Serena Williams, who recently signed with Puma, said
she will have "input" into what she will wear. Williams: "I
told them I like the full dresses a little more than the
skirts, so, it is just -- right now we are working on a lot
of different designs so we are trying to get something
together." Williams said the Puma deal will involve "sports
and entertainment and we just want to bring something
different to the game of tennis" (THE DAILY).
OTHER NOTES: In Miami, Elaine Walker profiled New
Balance and wrote, "While other athletic shoe manufacturers
are struggling with stagnating sales, New Balance is riding
a wave of popularity that has sent sales climbing at a
double-digit pace" (MIAMI HERALD, 2/26)....Nike "is working"
to move the March 25 launch of the new Air Jordans from a
school day to a weekend after complaints from "educators
nationwide." The likely new launch date is Saturday, March
28 (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 2/26)....ROLLING STONE's Eric
Boehlert examines the corporate use of contemporary music in
TV advertising, noting Nike's use of the Verve's "Bitter
Sweet Symphony." Boehlert: "Why the mad rush from Madison
Avenue? Clients, eager for any sort of marketing edge, want
the authenticity and star association that hit songs
deliver." Levi's Senior Ad Manager Joe Townsend: "If we can
show kids we're cool, we have a step up." Boehlert writes
that the "going rate" for licensing of a "top pop song" is
$200,000 to $400,000 (ROLLING STONE, 3/19 issue).
