Panasonic Announces Olympic Relationship With Gold Medalist Picabo Street

Olympian Will Support Company’s Global Sponsorship of the 2006 Winter Olympics

SECAUCUS, NJ (December 20, 2005) – Panasonic Corporation of North America announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Picabo Street to help support the company’s Olympic initiative, which will focus on building national awareness for Panasonic’s global sponsorship of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.

Panasonic will involve Ms. Street in a variety of marketing and communication initiatives, including in-market appearances to help support Panasonic’s “Kid Witness News” program through which the company provides video equipment to more than 200 schools around the country allowing students to develop valuable skills through the use of video. Additional initiatives will include Ms. Street making a variety of media and tradeshow appearances on behalf of the company and having her likeness used in collateral marketing materials.

“Panasonic has been a very important partner for the Olympic Games over the last 17 years and I’m very excited to be working with them for this new campaign,” stated Ms. Street. “The Olympic Games, especially the Winter Games, have a very special place in my life. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to help Panasonic create awareness for their global efforts in support of the Olympics.”

Picabo Street was born in the town of Triumph, Idaho. At age 16, she won the National Junior Alpine Ski Championship and in 1994, Picabo won the silver medal in the downhill at the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. She reached the medal podium again at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan winning the gold medal in the Super G, just months after suffering a serious knee injury in a ski accident in Colorado.

Panasonic has been a world wide Olympic sponsor since the 1988 Calgary Games, providing state-of-the-art plasma and other digital TV, audio and video technology equipment, including distribution of digital video cameras, to many National Olympic Committees. Panasonic’s technology plays a vital role in broadcasting the sights, sounds and unique excitement of the Olympic Games around the world.

“Picabo is one of the most recognized Olympic athletes in the world and we’re very excited to have her on board,” stated Yoshi Yamada, Chairman and CEO, Panasonic Corporation of North America. “Her passion and determination to be the best are the same core attributes embodied by Panasonic. That’s why we felt she was the perfect partner for this program.”


About Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company
Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (NYSE: MC) and the hub of Panasonic’s U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Information about Panasonic products is available at www.panasonic.com. Additional company information for journalists is available at www.panasonic.com/pressroom.

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Jeff Samuels

Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company

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