ACOG CEO Billy Payne underwent surgery to replace a
herniated disc at the base of his neck with a piece of his pelvic
bone.  Payne, who apparently ruptured the disc when reaching
around quickly to pick something up, will take several days to
recuperate from the three and a half-hour surgery (ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION, 5/28)....Nissan will spend upwards of $175M on
network spending for the upcoming season, including an estimated
$10M Olympic media buy in order to create an image of "a
mainstream sedan company matured beyond its once-sporty image"
(BRANDWEEK, 5/27).... Bob Garfield of AD AGE writes, "on a scale
of 1 to 11," the Olympic-themed ad for IBM featuring the
fictional band Spinal Tap, "is pretty bloody disappointing" (AD
AGE, 5/28). ....ACOG and Hanes will host a grand opening during
June and July at which more than 70,000 Games staff members will
pick up their uniforms and accreditation badges during scheduled
appointments (ACOG)....Officials of the '98 Nagano Olympic Games
expect 1.2 million visitors during the 16-day Winter Games (SAN
JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 5/28)....Chuck Rohe, of Florida Citrus Sports,
says a "two-week blitz" of advertising is planned in June for the
nine Olympic soccer games in Orlando (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 5/28).

     Reebok's Olympic marketing program will attempt to reach
boys via video games and women and teenage girls through the
stores where they shop, reports Jeff Jensen of AD AGE.  Reebok
will join in a cross-promotion with U.S. Gold, which holds
licensing rights to all Olympic-related electronic entertainment.
For the cross-promotion, Reebok will add $10 rebates to the
Olympic Games and Olympic Soccer video games to packages
containing new Reebok shoes.  Both Reebok and U.S. Gold will
support each other with in-store advertising, and Reebok will get
logo placement on game packaging and cartridges and an ad inside
each game's instruction manual.  Reebok will also join in a
cross-promotion with Nordstrom's which will include a Reebok-
sponsored mall tour of the U.S. women's gymnastics team at 10
store locations next month.  Nordstrom's is planning in-store
displays, including the Vault shoe worn by U.S. gymnasts during
medal ceremonies.  Reebok will support with hang-tags and an ad
in June's Nickelodeon (AD AGE, 5/28).