Nemiroff to be eastern European partner 
of Eurovision Song Contest 2005

Geneva, 6 December 2004 –  The European Broadcasting Union has entered a sponsorship agreement with Nemiroff, a major international food and alcoholic beverage producer based in Ukraine, to serve as presenting partner of the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest to be hosted in Kiev by national Ukrainian broadcaster, NTU. 

The partnership between the EBU and Nemiroff was announced today by EBU TV Department director, BjØrn Erichsen, and Nemiroff president, Yakov Gribov, at an international press conference in Kiev.

As the first pan-European sponsor of the Eurovision Song Contest, Nemiroff has been granted extensive association, event, new media and media rights in 18 out of the 41 countries that are to take part in the 50th Song Contest, which includes two live televised shows in one week – a Semi-Final on 19 May and a Final on 21 May 2005. 

Most of the 18 countries in which Nemiroff will appear as the lead sponsor for the Contest are in eastern and in southern Europe.

The agreement, which is part of an international commercial and marketing platform recently developed for the Eurovision Song Contest, was negotiated by T.E.A.M. (Television Event and Media Marketing AG in Lucerne/Switzerland). T.E.A.M. has been acting as the worldwide exclusive marketing agency for the commercial rights of the Eurovision Song Contest since 2004.

“This is the first major European sponsorship contract in the history of the Song Contest to be signed directly by the EBU," explained BjØrn Erichsen. "Just like the contest, Nemiroff has a long tradition. Yet, in just a few years this company has positioned itself as a leading brand on the international market," he said.

Nemiroff president, Yakov Gribov, explained that by supporting significant international projects such as the Eurovision Song Contest taking place in Ukraine for the first time ever, the company's aim is to present Ukraine, with its dynamic economy, traditions and hospitable people to the world community. "As international sponsor of the Eurovision Song Contest 2005, we will do our best to support Ukraine in making the brightest and the most memorable mark in the 50 year history of the song contest," he said.

The Eurovision Song Contest has a rich tradition and heritage dating back to 1956. It is one of the few truly pan-European television programmes transmitted live via the Eurovision satellite network, in prime time on free-to-air television, and is watched every year by an average of 100 million viewers across Europe.

EBU

Geneva-based EBU unites and serves 72 national broadcasters from 52 countries in and around Europe. Working on behalf of its members in the European broadcasting area, the EBU negotiates broadcasting rights for major sports events, operates the Eurovision and Euroradio networks, organizes programme exchanges, coordinates coproductions and provides a full range of other operational, commercial, technical, legal, and strategic services.

Nemiroff

Founded 125 years ago, Nemiroff is recognized today as one of the most dynamically developing alcoholic spirits brand on the world market and is the leading producer of vodka in the Ukraine. With branches in Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk, Donetsk, Lvov, Odessa, Kharkhov and Moscow, Nemiroff boasts 75% of Ukraine's total volume in export of spirits and its products are sold in more than 40 countries around the world. Nemiroff is also a widely known sponsor and organizer of numerous world events in the areas of sport, fashion and art.

T.E.A.M. Television Event And Media Marketing AG 

T.E.A.M. is a full-service sales and marketing company that specializes in exploiting  commercial rights for televised content internationally. The company employs over 100 professionals, operating from offices in Lucerne, Switzerland.
T.E.A.M. is widely known as the exclusive marketing partner of UEFA (the governing body of European football) for its flagship competition, the UEFA Champions League, since its inception in 1992.

For information:

EBU, Aline Ingwersen, Media Officer, +41 (0)79 774 86 44, ingwersen@ebu.ch
Nemiroff, Olga Vasyltsova, PR Manager External Markets, +38 044 249 07 97, pr@nemiroff.com.ua, http://ev2005.nemiroff.ua

ai / ep