The 101th Race of Giro d’Italia, initiated by philanthropist Sylvan Adams
The Giro d’Italia, the second most important bicycle race in the world, which has been held every year for more than 100 years, was launched on May 4, 2018, from Jerusalem – the capital of Israel – and received more than 1.3 billion viewers. It was the first time in history that the race kicked off outside the borders of Europe. The race in Israel attracted exceptional media coverage worldwide and became one of the most reported events in the competition’s history. The opportunity to host the competition at the highest international standards strengthened the positive branding of the State of Israel in the world. It contributed to the growing positioning of Israel as a sought-after and attractive destination for holding prestigious sports events, cultural performances, and international conferences.
Frish led the branding and marketing strategy of the race in Israel under the banner of the “Peace Race – from Jerusalem to Rome”. The event is considered, to this day, to be the most prestigious and most significant sporting gathering that has ever come to Israel. The race and the accompanying events were also a remarkable success in terms of exposing the Israeli population to the Giro d’Italia. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis came out onto the streets to cheer on the cyclists during a three-day race that moved millions of Israelis.
The Italian Grand Tour was broadcast live worldwide by hundreds of media teams from the world’s leading news and sports channels. In doing so, the hosting of the event significantly contributed to the positive branding of the State of Israel as a hub for tourism and sport. The event showcased Israel’s spectacular views and beautiful attractions from the north to the south to billions of viewers across the globe. This, in turn, resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of tourists visiting Israel. Through the event and the global coverage, hundreds of millions of people were exposed to meaningful positive content about the State of Israel.
