Marketplace Roundup
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Evian To Have Significant On-Site
Presence At U.S. Open |
BRANDWEEK's Barry Janoff reported Evian Natural Spring Water, the official bottled water of the U.S. Open, will have a "significant on-site presence when the event begins" on August 25. Evian also will be the "official recycling sponsor of the U.S. Open." Evian recycling bins will be placed throughout the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and Arthur Ashe Stadium. Evian also will feature spokesperson and ATP player James Blake "in person and in marketing support." Blake will be "at the Evian booth, where kiosks will enable fans to access ShopEvian.com" (BRANDWEEK.com, 8/4).
WEB SLOWDOWN: In L.A., Alana Semuels writes, "Once thought to be immune from cutbacks, online advertising -- especially at Web portals and information sites such as those run by newspapers -- is experiencing a slowdown as marketers tighten their belts and make tough decisions about where to spend their leaner budgets. A host of those companies recently reported slowing growth that's expected to linger through 2008" (L.A. TIMES, 8/5).
CARD GAME: Topps recently put out two new cards featuring Packers QB Brett Favre cards -- one a playing card and the other a "retirement" card. The playing card includes late Pro Football HOFer Vince Lombardi in the background, while the retirement card features Favre on a tractor (AP, 8/4). Beckett Media's David Lee said that the "approximate odds of finding either card is 1 in 12,000 packs -- that's one in every 333 boxes or so -- at best" (ORLANDOSENTINEL.com, 7/28).
WHEELS & DEALS: Nikon has signed on as the naming rights sponsor for the IndyCar Series Nikon Indy 300 in Surfers Paradise, Australia, on October 26 (AUTORACING1.com, 8/5)....Alltel CEO Scott Ford said that Verizon Wireless, which in June agreed to acquire Alltel, is "interested in continuing the sponsorship" of Penske Racing's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series No. 12 Dodge, currently driven by Ryan Newman. Ford "described the publicity gained from the Alltel car as providing a 6-1 advertising leverage," and added that the "only better investment, on a cost-per-eyeball basis, was Alltel Arena" in North Little Rock, Arkansas (ARKANSASBUSINESS.com, 8/4)....Tow Truck in a Box will sponsor Gillett Evernham Motorsports' No. 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Dodge driven by Patrick Carpentier at the August 17 3M Performance 400 at Michigan Int'l Speedway and the October 5 Amp Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway (AUTORACING1.com, 8/5).
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