World Triathlon Corporation Selects Ketchum Sports & Entertainment to Lead Global Business

NEW YORK, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), often recognized for its ownership of the Ironman Triathlon, has selected Ketchum Sports & Entertainment (KSE) as its global public relations agency of record, beginning this month.

Ketchum will work across the WTC portfolio, which includes Ironman, Ironman 70.3, IronKids, and Iron Girl, to strengthen each brand's global presence by building incremental consumer and trade awareness in the traditional and social media space. The team also will support WTC's strategic corporate initiatives, including expansion of domestic and international events and the brand's licensed products. Some well-known Ironman partners include Timex, Ford Motor Co., PowerBar, Foster Grant and K-Swiss.

"We were impressed with Ketchum's proven track record in achieving results that impact the business of sports on a national and global scale," said WTC Chief Executive Officer and President Ben Fertic. 

Last year, more than 125,000 people participated in Ironman and Ironman 70.3 events around the world. In 2010, the World Triathlon Corporation will hold 66 Ironman and Ironman 70.3 events, up from 56 in 2009. Entering its seventh year, the Iron Girl series will host a record 12 events, having grown each year since beginning in 2004 with just two races. More than 60,000 women have completed Iron Girl events since the program's inception.   

WTC also has sparked an exponential surge in youth triathlons and just announced six new IronKids events this year in the Philippines for youth ages 6 to 14. In 2009, the IronKids brand launched with eight events plus a national championship in the U.S.  IronKids will see further growth in 2010 with 12 events in the U.S. as well as events throughout Asia Pacific and Europe.

"Our business model has changed significantly in the last year and we were looking for an agency partner to help build a global communications strategy and act as a driving force in key regions of the world," said Blair LaHaye, director of communications, WTC. "Ketchum's extensive network and wide range of capabilities serve as the right match to support our ongoing growth."

"Ketchum is looking forward to a winning partnership with WTC, and we're enthusiastic about working with a truly dynamic brand that is leading the endurance sports industry worldwide," said Ann Wool, partner and managing director of Ketchum Sports & Entertainment. "Our teams are a great match, and we look forward to activating the expertise of our global Sports & Entertainment Network to grow the Ironman, Iron Girl and IronKids brands."

About Ketchum

A communications innovator, Ketchum ranks among the largest global communications consultancies and leads the industry in the U.K. and continental Europe as Ketchum Pleon. With five global practices – Brand Marketing, Corporate, Healthcare, Food and Nutrition, and Technology – and specialty capabilities that include Access Communications (high- and consumer-tech PR), Concentric Communications (experiential marketing, events and meetings), MMG (clinical trial recruitment), Ketchum Global Research Network, Ketchum Sports & Entertainment, and Ketchum Pleon Change (change management and workplace communications), Ketchum leverages its marketing and corporate communication expertise to build brands and reputations for clients. For more information on Ketchum, a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC), visit www.ketchum.com.

SOURCE Ketchum