Madison Avenue is "playing catch-a-rising-star" at this
Winter Olympics, according to Sally Goll Beatty of the WALL
STREET JOURNAL. Ad execs say that Picabo Street, with one
gold medal already, "is ideally suited to help Detroit sell
more cars to women." FCB's Robert Dorfman: "First of all,
she goes fast. No. 2, there's her name -- Street." Dorfman
adds that Street could "reintroduce" the Beetle as she "sort
of has a Volkswagen personality." Nova Lanktree, of
Lanktree Sports Celebrity Network: "The name is it. Even if
you don't know what she looks like, her name makes her
recognizable." Goll Beatty reports that Madison Avenue
"also is buzzing" about gold medal winner Jonny Moseley and
ad execs are calling him a "natural pitchman for soft
drinks, men's grooming products, even underwear." Goll
Beatty: "[T]he more obscure a sport is, the hipper it seems
in the eyes of advertisers" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 2/13).
STREET SENSE: With "her irrepressible personality, her
Olympic success and a name like Picabo, the sky would seem
to be the limit for Picabo Street," according to Mark
Phillips on "CBS Evening News." Street has garnered
attention from sports agents. Agent Stephen Connolly, on
Street: "It's the name, it's the look, it is the
accomplishment. Picabo has it all, so she'll be able to
capitalize on this in a big way." Phillips: "Picabo Street,
America's darling of the descent -- perhaps appearing soon
on a cereal box near you" ("CBS Evening News," 2/13).
NOTES: The appeal of Bobsledding is examined by A.
Craig Copetas of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Climbing TV
ratings has made the sport "hot among Canadian and European
broadcasters and corporate-marketing scouts who have
trekked" to Nagano "in search of new sponsorship
opportunities" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 2/13)...In DC, Kevin
Sullivan looks at Nike's Nagano presence under the header,
"Unofficially, Nike Is Player At Winter Games. For
Exposure, Swoosh Rivals Olympic Rings" (WASH. POST, 2/13).
