Splicetoday

Digital
Sep 04, 2009, 08:03AM

The (Radio) Shack's bizarre new sponsorship campaign

Why exactly would a company that only markets in North America decide to sponsor Lance Armstrong, a man who spends most of the year riding bikes around Europe?

The entry of Radio Shack into the world of professional cycling is an unusual and historic move for cycling sponsorship in America. They are hardly the first American company to sponsor a European-focused cycling team. But they are certainly the first to view the value of sponsorship strictly through its impact on an American audience.Many of the companies that sponsor cycling teams are wholly unfamiliar to non-European audiences. Quick Step makes laminate flooring. Lampre makes pre-coated steels. Rabobank is a Dutch banking company whose cycling team gained recognition before the bank expanded into the United States. Caisse d’Epargne is a French bank. Liquigas makes gas-operated barbecues, space heaters, generators and more.

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