McDonald's Reports 4.5% Sales Bump for August†

Olympic Sponsorship Appears to Pay Off, at Least in Short Term

Advertising Age, September 9, 2008 — McDonald's Corp. today reported same-store sales for August were up 4.5% in the U.S. — a result one analyst estimates will be nearly double the industry average. But industry-watchers are doubtful the company can keep up that pace, especially now that the Olympics are over.

UBS analyst David Palmer predicts the Golden Arches' August performance, which also saw global sales jump 8.5% compared to August of last year, will come in "nearly double" that of the fast-food industry as a whole.

Why You Won't See Michael Phelps on the Wheaties Box†

Kellogg Signs Swimmer Before Big G's Traditional Unveiling

Advertising Age, August 28, 2008 — In a PR masterstroke, Kellogg Co. managed to spoil an every-four-year tradition for General Mills — the unveiling of Olympians to grace the Wheaties box. By the time Big G made its big announcement today, Kellogg had already one-upped the news by revealing that it signed the biggest of them all, Michael Phelps

Interpublic Unveils New Lab Initiative, Backs Platform That Links Brands With Social Networks

MediaPost Publications, August 25, 2008 — Interpublic has quietly struck a deal to begin utilizing a promising new online marketing service that could finally enable Madison Avenue to unleash the power of social networks on behalf of their clients' brands. The deal, which is being officially announced today, involves a partnership between Interpublic's Emerging Media Lab and SocialVibe, a company that provides incentives for members of social networks to interact and endorse consumer brands.

Learning from the Olympics

From GE to Nestlé to watchmaker Omega, companies use the Games to test-drive new ideas—and strut their stuff

BusinessWeek, August 7, 2008 — When U.S. Women's soccer defender Heather Mitts hits the field for the Olympics, she'll rely on more than her gear, teammates, and fans for support. Mitts suffered a torn ligament last year and had to sit out the World Cup in September. But she's back for the Beijing Games. And her confidence will no doubt be boosted by the knowledge that doctors are nearby, ready to scan her knee at the first signs of stress. They'll be using a compact ultrasound machine, the LOGIQ i from General Electric Healthcare (GE). The 12-pound device can produce detailed images of even the tiniest tears in her ligament—every bit as sharp as those from the 800-pound machines found in hospitals.

It's part of GE's strategy of using the Olympics to show off its latest innovations.

Cat kicks in to sponsor English rugby team

Crain's Chicago Business, May 27, 2008 — Construction giant Caterpillar Inc. will sponsor the English rugby union club Leicester Tigers in a five-year deal worth about $11.8 million.

The deal is the biggest club rugby sponsorship in the world, the club said Tuesday.

Forever Chasing Its Action Demo, Mountain Dew Rolls Out Street-Skating Film†

Brand Is Largely Unseen in Documentary About New York Scene

Advertising Age, May 13, 2008 — Mountain Dew makes its return to film production with its new skateboard documentary, "Deathbowl to Downtown," which follows the rise of street-skating in New York's shifting urban landscapes from the '70s to the present. The documentary, which took three years to make, is as much a sports action video as it is a look back at the Big Apple.

An Online Game So Mysterious Its Famous Sponsor Is Hidden

McDonald’s is the sponsor of an enigmatic Olympic-themed online game called The Lost Ring.

New York Times, April 1, 2008 — NOT known for its dark marketing, McDonald’s is more a try-our-new-salad, get-your-Shrek-action-figure, look-at-our-dollar-menu sort of place.

For that reason, gamers were surprised to learn that McDonald’s was the sponsor of an enigmatic Olympic-themed online game called The Lost Ring, introduced last month. Nothing about the game was branded McDonald’s, and the game’s Web sites — mysterious and hip, like “Lost” mixed with “The Blair Witch Project”— were a far cry from the golden arches.

“The Olympics in Beijing are a very big event for us, and we have a lot of different types of activation, with The Lost Ring being the most creative,” said Mary Dillon, McDonald’s global chief marketing officer. “Our goal is really about... continue reading

Social Site’s New Friends Are Athletes

Creative Artists Agency is expected to launch WePlay.com, a social networking site for youth sports — something like Facebook for young athletes — in April.

New York Times, March 26, 2008 — Late last year, Pamela Firestone, the mother of Tony Parker, the San Antonio Spurs point guard, went rooting through her home in Paris and dug up a VHS tape of a 9-year-old Tony on a Parisian basketball court with his two brothers.

O.K., let’s start,” the future N.B.A. star says in French. “It’s going to be the Chicago Bulls versus the San Antonio Spurs.”

In most families such artifacts are merely heirlooms, their value measured in memories. For the Hollywood talent agency Creative Artists Agency and the hedge fund Pequot Capital, these are assets to be exploited.

Madonna and Unilever's Good Hair Day†

Star Breaks New Single Globally Through Appearance in Hair-Care Commercial

Advertising Age, March 18, 2008 — Madonna debuts her new single "4 Minutes (to Save the World)" in a new Sunsilk commercial that hits the screens around the world today. The song, produced by Timbaland and featuring Justin Timberlake, is from the singer's forthcoming album, "Hard Candy," due April 29...This is the first time that a music-brand partnership of this magnitude has been seen with a world-class megastar teaming up with a major marketer for a global launch.

Sex and the City’ and Its Lasting Female Appeal

New York Times, March 17, 2008 — WHEN it comes to products helping to promote the coming film based on the popular TV series “Sex and the City,” it seems the sky is the limit.

Better make that the Skyy is the limit, as in Skyy vodka, which is being named the “official spirits sponsor” for the movie. Among the tie-ins are drinks made with Skyy to be served at Houlihan’s restaurants and named after characters like Carrie, Samantha and Mr. Big.