Kraft is expanding its 30-year sponsorship of the NHL in Canada to the U.S., and it will give its Hockeyville program a "grassroot push to America," according to Andrew McMains of ADWEEK. Kraft will become a "partner in NHL events such as the All-Star Game, Winter Classic and Stanley Cup Playoffs." The company has spent $1.6M over the past eight years to renovate local hockey rinks in Canada as part of Hockeyville. Kraft Exec VP and Kraft Beverages President Dino Bianco said that the company "will seek participants" in the Midwest and Northeast for the U.S. version of the promo. Towns "nominate rinks for refurbishing" as part of the program, with the winner getting $150,000 to "upgrade its rink and the chance to host a pre-season game next fall." Kraft has brought in the NHL, NHLPA, NBC Sports and USA Hockey as partners on the program. The U.S debut of Hockeyville will feature "in-store promotions around brands such as Planters, Oscar Mayer, Mac & Cheese, Cracker Barrel, Maxwell House and Jell-O." A Kraft spokesperson said that there will be TV and digital advertising via Anomaly, with "public relations and event support from Edelman and Mosaic" (ADWEEK.com, 9/29).
