AUTOMOTIVE NEWS posted a letter to the editor by Hyundai Motor America CMO Dean Evans, who wrote a recent report “did not provide a balanced look” at the automaker's NFL partnership. Evans wrote, "In just two seasons, we’ve achieved substantial awareness of our sponsorship among NFL fans and those fans have a much higher opinion, consideration and purchase intent for Hyundai.” He noted Hyundai following the Super Bowl in '16 became the "first car company to win the USA Today Ad Meter and had two other ads in the top six" (AUTONEWS.com, 7/13).
TAKING THEIR MEDICINE: In Chicago, Phil Rosenthal writes the decline in ad spending by Viagra and Cialis during NFL broadcasts is “one more headache the league and networks don't need in what thus has far been a lackluster advance NFL TV ad market.” Whether it is “out of concern over ratings, their own businesses or something else, there has been less-than-hoped-for interest in early ad buys from some traditional big spenders, including movie studios and car makers.” The pullback for Viagra and Cialis after around a decade of heavy spending "leaves the biggest void since the deluge of fantasy sports ads came to an end” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/14).
HOLLYWOOD STORY: VARIETY’s Gene Maddaus wrote the Chargers’ move to L.A. “offers a real chance at celebrity” for the team’s players. Pro Football HOF-elect LaDanian Tomlinson said, "L.A. is really the mecca of sports and entertainment. You want to be able to build that individual brand that allows you to stand alone. I’m sure most players are thinking about that.” NFL Net’s Rich Eisen said, “Every athlete you speak to wants to be an entertainer deep down. There is crossing of the streams between pop culture and sports, and Los Angeles is 1000% the perfect spot to do it” (VARIETY.com, 7/13).
YOUR LOGO HERE: ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert examined NFL business trends that may "happen over the next three years,” and among those that “will happen” are brand logos on jerseys. Teams have been “selling corporate sponsorships on their practice jerseys” since ’09, and logos on game jerseys "seems inevitable" (ESPN.com, 7/13).
