Coca-Cola Co. "will unleash a multi-tiered sports and
musical promo blitz that solidifies ties to the NBA, activates
its 1996 Atlanta Olympics sponsorship" and reprises its "Red Hot
Summer" contest with a heavy radio push, according to the current
issue of BRANDWEEK.  The "onslaught" unfolds this week with the
"biggest-ever effort for Sprite," an NBA-themed under-the-cap
game featuring point-of-purchase ads other promotions with
Pistons rookie Grant Hill in national ads and 16 other NBA stars
in their local markets.  In May, Classic Coke, Diet Coke and
Powerade join Sprite for an "Olympic Ticket" giveaway of 100
instant-win trips.  Point-of-purchase displays will include the
Olympic torch and rings.  The "Red Hot Summer" campaign will
focus on Coke's 20-oz. contour bottle.  A national give-away of
25 Ford Explorers and discounts at Foot Locker will be augmented
with vehicle and local-event ticket giveaways.  The "Red Hot
Summer" campaign will be supported by radio ads aimed at a young
demo (Karne Benezra, BRANDWEEK, 3/13).

     The recent trade of NBA all-star Clyde Drexler from the
Blazers to the Rockets "has been good news" for footwear maker
Avia, according to Anita Marks of the OREGON BUSINESS JOURNAL.
Drexler and his "trademark Avia hightops" have been "soaking up
priceless free publicity" ever since he went to Houston.  Tim
Haney, Promotions & Merchandising Dir for Avia: "Clyde has gotten
more national exposure in the last two weeks than he has in the
last 11 years in Portland.  We have to determine how we want top
make that work for us."  IMG's Bill Strickland:  "Avia needs to
make a decision about putting some serious advertising and
promotional money behind Clyde.  Packaged right, they can go a
long way and make a huge splash" (OREGON BUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/3-
10).

     Hooters and the American Power Boat Association announced
the creation of the Hooters Formula-1 P.R.O.P. tour, with
$250,000 in total prize money.  The tour begins its inaugural
season May 6 in Orlando.  Boston; Bay City, MI; Saskatoon,
Canada; Cincinnati; Jacksonville; and St. Louis will also host
races.  ESPN, ESPN2 and several int'l networks will televise the
events.  Hooters' VP/Marketing Mike McNeil:  "This sponsorship
dovetails nicely into our other sports marketing programs.
Hooters supports a variety of racing series because we view it as
an integral part of the American lifestyle" (Hooters).

     Gillette kicked off a $100M ad campaign March 11 on CBS'
broadcast of the Big East Conference tournament.  The new global
campaign marks the first shift in the "Best a man can get" spots
since their introduction in '89 (AD AGE, 3/13 issue)....Evian
Natural Spring Water has signed on as the Official Water of the
Women's Professional Volleyball Association.  Evian is currently
involved with the AVP, including sponsorship of the Evian Indoor
Tour.  Evian's participation includes logo ID in all advertising
and promotional efforts (WPVA/Evian)....Cadbury Schweppes said
yesterday it has acquired fewer shares of Dr Pepper-Seven-Up Cos.
than previously thought, but still owns 98.7% of the beverage
company (S.F. CHRONICLE, 3/14).....Reebok sponsored a symposium
entitled "Training Americans To Be More Physically Fit:  An
Exercise In Working Out The Solutions."  The seminar includes Tom
McMillen, Co-Chair of the President's Council on Physical Fitness
and Sports, and other leading health and fitness experts
(Reebok)....Gordie Howe, Johnny Bench and Tom Osborne will appear
at The World of Licensed Products Show during the NSGA World
Sports Expo '95 in Chicago, July 16-18 (NSGA)....Footwear company
Wolverine World Wide launches a national TV campaign for its work
boots.  TV ads premiere this week on ESPN and CBS's NCAA
basketball coverage (USA TODAY, 3/14)....Sports Media, Inc.,
which designs team yearbooks, said its Super Bowl Supr Bowl XXIX
books have shown a 58.6% sale rate on newsstands.  These results
have prompted the company to publish an additional six MLB
specials, four NBA specials and an NHL special (Sports Media).

     NASCAR drivers will be going to "Opryland USA in Nashville."
In a three year agreement NASCAR has designed "Opryland USA" as
the official "NASCAR Destination.".... Rusty Wallace Bagels,
Capital Brokerage of Charlotte and the Rusty Wallace Charitable
Foundation have signed an agreement to create a line of high
quality, healthy food products for distribution and sale at local
markets.  The first food venture is Rusty Wallace "Wheels"
Bagels....The UAW, Ford Motors and United Intergrated Benefits
Insurance have joined forces to sponsor a new NASCAR Busch Series
Grand National race team (ERNIE SAXTON SPONSORSHIP MARKETING
NEWS).

     The CBA Board of Directors announced that Brian Hakan and
Associates has been hired to manage and organize the league's
first-ever league-wide licensing and merchandising program.  The
K.C.-based Hakan & Assoc. oversees a similar program for the IHL
and ABC's "Monday Night Football" and "Wide World of Sports."
CBA Commissioner Tom Valdiserri:  "Sales of professional sports
merchandise has exploded over the last five-to-10 years, it is
time that the CBA claim its share of the business. ... [In two
year] we hope to have the market saturated with our products."
Valdiserri said the league will market new logos, nicknames and
colors (CBA).