OPUS "is concluding a scouting mission of ad agencies as
well as research and design shops for a major branding
initiative," according to Jeff Jensen of AD AGE. OPUS is
seeking an image "that casts the Olympics brand as
antithetical to the negative image of sports recently
reflected by professional athletics." The organization hopes
to finalize agency assignments by the start of the Nagano
Olympics. A campaign break date has not been set nor has a
budget been disclosed (AD AGE, 1/19 issue).
NAGANO INVENTORY: With the Winter Olympics less than
three weeks away, CBS has sold more than 95% of its ad time,
according to Langdon Brockinton of MEDIAWEEK. A "handful of
unidentified movie studios are said to be closing in on
deals" valued at more than $10M. Staples struck a deal with
CBS for the office supply chain's first national Olympics
buy. Sources put the deal at $2-3M (MEDIAWEEK, 1/19).
REVENGE: The U.S. Women's hockey team defeated Canada 4-
3 in O.T. last night before 7,784 in San Jose, the largest
U.S. crowd ever to watch a women's hockey game (USA Hockey).
