ENDORSEMENT WIZARDS FROM OZ: In DC, Sheila Scott Hula
profiles Australian Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe and writes
that Thorpe's management company "fields an average of five
requests every day for interviews and appearances."
Thorpe's endorsement deals include adidas -- he received a
"special exemption from wearing" the Australian team's
Speedo suit -- and Australia's "top phone company." Recent
estimates put Thorpe's annual income at about $300,000
(WASHINGTON POST, 8/23)....ATP Tour player Andrew Ilie,
ranked No. 42, has inked a two-year endorsement deal with
Diadora, which includes a retainer, as well as options,
bonuses and incentives. Ilie formerly endorsed Nike (Sports
Marketing Consultants). The SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Daniel
Kaplan cites Ilie's agent Howard Jaffe as saying that if
Ilie maintains his current ranking, he "should earn a low
six-figure sum annually" from his Diadora deal (SBJ, 8/21).
OLYMPICS: AT&T is "said to have made an internal
decision as to which of its roster of agencies will handle
duties" for its estimated $50M media buy during the Sydney
Olympics. AD AGE cites an "AT&T insider" as saying that Y&R
will handle broadcast duties, while FCB will handle print.
But the broadcast and print components will have a "common
theme," which was created by Y&R (AD AGE, 8/23)....Non-
Olympic sponsor Qantas Airways will launch a TV and print ad
campaign in the U.S. September 15, the opening day of the
Summer Games. Ads will not run on NBC's Olympic broadcasts
but are scheduled to run during coverage on NBC affils in
L.A. and N.Y. TV ads will also run on national cable nets,
and print ads will run in several national magazines and
newspapers, as well as in L.A. and N.Y. papers. Performance
Research President Jed Pearsall, on Qantas: "To the extent
that they buy paid advertising, they will be perceived as a
sponsor of the event" (AD AGE, 8/21).