Advil, which assumes title sponsorship of the PGA
Tour's Western Open this year, has created a new logo for
the event "emblazoned with its name," according to Ed
Sherman of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE, who writes that the new logo
"could be interpreted as a statement that Advil intends to
change the name of the tournament." But Advil officials
said that "if the logo makes the right statement, it will
not remove" the Western name. Sherman notes speculation
that the Advil Western Open could become the Advil Open
after this year's tournament, scheduled for July 6-9 in
Lemont, IL. The three-year sponsorship deal, valued at
around $6M per year, allows Advil to change the name of the
event after the first year. Whitehall-Robins VP/Customer
Development Bob Wigmore said that Advil has no plans for a
name change: "We understand the traditions of the Western.
If we got terrible press and received no recognition for
Advil, we might reconsider. But at this point I don't see
it happening. Our intentions are that it will be the Advil
Western Open for as long as we are involved." The new logo
has Advil's name in "prominent type, overlaid in the center
of two golf clubs." The company said that the new look was
designed to give Advil "maximum exposure while allowing it
to keep the Western name" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/24).
