LucasFilm's Red Tails Makes Premier With Official Banking Partner

LucasFilm's motion picture film, Red Tails, which was released to theaters last Friday has an official financial institution, Wells Fargo. The film highlights the achievements of the unsung Tuskegee Airmen who were among the first African Americans to serve as fighter pilots in the U.S. Armed Forces. Two of the Tuskegee Airmen, Col. George S. Roberts and Lt. Col. James A. Walker, ended up worki...

Kodak Was A Sports Marketing Giant, Too

One of Kodak's few remaining ties to sports was the PGA Kodak Challenge. It was a fittingly obscure $1 million award to the player who posted the lowest score on 24 holes on 24 different courses on the Tour. Kodak pulled the plug on the 4-year-old award earlier this month. When Kodak was one of the most famous and successful companies in the world, it was a giant in sports marketing as well ...

Prepaid Calling Card Sponsors Harvard Student's Quest For Longest Phone Call

Pingo, an online prepaid international calling card service, has apparently sponsored a Harvard University student's quest to hold the Guinness world record for the longest phone call. The company says it sees this as a perfect opportunity to connect Pingo's low cost, high value, long distance phone service brand to people trying to cost-effectively stay in contact with friends and family livin...

Indianapolis' Snowplow Crews Pick Up Sponsor

The city's salt supplier will receive naming rights for the Indianapolis snow-removal force in exchange for providing Indianapolis with extra salt and five new trucks over the next five years. The city will begin referring to its snow-removal efforts as "Indy Snow Force Powered by Cargill." Read More From The Indianapolis Star >> photo credit

Fashion Week Gets Official Trend Forecaster

Trend-analysis and research service, WGSN has found a unique way to market its company to fashion's decision makers. It's been named the Official Trend Sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2012. As part of the deal, WGSN will set-up a TrendZone within Fashion Week where attendees can go to hear about the latest fashion trends from WGSN analysts. "Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York...

BP-Funded La. Seafood Board Says It May Secure Naming Rights To Hornets Home

The Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board says it may use some of the $30 million it received from BP PLC after the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill to buy naming rights for the New Orleans Hornets' home, New Orleans Arena. It wouldn't be the first sports sponsorship to come out of BP's grants along the Gulf Coast. Back in July, Alabama's Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism, which recei...

Why One League Passed On $1.5M To Give Away Its Title Sponsorship For Free

When your last title sponsor was paying in excess of $1.5 million a year, replacing them with a title sponsor that commits no cash may seem like a dubious move at best. That is, unless you consider the extra value that having that title sponsor adds to your other deals. That's the line of thought in the Rugby Football League's (RFL) latest three year title sponsorship deal. In exchange for ...

MillerCoors Recommits To Motorsports

MillerCoors has extended its commitment to NASCAR, renewing deals that make Coors Light the Official Beer of NASCAR and Miller Lite a partner of Penske Racing. Coors Light started its official sponsorship with NASCAR in 2008, after a 14-year run as the primary sponsor of the #40 car. Terms of the renewal were not released. Miller Lite will continue as the season-long primary sponsor of Pen...

This Sportswear Giant Spent $168 Million On Marketing In 2011; Up 30% From '10

This morning fast growing sports apparel giant, Under Armour, released its 2011 numbers. Under Armour Inc.'s fourth-quarter profit rose 42% with full year net revenue coming in at $1.47 billion, 39% higher than 2010. The company said it spent 11.4% on marketing expenses during the year. Despite being a slightly smaller percentage of overall revenues as compared to 2010, marketing expenses...

ISC Says More Sponsor Inventory Available Than Past Years Due To Shorter Contracts

NASCAR race track operator, International Speedway Corporation, today reported that its fourth-quarter net income came in above expecations at approximately $26.5 million on quarterly sales of $191.9 million. Despite the positive results, company executives say ISC has a greater amount of sponsorship inventory available than in previous years and still faces some headwinds due to the economy. ...