BOSTON, February 17, 2015 — Putnam Investments congratulated U.S. skier Ted Ligety on his gold medal-winning performance late last week in the Giant Slalom at the 2015 World Championships, held in Vail and Beaver Creek, Colorado. In a dramatic, come-from-behind victory that defeated Austrian Champion Marcel Hirscher, Ligety, a Putnam marketing partner since 2009, has now won more major championships than any American skier in history — seven, including five World Championship and two Olympic gold medals.
“We have never been more proud of Ted Ligety’s grit and determination. His Giant Slalom victory, coming on his final run of the event, showed his commitment despite challenging circumstances,” said Putnam Investments President and Chief Executive Officer Robert L. Reynolds. “Ted’s unyielding dedication to his craft and relentless drive for excellence are an inspiration for all of us, representing the values that Putnam seeks to embody each and every day in the marketplace. The entire Putnam Investments family salutes this outstanding professional.”
Ligety’s Giant Slalom win was his third straight in the event at the World Championships, following his victories in 2011 and 2013. It was the first gold medal performance by an American at this year’s World Championships, the first championships held in the United States since 1999. It was also the first championship gold medal won by an American on U.S. soil since 1989. Ligety’s Giant Slalom gold medal follows his bronze medal in the Super Combined earned earlier at these World Championships, and gives him a career total of nine medals in World Championship and Olympic competition.
Ted Ligety is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, five-time World Champion and five-time World Cup champion. His accomplishments include winning the Super-G, the Giant Slalom and the Super Combined at the 2013 Federation Internationale de Ski (FIS) Alpine World Ski Championships, which made him the first man to win three gold medals at an international championship since the legendary Jean-Claude Killy in the 1968 Winter Olympics.
Partnering with Ted Ligety, U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding
Putnam has enjoyed a close marketing relationship with Ted Ligety since 2009 that includes participation in Putnam’s advertising and social media efforts and overall support of brand development opportunities globally. Last week, Putnam introduced three new television ads featuring a more personal side of Ligety, which aired throughout the 2015 World Championships and are expected to run in the weeks ahead. The campaign is part of Putnam’s broader "Performance in Motion" sports marketing strategy to align its brand with athletes and teams that personify the firm’s results-oriented philosophy and values. The commercials, which include dynamic action scenes of Ligety’s races, can be viewed at Performance in Motion.
Since 2010, Putnam also has served as the exclusive mutual fund sponsor for the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding, supporting U.S. athletes in the sports of alpine, freestyle and cross-country skiing, ski jumping and snowboarding. Putnam’s sponsorship helps support American athletes as they prepare for competition at the sport’s highest levels, including the World Championships, the World Cup and the Winter Olympics.
Putnam Investments: Performance in Motion
The partnerships with Ted Ligety and the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding are part of Putnam’s Performance in Motion sports marketing strategy that aligns the firm’s brand with sports that appeal to its advisor, institutional and investor audiences. Performance in Motion supports those partnerships through connections with the athletes who best personify Putnam’s emphasis on results. Putnam’s other marketing partners include PGA golfer Keegan Bradley, the New England Revolution soccer team and the four-time Super Bowl-winning New England Patriots. For more information, visit Performance in Motion.