The promotional giveaway was designed by Kyoko Mizutani, a longtime Angels fan and wife of Nitto’s president.
Consisting in-part of recycled materials, the Eco Bag represents the first time the Angels have partnered with a sponsor to create a customized item for fan distribution.
The Mizutanis have been huge fans of the Angels for almost 20 years, during which time they acquired a number of team collectibles. That experience inspired them to come up with an idea that they felt Angels fans would truly appreciate – an environmentally friendly tote bag.
The bag’s design pays homage to the portal that welcomes Angels fans to each game. It depicts the front of the stadium with its distinctive main entrance featuring two enormous, blazing red Angels hats, complete with New Era tags on the sweatband – including one indicating the hats' size: 649½.
For her design theme, Mizutani relied on the Angels’ helmet symbol and the team’s distinctive team color.
“I wanted to design something that fans would love to use over and over again, showing their devotion to Angels baseball as they do their part to protect the environment,” she explains.
“It was my dream to create something unique – a bag that is useful for shopping while carrying a message about ecology. I also wanted to create something that fans can be proud of when they use the bag,” Mizutani points out.
“Nitto’s motto is ‘Fueled by Enthusiasts,’ which is why we are partnering with the Angels organization – they’re fueled by their fans’ enthusiasm,” says Gloria Miyamoto, the tire maker’s marketing manager.
“The Angels’ support of this promotion is a sign of that shared excitement – it has enabled Nitto to create something really special for the Angels community,” she says.
The promotion is Nitto’s second at Angel Stadium during this 50th anniversary season. At the home opener, Nitto presented fans with a collectible commemorative T-shirt, the back of which featured a list of all 853 Angels players, coaches and managers to wear the Halos uniform since the franchise’s founding in 1961.
Promotional giveaways are just part of the tire manufacturer’s second year of sponsorship of the ballclub. The company’s logo appears in the Angels magazine and on the scoreboard behind home plate. And at the July 8 game against the Seattle Mariners, Nitto will present fans with a special Angels drawstring backpack.
For more information, visit www.nittotire.com.
