Chobani Brings The Heart Of Central New York To The London 2012 Olympic Games

NEW BERLIN, N.Y., July 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Chobani, a proud first-time sponsor of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Team USA, will premiere its first 60-second national television spot during the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.  Directed by Peter Berg of "Friday Night Lights" acclaim, the "Proudly with You" TV spot was inspired by, and features, members of the Chobani community, who came together to make Chobani the successful company that it is today: the farmers, employees and local community.

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"The Chobani story is an Olympic story," said Hamdi Ulukaya, President and CEO of Chobani. "We grew our company from five people to over 1,200 strong during one of this country's worst economic crisis in decades. Our story proves that the American dream is alive and well. If you believe in something, work hard and never give up, anything is possible. We are who we are today because of the people who helped make this happen — our employees, community, farmers and fans. This campaign is for them."

"In this day and age, nothing inspires people quite like a true story and that's the real focus of this campaign," said Jay Benjamin, Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett New York. "It's a story about a company that began with a handful of people, a lot of heart, and a belief in a product that was 'nothing but good.' So good in fact, that it now powers our US Olympic athletes. From the commercial airing during the opening ceremonies, to a live screening of the games in Chenango County and sharing the story with Chobani fans online, our hope is that the pride of this great community will inspire others to follow their dreams."

#chobanipowered 

To share the excitement around the Olympic Games and Team USA, Chobani launched a dedicated Facebook hub to engage with its extended community of fans around the world. The #chobanipowered hub features an array of content, including three videos further telling the story featured in the TV spot: "Plant to Podium," which tells the story of Chobani's journey to London, "Story of Revival," which celebrates the rebirth of a thriving community and a special "Behind the Scenes" of the TV shoot.

Additional content includes exclusive video interviews with the members of Team Chobani – six Olympic and Paralympic athletes chosen because of their embodiment of Chobani's nothing but good spirit in their personal and professional pursuits: Lauren Cheney (soccer), Lashinda Demus (track & field), Matt Grevers (swimming), Steven Lopez (taekwondo), John Orozco (gymnastics) and Allison Jones (Paralympian – cyclist & skier).

The hub also features an interactive mosaic showcasing what powers Chobani fans based on their own Facebook, Twitter and Instagram submissions using the hashtag #chobanipowered.

"Social media has always been part of our company's DNA so it was important for us to connect with our fans where they'd be spending the most time this Olympics – online," said Doron Stern, Vice President of Marketing for Chobani. "In addition to the dedicated hub on our Facebook page, we'll also be hosting a YouTube takeover and dedicating a significant amount of spend towards advertising with NBC.com."

It Takes a Village

Chobani will host an Olympic Games Celebration event to bring together Chobani employees, farmers and the Central New York community to view the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games on a giant 40 x 22-foot LED screen at Werner Farm in Central, New York. This community event celebrates the collective milestones and achievements that have allowed Chobani to power U.S. Olympians on their journey to London. 

Additionally, as a special thank you to those who have been instrumental to Chobani from the beginning, the first five Chobani employees who joined Hamdi Ulukaya when he started the brand in 2007 will accompany him to the London Games celebrating their role in shaping Chobani to become a sponsor of Team USA. 

Naturally Powering Team USA at Home and in London

Backed by USOC dietitians, authentic strained Chobani Greek Yogurt is deliciously creamy and made with only natural ingredients. Chobani is a great pre- and post-workout recovery fuel for all walks of life, including athletes training to perform at the highest levels to consumers looking to live a healthful, active lifestyle.

As the official packaged yogurt provider to the USOC and Team USA, Chobani is following Team USA to London, where it is being served at the USA House and High Performance Training Center during the Olympic Games.

The "Naturally Powering Team USA" campaign was developed by Leo Burnett New York with support from Big Spaceship and Fleishman-Hillard. The multi-million dollar campaign includes a mix of TV, digital, on-pack, out-of-home advertising and public relations through the conclusion of the London Games.

About Chobani 

Maker of America's #1 selling yogurt brand – authentic strained Chobani Greek Yogurt – Chobani was founded on the belief that people have great taste; they just need great options. That is why Chobani produces only the highest quality, best tasting products made with only natural ingredients out of its New Berlin, N.Y. production facility. The company is also constructing a second domestic 900,000 square-foot production plant in Twin Falls, I.D., which will be the largest yogurt manufacturing facility in the country. As part of Chobani's Nothing But Good philosophy, it is committed to supporting local farmers and strengthening its surrounding area economies. Chobani uses milk from New York-area farms and gives 10% of its annual profits to charities worldwide through the Shepherd's Gift Foundation, the company's charitable arm. All Chobani products are gluten free, Kosher certified, made with milk free of rBST and provide five live active cultures, three strains of probiotics and two times more protein than regular yogurt. Chobani retails for MSRP $1.29/6oz, $3.29/16oz, $5.99/32oz, and $2.99/Champions 4-pack. Chobani products are available nationwide. For more information, visit chobani.com or connect with Chobani on Facebook at Facebook.com/chobani.

SOURCE Chobani