The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Mike Shields reported Nestle-owned DiGiorno will debut a new TV ad campaign ahead of the Super Bowl, but instead of "running its traditional, 30-second ad," the frozen pizza brand has "opted to run TV commercials pulled from the brand’s recently launched Internet ad campaign." It features "three prominent YouTube creators," as well as Packers LB Clay Matthews. The campaign will "include ads on ESPN and a range of other TV networks" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/28).
WHEELS & DEALS: Automotive components manufacturer DENSO Sparkplugs "is the new title sponsor of the spring NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series stop at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway." The event, set for April 1-3, "formerly was known as the Summitracing.com NHRA National" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 1/29)....The Columbia (SC) Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau and Columbia Regional Sports Council announced a partnership with Bolen Motorsports and NASCAR driver Jordan Anderson. Anderson said that the city will "be the primary sponsor of his car for about half the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races and an associate sponsor after that" (AP, 1/27).
NEAR AND DEAR: Nuggets G Will Barton, a Baltimore native, "visited his hometown" on Thursday to open a clothing store in Waverly, Md., that will sell his "Protect The Family" line of sports apparel. Barton said that a portion of all sales will "support mentoring programs for underprivileged children in the city." He described the mission as "near and dear to his heart" (BALTIMORESUN.com, 1/28).
