Player's, the tobacco company which cannot display its
name on the cars of racers Greg Moore and Patrick Carpentier
during U.S. CART events because of the deal limiting tobacco
sponsorships, "will continue sponsoring" the cars this year,
but Player's President Jean Paul-Blais said that continuing
the relationship next year "is another question," according
to Dan Proudfoot of the TORONTO SUN. Blais: "We will
certainly have to question ourselves on that and get to a
decision beyond mid-summer. We're in this to have our name
on the cars." At yesterday's Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami
opener, Canadian flag crests were sewn over Player's logos
on drivers and crew uniforms, and the Player's name on the
cars was covered by decals (TORONTO SUN, 3/20).
DEMOS RIGHT ON TARGET? MN-based Target Stores'
marketing effort around its CART sponsorship was examined by
Bill Koenig of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR-NEWS, who wrote that
the retailer "has become among the most active companies
marketing [CART]." The company will roll out a series of
new TV spots featuring driver Juan Montoya. Target
spokesperson Carolyn Brookter, on CART demos: "These are the
people at our stores" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR-NEWS, 3/21).
