SANYA, China, April 26, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- The International Volleyball Federation's (FIVB) image campaign "FIVB Heroes" is entering its second year, coinciding with the FIVB SWATCH World Tour Sanya Open (Women). The campaign features 62 volleyball and beach volleyball players from 19 countries, such as Zhang Xi and Chen Xu, who just celebrated the victory at the season-opening Brasília Open. "This gold medal gives us a lot of added confidence knowing the next three FIVB SWATCH World Tour events will be in China," says Zhang Xi.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120426/527155 )
All "FIVB Heroes" were selected by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) based on their special merit and professional success. After being favourably received by fans, athletes and sports professionals, the campaign is now targeting a wider audience. "This year, we will launch a series of special events worldwide involving our 'FIVB Heroes' to increase the visibility of the sport and broaden its fan base. The London 2012 Olympic Games will provide the perfect platform for this," says FIVB President Jizhong Wei. "As our 'FIVB Heroes' stand for outstanding athletic achievements, they will attract the stars of the future and inspire young volleyball talent looking to become 'FIVB Heroes' themselves."
All of the campaign related activities planned for the upcoming season aim to foster the dialogue with fans and media representatives. Players such as Yimei Wang, Penggen Wu, Linyin Xu from China are supporting the campaign. The campaign gives them the opportunity to communicate not only with their own fans, but volleyball enthusiasts across the world. Among other activities five metre sculptures of the "FIVB Heroes" provide a visual representation of their strength and energy. Raising public awareness the sculptures will be unveiled close to the most important landmarks around the world during big tournaments and other relevant national occasions.
The campaign website, www.FIVBheroes.com, has been significantly improved, with fans set to receive continuous, first-hand updates from a team of international bloggers. The "FIVB Heroes Fan Writers" will report directly from the world’s volleyball hotspots in Brazil, China, Italy, Poland, the US and other countries, complementing the news already available on the FIVB website, www.fivb.org, by providing in-depth points of view from supporters on a truly global scale. The articles, photos and films created by these dedicated fans for other fans will be published on www.FIVBheroes.com and the most important social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Contact:
Richard Baker
FIVB Press Director
+41 79 603 39 26
press@fivb.org
