IL-based marketing firm HA-LO has signed a marketing
deal with Cubs RF Sammy Sosa to create a "Sammy Sosa brand,"
and in Chicago, Jay Mariotti puts the deal's value at $25M
(CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 8/27). HA-LO CEO Lou Weisbach said,
"There's no doubt that this entire concept is about making
money," but added that "a good chunk of that money will also
go to charity" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/27). More Weisbach: "We
believe there's a great brand in Sammy Sosa." CBS
SportsLine's Mark Alesia writes that the "Sammy Sosa brand"
logo -- as depicted on lapel pins worn by HA-LO officials at
the news conference announcing the deal -- is of "Sammy's
swing, a sort of takeoff on Michael Jordan's 'jumpman' logo"
(CBS SportsLine, 8/27). Also in Chicago, George Lazarus
writes that HA-LO, "at this stage, ... isn't specific on
what route it will take in building Sammy's name," although
"Slammin' Sammy" cereal "will soon hit" the N.Y. and
Caribbean markets. However, a HA-LO official did say that
the company is "'taking over' on Sosa's endorsements," and
Sosa's agent Domingo Dauhagre had "approached Ha-Lo ...
about branding." Lazarus: "Where all this leaves Integrated
Marketing Solutions (IMS), which up to now has worked on
[Sosa's] endorsements, is a bit unclear" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE,
8/27). IMS President Mark Leonard told THE DAILY his
company is "still managing all of [Sosa's] existing business
and we're going to continue in that role in the future."
Leonard added Sosa has 6-10 deals "definitely in the works,"
including several that are Internet-related (THE DAILY).
Sosa's current endorsements include Fila Holding, Kmart,
McDonald's, EA Sports, Fuji Photo Film and Spanish TV net
Telemundo (THE DAILY).
