In December 2005, Intel Corporation and the BMW Group announced a comprehensive partnership that includes technology, co-marketing and Intel`s sponsorship of the BMW Sauber Formula One race team.
As part of this agreement, Intel technology will be deployed throughout the BMW Group and its worldwide dealer network, and Intel will become "Official Corporate Partner" of the BMW Sauber F1 team.
The BMW Group and Intel both set the highest standards of performance, innovation and quality, with technology leadership as a fundamental goal. Intel`s innovative technology platforms and highly efficient solutions will support and complement BMW`s methods of systematically turning ideas into innovative products.
The partnership will benefit BMW`s IT, the company`s customers and the BMW Sauber F1 team. With Intel as the Official Corporate Partner of the BMW Sauber F1 Team, Intel will infuse the BMW Sauber F1 Team with its technology, and the benefits of the Intel brand will be communicated to hundreds of millions of passionate fans worldwide each year, who appreciate the critical role that technology plays in Formula One and how it enhances overall entertainment value.
Intel will work with the BMW Sauber F1 team on a variety of technologies related to racing, such as telemetry data, computational fluid dynamics, aerodynamics and other critical design and performance issues. Intel technologies will also be integrated into the team`s headquarters including servers, workstations, laptop PCs and other functions.
Under the multi-year agreement, the BMW Group will deploy Intel Architecture-based servers and workstations throughout its enterprise and in more than 3 000 BMW dealers worldwide. BMW will also convert its corporate laptops to Intel Centrino mobile technology-based systems and significantly increase the use of Intel-based PDAs within the company.
The two companies have also agreed to develop an industry specification that will allow for the seamless integration of third-party devices, including laptops, phones and portable music players into BMW vehicles.
Intel has evolved as a company, moving from a supplier of microprocessor components to a solutions provider that develops platforms to address specific customer needs. In turn, Intel is changing its approach to marketing, shifting away from its traditional focus on technical details - "feeds and speeds" - towards communicating what its technology can actually do for people.
The sponsorship of the BMW Sauber F1 team is fundamental to this new approach. It offers Intel an opportunity beyond traditional advertising to build brand affinity and create an emotional connection with consumers. As media become increasingly fragmented, sports sponsorships provide an effective way to reach a large and receptive audience.
Formula One is a hi-tech discipline. It demands the control and coordination of hundreds of parameters simultaneously and the precise execution of every step. Cutting-edge technology is a crucial success factor and BMW and Intel have together accepted the challenge.
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