Oscar Mayer Foods is "taking a pass on next year's
Super Bowl halftime event as the showcase for its estimated
$50 million 'Talent Search,'" according to Pollack &
Arndorfer of AD AGE. Last year, Oscar Mayer bought rights
to the halftime show and the NFL Experience, as well as a
60-second and "at least" two 10-second spots on the Super
Bowl. An NFL spokesperson said the league is "bullish about
our prospects on getting a new sponsor for the halftime
show." Although 30-second TV spots cost $1.3M last year, an
Oscar Mayer spokesperson "denied cost was a factor" in the
decision. Pollack & Arndorfer write that "another reason
floated for the pullout" of the "family-friendly" company
was the halftime show's content, "some of which was suited
for mature audiences." Pollack & Arndorfer write the
decision "comes as somewhat of a surprise given that" Oscar
Mayer VP/Marketing Steve Shanesy said last year the Super
Bowl "netted the company record results" (AD AGE, 6/16).
NIKE'S EXTREME: Nike's first national ads from new
agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners will feature mountain
biking and skateboarding, according to Jensen & Cuneo of AD
AGE. Goodby, Silverstein & Partners was named in March to
handle some of Nike's retail segments. The first of five
biking footwear spots will break this weekend, but "most of
the advertising" and three other spots for skateboarding
products will break on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2's X Games
coverage June 20-28. The TV spots are Nike's first
"supporting specific sports within" the ACG outdoor line.
Jensen & Cuneo: "The new strategy in part reflects an effort
on Nike's part to prove to the extreme-sports consumer that
it is committed to the genre" (AD AGE, 6/16).
ISL ABROAD: ISL has opened an office in Beijing that
"will focus on the development of Chinese sporting events
and media properties." David Cantalupo has been named Chief
Representative of ISL Beijing (AD AGE, 6/16).
