John Lewis Becomes a London 2012 Olympic Games Provider

John Lewis has become the 26th sponsor of the London 2012 Olympic Games, becoming the Official Department Store for the games, providing retail space and people.

As part of the sponsorship, John Lewis will open two flagship Olympic stores which will sell Olympic merchandise in its Oxford Street store and its new, yet to be opened store, at Olympic Park Stratford.

Many of the John Lewis staff (partners as they are called), will be able to work for the organising committee for at least a year leading up to the games

Andy Street, Managing Director, John Lewis, said: ‘I am thrilled that John Lewis is the official department store provider to the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. We backed the original bid and we are very proud to announce this partnership with London 2012. Sustainability and community are at the heart of our business and we are therefore delighted to be involved with the regeneration of east London through anchoring the Olympic development in Stratford with our latest full-line department store as well as helping to fund the most exciting sporting event for a generation.’

London 2012 Chairman Sebastian Coe commented, ‘We are thrilled that John Lewis has chosen to join us on the journey to 2012. They are a great British brand with a reputation for first class customer care and excellence. They supported us during the bid and so it is fantastic to have them on board as a sponsor. They bring a wealth of retail experience which will be invaluable to us as our merchandise programme ramps up and crucially, members of their staff will join our own to provide expertise and ensure those visiting our Games receive the warmest of welcomes in 2012.’

John Lewis will be a Tier Three Provider, alongside such as Holiday Inn and Ticketmaster.

Tier One Partners for the Olympic and Paralympic Games are adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB

Clearly this move by John Lewis helps to boost its brand, creating a lot of visibility and exposing its quality products to a wide audience, from the UK and beyond.

With this move and the introduction of such as their Value Range, John Lewis is seeking to broaden its attraction to a wider customer base.  The company enjoyed a strong week last week with good sales of furniture and fashion. Sales rose some 15.7% compared with the same period in 2009.