John Paul Mitchell Systems, the world’s largest privately owned professional salon hair care company, will once again partner with XTERRA – the premier off-road triathlon and trail running series – as a Presenting Sponsor in 2012. Paul Mitchell is the longest-tenured corporate sponsor in the history of XTERRA, with the relationship dating back more than 17 years.
“We support events that are all about getting out there and doing it yourself,” said Julie Solwold, Vice President of Global Sports and Events for John Paul Mitchell Systems. “The Live More lifestyle that XTERRA embodies, and the fundamental belief of taking care of the environment are important to us, and I know it’s important to the athletes. I think XTERRA racers are enlightened. If someone falls, they help them up and they don’t trash the environment because they don’t want to dirty up their playground. That’s integrity.”
John Paul Mitchell Systems, spearheaded by CEO John Paul DeJoria, likewise work to ensure the company follows earth-friendly policies and strategies. In the last five years Paul Mitchell has planted more than 100,000 trees and given millions to charity. Furthermore, a core part of the curriculum at Paul Mitchell stylist schools is giving back to the community – whether cutting hair at a shelter for battered women, on prom night for inner city kids, or at Paul Mitchell cut-a-thons for charity.
Cut-a-thons have been a staple at Paul Mitchell sponsored events for more than 20 years, and XTERRA athletes have been known to wait weeks to cut their hair just so they can see the stylists at the race and be part of the family.
“Of all the events we do, and we do cut-a-thons all summer long, XTERRA competitors and their families are the most generous,” added Solwold. “I think a lot of it has to with the Challenged Athletes Foundation being a charity they can identify with. The courses are challenging enough if you’re able-bodied – to compete with any type of a challenge demands respect. There’s a spirit and camaraderie in the XTERRA family that’s not always apparent in other races.”
In 2012 XTERRA will help Paul Mitchell promote its men’s line MITCH, which features several unique products tailored exclusively for men’s hair, at more than 150 XTERRA races and with advertisements, billboards and editorial exposure in at least 10 nationally broadcast XTERRA television programs.
Paul Mitchell will also promote its Tea Tree line of products to event participants from March through to June of this year with a special promotion called ‘WHAT MAKES YOU TINGLE?’
In celebration of the unique tingling sensation Tea Tree Special Shampoo brings to the shower experience, consumers are encouraged to tell what makes them tingle in a 60 second video. The grand prize for the winning video is US$5000.
“Since the beginning Paul Mitchell has been our greatest supporter and they have truly become part of the fabric of our events,” said Tom Kiely, the CEO of TEAM Unlimited. “They have given thousands of athletes a spotlight to perform in, and created an incredibly loyal base of consumers out of our XTERRA Tribe. We really can’t thank John Paul, Julie, and the Paul Mitchell family enough for their continued support of XTERRA.”
