Adidas Navigates Japanese Market With Creative Flair

Running enthusiasts in Tokyo face a problem that will probably sound familiar to urbanites everywhere. The most popular circuit — the leafy, five-kilometer route around the Imperial Palace — is in the heart of the city, taunting commuters who work nearby. Where can office workers change and leave their laptop bags if they want to run before heading home to the suburbs?

Enter Adidas’ “Runbase,” a few blocks from the palace and near a major subway station. The center is a facility where runners can rent a locker and shower, as well as a branded space selling a variety of shoes and apparel. Runbase hosts regular running events and staff is on hand to provide training tips. Visitors can even rent Adidas running shoes for 100 yen — about $1.20 — the price of a bottle of water.

“It always staggers me, on a beautiful day, to see someone drive to a gym and run on a treadmill,” said Dave Thomas, VP-marketing for Adidas in Japan. “At the moment [Runbase] is only in Japan … but there’s a lot of interest from my counterparts around the world. When people come here, it’s one of the things they always want to see.”

Japan is among Adidas’ top-five global markets, but what sets the country apart are its stylish, discerning, tech-savvy consumers, who make it a unique testing ground for product and marketing innovations. TBWA/ Hakuhodo is Adidas’ ad agency in Japan. (www.adweek.com)

Forbes Relaunches Luxury Lifestyle Title ‘ForbesLife’

Twenty-two years after launching its luxury lifestyle supplement ForbesLife, Forbes Media is revamping the title. The magazine previously was available to subscribers only, but in its newest incarnation, it will be available on newsstands in New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas (cover price $6.99), and as a digital replica for the iPad, Nook and Kindle.

The magazine was redesigned by Robert Priest, and boasts, according to Forbes, “a new modern look, photo-driven editorial content, first-person storytelling and unprecedented access to the most important people in the world.” Highlights of the new, “personality-driven” issue will include a tour of “bachelor billionaire” Elon Musk’s home, a “ride on a luxurious private train car” with Patrón and Paul Mitchell co-founder John Paul DeJoria and a glimpse into Jay Leno’s $20 million garage.

Although ForbesLife’s table of contents may appear to clash with the current economic climate, things have actually been looking up for high-end magazine titles. According to a number of publishers, while mass-market brands are still reluctant to extend their ad budgets, luxury companies are scurrying to reach the superwealthy who are more than ready to open their wallets again. (www.adweek.com)

Once Shunning Ad Promos, Google Now Flaunts Itself

After years of touting the superiority of online advertising, Google Inc. is taking a decidedly different approach to promote itself in areas where its rivals dominate.

The Internet company is spending big sums on TV, magazine and newspaper ads to promote new services, including its Google+ social network and Chrome Web browser. Google’s ad-spending as a percentage of revenue is now almost on par with rival technology companies such as Apple Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc., according to new data. (www.wsj.com)

With Ad Push, Publisher Is Aiming for a Home Run on Yogi Berra Book

To market its coming nonfiction book, “Driving Mr. Yogi,” publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has two baseball legends stepping up to the plate: former New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra and former Yankees pitcher Ron Guidry.

The publisher has set a $175,000 marketing budget for “a robust plan” for the book, said Carla Gray, director of adult marketing for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The book, written by Harvey Araton, tells the story of the long-running friendship between Messrs. Berra and Guidry, and details Mr. Guidry’s unofficial role as Mr. Berra’s “chauffeur” during Yankees spring training in Tampa, Fla., since 2000. (www.wsj.com)

Piggly Wiggly Uncorks ‘Local Since Forever’

Regional grocery chain Piggly Wiggly is proclaiming itself “Local Since Forever” in its first new brand campaign in six years.

The Charleston, S.C.-based chain is using a two-minute spot to kick off the new positioning, spokesperson Christopher Ibsen tells Marketing Daily. It plays off the area’s special beauty, as well as the chain’s 65-year history of local ownership. “It taps into this deep sense of pride and commitment to what we’re trying to accomplish,” he says. “Besides plenty of imagery of the Carolinas and coastal Georgia, there are familiar images of our stores, and the commitment to local communities, whether that’s sponsoring church picnics, Little League games or parade floats.”

The two-minute spot break will break on all four local network stations, leading into the NCAA’s Final Four Men’s Basketball Championships on April 2, and will continue to run for several weeks, before switching to shorter versions of the ad. “There will be no escaping it,” he says. And the new theme will also appear in radio ads, billboards, newspaper circulars, store signage and collateral, social media spaces — and later this year, on the company’s new Web site.

The positioning stemmed, in part, from the 100-store chain’s long commitment to local gastronomy, which it began touting more prominently this year. Pig Swig, for example, its private-label beer — which includes Pig Tail Ale and Pig Pen Pilsner — was launched nine months ago, and has significantly exceeded all forecasts, he explains. And at about the same time, it began running weekly “The pig makes local happen” ads in papers, each focusing on a local product and the people behind it, from simmering sauces to local frozen biscuits and area cheeses. (www.mediapost.com)

Corona Evolves ‘Find Your Beach’

Corona Extra is striving to evolve the “Find your beach” tagline that the brand has been using since 2010.

Two TV spots and out-of-home advertising aim to strengthen the connection between the physical beach and the beach “state of mind.”

Corona Extra’s 2012 out-of-home advertising depicts beaches in unexpected places — in a city bar, on an urban rooftop or on a snowy mountaintop. Four executions designed to broaden brand perceptions and expand drinking occasions will break in May on taxi toppers, bus shelters and other outdoor displays in 10 key U.S. markets including New York City, Chicago, L.A., San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

“Spotlight,” the first new TV ad of 2012, will debut during NBA and NCAA basketball programming. “Spotlight” is set under the stars on an iconic Corona Beach, where the indie band Everest emerges from the dark to welcome an intimate party of three before launching into their hit single “Let Go.” (www.mediapost.com)

NCAA Shoots CBS A Sunday Night WIn

NCAA’s March Madness had to share the madness with the premiere of “Mad Men” on Sunday night.

CBS squeaked through with a win on Sunday — highlight with the “NCAA College Men’s Basketball Tournament,” the “Elite Eight” games. Though mostly airing in the afternoon, the tournament moved into early evening hours, earning a Nielsen preliminary 2.9/9 for the 7 p.m. hour — the best rated show of the night.

Overall, CBS scored a Nielsen preliminary 2.3 rating/6 share among 18-49ers to ABC’s 2.2/6.

CBS pulled in an average 10.2 million on that night — and 12 million for the early evening hour of the NCAA game, coupled with some of “60 Minutes”programming. By way of comparison, the season five debut of AMC’s “Mad Men” pulled in a record – for the show — 3.5 million viewers. (www.mediapost.com)

Sierra Club Ad Campaign Takes On Coal

The Sierra Club is launching an advertising campaign that talks about the dangers of coal. The effort uses humorous and (hopefully) viral videos that feature TV personalities and shows from the 1980s. The Sierra Club says the ads use irreverent humor to address and bring attention to the harm caused by coal pollution.

“These ads aim to do for coal what the Truth campaign did for tobacco -– expose the fact that coal pollution is dirty and dangerous, and that coal executives will say anything to make people believe that coal is safe — while making our kids sick,” said Michael Brune, the Sierra Club’s executive director, in a statement.

The new effort extends the organization’s two-year-old “Beyond Coal” campaign. The Sierra Club says the effort, intended to promulgate the virtues of wind and solar, has helped retire 106 of the nation’s over 500 aging coal-fired power plants. It is the first major video campaign that the Sierra Club has launched following a $50 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies in July 2011.

One of the videos is a take on a badly dubbed TV show on how to draw nature paintings. Bob Ross is a pro-coal voiceover guy, dubbing the artist’s voice. The artist has rendered a scene of beautiful mountains, except for one that has been strip mined for coal. Text says: “Coal companies have destroyed over 500 mountains in Appalachia.” (www.mediapost.com)

Chipotle Recycles Billboards For Earth Day

For Earth Day, Chipotle is turning old marketing into sustainable goods that are in turn part of new marketing plus some philanthropy.

Specifically, the Denver-headquartered QSR, which emphasizes fresh, sustainably sourced ingredients, is “upcycling” its old billboards into reusable lunch bags.

Fans who buy a bag between March 26 and April 14 -– selling exclusively on Chipotle.com ($18) — will receive a barcode with the bag that’s redeemable for a free Chipotle menu item (burrito, bowl, salad or taco) on Earth Day (April 22).

In addition, a portion of the lunch bag sales proceeds will go to The Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, which provides funding to support sustainable agriculture, family farming, and culinary education. (www.mediapost.com)

New Miller Time Spots Unveiled; MillerCoors Explains the Return

MillerCoors says Miller Lite still tastes great. And it’s still less filling.

But these two attributes are a tougher sell in an age where superlow-calorie beers have stolen some of the less-filling message and craft beers are crowding in on taste. And that, in a nutshell, is why Lite is reviving the Miller Time tagline, which is more about sociability and less about the beer itself.

“Miller Lite really is about real beer and real friends, and we believe that Miller Time captures that whole idea of real friends coming together over real beer,” MillerCoors Exec VP-Chief Marketing Officer Andy England said today in an interview, discussing the new campaign for the first time since Ad Age first reported it earlier this month.

In recent years, the brand has talked mostly about taste with its “Man Up” campaign by DraftFCB, which mocked guys who chose other brands. MillerCoors is changing course in hopes of lifting Lite from a prolonged slump. The TV ads premiering tonight are by Saatchi & Saatchi, New York, which recently took on Lite in addition to other MillerCoors brands such as Miller64 and Miller High Life. (www.adage.com)

Nissan Previews Big Year For Launches

Innovation is all the rage at Nissan, as the Japanese carmaker preps for one of its busiest model launch years ever in the U.S.

Starting with the Altima, the company will bow new versions of five models in the next 15 months. The others are Pathfinder, Sentra, Versa and Rogue.

Initial teaser ads from TBWA\Chiat\Day use the “Innovation for all” theme that Nissan introduced in its 2010 campaign for the Leaf electric car.

The five nameplates represent 80 percent of Nissan’s total U.S. sales each year, so there’s a lot riding on the new push. Also, given the scope of the effort, the company’s 2012 media spending will grow significantly, according to Jon Brancheau, vp of marketing for North America. By one estimate, spending will rise more than 20 percent from last year’s total, which Nielsen put at $580 million.

Ford to Livestream Game Show Tied to NBC Reality Show

The day after NBC’s new road-trip competition Escape Routes hits TVs on March 31, show sponsor Ford will debut a live-streaming online game show on its dedicated site EscapeRoutes.com. The online show—which will let users earn points and prizes by answering show-related trivia questions—will air the day after each of the series’ six episodes and is part of a larger interactive offering developed by Ford, digital agency Rokkan and Team Detroit.

Starting today, once users register an account on EscapeRoutes.com, they are asked to pick one of the show’s teams and complete team-related challenges—such as answering questions, playing games or uploading videos—in order to receive points, badges and prizes such as a 2013 Ford Escape. Users will also be able to interact directly with the show’s teams as they compete.

Rokkan CEO John Noe declined to discuss challenge specifics because they will reveal show details before episodes air, but he said the interactive and social offerings differ from the initiative’s predecessor, last year’s Ford Focus Rally.

“Last year the way to play was if we asked you a question, you went on to the page and entered into the text field and hit submit,” he said. “The thing we’re trying to do this year is allow people to respond and interact through Twitter.” (www.adweek.com)

Pop-Ups Are Taking Over the Kitchen

The owners of Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen started their business with a dream: to bring traditional Jewish foods such as hand-sliced pastrami and house-smoked trout, to San Francisco.

But the economics of opening a location—costs can range between $300,000 and $500,000 for a 1,500-square-foot space with a liquor license in San Francisco—pushed the young restaurateurs to launch with a more temporary approach: the pop-up.

Pop-up restaurants—temporary eateries that set up shop for a few days, weeks or months in spaces such as hotel lobbies or other restaurants that close for the night—are morphing into a multipurpose tool, used by different strata of the restaurant industry to test concepts, market new brands, engage with a younger audience, or prove to landlords, lenders and investors that they are worth the risk.

Since first appearing in London in the mid-2000s, when a handful of restaurateurs began staging culinary “happenings,” pop-ups have become so integral to the high-end restaurant scene that there are now pop-up production companies that help chefs and companies stage events and restaurant spaces that serve as homes to a continually shifting schedule of pop-ups. (www.wsj.com)

As Young Lose Interest in Cars, G.M. Turns to MTV for Help

That is a major shift from the days when the car stood at the center of youth culture and wheels served as the ultimate gateway to freedom and independence. Young drivers proudly parked Impalas at a drive-in movie theater, lusted over cherry red Camaros as the ultimate sign of rebellion or saved up for a Volkswagen Beetle on which to splash bumper stickers and peace signs. Today Facebook, Twitter and text messaging allow teenagers and 20-somethings to connect without wheels. High gas prices and environmental concerns don’t help matters.

“They think of a car as a giant bummer,” said Mr. Martin. “Think about your dashboard. It’s filled with nothing but bad news.”

There is data to support Mr. Martin’s observations. In 2008, 46.3 percent of potential drivers 19 years old and younger had drivers’ licenses, compared with 64.4 percent in 1998, according to the Federal Highway Administration, and drivers ages 21 to 30 drove 12 percent fewer miles in 2009 than they did in 1995.

Forty-six percent of drivers aged 18 to 24 said they would choose Internet access over owning a car, according to the research firm Gartner. (www.nytimes.com)

Nissan Promotes Next New York Taxi as a Sign of Its Innovation

TAXICABS crowd the movies and TV shows about New York just as they crowd the streets of New York, as evidenced by “On the Town,” “Taxi,” “Taxi Driver,” “Night on Earth” and “Cash Cab.” Now comes a campaign that celebrates the city’s taxi fleet, or at least what it is to look like beginning in fall 2013.

The campaign, scheduled to start on Monday, promotes the Nissan NV200 van, which in May won the Taxi of Tomorrow competition sponsored by New York City. The campaign is sponsored, not surprisingly, by the company whose entry won the contest, the Nissan North America division of Nissan Motor.

The campaign, with a budget estimated at $2 million to $3 million, is being produced by TBWA/Chiat/Day Los Angeles, the longtime creative agency for Nissan North America. The campaign includes billboards, events, social media, promotions and signs, many of which will be placed atop existing taxicabs.

“This is the greatest moment for taxis since Danny DeVito played Louie De Palma on ‘Taxi,’ ” said Rob Schwartz, chief creative officer at TBWA/Chiat/Day Los Angeles, which is the Playa del Rey, Calif., office of the TBWA/Chiat/Day unit of TBWA Worldwide, a division of the Omnicom Group. (www.nytimes.com)

Gulf Oil provides the spark at Fenway Park

Major League Baseball (MLB) team Boston Red Sox has announced Gulf Oil as the official electricity supplier to Fenway Park.

Expanding its longstanding relationship with the Red Sox and Fenway Park, Gulf Oil, through its Gulf Electricity division, will power everything at the stadium, including the floodlights, team clubhouses and concession stands.

“We are proud to deepen our relationship with our long time partners, the Boston Red Sox,” said Gulf Oil president Ron Sabia. “As each of our enterprises continues to innovate, it is fitting for Gulf to introduce its new electricity service to Massachusetts consumers first at Fenway.” (www.sportspromedia.com)

Coke To Focus On Events, Loses Faith In 30-Second Spot

Coca-Cola looks to focus its TV ad spending on so-called DVR-proof events, while buttressing them with 360-degree campaigns.

With ad-skipping rampant, the company has lost faith in the effectiveness of traditional ads in comedies and dramas, save for the Super Bowl, “American Idol” and other programming that consumers watch live and talk about the next day around the Coke machine.

“The 30-second spots on television (are) no longer the way to do it,” said CFO Gary Fayard at an industry event. “You still do 30-second spots, but if you’re like me, most of the television you watch, you record and when you then watch it, you skip over all the ads … (but) you will watch certain shows live because you want to be able to talk about them tomorrow when you go to work.”

Still, even as advertising is concentrated in live-oriented events and sports, Coke is planning a major Olympics initiative this summer — a traditional spot can no longer stand alone, Fayard said. Links and integrated campaigns will use social and digital media -– as Coke did with Super Bowl ads this year — and opportunities for consumers to take some ownership of brands and pass along endorsements is crucial. (www.mediapost.com)

Century 21 Allies With National Soccer Team

Century 21 has unveiled its alliance as the “official real estate company” of U.S. Soccer, which includes the Men’s, Women’s and Youth National Teams. The partnership launched during the CONCACAF 2012 Summer Olympics qualifying tournament with a game last night between the U.S. Men’s National Team and the Cuban National Team. (www.mediapost.com)
MasterCard Goes With Palmer, PGA Tour

MasterCard has signed a deal with the PGA Tour and Arnold Palmer to continue and also expand its role as lead sponsor of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard. Financial terms of the four-year deal, which runs through the 2016 tournament, were not revealed. The 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard is being held this week at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club in Orlando. Tiger Woods is attempting to win the event for the seventh time. (www.mediapost.com)
Jaguar And Land Rover Go To China

British maker Jaguar Land Rover is the latest to ink a deal with Chinese partner Chery. But Paul Eisenstein wonders if, with the Chinese market possibly slowing, it isn’t just a bit too little too late.

The deal with China’s Chery Automobile Company will lead to the production of Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles, as well as powertrains, at a facility there. China has outsold the U.S. for the last several years. Eisenstein points out that the specifics have yet to be announced and will be subject to approval by Chinese regulators, meaning the whole thing could drag on for a while. Fuji Heavy Industries has been waiting since last year for the go-ahead on a deal that would lead to production of its Subaru line in China. Nonetheless, officials at India’s Tata Motors, which owns JLR, expressed optimism. (www.mediapost.com)

Fujifilm’s First Brand Campaign Talks Tech

Despite having the word “film” in its name, Fujifilm Holdings North America is looking to remind consumers and business leaders that the company is about more than an outmoded technology.

In its first-ever brand campaign, the company tells its brand story through innovation developed through various technologies over the decades. The primarily print campaign celebrates the company’s 78-year history in developing core technologies that simply happened to be grounded in the development of photographic products. The campaign showcases how those technologies are being adapted for the 21^st century.

“In the last decade, Fujifilm made many changes and investments to diversify its business. Now, the timing is right for Fujifilm to support those strategic business moves with an overarching brand message,” said Ray Hosoda, president, Fujifilm Holdings America Corporation, in a statement. “This new ad campaign illustrates how Fujifilm has extended it products and services into markets beyond the traditional film and imaging industries for which we are best known, such as digital cameras, and photo imaging and printing equipment.”

The campaign acknowledges consumers’ perception as Fujifilm with the headline “Just when you thought you knew us.” The ads then showcase different technological developments the company has been a part of. The first ad, for instance, features a 3D medical imaging product marketed in the U.S. by Fujifilm Medical Systems. The campaign features the tagline “expect Innovation.” (www.mediapost.com)

‘American Idol’ to Launch Clothing Line at Kohl’s — Without the ‘Idol’ Name

The latest extension of the popular “American Idol” TV show won’t carry the program’s name.

Over the years, the producers of what has long been the nation’s most-watched TV show have slapped the “American Idol” name on everything from ice cream to Barbie dolls. When it came to launching a fashion line at Kohl’s next month, however, executives felt it best to leave the iconic show name back at Fox.

“We’re working to make sure it lives independently from ‘American Idol,’” said David Luner, exec VP-consumer products and interactive, Fremantle Media Enterprises, which owns the “Idol” franchise and produces it.

That said, the Authentic Icon fashion line will be incorporated into this season of “American Idol.” (www.adage.com)

Lexus Brings NFC-Enabled Print Ad to Wired Magazine

As print publications continue seeking new ways to entice advertisers, Wired magazine and Lexus have teamed up to create what they say is the first mass-produced print ad embedded with a near-field communications, or NFC, tag.

The ad, which can be found in 500,000 subscriber copies of Wired’s April issue, allows readers who have NFC-enabled phones — such as the Nexus S — to access a demo of the Lexus GS 2013’s Enform App Suite simply by holding their phone up to the ad. Unlike the 2-D barcodes that have been storming magazine pages, readers don’t need to take pictures of anything with their phones’ cameras. The phone automatically detects the NFC chip.

In the case of Wired and Lexus, that brings up a link on the phone’s screen. Click the link and a welcome video loads introducing the car’s in-dash App Suite. Users can then click on each of the app icons — Bing, OpenTable, iHeartRadio, Pandora, MovieTickets.com, and Yelp — to see short videos explaing each app.

“This gives us a chance to bring the technology to life for a reader in a way that words just don’t do,” said Brian Bolain, national marketing communications manager for Lexus. (www.adage.com)

Nissan Brings Back the Datsun Brand

Datsun’s back.

For those of you born after 1981, Datsun was the predecessor to the Nissan brand, a fondly remembered brand name consigned to the annals of automotive history more than a quarter-century ago. But the badge is being revived outside the U.S., Nissan said today, as Datsun becomes its third global brand after Nissan and Infiniti. The rollout is set for 2014 in India, Indonesia and Russia, aimed at what CEO Carlos Ghosn described during an announcement in Jakarta today as “optimistic up-and-coming customers in high-growth markets.”

IHS Automotive senior analyst Aaron Bragman said the idea is to position Datsun at the low end of the market; Nissan as the mass-market, midpriced brand; and Infiniti at the high-end, near-luxury segment.

“We’re seeing trending in China, with companies like Chevy, Buick and others saving those established brand names for higher-end cars,” Mr. Bragman said. “Datsun is just a historical footnote to most people in this country.” (www.adage.com)

Hustler Casino Joins Family Of Sponsors For 2012 Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach

It’s “game on” for Hustler Casino, which will be a first-time sponsor of the 38th Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 13-15.

Hustler Casino has already begun promoting its association with America’s #1 street race: a Grand Prix show car is on display in the main lobby with race information for this year’s event. Over the next few weeks, Hustler Casino will be giving its guests and players opportunities to take part in exclusive Grand Prix events such as riding in an official Toyota pace car during race weekend.

Hustler Casino will also have a booth in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Lifestyle Expo, which is free to all race attendees. At the booth, Hustler Casino will be giving away Free Bet Chips coupons to use at the Casino, promotional merchandise and many other exciting items.

“Hustler Casino has wanted to be a part of this event for some years now,” said Al Underwood, marketing director of Hustler Casino. “We are happy to finally have made this important event a part of our year. We’re looking forward to introducing the casino and the most beautiful Blackjack Dealers in L.A. to Grand Prix visitors!” (www.sponsorship.com)

Charter Slated To Sponsor JTG Daugherty Racing At Auto Club Speedway And Michigan International Speedway

Charter Communications, Inc., a leading broadband communications company and the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, joins JTG Daugherty Racing’s sponsor lineup during the team’s fourth season of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition.

“The Charter deal is a game changer for us,” JTG Daugherty Racing co-owner Tad Geschickter said. “We always strive to provide our sponsors with great value. This new partnership, with the fourth-largest cable provider in the country, gives us the opportunity to create sponsor activation elements that we could have never provided before.”

Charter’s first primary race with JTG Daugherty Racing and 2000 champion driver Bobby Labonte unfolds this weekend at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. during the Auto Club 400 on March 25. Labonte has four top-five, five top-10 and a pole award entering the two-mile D-shaped oval.

“JTG Daugherty Racing has some of the best companies in the business supporting our efforts and now we welcome Charter to our sponsor lineup,” said driver Bobby Labonte, who has 21 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories. “They are our primary sponsor for two races. The first race is this weekend at Auto Club Speedway.” (www.sponsorship.com)

AT&T Extends Balloon Festival Partnership, 3rd Major Sponsor Returns For Fest’s 30th Anniversary

The Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Association with PNC Bank has announced the continuation of its marketing partnership with AT&T for the Festival’s upcoming 30th anniversary celebration in July.

AT&T, which has offices in Morristown, NJ, will continue to keep Festival attendees connected with the latest wireless devices and technology for the eighth straight year. AT&T joins title sponsor Quick Chek stores and PNC Bank as the third major corporate sponsor to extend their partnership as the largest summertime hot air balloon and music festival in North America prepares to take off at Solberg Airport in Readington, NJ, July 27-28-29, 2012.

Named one of the Top 100 Events in North America five times by the ABA and the No. 1 Thing to Do In New Jersey in 2012 by New Jersey Monthly magazine, the Festival attracts upwards of 165,000 people, worldwide media coverage, and attractive demographics for consumer-oriented marketers.

“AT&T continues to be a shining example of how a company connects with consumers in a fun and exciting way,” said Festival Executive Producer Howard Freeman. “They continue to add value to our attendees’ experiences and we are very pleased they have once again chosen the Festival to showcase their line of high-quality products and services.” (www.sponsorship.com)

Beats Electronics Said to Be Pursuing MOG Online Music Service

In a deal that could signal the arrival of a prominent new player in digital music, Beats Electronics, the company that has transformed the high-end headphone market with its Beats by Dr. Dre line, is in the process of buying MOG, an online music service.

The deal has not closed, but negotiations are in their final stages, according to three people briefed on the deal who were not authorized to speak about it publicly. The price was not known.

If completed, the deal would be a sign both of Beats’ market power and of the tightening competition among digital music companies. In less than four years, Beats, founded by the hip-hop star Dr. Dre and the record mogul Jimmy Iovine, has come to dominate the headphone field. With sleek designs and canny marketing, the company has made a symbol of high-fidelity audio as well as of high fashion.

The headphones, which sell for up to $500 a pair, have spawned a growing field of deluxe, celebrity-branded listening devices. As of last year, Beats Electronics’ annual sales were nearly $500 million. (www.nytimes.com)

Getting Ad Agencies Into Reality TV

CONTESTANTS on reality competition shows perform tasks like seeking spouses, racing around the world, eating bugs, losing weight, living in houses rigged with cameras and working for Donald J. Trump. A new series is arriving with a contest all its own: wooing advertisers to say yes to campaigns.

The series is “The Pitch,” after the pitch process by which agencies compete for assignments from marketers. (Perhaps the title of a coming reality series on TBS may be a better fit: “King of the Nerds.”)

“The Pitch” will appear on the AMC cable channel, which is seeking to increase its offerings in the unscripted genre that include “Comic Book Men” and “Talking Dead,” a live talk show about its hit scripted series “The Walking Dead.”

A sneak preview of Episode 1 of “The Pitch” is scheduled at 11 p.m. on April 8, after a new episode of “Mad Men,” the AMC drama about pitches — and other aspects of Madison Avenue — in the 1960s. (www.nytimes.com)

ESPN’s Web Site for Women Adds a Sponsor

An effort by ESPN to appeal to women is getting some additional marketer support as a brand becomes the first in its category to advertise with the company, according to ESPN.

The brand is a packaged-food product, Colavita olive oil, which is also a longtime sponsor of cycling. Colavita is forming a professional women’s cycling team, co-branded with espnW, which is ESPN’s dedicated Web site for women.

The team is the centerpiece of a Colavita sponsorship, with a budget estimated at $500,000, that also includes adding espnW to the team’s attire and Web site; advertising on espnw.com; promoting a sweepstakes, with a grand prize of a trip to Italy to watch a cycling tour; and placing the espnW name on 100,000 bottles of Colavita products on shelves in 15,000 stores.

ESPN, part of the Walt Disney Company, introduced espnW as a blog in late 2010, and then expanded it in April 2011 into a Web site with articles and video clips about women’s sports.

There are four founding sponsors of espnW: the Gatorade beverage line sold by PepsiCo; Nike; Oakley; and Procter & Gamble, specifically two of its products for women, Secret and Venus. (www.nytimes.com)

Adobe’s Project Midas Expands Predictive Marketing Tools

Adobe Systems will push deeper into online marketing, adding features in the Adobe Digital Marketing Suite that can predict consumer behavioral patterns. Some of the capabilities come from its acquisition in January of Efficient Frontier, now known as Project Midas.

Adobe, which captures more than 6 trillion transactions yearly for more than 5,000 digital customers, collectively represents more than 27 petabytes of data. The company runs software-as-a-service (SaaS) offerings through 23,500 servers and networked devices in 19 data center co-location sites.

Aseem Chandra, vice president of marketing for Adobe’s Digital Marketing Business, calls the new feature “predictive marketing” to analyze events throughout the entire funnel to help marketers analyze the data to determine any concerns.

Marketers can look at patterns — with about 100,000 variables — and estimate probability to address issues before they arise. The feature goes into beta during the second half of 2012, and into production later this year. (www.mediapost.com)
Hotels Use Websites To Grow Business

Hotel websites are increasing share of bookings in every quarter of 2011 among both business and leisure travelers, according to TravelClick.

Room nights booked through hotel websites grew 6.8% in the fourth quarter compared to the same time in 2010, according to data from the Fourth Quarter 2011 TravelClick North American Distribution Review (NADR), which aggregates hotel bookings by channel for the transient travel segment (individual leisure and business travelers).

Other distribution channels, such as online travel agencies like Expedia and Hotels.com as well as global distribution systems used by travel agents, also grew, but not as much. Online travel agencies grew 5.7% while global distribution systems grew 2.8%.

Overall in the transient segment, online travel agencies accounted for 11.4% of all hotel rooms booked for the fourth quarter; global distribution systems accounted for 19.3%; hotel websites (brand.com) accounted for 26.5%; direct bookings accounted for 25.0%; and voice, or 1-800 numbers, accounted for 16.7%. (www.mediapost.com)

Private Brands Evolve From Generics to Must-Haves

In 2010, private and exclusive brands accounted for a third of total sales at Target, and today they claim over half of Kohl’s product portfolio.

The private-brand concept has been a consistent driver of sales for discount retail giants for decades, but over the years it has been adapted to suit shifting consumer demands. Today, private brands have evolved from generic value products into must-have exclusives at many discounters, and marketing budgets played a big role in that evolution.

It started with that wardrobe staple: jeans, or as they used to be called, dungarees. In the “60s and “70s, private brands were essentially private-label generics, many of which started in the denim category. Value gave retailers an edge — that is, until every store began to offer the same value brands at the same prices. In the “90s, however, the concept of new and exclusive private brands took off when retailers learned that “value” can also be defined as having distinct products that serve as differentiators, driving store traffic and loyalty.

Regarding the transition from developing “copy-cats” of national products to more exclusive products in the “90s, Tina Wilcox, CEO and creative director of retail branding shop Black, said, “The retailers started [private brands] in an era where there wasn’t the kind of keen focus there is today on national brands. The more consumers started to embrace the whole notion of brand loyalties, the more it started to weaken those [generic] private-label brands and assortments.” (www.adage.com)

Volvo Inks Global Endorsement Deal With Jeremy Lin

Volvo Cars has signed New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin to a global endorsement deal and will announce details March 19 at a press conference at Chelsea Piers in New York City.

Volvo is owned by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co.

According to a statement from Volvo, Mr. Lin “is expected to help in the marketing efforts of Volvo in several international markets and help establish the brand with younger and performance-oriented customers.”

Speculation has been abroad in recent weeks that the 23-year-old Mr. Lin, who was born in the U.S. of Taiwanese immigrant parents, was negotiating with Volvo, and that he would be the focus of an ad campaign for the brand’s important, and expanding, Chinese automotive market. Volvo hopes to double its global sales to 800,000 by 2020; it sold about 47,000 cars in China last year.

In an interview in Germany in September, Volvo’s VP-Global Marketing Richard Monturo said the company is focusing on social media and digital. “We think the primary device in auto marketing is the internet,” said Mr. Monturo. “We have teams focusing on how we can upgrade the user experiences in all our social presences. We’re using the ‘designed around you’ idea but trans-creating around the world.” (www.adage.com)

How Discounters Use Sports as Means to Connect With Customers

Soccer moms, Nascar dads … if Target, Walmart, Kmart and Kohl’s are blue-collar to the core, then so are their sports sponsorships.

Two of the four retailers are heavily involved in auto racing, specifically Nascar, a third has a partnership with World Wrestling Entertainment, and the fourth is deeply invested in another slice of Americana — youth soccer.

“Sports marketing allows Kohl’s to connect with our customers through events they enjoy with their friends and family, and at the same time keep Kohl’s top-of-mind,” said Julie Gardner, Kohl’s exec VP-CMO.

Kohl’s hasn’t done sports marketing on the scale that Target and Walmart have, but the Menomonee Falls, Wis., store has sponsorship deals with the hometown Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks and the NFL’s Green Bay Packers. It’s also served as a sponsor of U.S. Youth Soccer since 2005, as well as the Kohl’s American Cup, a traveling recreational tournament.  (www.adage.com)

Regional sports nets are already hitting sales home runs as Major League Baseball’s new season stirs

It may be one of the hoariest clichés associated with a sport that’s already lousy with them, but it’s hard to find fault in the old saw that hope springs eternal during Major League Baseball’s spring training. For players and fans, it’s a time of promise—and for regional sports networks, it’s time to rake in some serious dough.

Not to dispel baseball’s Field of Dreams romanticism, but RSNs are serious business. The local sports chieftains have become so powerful that more than one high-ranking cable operator has griped about not being able to afford the cost of carrying them. Meanwhile, an improving advertising marketplace has dollars piling up on the other side of the ledger.

The shining exemplar of the RSN model is the 10-year-old YES Network. The most profitable RSN in the country, YES last year took in roughly $502.3 million in affiliate revenue alone. It also generated the highest ad sales tally—$68.7 million, according to SNL Kagan.

The cleanup hitter that powers the YES lineup is baseball’s most valuable franchise, the New York Yankees. Despite sharing the DMA with the Mets and SportsNet NY, YES’ 2011 Yankees broadcasts were the most-watched on any RSN, averaging 319,000 homes per game.

With three weeks to go before opening day, YES’ Yankees inventory is 60 percent sold out. “The market is really strong, and we’re seeing a huge response from automotive,” said Howard Levinson, svp of advertising sales at YES. “A lot of carmakers that raised their budgets in the wake of the tsunami have kept their spend just as high. And the companies that were directly affected by the disaster are back.” (www.adweek.com)

Fear Factor: Feds Launch New Anti-Smoking Campaign

Uncle Sam wants to scare you away from smoking. The Feds couldn’t force tobacco companies to put gruesome images on cigarette packages, so now it’s going on the offense, launching a new anti-smoking ad campaign showing smokers barely holding onto life and limb.

The “Tips From Former Smokers” campaign will run for 12 weeks on TV, radio, billboards, the Internet, cinema, magazines and newspapers.

Creative for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ads mimics the style and approach of the proposed warning labels with the intent to scare the pants off of anyone who is a smoker or even thinking about taking up the nasty habit. The series of seven ads show smokers with every horrific disease imaginable trying to survive without limbs or living with a stoma (a surgical opening in the neck). Only one of the ads provides an uplifting message that former smokers can work their way back to health through exercise.

“Although they may be tough to watch, the ads show real people living with real, painful consequences from smoking,” said CDC director Thomas Frieden. “There is sound evidence that supports the use of these types of hard-hitting images and messages to encourage smokers to quit, to keep children from ever beginning to smoke, and to drastically reduce the harm caused by tobacco.” (www.adweek.com)

After ‘Mad Men’ Drought, Hoping to Slake a Thirst

A SECOND kind of March Madness is affecting Madison Avenue as marketers, agencies and media companies scramble to capitalize on the hoopla over the return of “Mad Men.”

The fifth season of “Mad Men,” the drama series about advertising and America in the 1960s, is to begin on the AMC cable channel on Sunday. It has been 17 months since the final episode of Season 4, and that hiatus — twice as long as usual — has whetted the appetites of fans and those hoping to entice them to buy magazines, books, clothing, cosmetics, jewelry and other merchandise.

“One of my operating strategies for new products is always try to find a way to ride in on something hot,” said Steve Eisner, who led Eisner Communications in Baltimore until it closed in 2006 and has published a novel, “The MineFields,” about the ad business during the last three decades.

“You can ride those coattails until it brings your product some lift,” said Mr. Eisner, who plans to advertise his book on the “Mad Men” fan page on Facebook and on blogs. One ad asks, “Want to stay on Mad Ave after ‘Mad Men’ ends?” (www.nytimes.com)

Google Broadens a Campaign

GoMo, with apologies to the Energizer Bunny, keeps going and going.

GoMo, as in “Go Mobile,” is an effort sponsored by Google to encourage businesses to offer Web sites that are mobile-enabled — that is, that work well on mobile devices. The effort, which began in November, is being extended and expanded.

Google introduced the initiative in Mobile, Ala., because of the play on words. As part of “Mobilizing Mobile,” local small businesses were invited to get free mobile-friendly Web sites; more than 500 did so, Google said.

The business owners reported that mobile-enabled Web sites helped generate “more traffic to their sites, more calls, more sales,” said Jesse Haines, product marketing manager for the mobile ads unit of Google. The participating businesses and organizations included the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center; Knotty and Nice, which specializes in hair styles for African-Americans; and the U.S.S. Alabama Battleship Memorial Park. (www.nytimes.com)

NetZero Launches 4G Wireless

NetZero is taking its nearly free model to wireless: it has launched NetZero 4G Mobile Broadband, a wireless service rolling out in 80 US cities and offering value-priced monthly data plans without activation fees, contracts, commitments or overage charges.

Customers can chose between two levels of service — Lightspeed and Warpspeed and can switch back and forth by simply logging into NetZero’s website. There’s even a free plan.

The two devices offered are a NetZero 4G Stick and a NetZero 4G Hotspot. (www.mediapost.com)
What’s that smell? Donald Trump!

Donald Trump is coming up roses, or at least juniper, geranium and tonka leaves. His new fragrance, Success by Trump, is debuting exclusively at Macy’s.

In a release announcing the launch, Trump says the scent, a partnership between the Trump Organization and Five Star Fragrance Company, “exudes sophistication and confidence.”

An ad campaign for the new men’s fragrance collection is scheduled to begin in May, and feature Ximena Navarrete, Miss Universe 2010. (www.mediapost.com)

American Airlines Teams With Q’VIVA! The Chosen

American Airlines, the official airline of the show, Q’VIVA! The Chosen, has teamed up with the show’s producers to offer fans a chance to win a trip to attend a live Q’VIVA! performance in the U.S.

Q’VIVA! The Chosen, which premiered on Univision Jan. 28 and on Fox network on March 3, follows superstar artists Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony and Jamie King as they travel through Latin America searching for performers who hope to be among “The Chosen.”

The singers, musicians, dancers, acrobats and other performers are given the opportunity to travel to Los Angeles for the chance to work with the superstars to produce a spectacular live show highlighting the artists from throughout the region. Filmed in three languages, Q’VIVA! The Chosen is being broadcast in 21 countries.

Consumers can enter for a chance to win the promotion by visiting AA.com/qviva. Two grand prize winners, who will be chosen from qualifying Latin American countries, Puerto Rico and the United States, will each receive tickets for two to attend a live Q’VIVA! show in the U.S. in 2012, and enough American Airlines AAdvantage miles for their round-trip travel. While at the show, they will also have the opportunity to attend a meet-and-greet with show contestants, and will receive a three-night stay in a local hotel plus a $1,000 gift card to use during their trip. (www.mediapost.com)
P&G Backs NBC’s Green Efforts

For the second time since its launch in 2007, NBCUniversal’s “Green is Universal” has landed a major consumer sponsor to support its environmentally conscious activities.

Procter & Gamble’s ongoing “Future Friendly” eco-effort will partner with NBC’s “Green is Universal”eco-initiative. The marketing effort starts March 19 and runs through “Earth Week” –- April 15 through 22.

It will also promote P&G products, including washing detergent Tide Coldwater, dishwasher machine soap Cascade, and shampoo-product Pantene.

The campaign will run across the NBC TV Network, Bravo, The Weather Channel, iVillage, NBC.com, DailyCandy, and Bravotv.com. (www.mediapost.com)

Jaguar Launches ‘Alive’ Road Show

Jaguar, which in 2012 getting its biggest advertising commitment in years, is taking the cats to the street with an 18-city test-drive experience.

The tour, called “Jaguar ALIVE Driving Experience,” has a performance-driving focus with professional race car drivers riding shotgun. It supports the new global ad push. “Alive,” starts in Phoenix on April 12 and travels to key U.S. markets throughout the year, according to the Mawah, N.J., U.S. sales arm of the automaker. Jaguar and Land Rover are owned by Mumbai-based Tata Motors.

The tour, which brings a multi-day brand event to each stop, goes as far south as Key West, Fla., then to Southwest markets through the summer before heading to the East and Southeast markets in the second half of 2012 and into 2013, per the company, which is directing consumers to www.jaguarusa.com/JaguarALIVEDrivingExperience to register for the program.

The events, which are free to attend, feature the XF sports sedan, the XJ full-size luxury sedan and the XK coupe and convertible grand tourer. Jaguar says people who come to partake will be steeped in Jaguar’s key values of performance, style, technology and refinement. The event includes something of a history exhibition with a display of classic Jaguar vehicles like the E-type and XKR-S, as well as exhibits on Jaguar technological innovation and a retrospective on the brand’s design philosophy. (www.mediapost.com)
Mars Promotes Marathon Bar On Facebook

As part of its official sponsorship of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series, Mars Chocolate is encouraging Facebook users to make a personal pledge to their health once a week and share with other like-minded athletes what inspires them to lead an active and healthy lifestyle.

Mars Chocolate said that everyone who “likes” the Marathon Bar Facebook page will be eligible to win such prizes as training gear, Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series race entries, and Marathon Bar products. Athletes will gain access to nutrition and training tips from experts in each field, support Team Marathon Bar members, as well as training tools. (www.mediapost.com)

Meet Fiat’s New Spokes-Babe

Fiat’s’s got a new 30-second commercial for its 500 hatchback, and, as with most Fiat’s spots of late, it stars a real babe.

Baby, actually.

The precious blonde strapped into a car seat in the back of the racy red 500 coupe, dripping cuteness, gets the kicker line in the ad as well. It’s borrowed from this year’s Super Bowl “Seduction” ad for the Fiat’s Abarth, in which the striking Romanian model Catrinel Menghia says to a nerdy onlooker, “Che cosa guardi?” which translates to “What are you looking at?”

Created by Chrysler agency Doner , Detroit, “Baby” began running Wednesday on local and network TV. Doner also did creative for the latest Abarth “House Arrest” ad that features Charlie Sheen as a wild man driving a car around a mansion stocked with women, though the original spot with Ms. Menghia was created by Richards Group, Dallas.

The premise of “Baby” is that two guys, off to a sporting event, get stuck minding the baby because “it was girls’ night out.” Their car pulls up next to another driven by an older man — is it our imagination, or does he look a little like Clint Eastwood? — who stares at the child. She glares back, makes the classic Italian thumb-against-fingers gesture, and asks, “Che cosa guardi?” The spot closes with a female voice-over: “Let your Italian out.” (www.adage.com)

Fox Digital to Air Original Series on Myspace…Really

Fox Digital Studio will debut on March 28 a 7-episode original comedy series distributed exclusively through Myspace, and Taco Bell is partnering with the two companies as a sponsor with the brand heavily integrated into the program.

“Let’s Big Happy” stars Angela Sarafyan as a music blogger who heads to LA and ends up serving as a guerrilla marketing savant for upstart bands. In a roughly 8-minute episode shown during a SXSWi panel on Tuesday, Sarafyan schemes for a lead singer to fakes his own death only to have him resurrected and playing his own funeral.

We Are Scientists, Chitty Bang and the Gay Blades are among the bands who appear on the show playing themselves. Rock star Andrew WK had initially been pegged to play one of those arcs but ended up scoring a regular stint playing himself and best friend to Sarafyan’s character. Steven Hein, vp of production at Fox Digital Studio, said that bands were chosen from a list of 100 acts participating in Taco Bell’s “Feed the Beat” program, which supplies bands with free Taco Bell food while on tour. Bands were picked before the show’s scripts were written, letting the bands play a role in the writing of each episode. Taco Bell has been running TV spots featuring the bands. Will Bortz, senior manager of brand partnerships and sponsorships at Taco Bell, said an ad starring Fake Problems generated a 700% increase in single song sales since debuting last Thursday. (www.adweek.com)

Sheets Serves Up Sponsorship Of The 2012 Sony Ericsson Open

Sheets Brand, the creator and developer of Sheets dissolvable strips, today announced a sponsorship agreement to become the official Energy product of the 2012 Sony Ericsson Open. The 28th edition of the Sony Ericsson Open will once again feature the top players in the world competing at the Crandon Park Tennis Center for one of the most prestigious titles in tennis. The tournament is owned and operated by IMG and will be held in Miami from March 19 until April 1.

Pursuant to the partnership, Sheets Brand will offer tennis fans an exclusive preview of the brand’s new product which will be available nationwide in May, in addition to sampling their existing Energy Sheets. Sheets Brand will also receive a sponsorship tent, in-stadium and grandstand court signage and stadium court promotions.

“We are thrilled to be a part of the 2012 Sony Ericsson Open, one of the premier tennis tournaments in the United States,” said Warren Struhl, Co-founder, PureBrands, LLC, owner of Sheets Brand. “Our new partnership allows us to support one of our key brand partners, Serena Williams, while we align Sheets Brand with the game of tennis for the first time.”

Last year’s Sony Ericsson Open was one for the record books with over 316,000 people visiting the tournament during the event’s two weeks. With the likes of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick, Andy Murray, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, Caroline Wozniacki and Kim Clijsters on hand the Sony Ericsson Open always delivers the best tennis action imaginable. (www.sponsorship.com)

Budweiser And U.S. Olympic Committee Announce Renewal Of Long-Standing Sponsorship Agreement

Budweiser and the U.S. Olympic Committee today announced that the iconic beer brand is extending its exclusive malt beverage sponsorship and renewing its commitment to the USOC and Team USA through 2016.

Budweiser’s partnership with the USOC spans nearly three decades and includes 14 Olympic Games and Olympic Winter Games. Budweiser has been an Olympic supporter since 1984 when the brand served as the official beer sponsor of the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games.

“This is great news for Team USA,” said Scott Blackmun, chief executive officer of the USOC. “Budweiser has a long history with us, and we are grateful for their continued support of our U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Budweiser’s commitment will allow our athletes to compete to the very best of their ability, and that is what the Olympic Movement is all about.”

In line with previous commitments, Budweiser will continue to support its USOC sponsorship with significant media buys on NBC and affiliated networks during the Olympic Games. Additionally, Budweiser will receive entitlement of the Bud Deck at the London USA House, a private facility that hosts members of the USOC, the U.S. Olympic Team, corporate partners, sponsors, suppliers and licensees. (www.sponsorship.com)

Barclays Center Forms Multifaceted Partnership With LIU Brooklyn

Located just three blocks apart on Flatbush Avenue, Barclays Center and Long Island University Brooklyn have formed a unique multifaceted partnership, which includes athletics, education, community, and brand-building platforms.

Barclays Center, the world-class sports and entertainment venue scheduled to open on September 28, will be the home away from home for LIU’s men’s basketball team. The Blackbirds, who have advanced to the Division I NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship for the second consecutive year in which they will face Michigan State on Friday, will play a minimum of four home games each season at Barclays Center during the length of the agreement. LIU is already confirmed to participate in the Barclays Center Classic, presented by Sheets™ Brand Energy Strips, on November 9 and the BROOKLYN HOOPS™ Holiday Invitational on Dec. 22.

As part of the educational component of the alliance, Barclays Center will annually host five one-hour bi-weekly classes for students in LIU sports journalism/management classes. The classes will include Barclays Center and Nets Basketball executives serving as guest lecturers. In addition, at least five LIU students will annually receive internships with Barclays Center or Nets Basketball.

Educating more than 11,000 students annually at its Brooklyn campus, LIU will hold commencement exercises in Barclays Center. (www.sponsorship.com)

Intel Thinks Inside the Box

What business does Intel have going after TV content? Ask Apple.

The chip maker’s nascent plans to develop an Internet-based television service could be a Hail Mary pass not to miss the revolution in Internet television the way it missed the one in smartphones. (www.wsj.com)

Luring Stanley Cup Viewers With a Torrent of Games

TURNING the Stanley Cup playoffs into a must-watch television event lasting for weeks in the spring is no easy feat. Many Americans did not grow up with the game, few know who the players are and watching 10 weeks of playoffs is a big time commitment.

But the National Hockey League’s plan to get more viewers is, in fact, to show more games. This year, for the first time, the league will televise every game of the playoffs, which begin April 11 and could last up to 10 weeks, with the last possible day for the final game on June 15. The N.H.L. renewed its media partnership with NBC last year after the company was bought by Comcast, and can now offer programming across multiple platforms including NBC, NBC Sports Network, CNBC and the NHL Network.

“We’ve spent the last five years talking about building national scale,” said John Collins, the chief operating officer of the N.H.L. “If you can’t get the games on national television, you’re not going to be able to relate to it.”

The league seems to be learning from the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s basketball strategy. In 2010, the N.C.A.A. reached a 14-year deal with CBS and Turner Broadcasting to show the games across multiple networks including CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV — effectively allowing first- and second-round games to be shown nationwide. Before the pact, early-round games were shown only in certain regions — Michigan State fans could watch their team on television but might not have been able to watch, say, Gonzaga or Georgetown. (www.nytimes.com)

Zara Shows Its New York Love

Zara, which made headlines last year when it paid $324 million for a lease on its new Fifth Avenue store location, is the latest fast-fashion retailer to shower New Yorkers with retail love.

The splashy new store, its largest in the U.S., also represents the chain’s new global concept, says Inditex, its Spain-based parent. The sleek, black-and-white themed store has three floors, aligned along two catwalks. The company says the concept is based on the four principles of “beauty, clarity, functionality and sustainability,” right down to motion-controlled lighting in restrooms and biodegradable plastic bags. Inditex boasts that this new format uses 30% less energy than a conventional shop, and 70% less water.

The shop is designed to look simple, which is quite a trick given that Zara’s strength is its fast-fashion turnover. A team of more than 1,000 designers monitors trends and sales around the world, which means new merchandise arrives in stores twice a week. Included in the introduction is a black-and-white film on its website. Called “Dear New York,” and directed by Luis Urculo, the mini-movie uses all kinds of objects to build and rebuild the city’s skyline.

Zara is the latest chain to raise the stakes in the U.S. Japan’s Uniqlo, for example, now has three stores in the U.S., including its flagship, just a stone’s throw from the new Zara. (Eventually, Uniqlo has said it plans to have as many as 200 U.S. stores, with sales of $10 billion, by 2020.) Sweden’s H&M, with a large shop just down the block, is also continuing its U.S. expansion. And Britain’s Topshop, owned by Arcadia, opened its third U.S. location (this one in Las Vegas) last week. A fourth is reportedly planned for Los Angeles. (www.mediapost.com)

Starwood Hotels And Resorts Launches iOS App

Starwood Hotels and Resorts is upping the ante on loyalty programs with an iPhone, iPod and iPad application that extends a new slate of services for its Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) program, which the company calls “richest elite program in the industry” for “mega travelers.”

The new app, which is actually Starwood’s third-generation mobile app, includes things like FaceTime integration — a first for any company (that isn’t Apple.) The app also includes fully integrated booking, member information, comprehensive hotel searches and travel details, customer service and social media.

“It’s knowing who you are, anticipating your needs and supporting you every step of way through your travel experience,” says Alyssa Waxenberg, director of mobile and social media at Starwood. “The value of it is the fact that it covers Starwood’s nine brands so it brings one app to SPG members for any of our 1,100 hotels around the world. We think while others have done apps, ours is the most comprehensive.” She says the company will promote the app principally through loyalists via digital outreach and social channels.

Waxenberg tells Marketing Daily that since Starwood sees its properties as lifestyle-oriented brands (Westin is directed toward healthy-lifestyle consumers, W to culture and music), the application will begin to reflect that. “Our roadmap is to build functionality for those brands by building content into this app. All of these ideas are open.” The application, developed with Dallas-based BottleRocket, also employs a technology called “state-aware,” meaning it sends an email push 48 hours before a guest is scheduled to arrive at a Starwood hotel or resort, with the “My Stay” interface becoming reflective of the specific brand and property. (www.mediapost.com)

Burt’s Bees Does Scratch n’ Sniff

Burt’s Bees, in search of a younger demographic for a new sub-brand, has posted a 90-second animated video on its Facebook page that is a destination touted on some 2.6 million scratch-n-sniff cards. The video prompts viewers to scratch and sniff the cards at various points. The company is also using mobile to introduce the new natural brand called Güd.

A major in-store program, couponing and a college campus tour are part of an integrated marketing effort to draw attention to the promotion. Güd, pronounced “good,” is a line of products that spans eight different personal care product categories and shifts a bit from the brand’s typical earth-friendly natural skin care products. Güd products incorporate scents with such youth-friendly names as Pearanormal Activity (sold exclusively at Target), Orange Petalooza, Floral Cherry Nova and Vanilla Flame. (www.mediapost.com)