P&G Highlighting Gillette, Head & Shoulders With Entitlement Of MLB Home Run Derby

Procter & Gamble’s Gillette brand will return as title sponsor of MLB’s annual Home Run Derby for the second consecutive year, with an assist from another P&G brand -- Head & Shoulders -- which will serve as presenting sponsor. Cincinnati-based P&G with the entitlement is making a strong statement and a large incremental spend to support the MLB ASG in its hometown. Gillette is one of MLB’s most-tenured sponsors, while Head & Shoulders has held MLB marketing rights since '11. The pair of P&G brands will sponsor ESPN’s Derby telecast on July 13. Additional activation is still to be determined. Sources said P&G was pleased with the ROI from last year’s Derby in Minneapolis. However, the fact that this year’s ASG is in Cincinnati had everything to do with the decision to return as sponsor. A source said, “This was driven largely by P&G corporate." As title sponsor last year, Gillette was using the Derby to push the launch of its FlexBall razor. This year, it is all about hometown cooking. The back-and-forth between P&G and Church & Dwight, which has MLB marketing rights on the laundry and oral care categories, has been closely watched by those in the sponsorship business and it has been quite a tit-for-tat. Before last season, C&D bought a right-field sign at the Reds' Great American Ball Park, and followed that up by sponsoring a float in the city’s opening-day parade and activating with a “Strike Out Stains” pitching cage outside of GABP on Opening Day. C&D, whose MLB program is executed by Maxus/ESP, also has increased its MLB club sponsorship and signage this year from three to five teams. GABP's new Daktronics videoboard in right field, which will be installed in time for the ASG, will be festooned with logos from P&G brands.