Quaker Oats has enlisted Foote, Cone & Belding,
Chicago, for an "estimated" $20M-plus TV campaign around its
new cereal, "U.S. Soccer Golden Goals," which it will launch
in conjunction with the USSF, according to AD AGE. USSF's
"choice of Quaker comes as a surprise, since ... it doesn't
routinely license cereals or link with sports. But Quaker's
coup may be tied to its willingness to introduce Golden
Goals as a permanent, rather than limited-time, addition to
its brand lineup." USSF CMO Mark Noonan: "We had quite a
bit of interest in this category, but it was Quaker that
jumped to the forefront with their long-term perspective on
our sport" (AD AGE, 8/11). The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports
that Quaker Oats will "begin a national launch" of the
soccer ball-shaped cereal next month and will feature a
picture of the U.S. WWC team. The product, which is made
with sweetened corn and oats, will retail for "about" $3.49
per box, "in line with the company's other cereals." Quaker
Oats will donate 3% of the product's sales to youth soccer.
The launch marks Quaker Oats' "first new cereal" since '95.
The ad campaign begins in October and will include TV spots
during soccer matches (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/11).
WHAT ABOUT WHEATIES? General Mills' Wheaties announced
a five-box series featuring five members of the U.S. women's
team -- Michelle Akers, Brandi Chastain, Mia Hamm, Kristine
Lilly and Briana Scurry. Each player will be featured
individually in a series of boxes to roll out nationally
later this month. Each box will appear one-at-a-time over
the next five months. The launch marks the first time soccer
players will be featured on a Wheaties box (Wheaties).
MIGHTY FINE BRANDI: Brandi Chastain will appear on the
Shop At Home Network tomorrow starting at 5:00pm ET with
sports collectibles show host Don West to promote limited-
edition WWC team memorabilia. The show will feature team-
signed photos and soccer balls and other items signed by
Chastain, including a limited-edition SI with Chastain on
the cover. Shop At Home has a deal with Total Sports
Concepts that gives it exclusive TV sales rights to the
memorabilia (Shop At Home). In San Jose, Jody Meacham
writes that Chastain has been "so deluged with offers and
responsibilities" that she has "dropped her job" as "top
assistant" of her husband Jerry Smith's Santa Clara Univ.
women's soccer team. Chastain will appear in a Nike ad with
Kevin Garnett, but she said, "I'm not even sure yet what
we're going to be selling" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 8/11).
