Subject: [NEXTEL-1] The Game: Marketing Cup Runs Over for

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2003 00:47:42 -0400

The Game: Marketing Cup Runs Over for
NHL; CBS Sports Finally Swings Golf Spots
April 07, 2003
By Hilary Cassidy

The National Hockey League, gearing up for the start of its playoff season on
April 9, will bow a series of documentary-style spots, via NHL Productions with
Grip, Toronto, with the new thematic, "It's all about the Cup," while its
sponsors also prepare to unveil a number of playoff-timed efforts.

The ads show fans interacting with the Cup as it travels to various high-profile
locations, like Niagara Falls, and steals attention from the main attraction.
The spots, set to pop star Avril Lavigne's "Mobile," break this week and run
through the playoffs. As part of a season-long initiative celebrating its fans,
the league will also highlight the winner of its "Fan of the Year" program at
Game One of the Finals.

Ed Horne, NHL Enterprises president, said this year's partner activation around
the playoffs is the league's strongest ever. Among sponsors introducing new
hockey-themed ads for the playoffs are Powerade, which also just completed its
fan-judged Most Outstanding Player Award program (won by Mario Lemieux); and
Anheuser-Busch, with new spots featuring the sports hamlet of "Hockey Falls."
A-B also will continue its on-premise "Bubble Boys" bubble hockey game
promotion, which this year has participation in 72 markets. Others with
NHL-themed advertising include Dodge, Southwest and Best Buy. In addition,
Nextel is featuring an online game with prizes of trips to the Finals and next
year's All-Star Game, and a Stanley Cup-themed retail promotion incorporating
MasterCard also is planned.

The three funny spots to highlight CBS Sports' golf coverage, created by GSD&M,
Austin, Texas, were originally slated to begin their run a few weeks ago. But
they were bumped as war coverage and news breaks kept network promotional slots
scarce.

The spots, tagged "The voice of golf," aim to develop a brand identity for CBS'
golf programming by featuring its commentators. In one, Jim Nantz, with a car
full of his co-hosts, speaks in the hushed tones used on the course as he places
an order at a fast-food drive-up window; another shows David Feherty at home
with all kinds of Phil Mickelson paraphernalia, wishing the golfer will win a
major. The spots are scheduled to begin a more regular rotation this week,
including airings during the NCAA hoops championship game.

Universal's 2 Fast 2 Furious, Everlast and Midas will join title sponsor
Budweiser as advertisers on NBC's and Telemundo's new three-week-long series of
Saturday afternoon live boxing broadcasts, beginning Saturday, May 3. Princeton
Video Imaging will create virtual advertising for the newcomers to appear in the
ring and around the arena. Midas also will purchase some 30-second spots.

In an unusual arrangement designed to more closely mimic the uninterrupted
fights on cable and pay-per-view, each telecast will include only about a dozen
traditional ads rather than the more typical 30 or so, giving fans the chance to
watch the action that goes on in the corners between rounds. Along with the
virtual messaging, the advertisers also will be incorporated into in-match stats
and informational enhancements.

Rawlings Sporting Goods will launch a mobile marketing "True Sport Tour" to hype
its baseball, softball and hoops products, including its Gold Glove series mitts
and its new 10-panel basketball. Kicking off on May 23 at the Big 12 Baseball
Tournament in Oklahoma City, the attraction—featuring inflatable batting cages
and basketball courts, PlayStations and video screens—will visit more than 50
retail locations and events, including the Major League Baseball All-Star Game
and the College World Series.  Rawlings endorsers, who include Derek Jeter, Alex
Rod-riguez and Ken Griffey Jr., will make appearances. PowerBar and David
Sunflower Seeds support as sponsors.  Momentum, Chicago, handles tour
management.

Those people who can't get to the theater on April 11 to see Warner Bros.'
two-and-a-half-minute trailer for its expected summer blockbuster, The Matrix
Reloaded, can catch the preview during Arena Football League games on Sunday,
April 13. The trailer will run on NBC as well as in arenas.

http://www.adweek.com/aw/search/search_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1858685

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