Marketplace Round-Up

Mets Pull Religious Revival’s TV Spot Featuring Wright

The Mets have pulled an ad that aired during Saturday’s game against the Cubs that featured 3B David Wright “inviting viewers to attend a ‘Salvation Miracles Revival Crusade’” at Madison Square Garden later this month. In a statement, the Mets said the ad was “produced without authorization or approvals through an abuse of a media-newsgathering credential” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/18).... T’Wolves F Kevin Garnett is on a three-city tour of India this week, visiting New Delhi, Agra and Bangalore, to promote the launch of his new adidas shoe, the A3Garnett ’06 (DAILYINDIA.com, 7/16).

RONALD’S HOUSE: Net income in Q2 for FIFA sponsor McDonald’s increased to about $0.67 a share, from $0.42 a year earlier, as European sales rose on “the strength of World Cup ticket giveaways in Britain and a Big Mac promotion in Germany.” McDonald’s was also helped by selling shares of the Chipotle Mexican Grill (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 7/18)....CNBC’s Dylan Ratigan reported McDonald’s has “showered several Chicago bars with posters promoting a toll-free number that patrons can use to program a wake-up call” from celebrities like Cubs CF Juan Pierre, rapper Twista and Mr. T. The call “urges consumers to get up and get McDonald’s for breakfast” (“On The Money,” CNBC, 7/17).

RIDING ICHIRO: The SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER’s John Marshall notes the “Sato powered by Yunker” ads around the dugouts at Mariners games at Safeco Field are for a Japanese company called Sato Pharmaceutical that “manufactures health and lifestyle products, including Yunker nutritional drinks. Sales of Yunker products are stronger in Japan, but they are available in U.S. stores” (SEATTLE P-I, 7/18).

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS: In Portland, Susan Nielsen writes Nike, which is sponsoring about 150 high school basketball teams nationally, about 75% of which are boys’ teams, could “tweak its generous shoe sponsor program to support Title IX rather than undermine it.” U.S. Department of Education Deputy Press Secretary Samara Yudof said that “private parties and booster clubs can legally donate to anyone they want,” but schools “still must provide equal benefits and services to both sexes” under Title IX rules. Nike Dir of Global Issues Vada Manager said, “When we give products to schools, we do it with the expectation that it will free up resources for other students and for Title IX compliance” (Portland OREGONIAN, 7/18).