Deal Flow 7-20-2009

Military financial services provider USAA has signed a 10-year agreement to be presenting sponsor of the annual Army-Navy football game. The International Ski Federation (FIS) and LG Electronics today announced an extension of their current sponsorship whereby LG Electronics will continue to serve as the title sponsor of the FIS Snowboard World Cup for the 2009/10 season. Coke Zero has agree...

Five Music Sites for Marketers

A recent report in the Guardian last weekend painted a surprisingly optimistic picture for the music industry. Why is this? For one, diversification, expedited by desperation. With dwindling music sales, sponsorship, licensing and merchandise are all taking a bigger slice of the music revenue pie. Back in May, IEG forecasted that North American companies will spend $1.08B on music festival a...

Army-Navy Finally Finds its Match

The U.S. Automobile Association, a financial services firm that provides financial products and services to members of the U.S. military, has agreed to become the first presenting sponsor of the iconic Army-Navy football game. The game will be "presented by the USAA" starting in 2009 at Lincoln Financial Field, the 119th meeting between the two academies, and will run through 2019, the same le...

Outside the Box Activation Ideas: Pepsi-Co(pter)

Plane activation is nothing new, but have you ever seen a sponsored chopper? We got a note about LA's KIIS-FM traffic reporter Commander Chuck and his Pepsi-sponsored chopper. Here's a look: As it turns out, this isn't the first use of helicopters as out-of-home media. In late 2007, the recently shuttered Portfolio Magazine sponsored helicopters to reach ultra-elite manhattanites on thei...

An End to Alcohol Sponsorship II

So if 40% of police time is alcohol-related, 30% of alcohol time is sports-related, 10% of sports time is sponsor-related and 20% of sponsor time is alcohol-related, what does that make the percentage of police time that is alcohol sponsor-related? That seems to be the basic deduction being espoused in this news piece on Australia's recently proposed sponsorship ban on alcohol products. Fin...

Creepy or Clever New Shirt Sponsorship?

Just when we thought we'd successfully copied the european shirt sponsorship model in the U.S., Burger King and spanish soccer team Getafe have unveiled a whole new twist on the time-honored tradition. Yesterday spanish football team Getafe announced a one year, $1.8 million shirt sponsorship with BK. This, of course, isn't the first time "the King" has made an in-game appearance. Here's a...

Deal Flow 7-17-2009

The New Orleans Saints and the Louisiana Lottery announced a marketing partnership, the fifth of its kind between NFL teams and state lotteries since the league approved lottery partners back in March. As part of the deal, the Saints will brand a scratch-off game that could award the winner tickets to a game and other prizes including autographed memorabilia and “VIP access to pregame field act...

Sponsorships vs. Partnerships

Jason Peck posted an information-packed piece about the subtle differences between the terms "partnership" and "sponsorship" earlier this week and a lot of people whose opinions we respect weighed in on the topic. We thought we'd make it an instant classic and provide it to our readers here as well. Enjoy and feel free to leave your own take on the topic below. Aside from having to change our ...

Commercialism in the Classroom

This sounds like an idea that may have sprung out of the college of commerce, but may not fly with the philosophy department. "This class brought to you by..." could be the scenario for students at City College of San Francisco, if some administrators get their way. Good idea? Tough times call for tough decisions. While the recession is nobody's friend, it has opened up a lot of new opport...

Yo Quiero NBA!

The NBA has parted ways with 18-year sponsor and the world's largest fast food chain, McDonald's, and awarded the QSR category to YUM Brands' Taco Bell in a four-year deal starting next season. Sports Business Daily reports that the deal provides for "a heavy media component with NBA rightsholders ABC, ESPN and TNT, themed promos at the chain's 5,600 restaurants, themed advertising, title to ...