Reebok Int'l Dir of Brand Communications John Wardley
said the company's sponsorship of CBS' hit series "Survivor"
has featured "an element of luck." Wardley: "This was a
summer replacement series, and we weren't sure how it was
going to work. ... We thought that the idea behind the show
was a sound one." Wardley said Reebok was able to "strike a
very good deal with CBS" as one of the show's first
sponsors: "We are more than just a spot advertiser in the
show. ... We actually supplied all of the footwear and the
apparel to the cast and the crew. So we were very
integrated right from the start." Reebok has also built an
ad campaign around the series and hired "Survivor" castaways
to appear in new spots. Wardley: "We thought that what this
could do was take the whole campaign to another level and
really further that integration that we already have with
the show." While Wardley would not reveal how much the
actors are earning from the spots, he said that the amount
was "more than they earned from being on" the show. Wardley
added that a second "Survivor" series in Australia is in the
works for the fall and that Reebok plans to continue its
relationship with the show because, "There's a lot of life
left behind the concept" ("Street Sweep," CNN, 7/12).
THEY WILL SURVIVE: During last night's edition of
"Survivor," Reebok ran two new 30-second commercials
featuring "Survivor" castaway Stacey Stillman and one
previously launched 30-second spot (THE DAILY). In addition
to Stillman, "Survivor" castaway B.B. Andersen has also
filmed two Reebok ads, which will air in the series' two-
hour finale August 23 (Michael McCarthy, USA TODAY, 7/13).
