ATLANTA, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- The Home Depot (NYSE: HD), the world's
largest home improvement retailer, will debut its Olympic-themed television
commercial during the Opening Ceremony of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. The
30-second spot introduces six of the 140 Olympic and Paralympic athletes who
work for Home Depot through special job assistance programs. As the leading
employer in the U.S. Olympic Committee's Olympic Job Opportunities Program
(OJOP), The Home Depot(R) employs athletes part-time -- allowing time off for
their intense training schedules -- and pays them full-time compensation.
The ad depicts each athlete training in his or her respective sport.
Rather than identifying them by sport, the accompanying text indicates the
department they are assigned to when working at Home Depot (e.g. "Derek Parra,
Flooring"). The commercial concludes with the message that "Home Depot has
employed more Olympic hopefuls than any other company in the world".
"At Home Depot, we believe the Olympic Games are all about the athletes.
With so many athletes working in our stores through special Olympic job
programs, we thought it fitting that we pay tribute to a few them as they get
set to compete in Salt Lake," said John Ross, vice president of advertising
for The Home Depot. "Their hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence
are a true inspiration for all of us."
As the leading employer in the U.S. Olympic Committee's Olympic Job
Opportunities Program (OJOP) and similar programs in Canada and Puerto Rico,
Home Depot has supported more 280 athletes since 1992. The Home Depot's
advertising agency, The Richards Group, based in Dallas, is responsible for
the creative. Home Depot athletes featured in the commercial include:
Athlete Sport Home Depot Location Department
Derek Parra Speedskating West Valley City, Utah Flooring
Lisa Kosglow Snowboarding Louisville, Colo. Cashier
Tristan Gale Skeleton Salt Lake City, Utah Garden
Patrick Weaver Cross Country Skiing Bend, Ore. Paint
Monte Meier Disabled Skiing Lindon, Utah Hardware
Danielle Goyette Ice Hockey Calgary, Canada Plumbing
"Working at Home Depot has enabled me to continue doing what I love to do,
ski!" said two-time Olympic cross-country skier Patrick Weaver. "I not only
get to ski and compete around the world, but I also get to mix paint with the
best of them."
Through OJOP and other job programs, athletes working as Home Depot
associates each log about 1,040 hours a year in the stores -- or roughly a 20-
hour work week -- with individual schedules determined by demands of the
sport, training requirements and competitive calendars. In short, program
participants work part time and receive full-time compensation.
The Home Depot is a proud sponsor of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams
through 2004, as well as the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
Home Depot has supported the Olympic Movement since 1992, when it signed on as
a sponsor of the 1994 and 1996 U.S. Olympic Teams and the Centennial Olympic
Games in the company's hometown of Atlanta.
Founded in 1978, The Home Depot operates more than 1,350 stores in the
U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico and employs more than 250,000 people. In
February 2001 Home Depot was ranked 6th in Fortune magazine's Top Ten Most
Admired Companies and for eight consecutive years, the company has been ranked
by Fortune as America's Most Admired Specialty Retailer. Its stock is traded
on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones
Industrial Average and Standard & Poor's 500 Index.
SOURCE The Home Depot
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.homedepot.com
CONTACT:
Mandy Holton of The Home Depot,
+1-770-384-2935, or cell, +1-404-229-5931
|
