The Co-op Live which will open in Manchester as Britain’s largest outdoor arena in December 2023 has announced a raft of new sponsor-supplier partners taking total revenue generated from sponsorships to 50 per cent of its initial target, with supporting brands including Britvic, Elavon, Unilever, and Schneider Electric.
Britvic joins as official soft drink partner with exclusive rights to provide the full range of Pepsi drinks, including 7-Up, Tango, and London Essence Tonics. To help deliver on commitment to keep sustainability at the heart of Co-op Live, the British based soft drinks company will provide sustainable packaging. Britvic will also have two permanent branded locations in the venue for Pepsi Max and London Essence.
Co-op Live will use a range of cutting-edge technology to create the best live music experience in the UK, and Elavon will be the official supplier providing the technology that underpins the arena’s status as a cashless venue. Elavon are working with Co-op Live to create an innovative and seamless customer journey that showcases the future of payment processing.
Unilever will act as both official supplier of plant-based foods and hand sanitiser. The plant-based food provided by The Vegetarian Butcher will ensure every taste is catered for at Co-op Live while the installation of “Lifebuoy” hand sanitiser stations will be part of the first-class sanitation and hygiene services at the venue. As well as benefitting from the branding opportunities within Co-op Live that come from being an official supplier, Unilever will also be able to activate the venue’s canalside public space twice a year.
As part of Co-op Live’s plans to become the UK’s most sustainable and first all-electric venue, Schneider Electric has been signed as an official supplier for the both the hardware and software for the electrical & building management systems, Schneider Electric will also provide digital services and preventative maintenance throughout the venue. The company’s vice-president of marketing for the United Kingdom and Ireland, David Williams, comments, “Acting socially and environmentally responsibly is key to this project and also at the core of Schneider Electric’s business, so we’re proud to announce this close partnership with both Co-op and Oak View Group International. This partnership will see Schneider ensure the venue is sustainable, resilient, hyper-efficient and people centric.”
All sponsors will benefit from a range of marketing and branding opportunities including being featured in campaigns to promote Co-op Live prior to its opening. Britvic, Elavon, Unilever, and Schneider Electric will all make annual donations to the Co-op Live Foundation.
The announcement follows several other significant partnership announcements, led by Co-op as the Naming Rights Partner. At the end of last year, it was revealed that Diageo will be the official drinks partner and that Bristol Street Motors is the official motor retailer. The venue is backed by investors, Oak View Group, City Football Group and international superstar Harry Styles.
Sam Piccione, President of OVG International, says: “It’s proof of the excitement that Co-op Live is bringing to Manchester and the UK live entertainment market that global brands are committing to the project at this early stage of development.
“Building strong relationships with a wide range of partners and suppliers this early in the process of creating Co-op Live is another thing that sets the project apart. As we’ve shown already, it’s enabling us to build in shared values from partnerships right from the start. We thank Britvic, Elavon, Unilever, and Schneider Electric for committing so early as partners to Co-op Live.”
