Arbella Insurance Group has signed Bruins G Tim Thomas “to his first endorsement deal,” and he “will star in a marketing campaign" for the Massachusetts-based company starting in January, according to Greg Turner of the BOSTON HERALD. The deal is Arbella’s “first athlete sponsorship deal,” and it includes “a $20,000 gift from Arbella’s charitable founding to the newly created Tim Thomas Foundation.” Thomas “starred in a humorous Discover card commercial, but that ad was part of the NHL’s sponsorship deal with the company.” Thomas: “I don’t look at it as securing an endorsement deal because I could have secured a lot of endorsement deals. It was actually just finding the right fit and choosing people that I was comfortable working with.” The Arbella ads featuring Thomas, via KSV, Boston, will “appear during Bruins broadcasts on NESN but also air on local channels during non-sports programming” such as ABC's “Good Morning America.” The company did not disclose financial terms of the deal. Arbella CEO John Donohue said, “It’s significant. Obviously if we’ve got someone like him, spending short money doesn’t make any sense. So we’re going to make a considerable commitment to it” (BOSTONHERALD.com, 11/8). The multiyear deal will help Arbella “expand in Vermont,” where Thomas played college hockey for the Univ. of Vermont. Donohue: “He’s got a huge brand up there. We think he’ll be a huge help when we break into Vermont” (BOSTON HERALD, 11/9).
