Media Notes: Rooney Escapes Advertising Standards Authority Ban For Nike Tweet

ManU player Wayne Rooney has escaped censure from the Advertising Standards Authority, after the watchdog ruled an ad promoting Nike Football was "obviously identifiable" as marketing communication. In its ruling, the ASA noted that "the text was immediately followed by the @NikeFootball handle, the Nike hashtag #myground and a link to the image." It ruled the reference to Nike was prominent and "clearly linked" the tweet to the brand (CAMPAIGN LIVE, 9/4). ... RaboDirect PRO12 has concluded a TV rights agreement with Italian terrestrial TV broadcaster Mediaset to show all Italian home RaboDirect PRO12 games for both Italian PRO12 teams, Benetton Treviso and Zebre, on channel Italia 2. The agreement for the '13-14 season will also see many away games of the two Italian clubs screened to a growing Italian rugby TV audience (RaboDirect PRO12).