BMW Partnership with London 2012

German carmaker BMW became the latest Tier One partner for the London Olympics on Wednesday, joining an impressive list of major companies already signed up by the 2012 organising committee (LOCOG).

The deal is worth about 30 million pounds ($50.50 million) to LOCOG, mostly in the form of services provided by BMW who will supply 4,000 vehicles to transport athletes, officials and media during the Games and the Paralympics.

"Operationally, an automotive deal is vital for any organising committee and so I'm thrilled BMW is on board," LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe said in a statement.

"They share our vision to stage a sustainable Games in 2012 and will be a valued partner. On a commercial level, signing another Tier One Partner in this challenging environment is a fantastic achievement but it goes to show the inspirational power of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games."

BMW, which makes iconic British cars such as the Rolls Royce and Mini, is also a sustainability partner and will provide low emission vehicles, electric cars, bicycles and motorbikes, as London aims to become the greenest Olympics ever staged. The German company is the seventh Tier One partner to be signed up as LOCOG moves towards its target of 650 million pounds in private investment.

The rest of the two billion pound budget for running the Games will come from merchandising, ticket sales, the International Olympic Committee and television rights. The other Tier One partners are adidas, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. Tier Two partners include Cadbury and Thomas Cook.

LOCOG has managed to attract major sponsorship despite the harsh economic climate but the Olympic Delivery Authority, which is responsible for building the venues, has struggled to fund some of the projects and has required extra government funding.

Golden Arches to Bring Winter Games to Life

Golden Arches to Bring Winter Games to Life


With the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver right around the corner—opening ceremonies will be held February 12—McDonald's, the official restaurant partner of the Olympics, announced its efforts to bring the Games to its customers all over the world.

The announcement was made via live Webcast and featured John Betts, McDonald's Canada president; Mary Dillon, McDonald's Global chief marketing officer; and U.S. gold-medal gymnast Shawn Johnson, among others.

McDonald's participation in the Winter Games is multifaceted and includes on-site restaurants, LTO menu options, promotional advertising and packaging, and charitable efforts.

"For us it's all about our customers," Dillon said during the Webcast. "The spirit of the Olympics is very consistent with that of McDonald's in that we're both organizations that can touch people of all ages and cultures all over the world, and we're excited to be associated with this great movement."

Three new McDonald's restaurants are being built to accommodate the 10,000 Olympic athletes and crew and 3,000 media members that will descend on Vancouver through the Games' end on February 28. Two of the units are located in the Olympic Villages—one each in Vancouver and Whistler—and one is in the Main Media Center in Vancouver.

"Athletes love McDonald's food, and we've seen and heard this over the years," Dillon said. "We know we feed more than their appetite—we feed their spirit."

The three new units will be staffed by the McDonald's Olympic Champion Crew, which includes 300 McDonald's employees from around Canada. Each unit includes energy efficient lighting and equipment that can be reused in Canadian McDonald's after the Games.

"We're also proud to participate in the Vancouver Organizing Committee's efforts to assure that these are the first-ever carbon-neutral games, by supporting their carbon offsetting program," Dillon said, referencing the Committee's Carbon Partner program.

To promote the Winter Games around the world, McDonald's is releasing market-specific commercials and packaging that feature Olympic athletes.

The promotions are most prominent in the Games' home country. Betts said in the Webcast that Canadian marketing includes six new commercials, Olympic-themed store decorations, and even LTO menu options.

"We're bringing the games to life for our customers inside the restaurants with images of world-class Canadian athletes," he said. "We want them to know that McDonald's is their Olympic headquarters."

The new menu options to be offered for a limited time at Canada McDonald's include a S'mores Pie, a Crème Brulee Crunch McFlurry, and a Parmigiana Chicken Snack Wrap.

Two McDonald's programs that will correlate with the Winter Olympic Games follow in the company's efforts to both give back to the community and maintain its commitment to children.

The McDonald's Champion Kids program, which was first held at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, brings select kids from all over the world between the ages of six and 14 to Vancouver to attend Olympic events and meet the athletes. The kids will blog from the games and report back to their hometown news outlets.

McDonald's is also helping to fund the construction of three accessible playgrounds in the Vancouver area.

"In the spirit of our commitment to children, three world-class accessible playgrounds will be built in Vancouver, Richmond, and Whistler," Betts announced in the Webcast.

"To create them, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Canada has partnered with the province of British Columbia, the Rick Hansen Foundation, and the 2010 Legacies Now organization."

Betts said that though McDonald's efforts to promote the 2010 Olympic Winter Game are extensive, the opportunity to connect the quick-serve chain with Canada and the rest of the world is worth the trouble.

"The return in terms of the financial investment is just one part of it," he said. "The opportunity to connect with millions of Canadians here in our home country and folks around the world, I think, is just immeasurable in terms of what the returns are.

"Our customers are very excited about it, and our employees and owner/operators are just thrilled to be engaged with the games. It's almost priceless."

Nissan Announced as the Official Vehicle of Team RadioShack

Nissan Announced as the Official Vehicle of Team RadioShack - Lance Armstrong's New Professional Cycling Team

Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) today announced an agreement with Lance Armstrong, seven-time winner of the Tour de France and founder of the LIVESTRONG Charitable Foundation, to sponsor his new Team RadioShack pro cycling team. The multi-year partnership includes the use of a variety of Nissan products as the official vehicle of the team.

Team RadioShack consists of 25 professional riders from around the world, including Armstrong - many of them considered among the strongest competitors in cycling today. The team will compete in an extensive schedule of professional cycling races worldwide in 2010, including the Tour de France and the Tour of California.

"There's a powerful alignment between cycling enthusiasts' interests and Nissan's in terms of performance, durability and sustainability - whether their favorite ride has two wheels or four," said Christian Meunier, vice president, Nissan Marketing, NNA. "It is a solid platform to launch many exciting products here in the United States and around the globe."

Nissan, which already enjoys a strong presence in the health, wellness and personal fitness arena with its Sports Illustrated College Football and Rodale Fitness partnerships, also plans to actively support Team RadioShack at the Tour of California, Tour of Missouri, Tour de France and other major Pro Cycling events around the globe. The company views the partnership as a way to connect with the more than 21 million cyclists in the United States and the 40 million cycling fans that attended live events around the world in 2009.

"We're very excited to have Nissan join as a partner of Team RadioShack. Team vehicles and new technologies play a key role in the success of any professional cycling team and we look forward to using Nissan products as we race around the world," said Armstrong.

"We know that Nissan has some cutting-edge product launches on the horizon and we look forward to an excellent and winning partnership with our new Nissan friends for many years to come," he continued.

"The connection between health, wellness and sustainable mobility, such as Nissan supports with the upcoming Nissan LEAF(TM) electric vehicle and our Green Program 2010, is a natural. Nissan has been a proud supporter of the LIVESTRONG Challenge and looks forward to working together with the LIVESTRONG Foundation and their fight against cancer," added Meunier

Who's Supporting The Arts?

Who's Supporting The Arts?

Top 10 DMAs in which adults reside who contributed money to an arts or other cultural organization in the past year:
1 San Francisco/ Oakland/ San Jose

2 Seattle/ Tacoma

3 Boston

4 Washington, D.C.

5 Hartford & New Haven, Conn.

6 Albany/ Schenectady/ Troy, N.Y.

7 Rochester, N.Y.

8 Minneapolis/ St. Paul

9 Honolulu, Hawaii

10 New York

Source: Scarborough Research

Top 10 Most Talked About Brands....Heading into the holiday season.

1 Wal-Mart

2 Ford

3 Target

4 Home Depot

5 Apple

6 Lowe's

7 Verizon Wireless

8 Toyota

9 Walgreens

10 Best Buy



Source: BrandIndex

State Farm Fuels Game Day Rivalry

State Farm activated its title sponsorship of the Border Showdown Nov. 28 with pre-game interactives that fanned the flames of competitiveness between the University of Missouri and University of Kansas football teams.

Taking a two-tiered approach, State Farm created activities for both the 18-24 and 30-49-year-old targets. For the young adult segment the company set up the State Farm Border Showdown Lounges at a hotspot near each campus three days before game day. The lounges were equipped with five Xbox Live stations that allowed students from each university to play NCAA 2010 against each other in real time. Participants were given headsets so they could trash talk their opponent on the other end of the game. Crowds hung out to cheer on the players. The goal was to accrue enough points to beat the other team (Kansas beat Missouri 90 to 87). State Farm spread the word to register online via a State Farm Border Showdown Facebook fan page as well as on statefarmthrowdown.com where the scores and other related information were posted throughout the events. On the campuses, State Farm generated buzz through student organizations, hung up posters and handed out cards.

On game day at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium, State Farm appealed to all ages by bringing its Whack-a-Mascot (like Whack-a-Mole) mobile fan experiences to tailgaters. Instead of whacking a mole, each team could whack their opponent’s mascot, either a Kansas Jayhawks or Missouri Tiger. Those that provided personal information received branded merchandise like a Koozie or eye decals reminiscent of the black patches football players wear under their eyes. Of the consumers that went through and did the Whack-a-Mascot game about 25 percent provided their data; 80 percent of those opted in to be contacted by an agent

“This year we have been trying to use our sponsorship as more of a platform versus just going in with some type of mobile unit on game day and having that be it,” Jerry Nevins, marketing analyst at State Farm, told Buzz. “The number of hot leads generated on game day far exceeded what was done previously. At least three times more than in 2008.”

During the game State Farm also executed a MU versus KU text promotion. Each team was provided a short code on the video board to see who could strike a virtual mallet (like at a carnival) by texting the most. When it was over State Farm sent each player a thank you message and chance to enter a $250 sweepstakes.

Baby girl Ezri!

The free calendar has been a marketing staple..

The free calendar has been a marketing staple for as long as anyone can recall, a branded thank-you extended by businesses ranging from banks to fast-food chains to car repair shops. Now cable TV provider Comcast has made the old new, crafting a recent mail campaign that integrated the time-honored calendar with a fresh digital twist.

Just before the year began, Comcast began sending out branded calendars to customers in select areas in hopes of engaging its audience via bold graphics and some money-saving offerings. The calendars are filled with coupons for on-demand movies and discount offers on Comcast digital video recorders. They also provide links to free software and invitations to create a personalized link on a Comcast Web site.

Comcast also cleverly tied in monthly events or holidays with a message that promotes Comcast products. For instance, on the date a pro football championship was to be played, the message on the calendar read: “Enjoy the big game in Comcast HD.”

Breen says the calendar — which was mailed to customers in several states in the Northeast and Midwest — is largely a gesture of appreciation, but it also allows the cable giant to communicate more intimately with its audience about the value of the cable service. “We’re happy with what our customers have bought, and we want them to get the most out of what they have,” says Karen Breen, vice president of marketing strategies for Comcast’s North Central Division. “This is really important in tough economic times for people to realize the value they have.”

The calendars also allow Comcast the chance to educate recipients about its array of offerings beyond its cable service. “Direct mail enables us to have more room to say what we want, and we do leverage it quite a bit,” notes Breen. “We were trying to think of an innovative way to talk about our product benefits and features that would have a life and context to it.”

In the first few months of the campaign, Breen says, anecdotal feedback has suggested that the effort will prove fruitful. Customers have called Comcast to get their own calendars and are also asking to be added to the mailing list for next year’s version.

As the year progresses, Comcast will track redemption of the on-demand video coupons, which are sprinkled throughout the calendar, to determine how many calendars are prompting consumer action. Breen says the company will also study Web traffic to determine how many calendar recipients are being driven online.

Breen says the idea for the calendar grew out of a series of creative direct mail pieces that Comcast designed in 2008, featuring bold graphics that promoted the Comcast user experience. Many of those images were included in the calendar.

In addition to the mailings, the calendar was also used as a free-standing insert in newspapers and given away at Comcast service centers in the targeted states.


Source: Deliver Magazine

Cool "Marketing" pics...

Nike as exclusive on-court and apparel provider of the USA Basketball men's and women's national teams.

The Cowboys run on Dunkin.....

America's Team now runs - and passes, blocks and kicks - on Dunkin' Donuts, America's all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods. The company announced today that it has entered into a partnership with the Dallas Cowboys Football Club, which includes becoming the official coffee for the team. Dunkin' Donuts pouring stations, located strategically throughout Cowboys Stadium, will serve Dunkin' Donuts hot coffee, iced coffee, hot chocolate and iced tea during Cowboys home games, college football games, concerts and other stadium events.

The Dallas Cowboys are one of the world's leading professional sports franchises with a global fan base. As part of the partnership, Dunkin' Donuts signage will appear within the stadium and advertising will be shown during events on the LED ribbon board and video board. Co-branded advertising will also be seen throughout the Dallas-Ft. Worth area announcing the partnership. Additionally, on weekdays after every home game, customers can redeem their Cowboys game ticket stubs at any Dunkin' Donuts location to receive a free medium hot coffee.

According to Dunkin' Brands CEO Nigel Travis, the agreement to bring Dunkin' Donuts coffee and beverages to Cowboys Stadium provides a simple yet significant benefit for visitors. "The new Cowboys Stadium offers fans arguably the most impressive array of state-of-the-art amenities in any venue in the country. We're proud to partner with the Cowboys organization to help enhance visitors' stadium experience even further by making the country's best coffee part of every home game, concert or event," he said.

"We are proud to have Dunkin' Donuts as a partner in our new home," said Dallas Cowboys Owner and General Manager, Jerry Jones. "The quality of their coffee is unmatched and exactly what our fans expect when they come out to Cowboys Stadium."

Dunkin' Donuts' partnership with the Dallas Cowboys is a significant milestone in the brand's strategic growth efforts, which are focused on bringing the brand's world-famous coffee and baked goods to new, targeted locations across the country via steady contiguous growth as well as through innovative partnerships. In the sporting industry alone, Dunkin' Donuts offers its coffee and beverages at sporting venues such as Fenway Park and the TD Bank (Boston) Garden in addition to Cowboys Stadium; it is also the official coffee provider for many professional sports teams, including the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins. Additionally, in recent years, Dunkin' Donuts launched the brand's first-ever theme park restaurant at Hershey Park, its first hotel location at Great Wolf Lodge in North Carolina, and multiple new locations at airports including Boston, Dallas-Fort Worth and New York City.

Dunkin' Donuts has set the standard for offering a superior grade of coffee, and the company sells more than one billion cups of hot and iced coffee every year. In 2008, an independent taste test showed that Americans preferred Dunkin' Donuts coffee over Starbucks. Dunkin' Donuts has earned the No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for three years running.

About Dunkin' Donuts

Founded in 1950, Dunkin' Donuts is America's favorite every day, all-day stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin' Donuts is a market leader in the regular/decaf coffee, iced coffee, hot flavored coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories, and the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world. Dunkin' Donuts has earned the No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for three years running. The company has more than 8,800 restaurants in 31 countries worldwide. In 2008, Dunkin' Donuts' global system-wide sales were $5.5 billion. Based in Canton, Massachusetts, Dunkin' Donuts is a subsidiary of Dunkin' Brands, Inc. For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com.

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