International Softball Federation forms link with JHG Inc. to develop BackSoftball Campaign social media strategy
Interactive marketing firm will provide strategic social media leadership and give a voice to more than 8.4 million participants worldwide. Don Porter: “JHG has a tremendous understanding of new technologies and a passion for sport.”
Beijing, China(RUSHPRNEWS) – 14th August 2008 – The International Softball Federation has joined forces with interactive, marketing, and public relations agency JHG Inc. to support the BackSoftball campaign to get the sport back into the Olympics in 2016.There are more than 8.4 million active softball participants worldwide and along with providing strategic media counsel and optimizing the ISF website, JHG has already created a donation portal at www.backsoftball.com to allow softball fans to show their support and strengthen the organization’s presence.
The aim is for softball to return to the 2016 Olympic Games programme after missing out by the narrowest of margins (only one vote) for the London 2012 programme at the 2005 Session of the International Olympic Committee.
ISF President Don Porter said, “We are excited to be working with JHG on this project. The people there have a tremendous understanding of new technologies and a passion for the sport. Together, we believe they can help us achieve our mission of reinstating softball on the Olympic program for 2016.”
JHG’s chief strategy officer, Elizabeth Estes-Cooper, added, “Despite the current global momentum and excitement of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, many softball fans around the world are disappointed that this may be softball’s last appearance in the Summer Olympics.
“However, our partnership with the International Softball Federation will help the organization create and utilize an effective social media strategy to show the IOC – and the world – that softball is an immensely popular and expanding sport that has global appeal and deserves to have a place in the 2016 Olympic Games.”
JHG believes that social media is the best way for the ISF to amass an international community and voice its strength and support so that the IOC reinstates softball back onto the Olympic programme.
The 300,000+ tickets for all softball games in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games sold out earlier this year, further underlining the strength of the global BackSoftball campaign led by Mr. Porter.
Further information is available in the OTHER DOCUMENTS section of www.BackSoftball.com.
About the ISF and BackSoftball
The ISF is the world governing body of the sport as recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF). Softball (women’s fast pitch) made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. There are 131 affiliated countries in the ISF and millions of participants in the sport worldwide.
The ISF’s BackSoftball campaign is working toward the vote for the 2016 Games programme, which will be held at the IOC Session in Copenhagen, Denmark, in October 2009.
About JHG-Townsend
San Diego-based JHG-Townsend represents a new model of marketing and public relations agency in a digital world. JHG-Townsend empowers businesses with strategies that are reality-based, forward-looking, and both business-to-business and consumer-focused. The group combines traditional communications with new media, such as Web-based services, digital public relations, interactive and mobile to create breakthrough marketing programs. From strategy to execution, from marketing research to evaluation, and from creative brainstorming to creative campaigns, JHG-Townsend offers a complete set of communications and marketing services to business clients in the following industries: technology, health and life sciences, media and entertainment, sports, gaming, consumer goods, government and education. JHG-Townsend clients include QUALCOMM, MediaFLO USA and MediaFLO Technologies, National University, Toshiba, Vidacare, Comcast, Continuous Computing, Sequoia Communications, SEMDirector, Visual Sciences (NASDAQ: VSCN), and many more.
JHG-Townsend is here for business, here for their clients’ success. For more information, visit www.jhg.com or call 1.858.457.4888.
