News - 2018

Bridgestone Enjoys Successful Olympic Winter Games Debut, Turns Attention to Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

Worldwide Olympic Partner’s first global program builds momentum for hometown Olympic Games

2018/02/27

TOKYO (February 27, 2018) - Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone), the world's largest tire and rubber company, today celebrated the success of its first global activation as a Worldwide Olympic Partner. Following a limited debut activation around the Olympic Games Rio 2016, the company expanded its marketing activities for the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 and leveraged its support for the Olympic Movement to engage customers in new countries and more key markets around the world.

"PyeongChang 2018 was our first Olympic Winter Games, and also the first of three consecutive Olympic Games in Asia, which is a very important region for our company," said Asahiko "Duke" Nishiyama, Executive Vice President and Executive Officer, Bridgestone Corporation. "Our Worldwide Olympic Partnership continues to provide a powerful platform for showcasing our world-class products and services, as well as our commitments to community service, environmental stewardship and supporting diversity."

Photo Courtesy IOC / Getty Images

In addition to raising brand awareness among billions of sporting fans and consumers through a multi-channel marketing campaign, Bridgestone supplied its industry-leading Blizzak winter tires to International Olympic Committee (IOC) vehicles, and actively supported the journey of its first global roster of athletes at PyeongChang 2018.

In support of its "Chase Your Dream" message, Bridgestone has partnered with more than 30 individual athletes and one team across 10 countries as part of a global Team Bridgestone roster of athlete ambassadors. At the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, Team Bridgestone included five individual athletes and one team representing four different countries. The group collected four total medals and celebrated a series of history-making performances.

Pierre Vaultier (France) won gold in men's snowboard cross for the second straight Olympic Winter Games.
Elana Meyers Taylor (USA) won silver and became the most decorated female bobsledder in Olympic history.
Nathan Chen (USA) won bronze in the figure skating team event and posted the highest free skate score ever in men's Olympic figure skating history.
Maciej Kot (Poland) helped Poland win bronze in the team ski jump -- the country's first-ever Olympic medal in the event.
After just six full months of training, Erin Jackson (USA) made her Olympic debut as the first African-American woman on the U.S. Long Track Speedskating team.
And the hockey athletes of the Japanese Olympic Team, also known as Smile Japan, won two games -- marking their first-ever victories in Olympic competition.

In March, Team Bridgestone athlete ambassadors Amy Purdy (para snowboarding, USA) and Evan Strong (para snowboarding, USA) will compete in the upcoming Paralympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. The company has already started building an even wider global roster of athlete ambassadors ahead of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, which will take place in the home of Bridgestone's global headquarters.

"Bridgestone is proud to support the Olympic Movement and the world's greatest athletes, whose inspiring journeys are the heart and soul of the Olympic Games," added Nishiyama. "As the only Worldwide Olympic Partner with its global headquarters in Tokyo, we look forward to helping the world learn more about who we are and what we do. We are also excited to continue sharing our "Chase Your Dream" message, which aims to inspire people everywhere to overcome obstacles and persevere in pursuit of their goals."

Bridgestone Corporation became the first Founding Partner of the Olympic Channel in August 2016, signing a four-year agreement to support the ground-breaking digital platform and celebrate the Olympic Movement year-round on the Road to Tokyo 2020 and beyond. In addition to serving as the Official Tire of the Olympic Games and a Worldwide Olympic Partner for Tokyo 2020, Bridgestone Corporation also is a Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games Gold Partner.

For more information, visit Bridgestone.com/olympics.

About Bridgestone Corporation:
Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the world’s largest tire and rubber company. In addition to tires for use in a wide variety of applications, it also manufactures a broad range of diversified products, which include industrial rubber and chemical products and sporting goods. Its products are sold in over 150 nations and territories around the world.

About Bridgestone Corporation’s Worldwide Olympic Partnership:
Bridgestone Corporation proudly signed on as an official Worldwide Partner of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on June 13, 2014. The 10-year partnership will see Bridgestone Corporation serve as a Worldwide Olympic Partner at the upcoming Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, where the company’s global headquarters are located, the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, and the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The Partnership also includes support for the next three Youth Olympic Games. The long-term commitment to the Olympic Movement furthers Bridgestone Corporation’s proud sporting heritage and history of innovation, which extends more than 100 years, and will showcase Bridgestone Corporation’s respect for diversity, commitment to community service, social responsibility and environmental stewardship – all tenets of the Olympic Charter that also lie at the heart of the Bridgestone brand.