AD AGE's Ashley Rodriguez reports Dick's Sporting Goods is "tapping into the minds of amateur athletes in a new brand effort that launches this week, asking the question: 'Who Will You Be?'" The push, created by Anomaly N.Y., "builds on Dick's 'Untouchable' campaign, which launched in 2012 in order to better define the sporting-goods retailer for consumers." At the "center of the push is a 60-second anthem called 'Who Will You Be?' that depicts the mindset of athletes in various moments." The longform spot "will break" Friday during ESPN's College Basketball Championship Week" (ADAGE.com, 3/4).
BLOCK PARTY: In K.C., James Dornbrook reported H&R Block in a “multi-year sponsorship agreement” has become a First Team partner of Sporting KC, joining Ivy Funds, Sprint Corp., Providence Medical Center, UMB Bank and Price Chopper. H&R Block “has been a Sporting KC sponsor in the past, at a lower level.” Sporting KC “will hold an H&R Block Night on March 21,” and the company “will give away flags to the fans and hold special events on the plaza just outside Sporting Park.” H&R Block Dir of Brand Strategy & Integration Christina Lively said that the company “appreciates the way Sporting KC’s season matches up with tax season” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 3/3).
STAYING THE COURSE: In St. Paul, Richard Chin reports the North Star Bicycle Festival BOD “voted this week to go ahead” with the ‘15 version of the five-day pro bike race and festival “despite a last-minute scramble to find enough sponsorship funding.” The 16-year-old race, “formerly called the Nature Valley Grand Prix, had been in jeopardy” after Nature Valley “pulled out as title sponsor” following the ‘13 race. But the volunteer organization in the last month, “working with a sponsorship sales agency, has found three new backers, including a health care organization and a financial management company.” Event Exec Dir David LaPorte said that the names of the sponsors “will be released later” (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 3/4).
