The child sex abuse scandal at Penn State Univ. has cost the school an estimated $46M since November '11, but "some sponsor dollars look to be trickling back" as advertisers are "coming around," according to Michael McCarthy of AD AGE. Cars.com "returned to Penn State football telecasts" last year, and "will do so again" in '13. Chevy "passed on sponsoring Penn State football" last season. But company spokesperson Ryndee Carney said "no decisions have been made" for '13-14. State Farm spokesperson Mia Jazo-Harris said that the company "may also return to radio after sitting out" last football season. Sherwin-Williams' logo is "still missing from the banner." But Corportate Communications Dir Mike Conway said the company "never dropped" its sponsorship of Penn State. Data from The Marketing Arm indicates that the school in June '11 "ranked as one of the top five most-trusted NCAA properties." But by January '12 Penn State had "plummeted to dead last among 104 schools measured nationally." It then "rebounded" in '12, and is now No. 63. The rise "wasn't due to marketing." But Penn State Interim VP/University Relations Cynthia Hall said that the school has "hired PulsePoint Group in Austin, Texas, to help formulate its 'vision' for the future" (AD AGE, 3/25 issue).
