Suspended Brewers LF Ryan Braun yesterday was "pulled" as an endorser for convenience store chain Kwik Trip, a privately owned brand with more than 400 stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa, according to Darren Rovell of ESPN.com. The company "has stopped all television commercials" and will no longer use Braun as a spokesperson. Braun had been linked to the company for four years, and the chain "was running a Ryan Braun Luncheon promotion" (ESPN.com, 7/23). Ad agency BVK Exec VP & Creative Dir Gary Mueller said that Braun's image rehab "will take time but is not a lost cause." Mueller said, "As a spokesman, he's definitely done for a while. I don't think anybody's going to touch him with a 10-foot pole." Mueller said that Braun "most likely will take a page out of the Tiger Woods post-scandal playbook and lay low for a while, remaining out of the public spotlight." Mueller added that Braun "should resurface at some point with a new public-service message" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 7/23).
LINEUP CHANGE: Milwaukee-based WISN-ABC yesterday noted that it will "no longer air its 'One on One with Ryan Braun' segment." In Milwaukee, Duane Dudek reported through a contractual agreement with Lammi Sports Management, WISN is "given access" to a Packers and Brewers player. WISN President & GM Jan Wade in an e-mail wrote, "Due to these unfortunate circumstances, our Brewers player will change. Although at this time I am not certain as to who that player will be" (JSONLINE.com, 7/23).
