A new "Absolut Vail" ad "was meant to poke fun at the
     Colorado town know for skiing, but Vail Resorts Inc. isn't
     laughing," according to Penny Parker of the DENVER POST. 
     The ad shows an Absolut vodka bottle wrapped in a plaster
     cast.  Vail CEO Adam Aron called the ad "outrageous," and
     said his company "will sue TBWA Chiat/Day," the agency that
     created the ad.  Aron claims the ad "constitutes trademark
     infringement because Vail owns the trademark on the name
     Vail 'with connection to skiing.'"  Parker adds that TBWA
     said it pulled 80% of the ads set for February editions of
     national magazines, "not because of Vail's objections but in
     light of the recent skiing-related deaths of Michael Kennedy
     and Sonny Bono" (DENVER POST, 1/9).  In L.A., Denise Gellen
     reports TBWA Chiat/Day "was unable to yank" the ad from the
     February issues of Aspen, Esquire, Premier and Ski magazines
     (L.A. TIMES, 1/9).  For more skiing, see (#26).

          The Univ. of MN men's Athletic Dept. announced a three-
     year sponsorship deal with MN-based Land O'Lakes, valued at
     $242,500.  The deal includes a marketing program designed to
     promote milk and milk products (Land O'Lakes).  Univ. of MN
     AD Mark Dienhart said the school was "concerned" about the
     message it sends through its corporate partnerships.  In
     June, the men's athletic department did not renew a three-
     year sponsorship deal with Treasure Island Casino, and last
     month decided "it wanted to shorten to one year an as-yet-
     unsigned three-year, $225,000 sponsorship pact" with
     Minnesota Brewing Co. (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 1/9).

          Nike has designed a new logo for the start of the '98
     Nike Tour, consisting of a flagstick with the words Nike
     Tour incorporated in an oval.  The new logo eliminates the
     Nike "swoosh" (Nike)....NJ-based Prince Sports Group
     announced the integration of its golf product line into its
     internal direct sales force.  Prince's golf sales
     responsibilities were handled by reps of TN-based Datrek
     Professional Bags (Prince Sports Group).

          The Penguins and Xerox of Pittsburgh have inked a five-
     and-a-half year deal making Xerox the official document
     solutions company of the team.  The deal begins immediately.
     As partners, Xerox and the Penguins have created two
     Business Centers, located in the luxury lounges at the Civic
     Arena, that will allow business execs attending games to
     utilize on-site computers to fax, copy, print and finish
     documents, send e-mail and gain Internet access (Penguins). 

          In a year when sports fans will have World Cup soccer
     and the Winter Olympics to "sate their appetites," the Super
     Bowl "remains the $uper Bowl," according to Greg Johnson of
     the L.A. TIMES.  All the advertisers are "anxiously waiting"
     to see if the AFC "can keep viewers in the game beyond
     halftime," while sports marketing "gurus" are handicapping
     which players and coaches are most likely to turn "gridiron
     glory into potentially lucrative marketing contracts." 
     Packers QB Brett Favre is the player "with the most to gain"
     from a repeat Super Bowl win, but Johnson calls the Broncos'
     John Elway a "potential dark horse."  As for coaches, the
     Packers' Mike Holmgren and the Steelers' Bill Cowher "might
     be able to cash in if their teams win."  FCB's Bob Dorfman
     said if Holmgren wins "again, sponsors are going to start
     loving him."  Dorfman added that Cowher has a "working-class
     appeal," with a "distinctive look" (L.A. TIMES, 1/8).
          PLAYERS VS. ABSTAINERS: CNBC's Mike Hegedus said that
     "in the last seven years, nearly 250 new ads have premiered
     on Super Bowl Sunday."  Jeff Mordos, Managing Dir of
     BBDO/NY, whose firm handles the Pepsi account along with
     five other companies who will run Super Bowl ads: "You can't
     win if you don't play and that's the biggest game to play
     in" ("The Edge," CNBC, 1/7).  Super Bowl '97 advertisers who
     decided not to run ads in this year's game include three
     carmakers -- Nissan, Porsche and Honda -- as well as Fila,
     Johnson & Johnson, MCI, Breathe Right and Janus Funds,
     according to USA TODAY's Melanie Wells.  John Elder, Porsche
     Account Dir at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners: "We just
     couldn't justify the cost" (USA TODAY, 1/9).  The Super Bowl
     has been able to "lure back" Coca-Cola, which hasn't run an
     ad during the game since '91.  It will go up against
     "archrival Pepsi" with a pair of spots (L.A. TIMES, 1/8). 
     

          NY-based Kaleidoscope Sports & Entertainment (KS&E)
     will serve as the liaison between ESPN and Buick Motor
     Division, the sponsor of tomorrow's 73rd Annual East-West
     Shrine Game, from Palo Alto, CA.  KS&E will produce a
     vignette featuring a visit by the game's players and coaches
     to the Shriners Hospital for Children in Sacramento (KS&E).
          RUSTED HEAD? Zest Body Wash has challenged Rams RB
     Craig "Iron Head" Heyward to take the world's longest shower
     at tomorrow's East-West Shrine Game.  Heyward will lather up
     in a giant portable shower that moves throughout the
     stadium.  For each minute Heyward showers, Zest Body Wash
     will make a donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of America and
     The Shriners Hospitals for Children (Zest Body Wash).

          Trans World Airlines (TWA) will become a Corel WTA Tour
     corporate partner in '98.  TWA will become the official
     airline of the WTA Tour and, in exchange for barter airline
     miles on TWA, will receive exclusivity in the airline
     category and advertising and/or logo exposure in various
     Tour vehicles, including the Tour's website, annual Player
     Guide, its weekly Notes & Netcords as well as a portion of
     the Tour's commercial time on MSG Network.  TWA will also
     have the opportunity to sponsor a monthly/annual player
     award.  TWA will also develop a travel program designed to
     take advantage of the travel of Tour personnel (WTA).