Football contracts boost Lotto sales

In the first half of this year, Italian sports products manufacturer Lotto derived turnover standing at 3.4 million euros, up almost 50% as compared to the corresponding period of last year. For the entire year, the company projects turnover worth 6 million euros, an increase on the 4.8 million euros posted in 2003. The network used by Sport System Developement (SSD), the domestic importer of Lotto products, is different from that of its main rivals, Adidas, Nike, Puma or Reebok, with the company strongly focusing on promotion in football. “Lotto is a brand specialised in football and tennis, and its customers know this,” explained Roxana Vaduva, marketing and sales coordinator within SSD. Since football is the most popular sport in Romania, the domestic importer decided to associate its image with one of the most important teams in the Romanian championship. “Lotto now holds contracts with 8 Division A teams, as well as with 6 teams from Division B,” Vaduva explained. ZF