The next Hewlett-Packard commercial to feature boxer Manny Pacquiao breaks July 9, and it has the fighter pitching HP’s TouchPad tablet, flipping through a series of achievements that show off various uses for the device. Pacquiao was attractive to HP in part because he could endorse a range of products, since he had few categories tied up outside the Philippines. His first spot for HP featured the Veer smartphone (
Bill King, SportsBusiness Journal).
TAKING THE FIRST STEP: With Tiger Woods signing a deal to promote Japanese pain relief brand Vantelin Kowa, Golf Channel’s Erik Kuselias said, “This is sort of where he is. You are on the road back to try to get back to the AT&Ts, the Gatorades, the Gillettes, those kind of things. He has been dropped by some companies, he has not been renewed by others and now he is putting his toe back into it with a first relationship.” Kuselias added, "It’s a start for Tiger -- let people know ‘I’m back, I’m willing to listen and you don’t have to be the absolute blue chip of the blue chip to land me anymore’" ("Morning Drive," Golf Channel, 6/30).
PIZZA AND A BREW: MLS FC Dallas announced that Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser brand has agreed to become the official domestic beer partner of the team and Pizza Hut Park. A-B will receive entitlement to Pizza Hut Park's beer garden and will sponsor the Man of the Match award after every game. A-B will also be the associate sponsor of the Rio Grande Plate derby between FC Dallas and Mexican soccer team Tigres. The partnership begins immediately, as Budweiser Promo Girls will be at the team's March to the Match prior to Saturday's game against the Crew (FC Dallas).
NOTES: The Bills and Kumho Tire have inked a marketing deal that will give the tire company "advertising opportunities during each home game played at Ralph Wilson Stadium, advertising and promotional opportunities on the team's website, and ticket and suite opportunities" (TIREREVIEW.com, 6/29)....ESPN has tabbed sports marketing firm Helios Partners to help expand the X Games commercial platform and manage the host city bidding process (Helios).
