HOME DEPOT AD FEATURING WORKING ATHLETES DEBUTS TODAY

          Olympic sponsor Home Depot will "kick off a series" of
     30-second TV spots today, featuring athletes working at the
     company's store through the Olympic Job Opportunities
     Program (OJOP), according to Mike Gorrell of the SALT LAKE
     TRIBUNE.  The effort marks the "first time Home Depot has
     used athletes in its ads."  The ads focus on "heartwarming
     and uplifting" stories about the relationships between eight
     U.S. Olympians and their Home Depot co-workers.  Home Depot
     has also hired 13 winter sports athletes -- 12 American, one
     Canadian -- through the OJOP (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 7/9).  Home
     Depot Senior VP Dick Hammill said of the OJOP, "We've got 20
     athletes today who have already made their teams."  Hammill
     added that Home Depot "currently employs" 116 summer and
     winter Olympic hopefuls, "more than any other U.S. company." 
     Hammill also said that "that will be the subject of another"
     TV ad, after the current one ends in September (ATLANTA
     CONSTITUTION, 7/8).  
          MARKETING NOTES: The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Andy
     Bernstein, noting US West's recent $81B merger with Qwest
     Communications Int'l, reports that US West "received
     permission" from OPUS to use the Qwest name in its Olympic
     sponsorship activity.  The use of the Qwest name was in
     question due to AT&T's existing Olympic sponsorship in the
     long distance category.  US West's deal is in the local
     phone service category.  Bernstein reports that the merged
     company is "already moving to rebrand" the US West title
     sponsored USA Basketball tour as the "Qwest Red White and
     Blue Tour" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/10)....Members of the
     U.S. Gymnastics Team will "be on hand today" when adidas and
     the USOC unveil the uniform "that will be worn on the medal
     stand" at the Sydney Games.  The uniforms will be displayed
     at the World Trade Center in N.Y. (USA TODAY, 7/10).