Clippers F Blake Griffin during the NBA All-Star Saturday Sprite Slam Dunk Contest jumped over a Kia in his final dunk, and CNBC.com’s Darren Rovell noted it is “not known how many cars Griffin’s jump actually helped sell.” However, Edmunds.com, an online resource for automotive information, reported car buyers said that “they were 20 percent more likely to consider a Kia brand car on Sunday, the day after the dunk, compared to an average Sunday.” Car buyers were also “twice as likely (104 percent) to consider buying an Optima, the specific model that Griffin dunked over” (CNBC.com, 2/23).
THE BEST A MAN CAN GET: In N.Y., Ken Belson noted Yankees SS Derek Jeter’s image appears on a billboard in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan and he has a “virtual stubble one day, has his face lathered with Gillette shave cream the next day and appears clean shaven a third day.” The three-day cycle “will be repeated until March 6” (NYTIMES.com, 2/23).
EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM: CAMPAIGN magazine’s Ed Owen reports EA is “expected to be among the first advertisers to run product placement on British TV when it becomes possible” Monday. EA is "believed to have brokered a deal to pay for a significant presence” during EPL matches on Sky Sports. EA is the official technology provider for the EPL but “fell foul of Ofcom regulations earlier this month for displaying its logo on Sky ‘in the absence of any editorial justification’” (CAMPAIGN.co.uk, 2/24).
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: AdvancePierre Foods signed on as a primary sponsor for Elliott Sadler’s No. 2 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. AdvancePierre’s Fast Fixin’ and Fast Fixin’ On the Go Sandwiches brands will serve as associate sponsors on the No. 2 Chevrolet for the entire ’11 season (AdvancePierre).
