In expanding its sports marketing relationship with pro
golf, Canon has become the official camera, facsimile,
copier and binocular of the PGA and Senior PGA Tours. To
support the partnership, Canon will launch a marketing
program that includes the signing of four PGA Tour players,
including Davis Love III. Also part of the effort is the
"Birdie's for Kids" program, which supports Junior Golf
(Canon)....GA-based Southern Company has become the
"Official Energy Company" of the PGA Tour, to go along with
its presenting sponsorship of The Tour Championship.
Southern will launch a new TV ad campaign featuring Tour
players and create an annual award to recognize a Tour
player for citizenship and goodwill (Southern).
LICENSING SUCCESS: In FL, Garry Smits profiled the PGA
Tour Retail Licensing program efforts. PGA Tour VP/Licensing
& Retail Marketing Leo McCullagh, on the licensing program:
"Our mission is building a brand that will touch more and
more people and hope they get interested in the sport, and
start following the players" (TIMES-UNION, 3/24).
WOMEN'S STOP SEARCHES FOR SPONSOR: Entertainment Sports
Equities (ESE), which holds the rights to August's LPGA Tour
event near Boston, had hoped to have "a title sponsor by the
end" of last summer, but a deal "has yet to be unveiled,"
according to Paul Harber of the BOSTON GLOBE. ESE Senior VP
Frank Neer said a deal is done: "We have a sponsor lined up.
However, the new sponsor doesn't want to announce it until
April, after March Madness is over" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/25).
