Rory McIlroy Signs with Bose Corporation

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. --(Business Wire)--

Today, Bose Corporation announced at The Honda (News - Alert) Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida that Rory McIlroy will be a Global Brand Ambassador for the company's headphones, portable speakers, home and automotive systems. McIlroy joins Bose in a multi-year agreement as he begins 2013 as the number one golfer in the world.

Bob Maresca, President of Bose Corporation, Announces Rory McIlroy as a Bose Global Brand Ambassador. (Photo: Business Wire)

A lifelong music lover, McIlroy has been a Bose customer for years. "I've always chosen Bose because I've always wanted the best sound quality I could get," said McIlroy. "Bose products are different. And Bose is different. They work hard at their innovations, they aren't conventional, and they're committed to doing things that haven't been done before, just like I am."

"Rory is a once-in-a-generation athlete," said Bob Maresca, president of Bose Corporation. "Just like his millions of fans around the world, we're amazed by his talent and his passion. We know a lot goes into his game even when he's off the course. He loves music, just like we do, and we're thrilled to be a part of how he competes and relaxes."

This is the first endorsement for McIlroy involving a consumer electronics brand, and he will only be representing Bose products that he uses. "We want Rory's fans and our customers to know that if they hear from Rory about Bose, it's on behalf of something he chooses - ot something we choose for him," said Maresca.

Currently, McIlroy owns several Bose products, including the SoundLink^® Mobile speaker II, the Bose^® VideoWave^® II entertainment system, the Bose^® QuietComfort^® 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones, and the Bose^® MIE2i mobile headset.

"I'm a huge headphone guy," said McIlroy. "And Bose headphones are the best I've found. I use their in-ear headphones to work-out, and their noise cancelling headphones to travel. Whether I need motivation, or to tune-out, I reach for Bose. Their headphones go with me everywhere."

The agreement was finalized after McIlroy visited the Bose R&D facility in Framingham, Massachusetts at the company's world headquarters. "Rory got to see our commitment to research," said Maresca. McIlroy commented that it became clearer why and how Bose products excel in such a crowded market. "They are driven. They innovate. They make the investments to outperform the competition. And I can relate to that."

About Rory McIlroy

McIlroy had a standout year in 2012, becoming the world's No. 1 golfer, securing five global wins, a Ryder Cup victory for Team Europe and taking countless season titles across the PGA and European PGA Tours. His five global wins in 2012 include his second Major Championship victory (PGA Championship) and two PGA Tour playoff events (Deutsche Bank Championship and BMW Championship). He won the 2012 PGA Championship with the largest margin of victory in the event's history.

McIlroy and Tiger Woods are the only two active players under the age of 40 with multiple Major wins.

McIlroy also earned the 2012 U.S. PGA Tour Player of the Year award and led both the PGA Tour and PGA European Tour money lists for 2012. To cap off a sensational season that saw McIlroy post career-highs in earnings and wins, he closed his year with a victory at the DP World Tour Championship and became the second youngest athlete to achieve the top spot as No. 1 in the world golf rankings. McIlroy has 10 global career wins on his resume, including two Major Championships.

About Bose Corporation

Bose Corporation was founded in 1964 by Dr. Amar G. Bose, professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Today, the company is primarily known for acoustics; however, its research has resulted in products for non-audio fields. Bose inventions have improved the performance of:

Loudspeakers
Home entertainment systems
Automotive music systems designed for the interior acoustics of each car model (first introduced by Bose)
Noise-reducing headsets for pilots and the public (first introduced by Bose)
Headphones and headsets for music
Sound in public spaces
The production of sound for musicians requiring electronic amplification of their instruments
Materials testing and durability simulation instruments for biomedical, industrial and commercial applications
Driver suspension systems for heavy-duty trucks