The Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL's Sarah Talalay
wondered, "How do companies decide whether to continue
shelling out millions for the right to be associated with
the Games or when enough is enough?" Texaco is a USOC
sponsor and Senior Manager for Sponsorships Polly Rua said,
"I think it takes a number of years to determine the
success." Since the results "aren't tangible," Rua calls
the response to sponsorships "emotional mindshare." Rua:
"If people care about your sponsorship, they will care about
your brand." Meanwhile, Talalay reported that adidas
America will study sales of the three apparel lines it
created around the Games and will also survey people before,
during and after the event -- in person, by phone polls and
in focus groups (F.L. SUN-SENTINEL, 9/16).
BIG BLUE IN SYDNEY: In N.Y., Vivian Marino wrote that
IBM CEO Louis Gerstner "is staying on a giant cruise liner"
in Sydney that IBM rented for the Games, and he "will play
host to dozens of parties and meetings." Marino: "I.B.M. is
flying about 2,000 employees and clients to Sydney to show
off the technology it developed for the Games" (N.Y. TIMES,
9/17)....IBM VP Gary Bridge: "I can cite zillion-dollar
deals when we had time with senior customers at these kinds
of events. In Sydney, all of our top management is hosting
leadership of our biggest customers. It's a wonderful time
to hear what they're trying to achieve" (BtoB, 9/11 issue).
WHY SPORT? TO SCARE YOU, THAT'S WHY: In Milwaukee, Tim
Cuprisin writes on Nike's new ad which has Suzy Hamilton
being "chased from a cabin by a chain-saw wielding maniac,"
with the kicker, "Why Sport? You'll live longer." The
mother of two children e-mailed Cuprisin: "When this
disgusting piece of trash commercial aired the first time,
my 7-year-old daughter ran from the room crying because she
was scared" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 9/18)
NOTES: In CA, Andrew Bluth noted that more than 400
Olympic athletes are "donning" Oakley gear at the Games.
N.Y.-based Ladenburg Thalmann analyst Eric Beder: "They're
doing everything right right now, and people are starting to
realize they're not just a sports-sunglasses company
anymore" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 9/17)....In Atlanta, Henry
Unger writes that TOP sponsor Coca-Cola spends an estimated
$300M on its Olympic marketing and advertising programs, and
is the "largest single advertiser" on NBC during the Games.
Meanwhile, Home Depot (USOC sponsor) President Arthur Blank
said, "Our brand is critical to us and it ties well to the
Olympic movement ... [The Olympic tie is] a significant
investment for us, but it becomes a platform for the
messages we deliver" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 9/18)....Cliff
Freeman & Partners breaks four new 60-second spots for Coca-
Cola tonight during NBC's coverage (ADWEEK ONLINE, 9/18).
