RBC, as one of the official sponsors of the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay, wants Canadians to “create a better Canada” and will give more than 2,000 of them the chance to become a Torchbearer through an online contest.
Canadians who pledge at CarryTheTorch.com to make Canada a better place to live will be entered for a chance to become a 2010 Olympic Torchbearer, said Jacqueline Ryan, director, Olympic marketing, RBC.
The contest closes July 15, 2009. To encourage entrants, the site shows RBC Olympian pledges, like gold medallist Alex Duckworth’s promise to “create a better Canada by making sure my next car is a hybrid.” To enter, consumers can choose to create “stronger communities” by clicking on volunteering and donating icons, for example, or to create “healthy environments” by saving energy and using less plastic bags, or they can create their own pledge.
The Olympic Torch Relay will begin its journey to Vancouver on Oct. 30, 2009, with the traditional lighting ceremony in Olympia, Greece. The torch will arrive at B.C. Place on Feb. 12, 2010, with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron, signaling the start of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
“We are proud to bring the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay to millions of people in hundreds of communities across the country,” said Gordon Nixon, RBC president and CEO, in a release. “By asking Canadians to create a better Canada, we will harness the energy of the Olympic Games to positively influence the lives of all Canadians.”
Online banners ads, branch merchandising, print, radio, TV advertising, employee programs and business marketing initiatives, from BBDO Canada, will support the contest through to next spring. M2 Universal handled the buy.
