The company, a worldwide Olympic partner, also plans to raise $5 million (£3 million/€4 million) to help establish and sustain youth sports programmes around the world with a large portion of sales and donations from the company's leadership brands, including Pampers, Gillette and Pantene, going towards helping children.

Additionally, P&G claim they will help thousands of mums attend the London 2012 Games in a project that unveiled here at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games during a special which saw British world marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe and 16-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer take part via special video links from Kenya and Australia respectively.


"We believe that behind every athlete is an even more amazing mum," said Marc Pritchard (pictured above), the P&G Global Marketing and Brand Building Officer.

"P&G is in the business of helping mums.

"Through our 'Thank You Mum' programme, we will support not just the mums of Olympic athletes, but every mum who does whatever it takes to make her child's life the best it can be.

"We hope to create a movement to thank mums everywhere, making a difference to youth sports around the globe."

P&G has already named 11 British athletes, including Jessica Ennis, Radcliffe and Sir Chris Hoy as brand ambassadors for a range of its products.

Pritchard claimed the company's mothers campaign at the Vancouver Olympics generated $100 million (£65 million/€79 million) in extra sales.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge said that he was very pleased to see P&G involved in so much Olympic-related activity ahead of London 2012.

"I am delighted to see the strength of P&G's commitment to the Olympic Movement," said Rogge.

"Through its support of mothers of Olympians, P&G is helping athletes.

"With its support of youth sports, the company is supporting families and is helping to develop athletes every day.

"It aligns perfectly with the Olympic values."


P&G and its brands will also sponsor more than 150 athletes, who will be featured in advertising and retail campaigns to generate sales and donations that will help support youth sports.

Among the high profile elite athletes sponsored by P&G and its brands are American swimmer Michael Phelps, British marathon runner Paula Radcliffe, Swiss tennis player Roger Federer and Chinese badminton player Lin Dan.

"Sport had a life-changing role in my childhood development," said 14-time Olympic champion and Head & Shoulders ambassador Phelps, who began swimming at age seven.

"As a child, I was diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and I used sport as an outlet for all my energy.

"Having that outlet positively affected my life outside the pool, too."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]

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