-League finalist and favourite to repeat last year's Spanish “La Liga” title, is not only active in the sporting field with several professional sports (football, basketball, handball, etc), but also has a strong social responsibility that goes beyond the pure sports activity. The club's theme is “Més que un club” (More than a club).
