RBC and The Heritage officials yesterday said that RBC's "sale of its U.S. retail banking operations will not affect" its title sponsorship of the PGA Tour event. Heritage Classic Foundation Chair Simon Fraser said that the "purchase by PNC Financial Services Group Inc. does not include RBC's U.S. divisions that will sponsor the Heritage." Fraser: "It's the wealth-management and capital-markets portion of RBC that we work with. Everyone knew they were selling their retail branches when we signed the deal. They've been talking about doing that for quite some time, and will not affect their support of the tournament." The tournament will be called the RBC Heritage (Hilton Head ISLAND PACKET, 6/21). Meanwhile, the RBC Center in Raleigh is expected to take on the PNC name some point next year.
SPANISH ACQUISITION: Target Center Dir of Retail Jim Bastyr yesterday said that the T'Wolves' recent signing of G Ricky Rubio, the team's draft pick in '09, is "expected to make the No. 9 jersey Rubio will wear the most anticipated seller in the Wolves' 22-year history." Bastyr said, "I expect huge numbers. But I expect Kevin (Love) will still be No. 1 for a while." The T'Wolves "have ordered about 1,000 No. 9 Rubio jerseys, some of which are expected to be available for Thursday's NBA draft party at Target Center, which Rubio will attend" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 6/21).
PREVENT DEFENSE: MARKETING magazine's John Reynolds reports LOCOG will launch a "major campaign to inform brands how it will clamp down on ambush marketing in the build-up" to the '12 Games. LOCOG will "begin the activity in September, in a drive to avoid a repeat of the guerrilla marketing tactics seen at the last FIFA World Cup." Sources said that the campaign is "likely to run across print, online, direct and outdoor." Reynolds notes "central to the campaign will be educating stakeholders and the wider business community on the new rules on ambush marketing, which will soon become law" (MARKETINGMAGAZINE.co.uk, 6/21).
ALL EYES ON ME: EyeBlack.com has signed a deal with tennis player Bethanie Mattek-Sands to be the brand's "first female spokesperson." Mattek-Sands "switched from sunglasses to eye black at the Australian Open earlier this year." The brand "now plans to use Mattek-Sands on retail packaging" (CNBC.com, 6/20). The move comes after EyeBlack yesterday formally announced that it has reached an agreement with MLB Properties to serve as an officially licensed manufacturer of products bearing the marks of all 30 MLB teams, as well as the official MLB logo (THE DAILY).
