Names & Faces: Thorpedo, Gretz, Smoke Make Weekend Headlines

Ian Thorpe's Hydration Water Will Hit Australian Supermarkets By End Of Year

WATER'S HIS THING: Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe has inked a deal with So Natural Foods Australia that will put Ian Thorpe hydration water in Australian supermarkets by the end of the year, according to the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Under the deal, Thorpe will receive two million shares in the company in exchange for a 25% stake in the joint venture, called Thorpedo Foods. So Natural will also get a 75% stake in a second joint venture called Thorpedo Seafoods, with Thorpe taking the remaining 25%. So Natural expects sales of Thorpedo products to reach $50M within three years (MORNING HERALD, 5/29).

GRETZKY HAWKS JVC: BRANDWEEK's Kenneth Hein reports JVC will use Wayne Gretzky in its $20M "celebrity-driven 'Perfect experience' ad campaign," via E2Amp. L.A., which marks JVC's "first unified push as a company as it recently consolidated its marketing department." Gretzky will promote JVC's 42-inch plasma TV, as well as a DVD recorder (BRANDWEEK, 5/31 issue).

DEVIL WITHOUT A CAUSE? In Daytona Beach, Ken Willis reported NASCAR "temporarily taped over" part of a decal promoting Kid Rock's new album on a Kevin Harvick-owned Chevrolet driven by Tony Stewart for Saturday's Busch Series Carquest 300 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The decal read "American Bad Ass," and Stewart "reportedly removed the tape" before the race (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 5/29).