Since 2012, the eight-time German Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund and the automobile manufacturer Opel have been bound by a close partnership. which was visibly expanded into a long-term strategic alliance in the summer of 2017 thanks to the shirt sponsoring on the sleeves. Today that partnership was taken to a new level in the form of a joint appearance at the CentrO in Oberhausen.

To mark the new opening of the BVB Fan Shop at the CentrO Oberhausen, BVB boss Hans-Joachim Watzke, Managing Director Carsten Cramer and Opel Germany boss Jürgen Keller together gave the go-ahead for the new Black & Yellow project with a built-in "CAYU store". This artificial word refers to an e-commerce platform and a digital brand showroom.

"Rethinking things is fun for us. That's why the next step we're taking here in Oberhausen is both consistent and logical. We're delighted that Opel like our new fan shop concept at the CentrO so much that we have also managed, thanks to close coordination, to integrate the CAYU project," said Hans-Joachim Watzke of the new, combined appearance in a store. The optical design will correspondingly reflect the two brands.

"We wanted to break new ground with BVB and develop innovative concepts together that extend far beyond the presence of our logo on the shirts. In this regard, the complete integration of our CAYU store into the BVB Fan Shop is a perfect fit for the next extraordinary project. A digital brand showroom in this location – it's unique," said Jürgen Keller of the joint shopping concept.

Selected models can be ordered online. This approach serves to combine modern digital shopping behaviour with a real on-location experience in a new way. Additionally, the persons responsible for Opel and BVB fans have come up with an especially attractive offer: for the models Opel ADAM and Opel Corsa, there will be a BVB edition that includes a fan package. The vehicles are, rather unsurprisingly, black and yellow, while the fan package contains a current BVB shirt of your choice, a ball which has been signed by your favourite player and a BVB license plate holder along with stickers for your vehicle. Furthermore, a draw will be conducted among all the buyers at the end of each quarter for two VIP tickets for a home game. The winners will then be invited to the Opel box and will watch the match from the best spot in the stadium.

"I don't know any sponsors in Germany – with the exception of the companies that are involved in sport themselves – that integrate their sports sponsoring as consistently into their brand communication as Opel has been doing – with great success – for years," declared Carsten Cramer at the joint press conference between the two partners on Friday morning in Oberhausen." (br)