TCS inks marketing deal with Ferrari

India's top software exporter Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) , a Tata group firm, today said it has entered into an agreement with Ferrari for enhanced technology and marketing partnership that will see Tata logo displayed on the Italian auto giant's F1 car in 2009 season.

"We have entered into an agreement with Ferrari for an enhanced technology and marketing partnership as a part of which the logo of the company would be displayed on Ferrari," a TCS spokesperson said.

The pact with with Ferrari, the winner of this year's F1 World Constructor's title, will be a huge boost for India's biggest software firm to showcase its prowess. For the Tata group, this will be the second stint on the fast tracks of F1 after Tata Motors' association in 2005 with Narain Karthikeyan who drove for the Jordan team. This, however, is for the first time the logo of an Indian IT outsourcer would be displayed in such a high-profile motor sport.

The Indian IT companies have been aiming at building global brands similar to those of larger competitors like IBM and Accenture.

The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, one of the annual World Golf Championships for male professional golfers, is sponsored by global consulting firm Accenture. IBM also had an association with the Wimbledon.

On the home turf, Satyam Computer Services has an association with the FIFA World Cup. It is the Official IT services provider to the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. Having the Tata logo displayed on the Ferrari F1 car is likely to have rub-off benefits for other Tata group firms. TCS was the first Indian company to enter the F1 arena in 2005 when it became the technology partner of Ferrari.