{"id":32976,"date":"2012-12-20T14:32:16","date_gmt":"2012-12-20T19:32:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/uncategorized\/2012\/12\/fina-and-yakult-to-dance-together-through-2018\/"},"modified":"2014-07-29T03:13:25","modified_gmt":"2014-07-29T10:13:25","slug":"fina-and-yakult-to-dance-together-through-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/fina-and-yakult-to-dance-together-through-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"FINA and Yakult To Dance Together Through 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, December 20. THE worldwide sensation that is the Dancing Yakult mascot will live on at FINA-sponsored events, as FINA has announced today the extension of its partnership with Yakult through 2018.<\/p>\n

Though not as popular in the United States, the Yakult brand is very well-known in Asia, Australia, South America and parts of Europe. The chief product sold by the Tokyo-based company is their probiotic milk, a bottle of which has been coming to life recently on pool decks as the life-size mascot of the FINA World Cup and world championships. The product is made with milk powder, sugar and a probiotic strain and has gained popularity outside Asia since 1966 and is sold in more than 30 countries. The company started a headquarters in the United States earlier this year. <\/p>\n

Though Yakult is not FINA's only marketing sponsor, the company has probably the most exposure among FINA's other partners, with the exception of touchpad maker Omega. The Yakult logo is a requirement on the caps of all athletes at the short course and long course worlds, a move that initially was protested by athletes and swimwear manufacturers but has since met with little resistance.<\/p>\n

Take a look at the Dancing Yakult:<\/b><\/p>\n