The Canadian Football League has entered into a two-year sponsorship deal with agricultural company Dow AgroSciences Canada, a division of The Dow Chemical Company that specializes in agricultural products such as seeds, feeds and pesticides.
The deal was brokered by Dow AgroSciences’ Calgary-based agency AdFarm.
Brian de Kock, communications manager with Dow AgroSciences Canada in Calgary, said that much of the company’s customer base–which is comprised primarily of farmers in Western Canada–is passionate about football and the CFL in particular.
“It’s kind of a natural partnership because they have a love of football, and as an organization a lot of our employees are also involved in football,” he said.
The sponsorship agreement allows Dow to host CFL-related events such as appearances by players and the Grey Cup in rural communities throughout Western Canada.
De Kock said that much of the sponsorship activity this year will focus on Dow’s weed control product Simplicity. “We started with that product because it aligns well with what the CFL would talk about, which is high performance,” he said.
Dow has traditionally relied on what de Kock described as “smaller, more localized” marketing partnerships. While short-term marketing efforts will focus primarily on the Prairie provinces, de Kock said Dow is also considering future outreach into Ontario and Quebec.
