Davidoff Announces Major Sponsorship With Art Basel

BASEL, Switzerland, April 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Oettinger Davidoff Group, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, is pleased to announce its major sponsorship with Art Basel, which stages the most prestigious international modern and contemporary art shows. The significant relationship elevates Davidoff into the top tier of Art Basel sponsors. Present sponsors include leading and renowned brands, such as UBS, AxaArt and Netjets.

Under the agreement, Davidoff will be an Associate Sponsor to Art Basel, at both its shows in Basel, Switzerland, and Miami Beach, Florida, where it will operate a 100 square meter (approx. 1,000 sq. ft.) VIP hospitality space within the Art Collectors Lounge. This Davidoff Lounge will feature a walk-in humidor and a master cigar roller from the Dominican Republic who will demonstrate the art of blending and rolling of a Davidoff cigar. In addition, two outdoor Cigar Lounges will be situated adjacent to the Art Collectors Lounge and next to the shows' public area, to offer fair visitors a relaxed venue for discussion, reflection and enjoyment of a fine cigar.

With its enhanced profile at the annual fairs and related art sponsorship activities, Davidoff intends to collaborate with Art Basel over the long term as it expands the orbit of its influential art shows beyond Europe and North America to Asia.

In making the announcement, Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard, President and CEO of Oettinger Davidoff Group, said: "Davidoff and Art Basel is a perfect fit, building on a well-established relationship between two organizations with joint roots in Basel. With historic ties to European markets, both companies have expanded rapidly in the US in recent years, while actively developing new markets around the globe, especially in Asia. Our customers share many common interests with Art Basel's patrons. As we forge closer ties with the world of art, Art Basel is the ideal partner, and we look forward to a long-term collaboration as our brands evolve worldwide."

Art Basel Co-Director Marc Spiegler noted on the occasion of the announcement: "We are delighted for Davidoff to become an Associate Sponsor at our shows in Basel and Miami Beach and look forward to developing this relationship further. As Art Basel is expanding, we seek partners like Davidoff who are intensifying their engagement with the arts."

Davidoff's products are deeply connected to the handcraft traditions involved in the rolling and blending of fine cigars as well as the art of marquetry (the inlaid wood designs frequently found on cigar humidors). This partnership with Art Basel marks a new chapter for the company, as it shifts its sponsorship in the direction of contemporary art.

Later this year, Davidoff will announce a new international initiative linking it more closely to the world of contemporary artists and collectors. The planned initiatives will extend Davidoff's commitment to visual art well beyond its art-fair sponsorship.

A Century of Davidoff
The Davidoff Flagship Store in Geneva celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2011. Henri Davidoff, who emigrated from Kiev to Switzerland at a time of political unrest, opened his first tobacco store in Geneva in 1911, laying the foundations for today's worldwide network of 65 Davidoff Flagship Stores. Henri's son, Zino Davidoff, learned the tobacco trade from the ground up. He resided for several years in Central and South America to deepen his knowledge of tobacco and cigar making. In 1930, he returned to Switzerland and thereafter successfully managed the business over four decades. Zino Davidoff transferred the family business to the Oettinger Group in 1970.

Davidoff appeals to connoisseurs all over the world who seek to embrace The Good Life – the art of living and pleasure. The premium brand Davidoff stands for a culture of conscious enjoyment and reflection in today's hectic world. Enjoyment of beautiful and precious things, the embrace of pleasure and of life itself, unites Davidoff with people all around the world who have come to appreciate our superior products and who expect the highest quality every day – a promise Davidoff has kept for over a century.

The Oettinger Davidoff Group – a Swiss family business steeped in tradition
With almost 4,000 employees around the world, the CHF 1.3 billion Oettinger Davidoff Group traces its roots back to 1875 and remains family owned to this day. The Group operates two distinctly different businesses: one focused on consumer goods distribution in the Swiss market, and one dedicated to its core business, the producing, marketing, and retailing of premium branded cigars, tobacco products, and accessories. The premium-branded cigar business includes Davidoff, Camacho, Zino Platinum, AVO, Cusano, Griffin's, Private Stock, Zino, and Winston Churchill Cigars. The Oettinger Davidoff Group is anchored in a strong "crop-to-shop" philosophy, having pursued a vertical integration from its tobacco fields in the Dominican Republic and Honduras to its worldwide network of 65 Davidoff Flagship Stores.

About Art Basel
The world's premier international art show for modern and contemporary works, Art Basel features nearly 300 leading galleries from North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa. More than 2,500 artists, ranging from the great masters of Modern art to the latest generation of emerging stars, are represented in the show's multiple sections. The exhibition includes the highest-quality paintings, sculptures, drawings, installations, photographs, video and editioned works. Its sister show, Art Basel Miami Beach, last year celebrated its 10th anniversary, firmly establishing itself as the leading art show of contemporary and modern art in the Americas.

SOURCE Oettinger Davidoff Group