AD AGE’s Michael McCarthy noted MetLife, which holds the naming rights to the stadium shared by the Jets and Giants, is “already gearing up to market its role in the first cold-weather Super Bowl at an open-air venue on Feb. 2, 2014.” The company is “sending a team to New Orleans for Super Bowl XLVII to kick off its yearlong activation effort.” MetLife Assistant VP/Sponsorships & Promotions Daniel Pincus said, "We're looking at opportunities in '13 in New Orleans that will help seed and build toward '14 here in the New York area." In addition, Pincus said that the 25-year naming-rights deal “is working.” Meanwhile, MetLife Stadium President & CEO Brad Mayne said that the “new eight-foot-high Snoopy statue at the MetLife gate has become a popular rendezvous point for fans” (ADAGE.com, 12/20).
SAY WHAT? Redskins QB Robert Griffin III has applied for trademark protection for phrases like “light you up," "unbelievably believable" and "dream big, live bigger." ESPN's Tony Kornheiser said, “Are you kidding me? Like nobody ever said ‘light you up’ before Robert Griffin? ‘Go catch your dream’ -- you think Robert Griffin invented that? No, you can’t do this. Why doesn’t he trademark one of those Subway sandwiches. ... This is a misstep” (“PTI,” ESPN, 12/20).
BECKHAM BRAND: In London, Jonathan Russell reported soccer player David Beckham and his wife Victoria’s licensing company Beckham Brand “ditched its dividend last year as profits more than halved” to $1.6M (all figures U.S.). The Beckhams’ company, which “commercialises the rights to their brand, saw profits slump” from $3.4M to $1.6M. Revenue also was down from $9M in ‘10 to $7.1M last year. The company is “understood to control a slice of Victoria Beckham’s clothing and fashion interests” (London TELEGRAPH, 12/19).
NUTS FOR COCONUT: In Chicago, Danny Ecker noted former NBAer Brian Scalabrine “stars in a series of videos promoting coconut water sports drink Greater Than.” The six-part series “plays out a storyline of Mr. Scalabrine trying to get his hands on bottles of the drink any way possible despite a league policy requiring that he drink only Gatorade.” Among other attempts, Scalabrine “dresses up like Abraham Lincoln and even chases down Greater Than's co-founders, brothers Mark and Jon Sider -- with whom, in real life, he has formed a strong friendship” (CHICAGOBUSINESS.com, 12/17).
