Despite Janet Evans' failure to qualify for the finals in
the 400-meter freestyle event, a spokesperson for Cadillac, one
of the companies she endorses, said her status with them will not
be affected. Cadillac's Brian Babyak: "We selected her for both
her athletic and her personal qualities" (AP/ORLANDO SENTINEL,
7/24).
NO EGG ON HAMM: Nike will "rush" a TV spot out tonight
featuring U.S. Olympic soccer player Mia Hamm. Meanwhile,
Stephen Disson, of Disson & Furst, said more corporations "are
scouting" U.S. Women's basketball team in Atlanta than the men's
Dream Team. Disson: "Women's basketball is ready to explode"
(Dottie Enrico, USA TODAY, 7/24)....Marketing Exec Al Ries, on
IBM's technical problems during the Games: "They were just
beginning to turn (the company) around. This is truly a setback"
(USA TODAY, 7/24)....Dream Teamer Grant Hill helped McDonald's
distribute almost 1,000 free Arch Deluxe sandwiches in the
Olympic Village yesterday (USA TODAY, 7/24)....The N.Y. TIMES'
Stuart Elliot looks at TV advertising during the Games, noting
that BBDO Worldwide "is dominating" with spots for AT&T, Delta,
GE and Visa. Through Monday, Coca-Cola had run 46 spots on NBC,
McDonald's 41, Anheuser-Busch 28, IBM 25, Visa and MCI 17 each.
NBC is also running heavy promos for its prime-time '96-97
schedule (N.Y. TIMES, 7/24)....Dominique Dawes is suing a NJ
publisher, the Bradford Book Co., and photographer Steven Lange
for using a photo without her permissions for a '96 calendar.
The suit is for $300,000 (WASHINGTON POST, 7/24)....Delta's
sponsorship is profiled in the ATLANTA CONSTITUTION. Their
backing of the Games is "worth about" $30M, with about $20M in
cash and the rest in free travel for Olympic guests and
officials. Delta CEO Ronald Allen: "Our return could be at
least double." Allen said they are "looking forward" to the 2002
Games in Salt Lake, their third largest hub (ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION, 7/24). ....GM has put the price of their Olympic
marketing at around $100M (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION,
7/24)....NationsBank execs have put their marketing cost at $80-
100M, including heavy spending in 20 major markets to bring
attention to their sponsorship (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER,
7/23).....NBC's Peggy Liddick, on U.S. gymnast Shannon Miller,
"She doesn't like to be in the limelight. She may not have the
commercial appeal or the bubbly personality. ... She's your
average all-American kid" ("Centennial Olympic Games," NBC,
7/23).
