MEETING AREVA: bringing the best of Track and Field to everyone

The second edition of MEETING AREVA, the ninth stop on the prestigious Diamond League circuit, will take place at the Stade de France on July 16. MEETING AREVA is the annual culmination of AREVA’s ongoing partnership with track and field, which began in 2009. This must-see event is even more exceptional this year: the greatest stars of track and field will come to Paris to demonstrate their talent and thrill the public.

MEETING AREVA is a coveted showcase for track and field. It is also a high point for the company: some 1,500 group employees are expected to cheer on the competitors from the stands. AREVA is building on the event to roll out a promotional program full of activities designed to raise interest in track and field with new audiences.

“Let’s all go to MEETING AREVA”: AREVA opens the stadium doors to 5,000 youths

As part of its solidarity and sponsorship program, and more generally as part of its societal commitments, AREVA has invited 5,000 young people from the Paris area to attend this exciting event. They were designated by French associations such as Secours Populaire, the French Handisport Federation, the National Business Network for Equal Opportunity in National Education, Plaine Commune, the National Council for Local Missions, and the Association for Young Adult Training and Integration. The “Let’s all go to MEET-ING AREVA” program takes the existing cooperation between the group and these associations to another level. It also underscores the popular aspect of this universally accessible discipline.

A grand premiere at MEETING AREVA: a feature movie shot in the stadium!

AREVA has partnered with director Régis Wargnier for his next movie: “La ligne droite” [“The straight line”]. The movie deals with issues facing people with disabilities, a topic that goes straight to the heart of AREVA’s commitment to and actions in favor of diversity.

At 7:50 pm, the last scene of this full-length movie will be shot live and in public at MEET-ING AREVA. It features the 400-meter dash of a blind sprinter and his guide.

MEETING AREVA spectators will take part in a unique experience as they become film extras for the evening. The movie is scheduled for release in March 2011.

Behind the scenes at MEETING AREVA: Athlenergy.com

As the main communication tool for AREVA’s global and sustained commitment to track and field, athlenergy.com offers exclusive content related to the competition and offers a look behind the scenes. From June 15 to July 4, an athlenergy.com game quiz offered cybernauts a unique opportunity to win a meeting with Usain “Lightning” Bolt a few days before MEETING AREVA.

AREVA returns to the advertising screen to promote track and field

AREVA will re-broadcast its institutional advertising campaign “Energize the athlete in you” from July 1 to July 16. The campaign illustrates how each of us can draw on the resources of an athlete in our daily lives, without even knowing it. It’s a way to draw the connection between sports as practiced at the highest athletic level and as it is practiced by the general public. It’s also a way to remind us that, as in track and field, AREVA believes in each individual’s ability to achieve his or her potential, regardless of one’s goals, background or origin.

AREVA, sponsoring track and field in France since 2009

Energy and enthusiasm – that’s why AREVA chose to sponsor track and field. The group has a comprehensive sponsorship program to support and develop this discipline in France, which will run through 2012. Track and field is about excellence but also about people; it is a sport that everyone can practice and where everyone has potential. AREVA’s sponsorship program rests on four pillars: MEETING AREVA, the French Track and Field Federation, the National Athletics League and, increasingly, off-track activities.

Background information

“Let’s all go to MEETING AREVA” operation

In cooperation with AREVA’s partners for societal action, especially in favor of diversity, the group has invited 5,000 young people from the Paris area to discover track and field during MEETING AREVA, held at the prestigious Stade de France. For many of them, the evening will be a grand premiere:

• attending an international athletics competition featuring some of the most famous stars in each discipline;
• coming to the Stade de France, a unique venue where some of the most beautiful pages in the history of sports have been written.

Each guest will receive an educational booklet explaining the basics about each track and field discipline. Armed with this knowledge, the participants will be able to enjoy this exciting event to the fullest and to cheer on the competitors.

This event is organized in cooperation with:

• Secours Populaire, a long-standing partner of the AREVA Foundation
• Fédération Française de Handisport (The French Handisport Federation), for young people with disabilities;
• And, for youths from poorer neighborhoods:
  • the National Business Network for Equal Opportunity in National Education;
  • Plaine Commune, an organization formed by several cities: Aubervilliers, Epinay-sur-Seine, L'Ile-Saint-Denis, La Courneuve, Pierrefitte-sur-Seine, Saint-Denis, Stains, and Villetaneuse;
  • CNML (the National Council for Local Missions), which coordinates local missions in France that provide information and assistance to young adults between the ages of 16 to 25 who are no longer in the educational system;
  • the Association for Young Adult Training and Integration.

Advertising campaign: “Energize the athlete in you”

• Announcer: AREVA
• Advertising agency: Euro RSCG C&O
• Advertising placement agency: Havas Media International
• Sports marketing agency, design and operation of the athlenergy.com digital platform: Havas Sports & Entertainment
• Graphic design agency: H5
• Music: "Funkytown", composed by Steven Greenberg and performed by Lipps Inc.
• Advertisement budget: 3 million euros (gross)
• TV media plan: approximately 142 spots over some thirty local access channels and more than 1700 on TNT/CabSat, in a single 2-week campaign (July 1-16, 2010).