GABE THE BABE: In Dallas, Bill Campbell wrote that the
MLB Rangers "began airing" a radio ad tied to the "rugged
good looks and muscle-toned physique" of RF Gabe Kapler, who
"attracts feminine eyes from every corner" of The Ballpark
at Arlington. The spot features a husband and wife at a
Rangers game, and the wife's "unusual exuberance intrigues
her husband." When the husband notes Kapler "put up good
numbers last year," the wife responds, "6-2, 208 pounds, 34-
inch biceps; I'll say those are good numbers." Rangers
VP/Marketing & Communications Jeff Cogen: "We wanted to have
player-attitude spots and fan-attitude spots. This one was
a fan-attitude spot" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/15).
OTHER NOTES: VA-based ad agency Work Inc. has been
retained by the NFL to help the league with its "Feel the
Power" TV spots and "contribute" to the "Kickoff a New
Century" campaign, an "effort to bring together all the
living members" of the Pro Football HOF (RICHMOND TIMES-
DISPATCH, 4/17)....With "millions of eyeballs glued to TV
sets" in Canada for Stanley Cup playoff games, advertisers
such as Labatt, Molson, Ford and GM are "hoping to score
with consumers." Molson is running a "popular new" "I am
Canadian" ad, which features an actor "performing a
patriotic soliloquy taking a swipe at Americans" (CP, 4/15).
...The MVP.com ad featuring Michael Jordan, John Elway and
Wayne Gretzky from Leagas Delaney, S.F., is one of the dot-
com ads reviewed by a "group of six New Yorkers" for Andrea
Petersen of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Petersen: "Our group's
one Internet-industry executive ... says he thinks MVP.com
is obviously trying to cut through the clutter of other dot-
com ads by having such a high-profile ... ad" (WALL ST
JOURNAL, 4/17)....Cavs F Shawn Kemp, "not caring the least
that he has an endorsement deal with Reebok," said he would
"probably" say his "all-time favorite pair" of basketball
shoes was Air Force II by Nike (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 4/16).
