American Suzuki's three-year, $1.5M partnership with
the Downtown Athletic Club (DAC) to sponsor the Heisman
Trophy, under which the collective first-place fan vote
counts for one of the 922 official votes, "causes concern in
some corners," according to Michael Hirsley of the CHICAGO
TRIBUNE. But Heisman Trophy Exec Dir Rudy Riska "insisted"
that the deal "won't rub off any of the trophy's luster,"
and that it "wasn't forced by financial concerns" at N.Y.'s
Downtown Athletic Club. Rather, Riska said the DAC is "very
choosy" in entering sponsorship agreements, citing Suzuki's
planned ad campaign which "will get the public involved in
talking about college football and the Heisman." IEG
Sponsorship Report VP Jim Andrews said that Suzuki is
following the marketing trend known as "borrowed image."
Andrews: "You can cultivate an image with ads. But sometimes
it's easier and faster to use someone else's image and get
the rub-off effect." But Lanktree Sports President Nova
Lanktree said the deal and the fan voting "could backfire on
Suzuki if it dilutes the prestige of the award" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 8/18). CNN/SI's Vince Cellini reported that "no
corporate tag will appear before or after the words 'Heisman
Trophy.'" Cellini, referring to Time Warner's participation
in the Suzuki/DAC deal: "Look for future Heisman Trophy
updates on this station" (CNN/SI, 8/17).
REAX: FSN's Keith Olbermann, on DAC President Bill
Dockery saying the DAC was not "going to do anything to
compromise the integrity of the award." Olbermann: "You
mean, anything else" (FSN, 8/17). In L.A., Kevin Modesti
writes that if the Heisman Trophy has to have "an automotive
sponsor, wouldn't the Ford Bronco be more appropriate?"
Modesti: "What next -- the Nobel Peace Prize, presented by
Pizza Hut?" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 8/18). Former Heisman winner
Paul Hornung: "It's a shame that the Heisman can't stand on
its own two feet as a great American tradition. Everything
is so commercial these days" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/18).
