Marketplace Roundup

The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Steven Zeitchik reports The Weinstein Co. (TWC) is "making an unconventional marketing move" for its upcoming film, "Inglourious Basterds," by "partnering with the Ultimate Fighting Championship to promote the film." The film will be featured at Saturday's UFC 100 with an "animated billboard and placement inside the fighting ring ... and a trailer will be shown to about 11,000 fans in attendance at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas." The move "marks an interesting approach for TWC in seeking young males" for the movie (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 7/6). The Weinstein Co. also is sponsoring the ESPYs later this month and was a sponsor of TNT's  coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 Saturday (THE DAILY).

NAMING RIGHTS: In Baltimore, Hanah Cho noted Baltimore-Washington Int'l Airport retailer Olympic News "must stop using its name after losing a trademark infringement lawsuit filed" by the USOC. The two parties are "sparring over the timing of making changes to the name, signage and other promotional and advertising materials." U.S. District Judge Deborah Chasanow in May ruled that the use of Olympic News is "unauthorized and violates federal law that grants" the USOC "exclusive right to the word Olympic and symbols associated with the games." Court documents filed last week indicated that under the agreement between the parties, Olympic News' parent company, Maryland-based Olympic Supply Inc., will "stop using Olympic in its retail and corporate names and destroy any promotional materials using the word." Olympic Supply has "proposed 45 days to determine a new trade name, change its name on its Web site and order new uniforms for employees, while allowing a 'transitional period of one year to change all other uses' uses of its name" (Baltimore SUN, 7/3).

DIGITAL GAMES: REVOLUTION MAGAZINE's Andrew McCormick reported Visa is expected to spend 30% of its Olympic marketing budget "online while others are predicted to spend a similar proportion on digital marketing in the build up" to the '12 London Olympics. LOCOG Head of New Media Alex Balfour said that he "intends to partner with a range of digital partners to get the message of the games to the public," and that LOCOG has "already launched 42 different online services; some to help organizers of the games, and some to generate public interest." McCormick noted upcoming projects "include the chance for people to be part of the torch relay, an e-commerce store, a campaign to attract 70,000 volunteers for the games and the huge task of ticket distribution" (REVOLUTIONMAGAZINE.com, 7/2).