adidas Golf on Thursday announced the launch of three national spots featuring its top endorsers -- Jason Day, Sergio Garcia and Dustin Johnson -- as part of a new campaign with the theme "Geared For More." The spots from Venables Bell & Partners, S.F., will air on ESPN and Golf Channel. The ads, timed with the start of The Masters, feature voiceovers from the golfers themselves and focus on their internal motivations to win and succeed (THE DAILY).
DRIVE FOR SHOW: A Mercedes-Benz spokesperson said that its Masters-themed videos with Rickie Fowler have "tallied more than one million views across social media," FOX BUSINESS' Matthew Rocco noted Mercedes-Benz is "in its third year" as one of The Masters' three main sponsors. The company "became an international partner" in '08 before "upgrading to a global sponsor" in '14, joining AT&T and IBM. In addition to Fowler, Mercedes-Benz "has partnerships with Masters contestants Martin Kaymer, Bernhard Langer, Emiliano Grillo and Fabian Gomez." Rocco noted golf "is a big sport for Mercedes-Benz," which sponsors The Masters, British Open and PGA Championship (FOXBUSINESS.com, 4/7).
I'VE GOT THE POWER: MARKETING DIVE's David Kirkpatrick noted AT&T will use The Masters as a "launching pad for the largest B2B campaign it has run" in what CMO Steve McGaw said has been "'many, many years.'" The campaign, called "Power of &," will be handled by BBDO, N.Y., and includes TV spots as well as print and online ads. The TV portion of the campaign "includes one 60-second spot and two 30-second spots" (MARKETINGDIVE.com, 4/7).
IN THE CLOUDS: MARKETING DAILY's Ben Frederick noted IBM has been a Masters partner for "more than 20 years, helping make advancements in the realm of digital." IBM Program Manager/Worldwide Sponsorship Marketing John Kent said that while there "may not be a large market for wearables now, the tournament has been part of some groundbreaking advancements in the past." Kent: "For us, it's about helping the Masters bring their tournament to the world. ... The experience can be as beautiful as you want, but if you don't have the proper underpinning, it won't be a good one" (MEDIAPOST.com, 4/7).
