Back to Basics

The plan for this week was to propose a new business model for sponsorship. I think it’s time for sponsorship to have a business model uniquely different from advertising and media buying that truly allows for accountability and rewards value creation for buyer and seller. However, the response to last week’s column and accompanying survey suggests the sponsorship market is not ready for very...

Cisco Kills The Flip Cam, Major Implications For NHL Activation?

Cisco has officially killed the Flip Cam, laying off over 500 employees, and announcing a plan to overhaul its consumer products division. Cisco bought Pure Digital Technologies (the maker of Flip) for $590 million two years ago. The move may be a bad sign for media outlets and sponsorship properties that have benefited from Cisco's aggressive consumer branding strategy since buying Flip in...

Hot Wheels Unveils Unreal Stunt Ramp For Indy 500 Infield

Mattel and the Indy 500 have teamed up to supersize the Hot Wheels V-Drop track you played with as a child. The unreal ramp will facilitate an attempt at the Indianapolis 500 to break the current world record distance jump for a four-wheeled vehicle. The stunt will take place about 80 minutes before the green flag drops on the 100th anniversary running at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. S...

Bowl Brand Awareness Takes Another Hit: Meineke Moves To TX

Meineke Car Care Centers, which title sponsored a bowl game in Charlotte last year, will be the new title sponsor for the 2011 Texas Bowl in Houston. Meanwhile, Belk Department Stores is the new title sponsor of the former Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte. Confused yet? Meineke had its sponsorship of the Charlotte bowl game "cancelled" last April when an agreement between the brand and ...

Nikon To Produce Line of London 2012 Binocs

Nikon Corporation, which has been manufacturing binoculars since 1917, will produce a special line of Olympic binoculars, telescopes and laser rangefinders for the 2012 Olympics. To do this, the company has become an official licensee for London 2012. In addition, LOCOG has also appointed the company as Sole Supplier of Sport Optics, providing binoculars, telescopes and laser rangefinders...

London 2012 Lands Official Mining & Metals Provider

Olympics website insidethegames.biz is reporting that Rio Tinto will become a domestic Tier Three sponsor of the London 2012 Games as the Official Mining and Metals Provider and the 40th domestic sponsor. Rio Tinto will exclusively provide the metal to produce the 4,700 gold, silver and bronze medals at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The metal has been sourced from Ri...

Report: STP Set For Big Return To Nascar

ESPN is reporting that motor oil brand, STP, will make a big sponsorship announcement this afternoon. ESPN's Ryan McGee writes: On Wednesday afternoon, STP will announce its return to big league racing, an aggressive sponsorship plan that will have the old familiar "racer's edge" mantra back in NASCAR's Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series as well as the NHRA, plus multiple racetrack sponsorship...

TRX Sponsors You (and Drew Brees)

Want to join Drew Brees in one company's endorsement portfolio? TRX, the suspension training equipment company probably best-known for its wacky Drew Brees video promos, is the latest company to 'sponsor' every day people with a new campaign that uses social media to identify the every day athletes that deserve the company's sponsorship cash. The "TRX Sponsors You" campaign asks every day athl...

Delta Scores Hat Trick With AEG, 3 New LA Deals

Delta Air Lines and AEG today announced a new multiyear agreement that will add Delta, already the official airline partner of the L.A. Lakers, as an official founding partner and official airline of STAPLES Center, an official partner of The GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE and the official airline of the L.A. Kings. Delta will also gain a presence throughout the L.A. LIVE sports and entertainment d...

St. Louis Fed Sponsors YouTube Contest

This isn't your father's Fed. The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis is showing its down with social media (you know, down in the way your parents are down), launching a YouTube contest for national economic education. The Bank is seeking online videos that illustrate the importance of an independent central bank for a high school audience. The third annual contest was announced yesterday and...