Hanwha to sponsor Bolton Wanderers

By Kang Seung-woo

Hanwha Group has agreed to an exclusive partnership deal with Bolton Wanderers of the English Premier League (EPL) in an effort to expand its presence and brand awareness in Europe, the company said Monday.

Bolton Wanderers, founded in 1877, is an English football club for which Korean Lee Chung-yong has played since 2009.

Under the one-year contract, Hanwha is able to run advertising campaigns, including a showcase of its HanwhaSolar, on large screens and perimeter walls at the Reebok Stadium, the club’s home ground.

Hanwha, which has focused its investments on the green energy sector for years, expects the sponsorship to help the company promote HanwhaSolar, its solar energy brand, in the European market.

“Hanwha Group is proud to support Bolton Wanderers, one of the most respected Premier League football clubs. The sponsorship deal will create opportunities for us to advertise HanwhaSolar to the European markets, and we will make efforts to raise HanwhaSolar to a top-tier brand there in the future,” said Lee Sung-soo, chief strategy officer (CSO) of the solar business division of Hanwha Group.

“The addition of Hanwha Group to our growing partnership portfolio is an exciting new development. We look forward to developing a mutually beneficial long-term relationship with Hanwha, whose strong environmental credentials and philosophy are closely matched with our own,” Bolton Chairman Phil Gartside said.

It is the second time for the Korean conglomerate to agree a sponsorship deal with a European football club following a two-year deal earlier this month with German club Hamburger SV, where Korean forward Son Heung-min plays.