Ricoh SA is an official brand sponsor and office automation equipment supplier for the Nedbank Golf Challenge 2014 that takes place at the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City from 4 to 7 December.
Ricoh SA’s entrance into golf sponsorship at this level demonstrates the company’s strategic change. It is expanding its traditional imaging device and office automation focus to more broadly incorporate document management through managed document services (MDS), a business process discipline, and managed print services (MPS).
It is also keenly active in the African economic renaissance and is currently cementing operations through existing partnerships in 16 African countries.
“The Nedbank Golf Challenge has become one of the highlights of the annual sporting calendar in SA and around the world,” says Jacques van Wyk, chief operating officer at Ricoh SA.
“With a 33-year history, this event has featured the biggest names in international golf with among others, 30 of the top 50 international golfers participating for one of the richest first prizes in the history of the game.
“The event boasts an international television audience of over 871-million viewers and is well positioned to highlight and promote the African subcontinent’s economic renaissance. Our sponsorship of the Nedbank Golf Challenge 2014 is strongly aligned with our sponsorship of the Ricoh Women’s British Open Golf Championship, another internationally acclaimed sporting event.”
Ricoh will sponsor all 18 holes with the brand being displayed at all 18 tee boxes, including the practice green and range, alongside the official event time-keeping clock.
“The venue for the Nedbank Golf Challenge is Sun City, which is part of the Sun International group of hotels, one of our largest corporate clients that uses over 600 of our imaging devices,” says Van Wyk.
“Ricoh has a long history of involvement with the game of golf. We believe that it is only through the collective imagination that we can continue to develop and strengthen the Nedbank Golf Challenge, as we do for our customers’ businesses, reflected in our brand message of imagine. change.”
The sponsorship gives the Ricoh brand television visibility at every tee into 140 off-continent countries and 48 African countries through coverage by SuperSport. The package includes advertising via SuperSport and at the www.nedbankgolfchallenge.co.za website that historically receives in excess of 160 000 unique visits from more than 200 countries.
“The Nedbank Golf Challenge gives us an excellent opportunity to engage with customers and potential customers through the Sky Box sponsorship,” says Van Wyk. “The box hosts 50 guests daily and we also have accommodation options at Sun City for overnight guests.”
Prize money for the Nedbank Golf Challenge 2014 tops $3-million and among the first group of confirmed players is half of the victorious European Ryder Cup team, two major winners and three former world number ones.
Confirmed European Ryder Cup players include Thomas Bjørn, Martin Kaymer, Victor Dubuisson, Jamie Donaldson, Stephen Gallacher, Lee Westwood and vice-captain, Miguel Angel Jiminez.
Leading the South Africans will be Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion, and with him will be Dawie van der Walt, who won the 2013 Sunshine Tour Order of Merit.
Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand also join the group.