Nabisco will launch an "aggressive sports marketing
campaign next month built around" Mia Hamm, Lindsay
Davenport, Ken Griffey Jr., Derek Jeter and Dan Marino, who
will "likely get more than $500,000 each in endorsement fees
alone," according to Daniel Kaplan of the SPORTSBUSINESS
JOURNAL, who notes that the campaign is a "first of its
kind" for the company. Kaplan writes that Nabisco's effort
is "unusual," as many corporations are "shying away from
shelling out big endorsement bucks" to athletes, and
Lanktree Sports President Nova Lanktree said the deal "has
the potential to be a rejuvenating, clear shot in the
marketplace" for athlete endorsements. The endorsers'
agents told Kaplan that Nabisco will launch ads, products,
sweeps and promos around the campaign starting in January.
Additionally, the company "plans to place" the athletes on
product packaging. Davenport will be on Newtons boxes, and
Griffey will promote Oreo and Planters brands, as well as
Sportz, a "yet to be released" product of "crackers in the
shape of sports balls" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 12/20).
