The Columbus Crew and Perio, Inc. announced today a major, long-term partnership that positions the Barbasol brand as the new jersey partner of Ohio’s Major League Soccer club. Through the strategic partnership, the Barbasol wordmark will have prominent placement on the front of all Crew jerseys starting this season. Per club policy, financial terms of the five-year deal were not disclosed.
All Crew jerseys – game, retail and youth – along with practice jerseys, will be emblazoned with the Barbasol mark. The Crew’s newly designed jerseys will be updated to include Barbasol and marketed by Major League Soccer’s official supplier adidas. They are expected to be available at retail establishments in March.
“On behalf of the entire Crew organization, I am extremely pleased to welcome Barbasol to our family of corporate and community partners,” said Crew President & General Manager Mark McCullers. “Barbasol is a well-known, well-respected brand, and we are proud that it will adorn the front of our jerseys for years to come.”
The partnership also designates Barbasol as the “Official Shaving Cream of the Columbus Crew” and includes field-level LED signage and TV, radio and print advertising, among other assets. Barbasol will also market select cans of Barbasol product featuring the Crew logo within the central Ohio region.
“MLS jersey sponsorship is such a unique opportunity in major-league sports and Barbasol is proud and honored to partner with a championship team and organization like the Crew,” said Perio, Inc. President & CEO Thomas J. Murray. “Barbasol has a long tradition of connecting with sports, from the early days of Babe Ruth and Knute Rockne to today with partners like ESPN, the Big Ten Network, and personalities like Boomer Esiason, Jimmy Jackson, Mike & Mike, and Louie Vito. Now we feel like we are bringing America’s shaving cream to America’s Hardest Working Team.”
Prior to 2007, MLS jersey sponsorships were limited to smaller placements on the backs and sleeves and only through national advertising packages. But starting that year, MLS clubs have been able to market advertising space on the front of their team jerseys, where it is more visible and more traditional internationally.
The evolution of this type of sponsorship has created trend-setting opportunities for MLS teams and their business partners. These sponsorships provide worldwide visibility and incredible brand association between a team and corporate partner, thus leading to enviable fan loyalty toward the sponsor.
About Barbasol
Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Barbasol is America's No. 1 men's shave cream brand. From the creation of the first tube of Barbasol to today, Barbasol has remained committed to making products in the USA, with 100 percent of the 10oz. Barbasol Shaving Cream products being made in America. Perio, Inc., which was founded as Columbus Dental in 1903, purchased the Barbasol brand from Pfizer in 2001. Since then, Perio has focused its efforts on innovating the brand and taking it to new levels.
About the Columbus Crew
Founded by American sports pioneer Lamar Hunt, the Columbus Crew is Ohio's Major League Soccer club, anchoring a diverse sports and entertainment enterprise. One of the league's Charter Members, it won its first MLS Cup championship in 2008 and has also won the 2002 U.S. Open Cup and MLS Supporters’ Shield titles in 2004, 2008 and 2009. It will open its 17th season on March 10 at the Colorado Rapids and its 14th at first-of-its-kind Crew Stadium on March 24 against the Montreal Impact.
