Super Bowl XLI News
Feb 5
Brain Scans Reveal Why Coca Cola's Super Bowl Ad Won Over American Consumers While So Many Other Brands Fumbled
In The Year of the 'Amygdala,' Advertisers Trigger Anxiety with their Super Bowl Advertising
LOS ANGELES, Calif., Feb. 5 FKF Applied Research, LLC and Professor Marco Iacoboni of the UCLA Ahmanson Lovelace Brain Mapping Center have released their Second Annual Ranking of the most effective Super Bowl ads using fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) brain imaging. Many of the Super Bowl ads stoked regions of the brain associated with anxiety, including the amygdala. The best testing advertisements, such as the: 60 "Video Game" ad for Coca Cola, fired the region of consumers' brains associated with positive emotions.
"This clearly was the year of the amygdala, the brain's 'threat detector.' Compared to last year's ads there was much more anxiety, and far less positive emotion in these highly touted commercials, said Dr. Joshua Freedman UCLA Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and a co-founder of FKF Applied Research. "Much of the anxiety seemed caused by violence, but was also rooted in economic fears. The Nationwide ad had a spike when Kevin Federline was revealed to be working in fast food, and also when the GM robot turned out to be OK but afraid for its job."
Arguing about which ads are best has been an integral part of the Super Bowl experience. Now, UCLA and FKF are employing a technology that has revolutionized neuroscience to peer more deeply than traditional methods like focus groups into the question of which ads are really effective with consumers.
Top Ranking Ads Coca Cola -- Video Game Doritos -- Live the Flavor Bud Light -- Hitchhiker Bottom Ranking Ads Emerald Nuts -- Robert Goulet Honda -- CRV Crave Sprint -- Connectile Dysfunction
The group's Super Bowl rankings along with color images of peoples' brain responses to the ads are posted on http://www.fkfrank.com/.
FKF and UCLA's empirical approach measures activity in regions of the brain known to help control whether a consumer will buy or reject a marketer's sales pitch. The fMRI used by FKF and UCLA displays activity in parts of the brain responsible for elemental responses, including wanting, reward, surprise, fear, disgust, conflict, and attempts to control emotions.
"Asking someone what is going on in their brain is in some ways like asking them what is going on in their heart," said Dr. Freedman. "Much of the important activity is outside of their awareness. Coke's ad did well because it engaged a full range of emotions, including the mirror region, which is associated with connection and empathy. Typically, between 1/3 and 1/2 of ads are filtered out and are essentially ignored by viewers' brains. Usually the Super Bowl ads do somewhat better, but not this year. The majority elicited very little response."
FKF Applied Research and Dr. Marco Iacoboni's group at the UCLA Ahmanson Lovelace Brain Mapping Center recruited men and women ages 18-34 to watch this year's Super Bowl ads. The subjects viewed the ads while in UCLA's high-field fMRI scanner, which monitors the activity in their brains.
For an interview with Dr. Joshua Freedman, UCLA Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and co-founder of FKF Applied Research, contact Debra DeShong Reed (+1-202-528-4214), Amy Weiss (+1-202-203-0448) or Mark Wheeler with UCLA (+1-301-794-2265).
About FKF
FKF Applied Research (http://www.fkfappliedresearch.com/) uses fMRI technology to better understand commercially and culturally important communications. fMRI is viewed by most neuroscientists as the most powerful technology ever developed to understand how people think, feel, and make decisions. It has revolutionized the scientific study of human behavior and choice at most major Universities around the world, and is rapidly changing the field of market research and advertising.
Source: FKF Applied Research, LLC
Web site: http://www.fkfappliedresearch.com/
Emerald Scores #1 Ranking in Advertising Age With 2007 Super Bowl Spot
STOCKTON, Calif., Feb. 5 -- Emerald, the snack brand of Diamond Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:DMND) scored well with its advertising during Super Bowl XLI on Sunday, February 4, 2007. A record audience of more than 140 million football fans worldwide watched the company's 30-second spot, which aired during the third quarter of the game. Among the most notable accolades was being ranked #1 in Advertising Age's post-game commercial review by ad critic Bob Garfield, who also called the ad "hilarious and brilliant." The Emerald ad combines the company's trademark offbeat sense of humor with the star power of actor and entertainer Robert Goulet.
Garfield's four-star review of the Emerald spot reads: "At 3 p.m., when your blood sugar is low, Robert Goulet sneaks into your cube and messes with your stuff -- so eat nuts at 3 p.m. every day. Robert Goulet! Putting aside the absurd genius of the premise, here's an ad that creates not just a USP but an entire new market. Hilarious and brilliant."
"We are extremely pleased to be rated as the top Super Bowl commercial by Advertising Age, which is one of the major industry authorities on effective advertising," said Michael J. Mendes, president/CEO of Diamond Foods. "It is our intent to build Emerald brand equity and to effectively position the brand as delivering natural energy when people need it most, and to do this in an entertaining manner that engages the consumer. We are pleased that we have been recognized as achieving this objective with our commercial, and are continuing to build on this with our new consumer campaign."
The campaign was developed by Goodby, Silverstein & Partners of San Francisco, creators of the "GOT MILK?" campaign and Emerald's previous two Super Bowl spots.
The Emerald snack product line achieved national distribution in August 2004, garnering attention for its on-the-go ergonomically designed emerald green canisters, whose lids measure out the recommended daily 1.5 ounces, as well as a wide variety of tasty trans fat-free offerings. In two years, the line has grown from 14 to 23 products, most of which are available nationwide at more than 60,000 retail locations. The product line expanded in January 2007 to include three varieties of oven-roasted nuts.
For more information about Emerald snack products and to obtain screenshots to accompany coverage of the Super Bowl ad, visit the Press Center at www.emeraldnuts.com.
Source: Diamond Foods, Inc.
Web site: http://www.emeraldnuts.com/
Web site: http://www.diamondnuts.com/
Did Super Bowl Advertisers Score a Touchdown With Search Engine Marketing?
A Post-Super Bowl Analysis Reveals the Winners and Losers of the Advertising Game
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Feb. 5 An estimated audience of 90.7 million households tuned in on Sunday evening to watch not only the Super Bowl, but also the infamous advertisements during timeout commercial breaks. Many companies once again missed the mark, failing to adequately tie television commercials to their search engine marketing campaigns. Marketers that have awakened to the power of an integrated approach were able to sack consumers, seeing an increase in traffic anywhere from 10%-10,000%, while those left behind the curve were sidelined. The results are in -- Colts win 29-17, but the big Super Bowl advertising winner is yet to be announced. While naming the winners, the advertising game needs to move past "funny, cute and memorable" to interacting with the brands. SendTec, Inc. (BULLETIN BOARD: SNDN) , a progressive full service multi-channel marketing agency, examined how well each Super Bowl advertiser played the search game this year.
SendTec's analysis identified the advertisers that created a unique online destination, which was communicated through the Super Bowl television commercial. Those advertisers were evaluated based on their search engine visibility and ranking for both paid search and organic search listings in association with general ad recall. By answering how well prepared for the onslaught of enhanced web traffic they were and how easy it was for the search user to find the promotion online within Search Engine Results Pages (SERP's), SendTec found which companies succeeded (and which companies failed) at executing an integrated offline to online marketing communication.
"Consumers routinely turn to the search engines to learn more after they view a television commercial, whether the ad is featured during the Super Bowl or not. Marketers fumbled by not taking full advantage of this opportunity to engage consumers, and by focusing too heavily on television advertisements alone. Instead, marketers needed to integrate their offline marketing into their online presence via the search engines in order to catch consumers at every angle," says Eric Obeck, President of SendTec, Inc.
The winners are: -- Garmin: The real 2007 Super Bowl champion, featuring the "Maposaurus" campaign which played off the memorable Godzilla movies, provided a clear call to action for the consumer to follow. If you forgot the URL, a simple search on Garmin or GPS gets you there. -- GoDaddy.com: There is nothing wrong with coming in second, unless you're the Chicago Bears. This commercial was highly memorable, grabs a good laugh and was perfectly integrated with online. Bob Parsons keeps pushing the envelope and widens the gap between GoDaddy.com and its competition. Over the past 2 years, GoDaddy has been the front- of-the-pack winner showing massive online traffic gains not only from the quick spot, but also a residual effect thereafter. -- Snickers: Despite being perhaps the most off-balance advertising spot of the night, the Snickers' commercial exhibited a perfect use of search engine marketing that supported an offline marketing campaign. Their website provides the consumer with a completely interactive experience by directing viewers to AfterTheKiss.com, allowing users to vote for their favorite ending. They should have, however, used paid search to create results for searches on the term "after the kiss." The losers are: -- The Car Companies: Hardly deserving of a yawn, the automobile manufacturers did not seem as interested this year in leveraging their Super Bowl spots via search marketing or their web sites. We've come to expect more from these advertisers, but their performance was reflective of Rex Grossman's, with the exception of GM who, for example, wisely positioned itself as #1 under the term "GM robot" to reinforce their message of commitment to quality. -- eTrade: eTrade quickly and completely diminished their "dot.com" status and left consumers, who are less familiar with their services, scratching their heads. As an Internet based company, the consumer would expect to be directed to go online, however, their commercials gave the impression that eTrade had shifted to a brick-and-mortar provider of financial services. -- BeatYourRisk.com: It's not popular to criticize a non-profit organization, but their marketing campaign clearly missed a step. BeatYourRisk.com was created by the American Heart Association so consumers could learn more about the dangers of high blood pressure. This web site got great exposure in a beautiful ad with a clear call to action for a wonderful cause; however, it has almost no visibility at all in search engines. In fact, other relevant marketers have wisely positioned themselves under the term "beat your risk." It is difficult to watch a good-intentioned organization not reap the financial benefits due to poor execution.
"Before spending millions on television commercials, advertisers undoubtedly turned to focus groups for consumer feedback. Specific concepts and keywords become apparent during these sessions, and should have been utilized by marketers in their online campaigns," states Tim Daly, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Strategy for SendTec. "Ignoring the web as a vital marketing avenue during and after the Super Bowl will continue to prove to be a costly mistake, and taking an integrated approach will continue to be invaluable."
About SendTec
SendTec, Inc. (BULLETIN BOARD: SNDN) , a future-focused, direct marketing organization, offers next generation Search Engine Marketing (SEM) services aimed at dramatically increasing ROI. SendTec's expertise in direct marketing gives them a strong edge in the booming SEM industry. SendTec defines successful search campaigns as Humanology, the convergence of technology with the human brain to generate superior paid search results. SendTec has also earned Microsoft's Gold Certified Partner status, one of the first direct marketing companies to achieve this honor. Since their founding in 2000, SendTec continues to be one of the premier marketing services companies providing full service Direct Response Television consulting, script-to-screen production, media planning/buying/optimization, desktop reporting, and account services; Internet Pay per Performance; Direct Response Advertising; Online Direct Marketing and Response Optimization and Tracking. Servicing over 90 clients, SendTec is headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida with offices in New York City and Chicago. Clients include Intuit, uBid,
Extra Space Storage, Euro-Pro, RealNetworks and Conde Nast. http://www.sendtec.com/
Safe Harbor
To the extent that any statements made in this release contain information that is not historical, these statements are essentially forward-looking. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expects," "plans" "will," "may," "anticipates," believes," "should," "intends," "estimates," and other words of similar meaning. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that cannot be predicted or quantified and consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks associated with the uncertainty of future financial results, additional financing requirements, development of new products, the effectiveness, profitability, and marketability of such products, the ability to protect proprietary information, the impact of current, pending, or future legislation and regulation on the electronic marketing industry, the impact of competitive products or pricing, technological changes, the effect of general economic and business conditions and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements. As a result, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
Source: SendTec, Inc.
Web site: http://www.sendtec.com/
User Generated Commercials for Doritos Break Into the Top 10, According to TiVo
Bud Light Reclaims Throne With Top Two Commercial Spots
TiVo Subscribers Able to Download The Big Game's Most Popular Commercials Immediately Following The Game
ALVISO, Calif., Feb. 5 TiVo (NASDAQ:TIVO) , the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVR), announced today this year's top Super Bowl broadcast moments. This information was prepared using aggregated, anonymous, second-by-second audience measurement data about how TiVo subscribers watched the game.
For the first time, TiVo also offered its subscribers the ability to download their favorite commercials to their TiVo box using the Product Watch advertising search service. Anheuser-Busch, Chrysler, Emerald Nuts, Fed Ex, GM, GoDaddy.com, Honda, Michelin, Nationwide, Sprint, and Taco Bell are some of the companies offering their commercials to be downloaded. Advertisers are taking advantage of TiVo's Trick Play feature which enables viewers to rewind and view the commercials over and over.
"Once again, the commercials were the big winner with the top spots drawing more viewership than any of the action on the field," Todd Juenger, Vice President & General Manager, Audience Research and Measurement, at TiVo. "With TiVo's unique ability to measure second-by-second viewership, as well as TiVo Trick Play features including rewind, fast-forward, and pausing of live television, we have detailed insight into what moments actually hit home with viewers. The broadcast was a real reflection of the dramatic shift in our media culture; the time was ripe for the best user-generated spots to join the ranks of the best professionally developed spots. Both of the Doritos contest winners ranked among the Top 10 most viewed commercials by TiVo subscribers."
TiVo Highlights: The top ten rated commercials of this year's game were: 1. Bud Light: Language Course with Carlos Mencia 2. Bud Light: Rock Paper Scissors 3. FedEx: Don't Judge 4. Nationwide: Kevin Federline Rollin' VIP 5. Doritos Crash the Super Bowl 6. CareerBuilder: Office Jungle 7. Blockbuster: Mouse 8. Doritos Crash The Super Bowl: Checkout Girl 9. Chevrolet: Everybody Loves a Chevy 10. Schick: Quarto Science
The broadcast of the game is one of the biggest watch-from-home events of the year, and of course homes with TiVo boxes are always the most popular places to watch it. The TiVo audience measurement analysis shows TiVo households on average utilized the Trick Play features -- pausing, rewinding, fast forwarding during live broadcasts -- an average of 109 times during the game.
TiVo's audience measurement analysis is based on aggregated data from a sample of 10,000 anonymous households with the acclaimed TiVo(R) service. TiVo viewership information gauges the interest in programming content by measuring the percentage of the TiVo audience watching in "play" speed.
For more information from TiVo on Super Bowl viewership, please visit www.tivo.com/biggame.
About TiVo Inc.
Founded in 1997, TiVo pioneered a brand new category of products with the development of the first commercially available digital video recorder (DVR). Sold through leading consumer electronic retailers, TiVo has developed a brand which resonates boldly with consumers as providing a superior television experience. Through agreements with leading satellite and cable providers, TiVo also integrates its full set of DVR service features into the set-top boxes of mass distributors. TiVo's DVR functionality and ease of use, with such features as Season Pass(TM) recordings and WishList(R) searches and TiVo KidZone, have elevated its popularity among consumers and have created a whole new way for viewers to watch television. With a continued investment in its patented technologies, TiVo is revolutionizing the way consumers watch and access home entertainment. Rapidly becoming the focal point of the digital living room, TiVo's DVR is at the center of experiencing new forms of content on the TV, such as broadband delivered video, music and photos. With innovative features, such as TiVoToGo(TM) transfers and online scheduling, TiVo is expanding the notion of consumers experiencing "TiVo, TV your way.(R)" The TiVo(R) service is also at the forefront of providing innovative marketing solutions for the television industry, including a unique platform for advertisers and audience measurement research.
NOTE: TiVo, 'TiVo, TV your way.' Season Pass, WishList, and the TiVo Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of TiVo Inc. and its subsidiaries worldwide.
Source: TiVo Inc.
Web site: http://www.tivo.com/
Anheuser-Busch Wins USA Today Ad Meter Title
MCLEAN, Va., Feb. 5 Anheuser-Busch grabbed the top spot in USA TODAY's Super Bowl Ad Meter for a record ninth year in a row.
Anheuser-Busch's ad featuring crabs worshiping a cooler of Budweiser on the beach was the most popular, according to USA TODAY's Ad Meter. Volunteers gave the ad a score of 8.56 (on a scale of 0 to 10).
For complete results, see today's editions of USA TODAY or log on to http://www.usatoday.com/.
The top five ads and each one's rating: 1. Anheuser-Busch - Crabs worship a cooler of Budweiser on the beach - 8.56 2. Anheuser-Busch - Stray dog makes good in Clydesdale parade - 8.29 3. Anheuser-Busch - Guy throws real rock in Rock, Paper, Scissors game - 8.28 4. Frito-Lay - Live the flavor - Winner of online voting for best homemade Doritos ad - 7.95 5. Anheuser-Busch - Immigrants learn how to ask for Bud Light - 7.87
USA TODAY's 19th annual Ad Meter was held in Houston, Texas and McLean, Virginia, during the Super Bowl on February 4th. Volunteers charted their second-by-second reactions to national Super Bowl commercials. The 238 volunteers used hand-held meters to register how much they liked or disliked an ad. A computer averaged the scores continuously.
Previous Ad Meter winners: 2006 - Anheuser-Busch: Secret refrigerator stocked with Bud Light - 8.39 2005 - Anheuser-Busch: Pilot jumps out of airplane for Bud Light - 8.65 2004 - Anheuser-Busch: Owners demonstrate how their dogs fetch Bud Light - 9.04 2003 - Anheuser-Busch: Replay - 8.99 2002 - Anheuser-Busch: Satin Sheets - 9.11 2001 - Anheuser-Busch: Cedric's dream date - 8.63 2000 - Anheuser-Busch: Rex the Dog recalls his worst day - 8.09 1999 - Anheuser-Busch: Separated at Birth - 8.01 1998 - Pepsi: Flying Geese - 9.08 1997 - Pepsi: Dancing bears - 8.22 1996 - Pepsi: On security camera, Coke driver nabs Pepsi - 9.42 1995 - Pepsi: Boy gets sucked into bottle - 9.66 1994 - Pepsi: Chimp escapes lab, hits the beach - 9.34 1993 - McDonald's: Jordan and Bird shoot hoops - 9.00 1992 - Nike: Bugs Bunny and Michael Jordan team - 8.51 1991 - Diet Pepsi: Ray Charles' new jingle catches on - 8.52 1990 - Nike: Famous announcers call imaginary game - 8.17 1989 - American Express: Dana Carvey and John Lovitz travel to the Super Bowl - 7.52.
USA TODAY is the nation's top-selling newspaper. It is published via satellite at 36 locations in the USA and at four sites abroad. With a total average daily circulation of 2.3 million, USA TODAY is available worldwide. USA TODAY is published by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI) .
Source: USA TODAY
Web site: http://www.usatoday.com/
Feb 4
A wet Super Bowl, a winning conditions for Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. A team built for indoors found its footing on a rain-soaked track and outplayed the Chicago Bears to win the NFL title 29-17 Sunday.
Doritos Surprises Super Bowl Television Audience Airing Two Consumer-Created Commercials; 'Live the Flavor' and 'Check Out Girl'
Top Two Ads Kick-Off National Doritos Television Campaign Featuring Five Consumer-Created Ads From All 'Crash the Super Bowl' Finalists
PLANO, Texas, Feb. 4 -- The Doritos brand today aired both "Live the Flavor" and "Check Out Girl" as its Super Bowl XLI spots, marking the first time ever for consumer-created Doritos tortilla chip ads to air as shot by consumers. The top-voted ad by consumers was "Live the Flavor" created by Wes Phillips (age 22) and Dale Backus (age 21) of Cary, N.C. Separated by only a few hundred votes was "Check Out Girl," created by Kristin Dehnert (age 37) of Pacific Palisades, Calif.
"Doritos made the decision to air both 'Live the Flavor' and 'Check Out Girl' because of very close results of the online consumer vote and the quality of the two spots," said Ann Mukherjee, vice president, marketing, Frito-Lay. "The goal of this program was to give consumers an opportunity to express themselves and showing both of these ads showcases the enormous talent that stepped up for Doritos."
The brand also announced that these two Super Bowl ads officially kicked- off the first-ever consumer-created Doritos television ad campaign, in which all five of the Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" finalists' ads will air on national television through March. In addition to "Live the Flavor" and "Check Out Girl," the other finalists' ads will be at the center of Doritos' new campaign for the next two months. Those ads are: "A Chip Lover's Dream" by Jared Cicon of Claremont, Calif.; "Duct Tape" by Joe Herbert and Dave Herbert of Batesville, Ind.; and "Mouse Trap" by Billy Federighi of Beverly Hills, Calif.
"All five 'Crash the Super Bowl' finalists celebrated the Doritos brand and expressed their creativity in such unique ways," added Mukherjee. "We would have been proud to air any of the finalists' Doritos commercials during the Super Bowl. So, we decided to continue our commitment to putting our fans in control, and air each of the ads on national television."
"Live the Flavor" and "Check Out Girl" were two of the five top ads selected by the Doritos brand from more than 1,000 submissions uploaded to Yahoo! Video and Jumpcut, and voted on by consumers to air during the Super Bowl as part of the Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" contest. Thousands of fans voted at www.crashthesuperbowl.com between Jan. 5 and Jan. 19 to determine the winners, giving them a sweet taste of Super Bowl-sized success.
"We're still enjoying the excitement and attention of being selected as a finalist," explained ad co-creator Wes Phillips. "But, to think that 'Live the Flavor' aired tonight during the Super Bowl, is unbelievable." Wes' co- creator, Dale Backus, added, "We love the fact that this Doritos commercial is going to give us our time in the spotlight. Not many people can say they made a Super Bowl ad for Doritos on a $12 budget. Who knows what's next, but we're hoping this will open more doors and provide opportunities for us in the future."
With the words "spicy," "cheesy," "crunchy" and "bold" exploding on the screen between scenes, Backus and Phillips truly delivered for Doritos in "Live the Flavor." The youngest team of the five finalists, the creative duo developed the winning ad without a traditional multi-million dollar Super Bowl ad budget and professional film equipment. Instead, the creators turned to Backus' wife, Cori, and friend, Nick Dimondi, to star in the 30-second romantic spoof and used in-line skates in place of a professional camera dolly.
"To see 'Check Out Girl' air on what I consider to be the biggest and best stage, is absolutely amazing," said creator Kristen Dehnert. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity not just for me, but for our entire 'Check Out Girl' team."
Up and coming actors Stephanie Lesh-Farrell and George Reddick steal the show in this ad that captures a flirty and humorous exchange at a supermarket check-out line between the animated 'check out' girl and gentleman purchasing his favorite flavors of Doritos chips.
The Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" challenge is just the first of many unexpected programs that will put consumers in control of celebrating what they love about Doritos tortilla chips. Next up is Doritos "Fight for the Flavor" program. This time, the Doritos brand will introduce two new flavors in store -- Doritos Smokin' Cheddar BBQ tortilla chips and Doritos Wild White Nacho tortilla chips -- and let consumers determine which flavor survives on store shelves and which one eventually gets pulled out. The two new flavors will hit stores in March, and consumers can log onto www.snackstrongproductions.com, the brand's newly launched Web site, to select the flavor of their choice.
Program partner Yahoo! Video, a leading destination for video on the Web, provided participants an engaging environment to upload and share their Doritos Super Bowl ads, as well as discover the widest selection of video on the web.
Doritos, which translated means "little bits of gold," is made from ground corn, corn oil, and seasoning. Originally launched in 1966, the brand has since grown into one of America's leading snack brands with more than $1.5 billion in annual U.S. sales. Doritos tortilla chip flavors include Doritos Nacho Cheese, Doritos Cool Ranch, Doritos Spicy Nacho, Doritos Fiery Habanero, and new Doritos Blazin' Buffalo & Ranch, along with Baked! Doritos, Natural Doritos, and Doritos Light tortilla chips.
Frito-Lay North America is the $10 billion convenient foods division of PepsiCo, which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. In addition to Frito-Lay, PepsiCo divisions include Pepsi-Cola, Quaker Foods, Gatorade, and Tropicana.
Source: Frito-Lay North America
Web site: http://www.crashthesuperbowl.com/
http://www.snackstrongproductions.com/
Feb 3
All-Star Celebrities and Athletes Battle to Win the 5th Annual Cadillac Super Bowl Grand Prix
Leanne Tweeden takes first place and receives $10,000 Benefiting the Wounded Warriors with Nick Lachey finishing second and Access Hollywood's Tony Potts taking third place
MIAMI, Feb. 3 Celebrities and athletes revved-up their engines and tested their need for speed in a wheel-to-wheel competition for charity in the 5th Annual Cadillac Super Bowl Grand Prix. Racing for the finish line using SuperKarts on a raceway adjacent to the American Airlines Arena, the event allowed athletes and celebrities to show off their driving skills.
With a race changing collision in the fourth lap, Leeann edged-out other celebrities including Fergie, Terrence Howard, Nick Lacey, Melina Kanakaredes, Venus Williams, Matt Leinart, Queen Latifah, Paul Rudd, Missy Elliott, Shawne Merriman plus defending champion, Josh Duhamel. In addition, Vivica A. Fox kicked off the festivities as the official Cadillac Grand Prix flag girl.
The parking lot next to the arena was transformed into an ultimate racetrack for the event. Each celebrity operated a SuperKart, go-karts specifically designed for racing, powered by a 10 horsepower engine (allowing speeds up to 65 miles-per-hour) that offers amazingly high performance driving. A team of expert racing specialists from the Bob Boundurant School of High Performance Driving were on hand to take the celebrities through the safety and on-track training regulations prior to the official race.
Cadillac was proud to present the MVR (Most Valuable Racer) Award to Leanne, along with $10,000, which will be donated to her charity, Wounded Warriors; $5,000 to Nick Lachey, which will be donated to Make-A-Wish Foundation; and $3,500 to Tony Potts of Access Hollywood, which will be donated to the Haven House.
In addition, Cadillac surprised the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which was in attendance at the event, with a $10,000 donation.
Cadillac is the official vehicle of Super Bowl XLI and the official sponsor of the Super Bowl MVP Award. Cadillac is a division of General Motors (NYSE:GM) . General Motors, the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, designs, builds and markets cars and trucks worldwide, and has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931. Cadillac products include the CTS sport sedan, SRX luxury utility, STS performance luxury sedan, DTS large luxury sedan, XLR luxury roadster, Escalade full-size SUVs (Escalade, Escalade ESV and Escalade EXT) and the high-performance V-Series (CTS-V, STS-V, XLR-V) three cars that go 0-60 in under 5 seconds.
More information on Cadillac and its products can be found on http://www.cadillac.com/ or http://media.gm.com/division/cadillac.
Source: Cadillac
Web site: http://www.cadillac.com/
http://media.gm.com/division/cadillac
Feb 2
Marlee Matlin to Sign National Anthem During Billy Joel Performance at Super Bowl XLI on CBS
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 2 Academy Award winning actress Marlee Matlin will sign the National Anthem in American Sign Language along side Grammy Award winning singer Billy Joel at the SUPER BOWL XLI PREGAME SHOW on CBS at Dolphin Stadium in South Florida on Sunday, February 4, the NFL announced today. This is Matlin's second time performing the National Anthem in Sign Language at the Super Bowl; she was featured in the Super Bowl XXVII pregame show in Pasadena in 1993, with Grammy Award winning singer Garth Brooks.
Matlin, who won the Academy Award for her debut film "Children of A Lesser God," is the youngest person ever to receive the award for Best Actress and was also honored with a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama for the same film. She has been nominated for four Emmy Awards for her work in "Seinfeld," "Picket Fences" "The Practice" and "Law and Order: SVU." For the last 7 years she starred in the NBC drama "The West Wing" and recently joined the cast of Showtime's "The L Word." Matlin also appeared in Billy Joel's music video "We Didn't Start the Fire," and performed with Joel on the PBS series, "Sesame Street."
Super Bowl XL was watched by more than 141 million viewers in the U.S. last year. It is annually the nation's highest-rated TV program and the most-watched single-day sporting event. The game will be broadcast to a potential worldwide audience of 1 billion in more than 230 countries and territories.
Matlin is among many performers who have been honored with performing the Super Bowl National Anthem including: Diana Ross, Neil Diamond, Whitney Houston, Harry Connick, Jr., Vanessa Williams, Cher, Faith Hill, Mariah Carey, Dixie Chicks, Beyonce Knowles and many more.
Source: Marlee Matlin
Super Bowl ads: Jessica Wins in Pre-Game Survey
The 2006 Super Bowl Ad Rated 'Worst' Proved Most Memorable One Year Later
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Feb. 2 -- Sex doesn't always sell, but it retains the attention of both men and women.
Nearly half of all area viewers recall a Super Bowl ad featuring Jessica Simpson -- with more women than men remembering it. The sexy ad for Pizza Hut had the highest recall, even though it ranked the least favorite in a poll taken immediately after last year's game.
That's one finding from an online survey about Super Bowl ads taken by more than 650 viewers. The survey, developed and analyzed with the help of BRX Global Research Services, Inc., is part of Roberts Communications' Customer Bowl II: Rochester Rates the Ads. Findings include:
* More than 75 percent of viewers remember at least one commercial; but
fewer than half even tried answering the question of what teams played
last year; and 20 percent of the people who tried got the teams wrong.
* The majority of people remember at least one Super Bowl ad from last
year: 43 percent recalled one to two ads; 25 percent recalled three to
four ads; and 22 percent didn't remember any ads.
* Of respondents who remembered commercials, 61 percent recalled the
Jessica Simpson spot; 55 percent remember the Bud Light's "Magic
Fridge;" and 51 percent remember Budweiser's "Clydesdale American
Dreams."
* 52 percent of people would not pay to watch the Super Bowl, but among
those who would pay, 40 percent would still want the commercials.
* 64 percent will be watching the game with other people -- at a party or
at their own home with guests -- while 28 percent will be watching at
home without guests.
Bill Murtha, CEO of Roberts Communications, noted that the poll is not a random sample, and a variety of factors could affect the results -- including additional airings of the ads.
"It would be easy to overanalyze the data, but our Customer Bowl project demonstrates the continued power of TV advertising," Murtha said. "In the age of new media, where television is losing much of its impact, commercials with a clever story or the right celebrity can make a strong and memorable impression."
Source: Roberts Communications
Feb 1
Legendary QB Doug Flutie & Hip-Hop Star Darryl ''DMC'' McDaniels to Play Ball, Perform Together at Super Bowl Weekend Celebrity Flag Football Challenge(TM)
Super Saturday in the Sand Super Bowl XLI Celebration Event Will Benefit Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital
BOSTON & MIAMI Feb. 1, 2007 Famed quarterback and former Chicago Bear Doug Flutie, recently retired from pro football and now an ABC/ESPN sports commentator, and hip-hop artist Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, co-founder of the trailblazing group Run-DMC, will be featured players and performers for the Celebrity Flag Football Challenge(TM) on February 3 in Hollywood, Florida. Both Flutie and DMC are represented by Paid, Inc. (OTCBB:PAYD) celebrity services.
In between hitting the sandy gridiron on Hollywood Beach, Flutie will play drums with his Flutie Brothers Band for the event's "halftime" show. He will team up to perform "Walk this Way" with McDaniels. As a member of Run-DMC, McDaniels famously covered this rock anthem with members of Aerosmith, which originally wrote and recorded the song.
The celebrity flag football game is part of the Super Saturday in the Sand festivities in Hollywood, Florida, on February 3 to benefit the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. The event celebrates Super Bowl XLI in nearby Dolphins Stadium in Miami Gardens the following day. More than 15,000 attendees are expected, including about 20 current and alumni NFL players and celebrities, Miami Dolphin and other NFL cheerleaders, representatives from various charities, and corporate partners.
The celebrity flag football game will be played in the sand at Hollywood Beach and kicks off at 11 a.m. During the 20-minute halftime show, DMC and Flutie will put down the pigskin and team up for a musical seaside celebration.
Flutie started the Flutie Brothers Band with his brother, fellow pro football alum and guitarist Darren Flutie, as a way to have fun and raise money for charitable causes during the off seasons of his high-profile career -- which included two decades in pro football before he retired from the New England Patriots in 2006 (not to mention his college days made legendary with his "Hail Mary" pass against Miami that won him the 1984 Heisman Trophy with Boston College). He continues to play with the Flutie Brothers in addition to working as an ABC/ESPN college football analyst. Flutie has been voted by fans as the NFL's best musician for his appearances with the Barenaked Ladies on Monday Night Football special feature, "Monday Night at the Mic," which earned him a spot in the halftime show for the Pro-bowl. The group has played throughout the U.S. and Canada, opening for acts such as Lynyrd Skynrd, Bo Diddley and Meredith Brooks. They also wrote and recorded the Saturday Night Football theme song for the Canadian Football League that is featured weekly on CBC.
McDaniels, meanwhile, has been an entertainment icon since forming the legendary, multi-platinum group Run-DMC with Joseph (Rev. Run) Simmons and the late Jason (Jam Master Jay) Mizell two decades ago and bringing hip hop into the musical mainstream. They were the first rap/hip-hop group to win a Grammy, the first rap act to reach the Billboard Top 10 and the first to get airplay on MTV. The biggest among their long list of mega-hits, often featuring their unique fusion of rock and rap, was "Walk this Way," recorded with Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. After Run-DMC disbanded and Jam Master Jay's untimely death, DMC began work on his recently released solo album, "Checks, Thugs, Rock N Roll." He remains a legend in hip-hop and among his very loyal, global fan base. DMC's web site http://www.me-dmc.com has the latest news, merchandise, downloadable ring tones, fan club details and information on his debut solo album.
Tickets to the event, which will benefit the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood, Florida, are available to the general public online at http://www.sppsports.com or the day of the event. All tickets are general admission and are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. After the game, Flutie, DMC and other celebrity participants will spend an hour greeting fans and autographing pictures, cards and banners.
More information on Flutie, his fan club, charitable foundation and band can be found on his official personal site, http://www.dougflutie2.com/, and the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism site, http://www.dougflutiejrfoundation.org. DMC's official web site http://www.me-dmc.com has the latest news, merchandise, downloadable ring tones, fan club details and information on his debut solo album "Checks Thugs and Rock N' Roll."
About Paid, Inc.:
Paid, Inc.'s celebrity services provides celebrities with official Web sites and fan club services that include e-commerce storefronts, ticketing and fan experience packages, and Web site content, to attract tens of thousands of visitors daily, as detailed on its Web site, http://www.paidcelebrity.com. The Company provides a broad range of sports marketing services for professional athletes and also sponsors autograph signing events. Using patent pending technology, Paid's innovative AuctionInc brand shipping calculation and auction management software and services are utilized to streamline online auctions, ecommerce and Web site development and hosting. For further information, visit http://www.paid.com.
Jan 31
The Nielsen Company's Guide to the Super Bowl
NEW YORK, Jan. 31 -- Several Nielsen businesses - including Nielsen Media Research and ACNielsen - today released a wide range of consumer and media information illustrating the enormous impact that the Super Bowl has on all areas of media and marketing in the U.S.
As the NFL prepares for Super Bowl XLI on February 4 in Miami, Nielsen has combined data on television ratings, advertising expenditures, Internet measurement, album sales, box-office receipts, consumer and lifestyle information of NFL fans in Indianapolis and Chicago, NFL merchandise and retail sales, consumer segmentation and marketing, and comprehensive market research for an in-depth analysis of one of the world's biggest sporting events. Among the findings:
-- Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts sports merchandise have seen a
dramatic rise in retail sales this year.
-- More women are drawn to the Indianapolis Colts than the Chicago Bears.
Data show that 59% of Indianapolis women are Colts fans, vs. 46% of
Chicago women who are Bears fans.
-- The 2006 Super Bowl was the highest rated TV show of the year,
attracting more than 90 million U.S. viewers.
-- The cost for a 30-second TV advertisement reached an all-time high in
2006, while traditional advertiser categories continued to dominate
the broadcast.
-- Super Bowl advertisers in 2006 saw a sharp increase in visits to their
web sites following the big game.
-- Album sales of the Super Bowl halftime performers soared in the week
following their appearance in the halftime show.
-- Box office figures continue to plunge on Super Bowl Sunday.
-- Sales of soft drinks, beer and chips rise significantly before the
Super Bowl.
Television Ratings
Super Bowl Viewers
2006 -- ABC -- 90.7 million
2005 -- FOX -- 86.1 million
2004 -- CBS -- 89.8 million
2003 -- ABC -- 88.6 million
2002 -- FOX -- 86.8 million
2001 -- CBS -- 84.3 million
Program After the Game (average viewers in millions)
2006 -- Grey's Anatomy (21.0)
2005 -- The Simpsons (23.1)
2004 -- Survivor All-Star (33.5)
2003 -- Alias (17.4)
2002 -- Malcolm in the Middle (21.4)
2001 -- Survivor II (45.4)
Top-10 Local Market Average Household Ratings-2006
1. Pittsburgh 57.5%
2. Seattle-Tacoma 55.1%
3. Detroit 52.6%
4. Denver 51.9%
5. Jacksonville 50.9%
6. Cleveland-Akron (Canton) 50.3%
7. Philadelphia 49.0%
8. Indianapolis 48.4%
9. Columbus 48.2%
10. Orlando-Daytona Beach 48.1%
Source: Nielsen Media Research
Super Bowl XL Shows Slight Increase In Viewers (Nielsen Media Research)
In 2006, an average of 90.7 million Americans tuned in to the ABC Network to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Seattle Seahawks. The event averaged a 41.6% household rating, up slightly from the 2005 match-up between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots, which was watched by only 86.1 million viewers in an average of 41.1% of U.S. households.
In local markets, the highest overall local rating in 2006 - at nearly 58% -- was in Pittsburgh, PA., home of Super Bowl XL champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The second largest local TV audience, with an average of 55.1%, was in the Seahawks home town of Seattle, while Detroit, the hosts of Super Bowl XL, ranked third with an average of 52.6%. Denver, Jacksonville and Cleveland followed respectively as the next three markets with the largest Super Bowl audiences (see TV Ratings chart).
Over the past ten years, the most-watched Super Bowl was the 1996 contest between the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX, which drew 94.1 million viewers for an average household rating of 46%. With a rating of 49.1% the 1982 Super Bowl is the most-watched Super Bowl of all time and the fourth-highest rated television program since 1961 (just behind the final episodes of M*A*S*H, Dallas and Roots Part VIII). Overall, the Super Bowl accounts for seven of the top-10 telecasts of all time. Of the top-40 sports telecasts since January 1961, all but six telecasts were Super Bowls.
Super Bowl Viewers Reflect Diversity of American Sports Fans
(Nielsen Media Research)
Although men are the demographic with the highest interest in watching the Super Bowl on TV (41.0%, or 42.6 million viewers), a significant number of women, Hispanics and African Americans also tuned in to the broadcast.
Approximately 34.7 million women over the age of 18 watched the 2006 Super Bowl for a 31.0% average rating. Among women viewers, those in the 25-54 age group had the highest interest, with a 33% average household rating.
An average of 27.2% of African Americans, or approximately 9.7 million viewers, tuned in to Super Bowl XL. The highest watching African American age category was 25-54 years olds, with a rating of 33.4%. An average of 15.7% of Hispanics, or approximately 6.1 million viewers, watched the 2006 Super Bowl. About 19.1% of Hispanics over age 55 watched the game, the highest rating for any age category of Hispanic viewers.
Cost of Super Bowl Advertising Continues to Rise
(Nielsen Monitor-Plus)
In 2006, advertisers continued to pay an increasingly high premium for exposure to one of television's largest national audiences. According to Nielsen Monitor-Plus, the cost for a 30-second spot during the 2006 game rose to $2,500,000 from $2,402,200 in 2005.
The cost for 30-second advertisements during the Super Bowl has continued to increase over the past ten years, with the exception of 2003, which saw a slight drop of $50,000 in the rate from the previous year to $2,150,000.
Advertising Expenditures
Average 30-second Cost
2006 -- $2.5 million
2005 -- $2.4 million
2004 -- $2.3 million
2003 -- $2.15 million
2002 -- $2.2 million
Top Advertiser (seconds of exposure)
2006 -- Anheuser-Busch(270)
2005 -- Anheuser-Busch(300)
2004 -- Anheuser-Busch(330)
2003 -- Anheuser-Busch(330)
2002 -- Anheuser-Busch(300)
# Commercial Minutes:Seconds
2005 -- 43:10
2004 -- 49:25
2003 -- 40:41
2002 -- 38:39
2001 -- 37:45
Source: Nielsen Monitor-Plus
Traditional Advertiser Categories Dominated at Super Bowl 2006
(Nielsen Monitor-Plus)
Fifty-seven unique brands advertised over 47 minutes and 20 seconds of commercial time during the 2006 Super Bowl, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus. The categories that advertised the most during the 2006 Super Bowl included Beer, Motion Pictures, Automotive and Wireless Telephone Services.
The Beer category increased its airtime from 4 minutes in 2005 to 4 1/2 minutes in 2006. Motion Pictures decreased ad time in 2006 versus the prior year by one minute from 5 1/2 to 4 1/2 minutes. Automotive also saw a decline in ad budgets by 1 1/2 minutes to 4 minutes in 2006.
Anheuser-Busch aired the most commercial time with 4 1/2 minutes for their Budweiser, Bud Light, and Michelob Amber brands. Budweiser aired one 60-second ad and two 30 second ads. Bud Light ran four 30-second ads, while Michelob Ultra aired just one 30-second spot.
Pepsi-Cola aired 2 minutes of commercials, making it the second largest advertiser. Gillette, Mobile ESPN, Walt Disney World, and Warner Brothers Entertainment tied for third place, each airing 90 seconds of ads.
In 2006, the automotive category included advertising for Toyota, Cadillac, Ford, Hummer and Honda. Toyota promoted its Camry Hybrid and Tacoma Truck with 30-second spots for each; Ford Escape Hybrid and Honda Ridgeline also ran one 30-second ad for their brands, while Cadillac Escalade and Hummer H3 each ran one 60-second commercial.
In the Motion Picture category, nine different films were advertised, each with a 30-second commercial. Warner Brothers Entertainment ran the most commercials, advertising for its movies: 16 Blocks, V for Vendetta, and Poseidon.
Finally, in 2006, the Wireless Telephone category was dominated by Mobile ESPN and Sprint, accounting for a total of 2-1/2 minutes of commercial time.
To view the commercials that aired during the last eight Super Bowls, visit our creative website at https://www.nielsenmedia.com/monitorplus/superbowl/. The commercials for this year's game will be posted on this website Wednesday, February 7. Please check back.
Advertising Information
Top Advertiser (seconds of exposure)
2006 -- Anheuser-Busch(270)
2005 -- Anheuser-Busch(300)
2004 -- Anheuser-Busch(330)
2003 -- Anheuser-Busch(330)
2002 -- Anheuser-Busch(300)
Average 30-second Cost
2006 -- $2.5 million
2005 -- $2.4 million
2004 -- $2.3 million
2003 -- $2.15 million
2002 -- $2.2 million
2006 Top Categories (seconds of exposure)
1. Beer - 270 seconds
Motion Pictures - 270 seconds
2. Autos & Trucks - 240 seconds
3. Wireless Tel. Svcs - 150 seconds
2006 Top Advertisers (seconds of exposure)
1. Anheuser-Busch - 270 seconds
2. Pepsi-Cola - 120 seconds
3. Gillette - 90 seconds
Mobile ESPN - 90 seconds
Walt Disney World - 90 seconds
Warner Brothers Entertainment - 90 seconds
Source: Nielsen Monitor-Plus
Internet Traffic: Web Becomes Integral part of Super Bowl Ad Campaigns
(Nielsen//NetRatings)
In 2006, Super Bowl advertisers saw an impressive 55 percent increase in their Web traffic on the day after the big game, from 7.9 million unique visitors on Super Bowl Sunday to 12.1 million on Monday (see Table 1).
Fidelity Investments was the fastest growing Web site day over day, increasing 203 percent. Overstock.com ranked No. 2 with a 145 percent increase, and Expedia rounded out the top three, growing 141 percent from Sunday to Monday.
Leading up to the Super Bowl, fans go online to check out stats and prepare for armchair quarterbacking. In the week ending February 5, 2006, Superbowl.com had a unique audience of 2.3 million, a 26 percent increase over Super Bowl week in 2005. NFL.com and NFL Team Sites had 2.0 million unique visitors each during that same week in 2006, a 46 and 17 percent year-over- year increase, respectively.
Web Traffic Growth for Super Bowl Advertisers (U.S., Home & Work)
Web Site 2/5/06 Unique 2/6/06 Unique Traffic
Audience (000) Audience (000) Growth
Aggregation of
All Advertiser
Sites 7,850 12,149 55%
Fidelity
Investments 284* 861 203%
Overstock.com 337* 925* 145%
Expedia 511 1,230 141%
godaddy.com 639 1,094 71%
Career Builder 852 1,450 70%
Source: Nielsen//Net Ratings, February 2006
* Note: These estimates are calculated on small sample sizes and are
subject to increased statistical variability as a result.
Super Bowl Buzz on the Internet
Nielsen BuzzMetrics audits brand buzz before, during and after the Super Bowl, arming advertisers with comprehensive data and deep insight around commercial talk-value, stickiness, virality and even the popularity and appeal of the spokespersons and celebrities in the television advertising event.
The accompanying chart shows the most buzzed about commercials from the 2006 Super Bowl. Conversation "lifts" in brand related discussion coming from the BuzzMetrics database of approximately 40 million blogs.
Among total blog posts related to 2007 Super Bowl advertising, Britney Spear's ex, Kevin Federline - also known as "K-Fed" - is leading the discussion thanks to his recently announced role as pitchman for Nationwide Insurance. In the seven-day period ending January 21, 2007, K-Fed buzz around Super Bowl advertising represented 26% of all blog conversations related to Super Bowl advertising, and fully 49% on January 17.
Other top issues being discussed prior to the game include buzz around the "user generated ad" contests by several advertisers, and a marriage proposal that is scheduled to take place during one of the ads. As in past years, total blog buzz around the Super Bowl is expected continue building rapidly and peak the day after the game.
Most Bussed Ads from Super Bowl 2006
Company 2006 Weighted Buzz Ranking
Budweiser 1
Bud Light 2
Degree 3
Burger King 4
Pepsi 5
Sprint 6
FedEx 7
Michelob Amber 8
Hummer 9
Pizza Hut 10
Source: Nielsen BuzzMetrics
Box Office Gross (Nielsen EDI)
As usual, movie-going plunged on 2006 Super Bowl Sunday. Box office receipts, which averaged $31.1 million on a typical winter Sunday in 2006, fell to $19.4 million on Sunday, February 5, 2006 - a 38% decline. Over the past five years, the average domestic box office for Super Bowl Sunday versus the average winter Sunday is down by about $11.8 million.
Album Sales of Half Time Performers Again See Strong Increase
(Nielsen SoundScan)
This year, recording artist Prince will take a break from his Las Vegas show to perform in the Pepsi Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show at Dolphin Stadium in Miami. According to past trends, Prince and other Super Bowl performers can expect to see a sharp increase in album sales in the week following the big game.
As a halftime performer during the 2006 Super Bowl, The Rolling Stones saw a significant increase in sales of their albums. Nielsen SoundScan compared album sales data from the week prior to Super Bowl XL, ending February 5, 2006, versus the week ending February 12, 2006, and the Rolling Stones "A Bigger Bang" saw a 34% increase in sales.
Super Bowl performers in 2005 also saw their album sales increase in the week following the game. Paul McCartney's 2002 Back in the U.S. saw a 542% increase in sales. Similarly, his 1987 album, All the Best, saw a 246% increase in sales, while his 2001 release, Wingspan: Hits and History, recorded a 161% increase. Sales of The Beatles albums also rose, including The Beatles 1, released in 2000, which saw a 72% increase in sales.
In 2004, performers also saw their album sales increase in the week following the game. Justified by Justin Timberlake saw an increase in sales of 160% and three of Janet Jackson's albums, including Rhythm Nation, Velvet Rope and All For You all had over a 100% increase in sales. At the same time, Nelly saw a 56% increase of sales for Nellyville, while Kid Rock's self-titled album had a sales increase of 25%.
Film - Over the past five years the average domestic box office
gross for a winter weekend versus the average Super Bowl weekend
is down by about $11.8 million on game day.
Box Office Receipts (In millions of dollars)
2006
Avg. Winter Sunday $31.1
Super Bowl Sunday $19.4
2005
Avg. Winter Sunday $30.2
Super Bowl Sunday $18.2
2004
Avg. Winter Sunday $32.0
Super Bowl Sunday $17.3
2003
Avg. Winter Sunday $29.8
Super Bowl Sunday $18.8
2002
Avg. Winter Sunday $29.1
Super Bowl Sunday $19.3
Halftime Performers Album Sales -- Percent Increases
2006 -- Rolling Stones -- A Bigger Bang -- 34%
2005 -- Paul McCartney -- Back in the U.S. -- 542%
2004 -- Justin Timberlake -- Justified -- 160%;
Janet Jackson -- All For You -- 160%
2003 -- No Doubt -- Tragic Kingdom -- 58%
2002 -- U2 -- All That You Can't Leave Behind -- 142%
2001 -- Aerosmith -- Greatest Hits -- 100%
Internet Source: Nielsen//Net Ratings
Music Source: Nielsen SoundScan
Box Office Source: Nielsen EDI
Super Bowl Continues to Influence Sports Merchandise Sales (SportScanINFO)
A dramatic increase in retail sales of Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts merchandise reflect how loyal football fans are voting with their pocketbooks again this year for their favorite Super Bowl teams.
The Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts are both among the top five overall best selling teams in the NFL to date. Over the past four weeks, since the start of the NFL playoffs, the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears are the top two best selling teams, respectively.
In terms of jersey sales, both Peyton Manning and Joseph Addai of the Indianapolis Colts, along with Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears, are currently among the top 6 best sellers among all NFL players
In 2006, the NFL finished the year up 15.0% in terms of dollar sales at retail and is currently up 41.7% for the first 4 weeks of 2007 in terms of all licensed merchandise.
Consumer Products (ACNielsen)
ACNielsen reviewed over 650 food and beverage product categories sold in U.S. grocery stores to see which ones benefit most from the Super Bowl. This analysis was conducted by comparing last year's average one-week sales performance for the two-week period including game day (two-weeks ending on February 11, 2006) with average one-week sales performance over a six-week period (three-weeks ending January 28, 2006, plus three-weeks ending March 4, 2006). The accompanying chart shows those product categories that benefited the most in terms of total incremental sales dollars and those that enjoyed the largest percentage sales gain from the Super Bowl.
Comparing last year's Super Bowl food preferences in the two markets that are home to this year's teams - Chicago and Indianapolis - there are some noteworthy similarities and difference between the two cities. Looking at the largest overall percentage of sales increases, both markets showed strong sales growth in cocktail franks and processed cheese loaves. However, Chicago area supermarkets showed strong growth in sales of frozen unbreaded crab, refrigerated fruit, dip mixes, and dairy dips; while Indianapolis area supermarkets experienced bumps in the sales of 'Miracle Whip' type salad dressing, frozen hors d' oeuvres & snacks, brownie mixes, and bratwurst & knockwurst.
Product Categories -- Super Bowl Weeks*
Largest Overall Sales Increase
-- Tortilla Chips -- $10.2 million
-- Light Beer -- $9.2 million
-- Regular Beer -- $8.7 million
-- Potato Chips -- $7.8 million
-- Regular Cola -- $7.7 million
-- Frozen Pizza -- $7.3 million
-- All remaining Carb Bev -- $5.5 million
-- Frzn Poultry 1-Food Entree's -- $5.4 million
-- Mexican Sauce -- $5.3 million
-- Ice Cream -- $4.7 million
Product Categories -- Super Bowl Weeks*
Largest Overall Percentage Sales Increase
-- Cocktail Franks -- 118.1%
-- Beef Steak-Frozen -- 58.4%
-- Pork-Frozen -- 48.8%
-- Dip Mixes -- 37.0%
-- Processed Cheese Loaves -- 36.3%
-- Dairy Dip -- 36.1%
-- Bread Mushrooms-Frozen -- 35.6%
-- Tabasco/Pepper Sauce -- 34.8%
-- Canned Dip -- 32.2%
-- Barbecue Sauces -- 31.7%
* Two-weeks ending February 11, 2006
Source ACNielsen; Supermarket sales
More Women are Fans of the Indianapolis Colts than the Chicago Bears, According to Scarborough Sports Marketing
Scarborough Sports Marketing, a media and marketing service which measures lifestyles shopping habits, and media patterns of America's sports fans, finds that Bears and Colts fans have distinct demographics and lifestyles.
The Scarborough analysis found that 59% of Indianapolis women are Colts fans, versus 46% of Chicago women who are Bears fans. Both Bears and Colts fans are more likely than others in their cities to have an annual household income of $100k+, but more Bears fans fall into this bracket. Thirty percent of Bears fans have this income level, versus 16% of Colts fans. Fans of both teams are more likely than others in their market to be in white collar jobs.
Expect lots of golfing in Miami. Both Bears and Colts fans are avid golfers. Bears fans are 44% more likely than other Chicagoans to have golfed during the past year, and Colts fans are 45% more likely than others in Indianapolis to hit the links. Fans of both teams are active and enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities. Among their top five leisure activities, both teams enjoy gardening, swimming and bowling as favorites.
When it comes to beverages, it is no surprise that fans of both teams enjoy beer all types of beer: domestic and foreign, microbrews and light beers, Bears and Colts fans are more likely than others in their cities to enjoy them all. Vodka, rum, and tequila are the top choices for Bears and Colts fans in the liquor category.
In the restaurant category, both Bears and Colts fans cite McDonald's as their fast food restaurant of choice, and, they are avid fast food restaurant goers. Bears fans are 15% more likely than other Chicagoans to have eaten at a fast food restaurant 10 or more times during the past month. Colts fans are 12% more likely than others in Indianapolis to have done so.
Sporting goods and apparel shopping varies slightly between both teams, in part because the stores available in each of their cities differ. Dick's Sporting Goods is the top sporting goods store for Colts fans. 28% percent of Colts fans shopped at Dick's during the past three months. Wal-Mart is the leading sporting goods store for Bears fans. 19% of Bears fans shopped Wal- Mart for sporting goods during the pat three months. Bears fans are 55% more likely than other Chicagoans to have purchased NFL apparel during the past year. Colts fans are 31% more likely than all adults in Indianapolis to have done so.
Bears and Colts fans are more likely than others in their cities to use their cell phone for instant messaging. In fact, they use a variety of features on their cell phone, from picture taking and ring tone downloads to Internet and push-to-talk (2-way).
Brands Appearing in the 2006 Super Bowl Game
(Nielsen Sponsorship ScoreCard)
Nielsen's Sponsorship Scorecard monitors advertising sponsorships of sporting events by measuring the time each brand is seen or heard on screen, and how many people were exposed to each brand. Scorecard data from the 2006 Super Bowl illustrates a surprising correlation between brand duration and impressions, or the aggregated number of times a brand is seen. The data show that more time on screen does not necessarily yield more impressions of those who viewed or heard each sponsor's brand.
In comparing all brands across all locations throughout the 2006 Super Bowl game, Sprint (ranked 3rd) appeared on screen for ONLY one (1) second longer than Pepsi (ranked 4th), but delivered nearly 79 million more household impressions (see chart below)
A similar pattern is evident when evaluating different sponsorship locations in the stadium. The "primary scoreboard" location was on screen for 37 seconds and delivered over 52 million household impressions, compared to the "commentator booth," which was on screen for 42 seconds and only received 42 million impressions.
The "commentator booth" was on screen for 5 seconds longer than the "primary scoreboard", but still obtained 10,000 impressions less.
Brands Seen/Heard During the Super Bowl 2006
Brand Total # of Total Duration Total Households
Occurrences in Seconds (000)
Motorola
Electronic
Equip 93 377 585119
Gatorade
Drinks-
Isotonic 95 326 497731
Sprint Telcm
Svcs 8 169 251647
Pepsi-Cola
Reg Soft Drink 26 168 173033
Cadillac
Autos & Trucks 14 109 138616
Top Brand Locations at Ford Field
Super Bowl 2006
Location Total # of Total Duration in Total Households
Occurrences Seconds Seen/Heard (000)
on Screen
On-Screen
Graphic 45 415 589,437
Sideline-
Headset 91 374 580,697
Arena-
Stadium AD 65 351 407,884
Sideline-
Towel 24 88 135,399
Sideline-
Cooler 25 87 129,542
Source: Nielsen Sponsorship Scorecard
Indianapolis and Chicago Super Bowl Fans Trend Towards Different Lifestyles (Spectra)
A consumer segmentation analysis from the marketing company Spectra revealed some of the unique characteristics of Super Bowl viewers from Miami, Indianapolis, and Chicago compared with national professional football fans. Utilizing Spectra's BehaviorScape framework, viewer characteristics can be determined based upon BehaviorStages (which bring to life key household factors that impact consumer purchasing behavior), and LifeStyles, (which further differentiate consumers by highlighting affluence and the neighborhood type in which they live).
For instance, most viewers of professional football across the U.S. typically watch on the weekend one or more times per month, and tend to come from affluent neighborhoods from a variety of household types. They span across all neighborhood types and tend to skew toward couples 35+ without children in the household as well as singles under 35 with no children. Popular Super Bowl snacks that skew highly across the average US viewer are bags of nuts, brats, popcorn, and frozen poultry.
Super Bowl viewers in the host city of Miami watch the game on TV live in both urban and affluent suburban households across household types.
Indianapolis residents who watched the Super Bowl last year generally come from rural and downscale suburban neighborhoods. Additionally:
-- Indianapolis viewers purchase above average amounts of sausage, buns,
and brats than the average viewer.
-- Indianapolis viewers are likely to do their grocery shopping (possibly
for Super Bowl snacks) at Wal-Mart, Aldi, or Kroger.
-- There is also a very high concentration of Super Bowl viewers who are
likely to shop in smaller accounts such as IGA and Buehler's Buy Low.
Chicago residents who watched the Super Bowl last year likely live in urban and affluent suburban households across household types. Additionally:
-- Viewers in Chicago tend to purchase more bagged nuts, beer, frozen
poultry and meat than the average viewer.
-- Chicago viewers are likely to do their grocery shopping (possibly for
Super Bowl snacks) in Dominick's, Trader Joe's, and Whole Foods.
There is also a very high concentration of Super Bowl viewers who are likely to shop in smaller accounts such as Wild Oats and Sunset Food Marts.
About Nielsen
Nielsen Media Research is a part of The Nielsen Company, a global information and media company with leading market positions and recognized brands in marketing information (ACNielsen), media information (Nielsen Media Research), business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek), trade shows and the newspaper sector (Scarborough Research). The privately held company has more than 42,000 employees and is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in Haarlem, the Netherlands, and New York, USA. For more information, please visit, www.nielsen.com.
For more information, please visit the Nielsen website at www.nielsen.com
Source: Nielsen Media Company
CONTACT: Gary Holmes, +1-646-654-8975, or Karen Gyimesi,
+1-646-654-8631
Web site: http://www.nielsenmedia.com/
Jan 30
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2007 - The U.S. Air Force's elite demonstration
squadron, the "Thunderbirds," will help kick off Super Bowl XLI in Miami
with a flyover of Dolphin Stadium on Feb. 4.
The team's six red, white and blue F-16 fighter jets will roar over in
their signature six-ship Delta formation at the conclusion of the
national anthem. The aircraft will fly over at about 500 feet and 450 miles
per hour.
"We are honored to participate in the Super Bowl, especially this year,
as the United States Air Force commemorates our 60th anniversary," said
Lt. Col. Kevin Robbins, Thunderbird commander.
The flyover is just one of many events the Thunderbirds will
participate in during 2007 to commemorate the Air Force's six decades of air and
space power.
The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron is an Air Combat Command
unit composed of eight pilots (including six demonstration pilots),
four support officers, four civilians and about 120 enlisted airmen
performing in more than 25 career specialties. "Our job is to represent the
thousands of airmen who serve their country on a daily basis, including
the more than 25,000 fighting on the front lines in the global war on
terror," Robbins said.
The Super Bowl is the nation's highest-rated TV program annually.
According to the National Football League, more than 141 million viewers in
the United States tuned in to the last Super Bowl game. Super Bowl XLI
will be broadcast to a potential worldwide audience of 1 billion in
more than 230 countries and territories.
Open Labs®, Inc the leading designer and developer of computer-based music production solutions, today announced that the company’s award-winning NeKo® and MiKo™ keyboard workstations will be played during Prince’s performance on the Pepsi Super Bowl XLI halftime show on Sunday, February 4th, at Dolphin Stadium in Miami. The event marks the first time that a computer keyboard instrument has been played live at the Super Bowl. CBS will broadcast Super Bowl XLI starting at 6:25 pm EST.
The full press release appears below.
Morris Hayes and Renato Neto, the renowned groove-funk keyboardists with Prince’s New Power Generation, or NPG, band, will play the new Open Labs Gen3 MiKo and NeKo during the halftime performance. Introduced earlier this month at the Winter NAMM conference in Anaheim , California , the Gen3 MiKo and NeKo are the latest incarnations of the award-winning product line that Open Labs originally introduced in 2004. The Open Labs Gen3 MiKo and NeKo represent the first line of keyboard workstations to incorporate a Windows® PC-based architecture and are now the first musical instruments to use Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processors, offering processing speeds up to 70% faster than Gen 2 models.
The Open Labs MiKo and NeKo Gen3 keyboards are the first portable digital music and internet media creation systems that combine the power of Windows PC architecture, a large-format touchscreen interface, and internet connectivity in a compact, user-friendly instrument. The Gen3 series enable users to record up to 140 tracks of 24-bit audio; play up to 500-note polyphony, and support up to 300 plug-ins in a single instrument.
If you would like to speak with an Open Labs executive, please contact me on 201-218-0262 or c.pfaff@att.net.
Thanks,
--- Chris
OPEN LABS® MIKO™ AND NEKO® INSTRUMENTS MAKE SUPER BOWL DEBUT WITH PRINCE;
FIRST COMPUTER-BASED KEYBOARD PLAYED ON TELEVISION’S BIGGEST EVENT
Prince NPG Keyboardists Morris Hayes and Renato Neto to Play the Open Labs® Gen3 MiKo™ and NeKo®
During Pepsi Super Bowl XLI Halftime Performance; First Windows®-Based Keyboard Workstation is
First Musical Instrument to Use Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processors
AUSTIN, TX -- Open Labs®, Inc the leading designer and developer of computer-based music production solutions, today announced that the company’s award-winning NeKo® and MiKo™ keyboard workstations will be played during Prince’s performance on the Pepsi Super Bowl XLI halftime show on Sunday, February 4th, at Dolphin Stadium in Miami. The event marks the first time that a computer keyboard instrument has been played live at the Super Bowl. CBS will broadcast Super Bowl XLI starting at 6:25 pm EST.
Morris Hayes and Renato Neto, the renowned groove-funk keyboardists with Prince’s New Power Generation, or NPG, band, will play the new Open Labs Gen3 MiKo and NeKo during the halftime performance. Introduced earlier this month at the Winter NAMM conference in Anaheim , California , the Gen3 MiKo and NeKo are the latest incarnations of the award-winning product line that Open Labs originally introduced in 2004. The Open Labs Gen3 MiKo and NeKo represent the first line of keyboard workstations to incorporate a Windows® PC-based architecture and are now the first musical instruments to use Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processors, offering processing speeds up to 70% faster than Gen 2 models.
“Prince is one of the most technically demanding artists working today, and the Super Bowl is one of the largest telecasts in the world, so we are delighted to have such a grand stage on which to debut the Gen3 MiKo and NeKo instruments,” said Victor Wong, chairman of Open Labs. “We have essentially redesigned our products to create a powerful musical experience that is only limited by the user’s imagination.”
“The Core 2 Duo processor line enables faster real-time operations, and we can’t think of a more demanding real-time situation than live musical performance. The Open Labs team provides a great example of the innovation that is being brought to music creation,” said Diane Bryant, vice president in the Digital Enterprise Group, Intel (Nasdaq: INTC). “We believe that the convergence of the PC workstation and the music synthesizer keyboard will support creativity for new generations of composers and performers.”
“The power and creativity embodied by Open Labs is well-represented by the renowned artists who use these platforms, and we are pleased to see that the Microsoft platform has helped enable these developments,” said Liron Shaked, director of the Worldwide Consumer ISV Group at Microsoft Corp (Nasdaq: MSFT). “These innovations, in combination with the cutting-edge enhancements in Windows Vista, will serve to dramatically expand the creative possibilities for today’s digital artists.”
“The combination of Intel’s latest processors and our future migration to Windows Vista ensure that Open Labs instruments continue to offer musicians and producers sustainable world-class performance without peer,” continued Wong.
The Open Labs MiKo and NeKo Gen3 keyboards are the first portable digital music and internet media creation systems that combine the power of Windows PC architecture, a large-format touchscreen interface, and internet connectivity in a compact, user-friendly instrument.
The Gen3 series enable users to record up to 140 tracks of 24-bit audio; play up to 500-note polyphony, and support up to 300 plug-ins in a single instrument.
The Gen 3 MiKo and NeKo feature Open Labs suite of software applications – Karsyn™, mFusion™, and the Open Labs Navigator™ - which are a breakthrough set of technologies that allow users to control different musical keyboard devices and software packages through a single interface. Together, they create a clean, efficient environment for creation and performance. Instead of a complicated general-purpose computing environment, the 15-inch touchscreen interface presents a streamlined user experience ideally suited for efficiency in the studio, and clarity and speed on stage.
“The Open Labs MiKo and NeKo provide me with the power of a recording studio in a single piece of equipment, and this greatly expands my musical canvas” said Hayes. “I have been a staunch supporter of Open Labs equipment from day one, because it is rugged, portable, and ultra-powerful, and it represents the ultimate state-of-the-art in music technology.”
The Super Bowl is annually the nation's highest-rated TV program. More than 141 million viewers watched last year's game in the U.S. Super Bowl XLI will be broadcast to a potential worldwide audience of 1 billion in more than 230 countries and territories.
About Open Labs
Open Labs designs, manufactures, and markets computer music and media creation tools for musicians and producers of every level of expertise. The company’s products, NeKo® and MiKo™, are the first keyboard instruments to incorporate Windows PC architecture enabling the use of existing and future music and media PC software applications. Open Labs, formed in 2002, combines decades of expertise in computer technology, keyboard technology, and product design. The company is headquartered in Austin , Texas . For more information, visit the Web site at www.openlabs.com
Miami's Own Gloria Estefan to Introduce Cirque du Soleil in Super Bowl XLI Pregame Show Feb. 4 on CBS
MIAMI, Jan. 30 International superstar and Miami resident GLORIA ESTEFAN will introduce CIRQUE DU SOLEIL'S pregame show at Super Bowl XLI on CBS at Dolphin Stadium in South Florida on Sunday, February 4, the NFL announced today.
Estefan is a five-time Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter who has performed at Super Bowl XXVI and Super Bowl XXXIII halftime shows, held in Minneapolis and Miami respectively. She is currently writing and recording a new album to be released later this year and is a New York Times best-selling author of two children's books.
Grammy(R) Award Winner LOUIE VEGA will supply an original musical score and will perform with his Elements of Life Orchestra featuring vocalist Anane while the Cirque du Soleil performance comes to life. The Cirque du Soleil performers will be a living, breathing canvas for Miami-based artist ROMERO BRITTO, whose signature pop-art has come to define the color and vibrancy of South Florida.
The Super Bowl is annually the nation's highest-rated TV program. More than 141 million viewers watched last year's game in the U.S. Super Bowl XLI will be broadcast to more than 230 countries and territories.
Don Mischer Productions and White Cherry Entertainment will produce the Super Bowl XLI pregame show as part of their season-long marquee entertainment agreement with the NFL. Don Mischer Productions will serve as executive producer and director, while White Cherry Entertainment, led by Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss, will serve as executive producers. David Saltz of Red Eye Flight Productions will also serve as producer of the pregame show. Saltz has worked with Cirque on their Beatles inspired LOVE production and has brought them together with Britto for this original Super Bowl performance.
Source: NFL
Rocking the Gridiron Red Carpet Evening, Super Bowl Thursday
MIAMI, Jan. 30 Sports Legends Classic returns for a 3rd consecutive year to present Rocking The Gridiron on Thursday, February 1 at the Miami Seaquarium. Doors open for V.I.P.'s at 7:00PM. General admission begins at 9:00PM.
The event will be hosted by Miami's own Hurricane greats and NFL running back legends, Ottis "OJ" Anderson (Super Bowl MVP, NY Giants) and Chuck Foreman (All-Pro, Minnesota Vikings).
"These 'see and be seen' high-profile parties are almost as popular as the on-field competition," said Wayne Mogel, President/CEO of Sports Legends Classic and a veteran entertainment producer.
"Our company has pioneered some of the most creative and exciting parties in the sporting world. We pride ourselves on the ability to cater to the needs of celebrities and athletes, while still giving fans an opportunity to rub elbows with these legendary heroes in an amazing red carpet event environment," added Mogel.
Short list of the celebrities and athletes that have attended past Sports Legend Classic events include: N'Sync, Kid Rock, Black Eyed Peas, Owen Wilson, Ying Yang Twins, Boyz II Men, Nick Lachey, MC Hammer, Marcus Allen, Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Lennox Lewis, Jim McMahon, Emmitt Smith, Eddie George, John Riggins, Marcus Allen, Warren Moon, Jerome Bettis, Daunte Culpepper, Tony Dorsett, John Elway, Carl Eller, Ready For The World, Jeff Gordon, Deion Sanders, Shannon Sharpe, Lynn Swann, Thurman Thomas, Spud Webb, and Ricky Watters.
Named last year, "the only Super Bowl party that produced," by the Detroit Free Press, Rocking the Gridiron is one of the only high profile events open to the public. General admission tickets are $150. VIP tickets are $350. Tickets are available for purchase online: http://www.rockthegridiron.com/.
Sports Legends Classic is dedicated to creating and delivering premium entertainment experiences to fans across the country. For more information about event tickets, sponsorship or interview opportunities please contact Vanessa Adams at 888-435-8006 ext 4 or email Athletes@VanAdamsports.com.
About Sports Legends Classic.
Co-owned by Wayne Mogel and Vanessa Adams of VanAdams Sports Group. It is an annual event designed to present legends of the gridiron at each Super Bowl as well as other venues across the country. Each year, a different aspect of the sport of football will serve as the backdrop of the evening. Sports Legends Classic events include an invitation only private reception, which is immediately followed by a party open to the general public.
* Super Bowl 39, Running Back in Time, featured running backs with 10,000-career rushing yards or more. * Super Bowl 40, Celebrate the Defense, featured a tribute to Hall of Fame legend Lem Barney. * Super Bowl 41, Rocking the Gridiron, features gridiron greats. For more information, visit http://www.sportslegendsclassic.com/ About VanAdams Sports Group
The VanAdams Sports Group, a woman and minority owned marketing firm based in New Jersey, provides a range of marketing and consulting services to athletes and corporations. The VanAdams Sports Group conceptualizes and manages exceptional special events, integrated marketing programs as well as connects corporations with athletes for personal appearances and endorsements. The VanAdams Sports Group represents and markets a number of athlete off-field endeavors.
For more information, visit http://www.vanadamsports.com/
Source: Sports Legends Classic
Web site: http://www.sportslegendsclassic.com/
http://www.rockthegridiron.com/
http://www.vanadamsports.com/
Jan 29
Eagles Cheerleaders Part of "Beauties on the Beach" Super Bowl Pre-Game Competition
Six members of the elite Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleading squad are heading down to Hollywood Beach, Florida, for "Beauties on the Beach" - an NFL-sponsored cheerleader challenge taking place Saturday, February 3, at 2 p.m. They will be part of the NFL Super Bowl pre-game events, attracting one of the largest national and international media audiences in the world.
The contest is part of "Super Saturday in the Sand," a fun-filled family day featuring celebrity flag football and a variety of NFL-organized games and activities.
The Eagles cheerleaders selected, Valerie, Tara, Jennifer, Stephanie, Kjersti, and Tiffany, will compete against cheerleaders from the Houston Texans, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and Jacksonville Jaguars in the two-hour challenge.
The event, hosted by the Super Bowl XLI host committee, will feature beach volleyball, flag football, kayaking, tug of war and a dance competition. The winner will be named the "Beauties on the Beach" Champion.
"We are thrilled to be a part of Super Bowl weekend," said Director of the Eagles Cheerleaders Barbara Zaun, who will also attend. "We are honored that the NFL continues to recognize our talented squad."
In December, 12 Eagles cheerleaders were chosen to represent the National Football League as part of a seven-week promotional tour of the United Kingdom. Invited by the League's UK office, the women spent two days performing at venues in Liverpool and Bath to promote the NFL in Europe.
The cheerleaders will also be appearing at several VIP events throughout Super Bowl weekend, including a swimsuit fashion show in South Beach with Cheerleader Tara to be aired on CBS, Friday, February 2.
Source: The Philadelphia Eagles
Web site: http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/
Jan 27
790 The Ticket, the Official Super Bowl Radio Station, Hosts Exclusive Super Bowl Parties for Shaquille O'Neal, Terrell Owens and Super Agent Drew Rosenhaus at the Boost Mobile Villa
Featuring the W South Beach Roof Deck & Lounge and Marquis Jet Hospitality Suite
790 The Ticket's CEO and President Joel Feinberg has taken over the former "Versace Mansion," transforming it into the Boost Mobile Villa, the only place to be for Super Bowl XLI. The four-day super-premium Hospitality/Destination project at Casa Casaurina will pamper and cater 400 VIP guests including day and night from February 1 - 4, 2007. Expected guests like Jessica Biel, Nas, Diddy, Mark Wahlberg, Hilary Duff, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Matt Leinart, Kanye West, Nick Lachey, Jay-Z, Jamie Foxx, Jeremy Piven, Beyonce, Paris Hilton and Queen Latifah will get to find their inner rock star in the Gibson Musical Instruments lounge and soak up the sun while relaxing on the W South Beach Roof Deck.. "790 The Ticket is the number one player in South Florida, and we're going to throw the party this weekend to prove it. Terrell Owens will be there. Shaq will be there. If its sports and its huge, we're not just at the party. We host it," says CEO and 790 The Ticket President Joel Feinberg.
"Boost Mobile decided to team up with Joel Feinberg and the 'official' Super Bowl station, 790 The Ticket, to host premium Super Bowl events at the Boost Mobile Villa creating the perfect blend of sports and lifestyle elements," said Lisa Spiritus, director of entertainment marketing, Boost Mobile. "We are looking forward to our exciting lineup of events at the Boost Mobile Villa to celebrate America's favorite sports weekend featuring top athletes such as Shaquille O'Neal and Terrell Owens, who was previously featured in a Boost Mobile advertising campaign."
BOOST MOBILE VILLA SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Thursday: -- 790 THE TICKET HOSTS SHAQ'S 50 BEST AT THE BOOST MOBILE VILLA -- Shaquille O'Neal will host a dinner for 50 of the hottest celebrities and athletes in town. It will be a sit-down ultra-exclusive poolside soiree that will turn into a late-night cocktail party. "As you know, I don't do anything small...my party is going to be like me... big and sexy," says Shaq, the unofficial Mayor of Miami.
Friday: -- 790 THE TICKET'S HOSTS T.O. BBQ AT THE BOOST MOBILE VILLA -- The controversial Cowboys star Terrell Owens hosts his exclusive Super Bowl party with 300 of his closest superstar friends. The hottest celebrities and athletes will enjoy an upscale BBQ -- Super Bowl style.
Saturday: -- 790 THE TICKET'S ROSENHAUS LATE-NIGHT SOIREE AT THE BOOST MOBILE VILLA -- Super Agent Drew Rosenhaus hosts a late-night party for his multitude of Superstar NFL clients including Giants Jeremy Shockey, Cardinals Edgerrin James, Redskins Clinton Portis, Bills Willis McGahee and Cowboys Terrell Owens.
Sunday: -- Marquis Jet hosts a private brunch on Super Bowl Sunday featuring a chalk talk by legendary coach Don Shula.
790 The Ticket -- The Official Super Bowl Radio Station and Home of the Miami Dolphins. Young and hip, 790 The Ticket is a mirror reflection of its owner, Joel Feinberg, the 29-year-old president and CEO. Feinberg has created the only 24-hour sports station in South Florida and the hottest growing station in the region. Young people start the coolest trends all over America, and the ratings reveal that 790 The Ticket has captured the imaginations, loyalties and listening habits of South Florida's trendiest and most energetic. The station is like the city surrounding it -- multi-cultural, interesting, fun and different. It boasts original programming from 5 am to midnight with talent that is both nationally and locally recognizable enough to make the lineup of Joe Rose, Sid Rosenberg, Jon "Boog" Sciambi and Dan Le Batard as strong as any in the country. Terrell Owens and Dwyane Wade have regular weekly shows. Everyone from Will Ferrell to Charles Barkley stop by.
About Boost Mobile
Based in Irvine, California, Boost Mobile, LLC, a division of Sprint Nextel Corporation, (NYSE:S) , is a lifestyle-based telecommunications brand focused on offering premium Pay-As-You-Go wireless phones and services to the youth market. Boost is among the fastest growing wireless services in the U.S. and now has more than 3.8 million customers -- the majority of which are under the age of 25. Boost-branded wireless phones with its exclusive Boost(TM) Walkie-Talkie service and Re-Boost(R) Cards are available nationwide at locations where youth prefer to shop, including national retailers and convenience stores, and merchants that focus on fashion, music, and action sports-related activities. Experience Boost on the Web at www.boostmobile.com.
About Marquis Jet -- Marquis Jet is the global leader in private jet cards. Through its exclusive alliance with NetJets, Marquis Jet provides the convenience, quality and safety of the world's premier fractional aircraft ownership program 25 hours at a time for one simple payment. The Marquis Jet Card is available throughout North America, catering to businesses and individuals who desire access to the world's best fleet and service. Business Traveler Magazine, Executive Travel Magazine, Robb Report and Flight International have recognized the Marquis Jet Card as the best in the industry.
About W South Beach Hotel & Residences -- W South Beach Hotel & Residences is scheduled to open in late 2008; this 419-unit condo hotel will feature magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean from every room and offer unique amenities, such as the luxurious Bliss Spa and celebrity-magnet Mr. Chow's restaurant, making the W South Beach the crown jewel of Miami's cultural renaissance. W South Beach is located at 2201 Collins Avenue and is comprised of one, two & three bedroom residences, beach bungalows and penthouses, ranging in price from the mid $700,000's to $8 million.
About Gibson -- Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, and banjos. Gibson's HD.6X-PRO Digital Guitar represents the biggest advance in electric guitar design in over 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.'s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Maestro, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Echoplex, Electar, Flatiron, Gibson Baldwin Music Education, Slingerland, Valley Arts, Oberheim, Sunshine Piano, Take Anywhere Technology, Baldwin, J&C Fischer, Chickering, Hamilton, and Wurlitzer. Visit Gibson's website at www.gibson.com .
About glaceau -- Formed in 1996, they are the creators of the enhanced water category and maker of vitaminwater(R), fruitwater(R) and smartwater(R). They only natural flavors and colors in their products. Since inception, glaceau has experienced more than 200% compounded annual growth, and now more than five million bottles are sold every day to thirsty people like you. Proof that when you put a better product on the market, people respond. For more information visit www.glaceau.com .
About Relevent -- Relevent is a full service marketing, special events and promotions company that builds brands with consumers through experiential lifestyle, entertainment and relationship marketing programs. We integrate brands directly into meaningful popular culture to facilitate relevent connections and drive legitimacy through media coverage. Since its inception in February, 2005 clients have included Victoria's Secret Beauty, Victoria's Secret PINK, Baume & Mercier, Operation Smile, Philips and Vacheron Constantin.
Web sites: http://www.boostmobile.com
http://www.glaceau.com
http://www.gibson.com
Source: 790 The Ticket
Cingular Wireless Beefs Up Network for Super Bowl XLI
Nation's Largest Carrier Triples Capacity in Dolphin Stadium
The Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears aren't the only ones preparing for Super Bowl XLI. Cingular Wireless, now a part of the new AT&T, has spent the past six months planning for the big event.
"A huge event like the Super Bowl, where nearly 100,000 people converge onto an area the size of a few city blocks, requires monumental efforts," said Rich Guidotti, vice president and general manager for AT&T's South Florida wireless operations. "Our network team has gone above and beyond to ensure our customers have the best wireless experience possible under the circumstances."
Typically, most carriers only use a portion of their spectrum in geographical areas. But AT&T's wireless unit is using its entire South Florida 70 megahertz spectrum in Dolphin Stadium and the surrounding areas, where the company anticipates a spike in network traffic. The company's network team has set up two cell sites on wheels, or "COWs", in the stadium parking lot; added dozens of voice channels to its two cell sites located inside the stadium; and maximized its high-speed 3G (third generation) capacity in the area, making it possible to process thousands of calls and data sessions with peak data speeds above three megabits per second. Capacity also has been added at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino & Hotel and along Ocean Drive in South Beach where some of the Super Bowl week activities will be held.
Additionally, AT&T's wireless unit will have network personnel on site for game day to monitor the network and manually balance traffic on the cell sites at the stadium in order to maximize the ability for customers to make calls.
"We saw a 30 percent increase in usage on our Jacksonville network last year during the week of Super Bowl XL, which resulted in about six million additional minutes of usage on the network," said Mark Austin, executive director of AT&T's South Florida wireless network. "We anticipate a similar experience here in Miami."
AT&T invested $165 million in its South Florida wireless network last year -- $400 million statewide -- upgrading and expanding service, which included the rollout of its high-speed 3G (third generation) network. The company's 3G network allows customers to download at average data speeds between 400-700 Kbps (kilobits per second) on the downlink, with bursts to more than a megabit per second.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. is a premier communications holding company in the United States and around the world, with operating subsidiaries providing services under the AT&T brand. AT&T is the recognized world leader in providing IP-based communications services to business and the U.S. leader in providing wireless, high speed Internet access, local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising services. As part of its "three screen" integration strategy, AT&T is expanding video entertainment offerings to include such next-generation television services as AT&T U-verse(SM) TV. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at www.att.com.
AT&T is a registered trademark of AT&T Knowledge Ventures. Subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. provide products and services under the AT&T brand. For more information, please review this announcement in the AT&T newsroom at www.att.com/newsroom.
Source: Cingular Wireless, now the new AT&T
Web site: http://www.att.com/
Snapple Scores with Super Premium Tea Ad During Super Bowl XLI
Maker of the Best Stuff on Earth Highlights 'Good for You' Lineup of Green, White, Red and Black Teas
Snapple, maker of the Best Stuff on Earth, will showcase the metabolism-boosting powers of its Green Tea in a 30-second spot airing during the biggest game on Earth -- Super Bowl XLI. The ad is Snapple's first to air during the Super Bowl and celebrates its new super premium line of Red, White, Green and Black teas.
The commercial, created by Cliff Freeman & Partners, follows a tea-loving pilgrim on his quest for metabolic enlightenment, and highlights EGCG, the natural antioxidant in Snapple Green Tea which has been proven to help boost metabolism. It will air during the fourth quarter of the game.
"We're using this opportunity as a first-time Super Bowl advertiser to deliver the 'good for you' message in a humorous way," said Bryan Mazur, VP of Marketing for Snapple. "Consumers want teas with authentic taste, pure ingredients and real, functional benefits. Even our approach to advertising is real -- we didn't shoot our commercials on a back lot in Hollywood -- this Green Tea spot was shot on location in China, and we traveled to Thailand and Africa for our White and Red Tea spots."
Snapple is the leader in the ready-to-drink tea category, and is known for its extensive variety of delicious flavors. The new super premium line of Snapple teas brings together great taste and health benefits. Snapple Green Tea deliciously complements the Super Bowl smorgasbord by boosting metabolism. Snapple White Tea, the Lightest Tea on Earth, offers a delicate, refreshing flavor thanks to the baby tea leaves from which it is made. Snapple Red Tea, naturally caffeine-free and made from the Rooibos plant, contains protective antioxidants and Vitamin C, which contributes to a healthy immune system -- especially helpful in cold climes like Chicago and Indianapolis. Building on the success of these premium teas, the company plans to launch a new line of classic black teas in March.
"Snapple created the ready-to-drink iced tea category as it is known today," said Mazur. "Snapple super premium teas reflect current consumer desires for natural beverages with real quality and real benefits."
Snapple's super premium line of White, Green and Red Teas is available at major retailers, grocery and convenience stores nationwide in a 17.5 ounce bottle for a suggested retail price of $1.39. Green Tea flavors include regular and diet Original, Mango and Asian Pear; Red Tea flavors include Mixed Berry, Peach Pomegranate and Mandarin Tangerine; and White Tea is available in Green Apple, Nectarine and Raspberry flavors. To learn more about Snapple visit www.snapple.com.
About Snapple
Snapple is the leader in great-tasting premium beverages. Founded in 1972 by three childhood friends, Snapple got its start in Greenwich Village, New York and is now available throughout the United States and 80 countries worldwide. Snapple prides itself on developing, producing and marketing a wide variety of premium beverages, including ready-to-drink iced teas, juice drinks, 100% vitamin-fortified juices and water. Known for its down-to-earth approach to marketing and its beloved spokeswoman, Wendy "The Snapple Lady," Snapple continues to delight fans across the world. In 2003, Snapple made history by becoming the official iced tea of New York City. For more information, visit www.snapple.com.
About Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages
Snapple is a leading brand in the beverage portfolio of Plano, Texas-based Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages (CSAB), a subsidiary division of Cadbury Schweppes plc (NYSE:CSG) . CSAB is one of the largest producers of soft drinks and premium beverages in the Americas. CSAB's brand portfolio includes Dr Pepper, 7 UP, Snapple, Mott's, RC Cola, A&W Root Beer, Sunkist Soda, Canada Dry, Hawaiian Punch, Schweppes, Diet Rite, Clamato, Mr & Mrs T Mixers, Holland House Mixers, Rose's, Mistic, Yoo-hoo, Orangina, IBC, Stewart's, Nantucket Nectars, and other well-known consumer brands. For additional information on Cadbury Schweppes and its products, visit www.brandspeoplelove.com.
Source: Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages
Web site: http://www.snapple.com/
http://www.brandspeoplelove.com/
Super Bowl-Winning QBs Get Superhero Treatment: Upper Deck to Launch 1,000 Limited-Edition Favre, Roethlisberger, Brady Vinyl Action Figures Week of Super Bowl; Characters Based on 'Stylized Realism' Found in Comic-Book Art
They can throw a spiral faster than a speeding bullet. Bowl over defenders for a first down with more power than a locomotive. Leap over an end-zone wall into an adoring crowd in a single bound.
In the minds of many fans, NFL stars have powers beyond those of most mortal men. Helping to perpetuate that point of view, Upper Deck will launch three superhero-inspired vinyl action figures based on three Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks during the week of the big game: Ben Roethlisberger (Jan. 30 at 9:07am PT), Brett Favre (Jan 31 at 9:04am PT) and Tom Brady (Feb. 1 at 9:12am PT).
Only 1,000 of each have been produced and will be offered exclusively online (www.allstarvinyl.com; MSRP $49.95), making the 11-inch action figures -- based on the stylized realism found in comic-book art -- arguably the most limited league-licensed football figures ever released to collectors.
"Even though these quarterbacks put up big numbers each season, we're going to keep our numbers on this release extremely small staying true to the roots of low run limited edition vinyl figures," said Upper Deck sports figure product manager Dave Sanders. "Like their real-life athlete's on-field ability, these figures are extremely rare. And like their fan's expectations, product demand will be high. If history is any indicator, there's no doubt they'll go fast."
According to Sanders, Upper Deck's first vinyl figures -- featuring LeBron James -- sold out in a little more than an hour. The Super Bowl quarter back series represent the first licensed vinyl figures from a sports league, and are a follow-up to Upper Deck's successful "The LeBrons" figures released last year in partnership with Nike and centered on LeBron's latest sneaker campaign.
Sanders also noted that Upper Deck's January NFL release is the start of All-Star Vinyl's product launch in all four major sport categories. Its NBA and NHL athletes hit retail in March, MLB players in May. In total, 38 elite athletes of the present and past will be unveiled on the All-Star Vinyl label in 2007.
More on Upper Deck's NFL All-Star Vinyl Action Figurines
At 11 inches and produced in the underground style of urban vinyl, Upper Deck's All-Star Vinyl NFL quarterbacks are a combination of art and realism not typically found in sports licensed products. "In this medium, our designers are able to have fun by adding or playing up on player attributes and subtleties that give life to these athletes, highlight their distinct features, playing style -- design characteristics that make them highly unique in comparison to more traditional based sports figures."
To that, Sanders pointed out the cleft in Brady's chin and Roethlisberger's pinky on the ball, lifted a half-inch from the laces. Other features of note: Brady's eye black and boyish cowlick; Roethlisberger's backward baseball cap and hockey-style playoff beard; Favre's steely blue gaze and ever-present hand warmer and towel.
All three action figures are featured in their team's home jerseys, complete with Reebok logo on sleeve, NFL logo on chest. Away versions of all three quarterbacks will be launched in July.
To find out more on the Super Bowl quarterback set, Upper Deck has set up a blog written by Sanders: allstarvinyl.com. It will also give consumers a first look at upcoming sports action figure launches throughout the year, giving insight into the athletes to be featured, as well as the artist and sculptor behind the piece.
Information on Vinyl Artist, Sculptor; History of Urban Vinyl Collectibles
San Diego-based freelance comic and figure artist Sean Galloway, 32, designed the All-Star Vinyl Super Bowl quarterback series. Galloway's credits include commissioned art for Batman, Hellboy and Teen Titans.
"I love to create art; but what I love even more is to create with meaning. This project allowed me to reinterpret NFL players as we all envision them -- larger than life," said Galloway. The artist's artwork is featured prominently on each figure's packaging, giving collectors insight into the design of each player.
The sports action figures were sculpted by Rocco Tartamella, a well-known toy sculptor who has done work for such clients as Mattel, Hasbro, and McFarlane. Taratamella also sculpted Upper Deck's LeBron series.
The trend of urban vinyl collectibles originated in Hong Kong and Japan, recently becoming popular in the United States. A sign of its popularity: at the Toy Fair last February, the industry officially recognized this trend with its own exhibit hall titled "Urban Bazaar: Indie Art Toys."
Urban vinyl figures, or designer toys, are thought of as not just toys, but as pieces of art. Usually made of soft roto-cast PVC, referred to by collectors as "vinyl," many of the industry's product launches are held at gallery openings or release parties where the toys are displayed side-by-side with paintings and other types of art.
About the Upper Deck Company
Founded in 1988, The Upper Deck Co. is a premier global sports and entertainment-publishing company that delivers a portfolio of relevant, innovative and multi-dimensional product experiences to collectors, sports and entertainment enthusiasts. For more information on Upper Deck and its products please visit www.upperdeck.com or www.upperdeckstore.com.
Web site: http://www.upperdeck.com/
http://www.upperdeckstore.com/
http://www.allstarvinyl.com/
Jan 24
From the Surf to the Turf: CBS SportsLine Covers Super Bowl XLI
'Cadillac Countdown to Super Bowl' & Catalogue of CBS' Super Bowl Ads Highlight Coverage
CBS SportsLine, a leading Internet sports media organization and part of CBS Interactive, today announced its coverage plans for Super Bowl XLI, featuring two video offerings. Starting Wednesday, January 31st and continuing everyday leading up to Super Bowl Sunday, CBS SportsLine.com will present "Cadillac Countdown to Super Bowl," a 30-minute video program shot on location in Miami and hosted by eight-year NFL veteran and CBS Sports reporter Spencer Tillman, former NFL personnel executive and now NFL.com analyst Pat Kirwan and former NFL General Manager and now part of The NFL Today on CBS Sports, Charley Casserly.
"Cadillac Countdown to Super Bowl" will feature the latest news, interviews and expert analysis surrounding Super Bowl XLI, including special guests such as Hall of Fame running back and Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl IX Franco Harris, Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon, and "Mercury" Morris, the starting running back for the historic 1972 undefeated Miami Dolphins.
Additionally, "Cadillac Countdown to Super Bowl" will feature on-set interviews with current NFL players such as New York Giants LB Antonio Pierce and Baltimore Ravens LB Bart Scott and exclusive segments with former Buffalo Bills All-Pro and CBS Sports game analyst Steve Tasker and CBS SportsLine.com's Senior NFL Writers Pete Prisco and Clark Judge. Finally, the show will bring daily reports from the beach and parties in and around South Florida during Super Bowl week from April Wilkner, the former America's Next Top Model contestant.
"Over the last two years, CBS SportsLine has built on its strong base of sports fans and fantasy players to establish itself as a leader in original online video programming," said Joe Ferreira, Vice President of Programming & Executive Producer of CBS SportsLine. "Our Super Bowl XLI coverage is another step forward and will provide our fans with incredible insight leading up to the game broadcast on CBS."
CBS SportsLine.com will also be the destination for fans of Super Bowl ads. Located at cbs.sportsline.com/superads, CBS SportsLine.com users will be able to view most, if not all, ads which will be aired during Super Bowl XLI on CBS, broken down both by advertiser and which quarter they aired in. The ads which air during the first quarter of the game will first be available online at the end of that quarter with the remainder of the ads becoming available on a similar schedule until the entire inventory* is viewable following the game. (*Online ads may not include the entire television commercial lineup. All advertisers who give CBS permission to have their commercials on CBS SportsLine.com will be featured.)
CBS SportsLine's video programs merely highlight the company's content offerings surrounding Super Bowl XLI. Additional features include the best way to follow the game both online and via mobile, fantasy games and the opportunity for fans to give their own spin on all the action:
CBS SportsLine NFL Insiders and National Columnists: CBS SportsLine.com's Senior NFL Writers Pete Prisco and Clark Judge will be joined by National Columnists Mike Freeman and Gregg Doyel to cover all the action from South Florida. With daily blogs, video reports, columns and analysis, focusing on everything from team practices to the best parties on South Beach, Pete, Clark, Mike and Gregg will provide fans the authentic Super Bowl insight and scoop they won't read or watch anywhere else.
CBS SportsLine.com's Super Bowl XLI Gamecenter: CBS SportsLine.com's "GameCenter" is the perfect complement to CBS Sports' television coverage of Super Bowl XLI. Providing real-time game information in a lightning-fast, tightly packaged presentation, CBS SportsLine.com's "GameCenter" offers play- by-play accounts, live glog (game log or commentary) and all the statistics NFL fans crave.
Super Bowl Trivia Tower on CBS Games.com: Think you know everything there is to know about the 2006 NFL season and the past Super Bowls? CBS SportsLine's Trivia Tower gives fans the chance to prove it. Trivia Tower pits fans against one another in a bracket-like heads up elimination showdown of sports knowledge where your competitive life is constantly renewed. Each Trivia Tower level is five questions delivered in less than three minutes. The faster you answer, the more points you score. Beat your opponent and advance. Lose and go to the consolation challenge where the questions just keep coming. No matter how big, each and every Trivia Tower will eventually have just one winner.
There will be two NFL/Super Bowl themed Trivia Towers leading up to the big game. On Friday February 2nd there will be a 2006 NFL season-in-review Trivia Tower and on Sunday February 4th, there will be a Super Bowl history Trivia Tower which will start at 4:30 pm (lobby opens at 3:30 pm). Trivia Tower players will compete for cash and prizes with the potential to win $20,000.
Fantasy Fun with "Propnosticator": CBS SportsLine's Fantasy department introduces an exciting way to follow all the action during the Super Bowl. The Propnosticator gives fans the opportunity to answer 20 questions about the outcome of certain events in Super Bowl XLI -- from who will win the coin toss to which player will score the first touchdown. The fan that can accumulate the most points through the Propnosticator's scoring system has a chance to win the $3,000 grand prize! Best of all it's FREE to play.
CBS Sports Store: Want to feel like a real Super Bowl MVP? Just visit the CBS Sports Store (CBSSportsStore.com) to get all the official Super Bowl XLI merchandise, including the Locker Room hat and tee that the winning team will be wearing on the field following the game. Official Locker Room merchandise from AFC and NFC championship games will also be available.
In addition to Super Bowl XLI gear and CBS Sports apparel, the CBS Sports Store offers thousands of products including officially licensed team fan gear from the NFL, MLB, NCAA, NHL, NBA and NASCAR.
Super Bowl Message Boards: Got a rant, a take, a question, or a comment on the NFL and Super Bowl XLI? Head to CBS SportsLine.com's new and improved message boards and let the world know about it. Located at sportsline.com/mcc/messages, the CBS SportsLine.com message boards allow you to connect with fans from across the globe that are just as crazy about sports as you are. There are not only message boards for NFL fans but for just about every major sport and team that fans have a serious passion for.
CBS SportsLine Mobile Web: Unable to get in front of your TV or computer to follow all the action from Super Bowl XLI? Never fear, CBS SportsLine's mobile web site delivers a full and rich experience to those wishing to access the best in sports content, news, and real-time score updates through their handheld device. Designed to take advantage of the latest industry developments such as higher bandwidths and varied screen sizes, fans can rely on the CBS SportsLine mobile web site to stay on top of all the action from South Florida.
The CBS SportsLine mobile web site can be accessed for FREE* by entering wap.sportsline.com on your internet enabled handheld device or by texting SCORE to 99888.
* Data charges may apply
About CBS SportsLine
CBS SportsLine is at the leading edge of media companies providing Internet sports content, Fantasy sports and e-commerce. In addition to its flagship service, the company publishes the official sports sites of the NFL and the NCAA. CBS SportsLine is a member of the CBS family and a part of CBS Interactive. For more information about CBS SportsLine and for the latest sports news, scores and expert analysis, please visit cbs.sportsline.com.
More information about CBS and its businesses is available at www.cbscorporation.com.
Disclosures for Trivia Tower
No purchase necessary!
Open to legal U.S. residents and Washington DC., 18 years of age or older. Void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules for each Trivia Tower located on the schedule page for details.
Disclosures for Propnosticator
CBS SportsLine.com Propnosticator is free to play and open to registered users of a qualified CBS network site, 18 years of age or older (except in Alabama and Nebraska where you must be 19 years of age or older) who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (for purposes of clarity, Puerto Rico is expressly excluded), Washington D.C. and Canada (excluding Quebec) Excluded residents may play, but are NOT eligible to receive any prizes. Propnosticator is subject to complete applicable Official Rules. Void where prohibited.
Source: CBS SportsLine
GoDaddy.com Reveals Super Bowl Commercial Stars
Candice Michelle, IndyCar's Danica Patrick, America's Favorite Chopper Family & more ...
GoDaddy.com(R), known for its successful Super Bowl(R) commercial campaigns, announces a diverse cast of characters for this year's big spot.
GoDaddy.com CEO and Founder Bob Parsons confirmed Danica Patrick will be in what he hopes will be his company's next Super Bowl hit commercial, along with renowned 'Go Daddy Girl' Candice Michelle.
"We've been lucky with great results from our Super Bowl advertising campaigns," said Parsons. "Each year, we work to top the previous year's success and for 2007, we're going all out -- but you'll have to wait to see how all these characters fit in a 30-second spot," he said.
The 'Go Daddy Girls' won't be the only celebrities in the new GoDaddy.com commercial. Additional cast members include stars from cable television's popular chopper family. Paul Teutul Sr. and his sons Paul Jr. and Michael, of reality television fame, will have roles. Valerie Thompson, a motorcycle drag-racing star, also makes an appearance. Additional personalities slated to be in the spot include Internet celebrities like Diggnation's Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht, along with Cali Lewis from GeekBriefTV.
Go Daddy Productions is now working to finish the multi-million dollar ad with the distinct cast and shot key scenes last week in Los Angeles. Last year, GoDaddy.com submitted 14 commercials before the ABC(R) TV network approved its spot. This year, GoDaddy.com has purchased three slots in the Super Bowl broadcast and, like all advertisers, must receive prior approval from network censors for its commercial content. CBS(R) TV is broadcasting this year's big game February 4th from Miami.
"It's one thing to come up with a good idea for your commercial, but for us, it's another challenge altogether to have it approved. The key is to capture and entertain the audience," said Parsons.
Secrecy on the set is a priority and no one is discussing script specifics. "They wouldn't even tell me the storyline and I'm in it. When you consider Go Daddy's Super Bowl history, I will tell you, I'm not second-guessing any of it," Patrick says.
Last year, GoDaddy.com aired its commercial twice and attracted more visitors to its Web site than any other advertiser, according to comScore Networks(R). Also, Akamai Technologies, a company that monitored Internet usage during last year's Super Bowl, credited GoDaddy.com as the site accounting for 80 percent of two separate and significant Web spikes on game day.
In 2005, many considered GoDaddy.com to be the most effective commercial in Super Bowl history. The FOX(R) TV network pulled the controversial commercial after it aired just once, saying it wasn't "appropriate." The ensuing controversy resulted in an unprecedented 51.14 percent "Share of Voice," according to multivision, inc., a company that measures advertising buzz.
"We have a great range of talent for this year's commercial and you can count on it being GoDaddy-esque," said Parsons. The term GoDaddy-esque has come to mean FUN, edgy and a touch inappropriate, according to Parsons.
Since GoDaddy.com began advertising in the Super Bowl, it has grown to be the world's dominant domain name registrar and a top Web site hosting company. In the last several months, The Go Daddy Group, Inc. expanded its portfolio to more than twice the size of its closest competitor.
About The Go Daddy Group, Inc.
Go Daddy(R) is a leading provider of services that enable individuals and businesses to establish, maintain and evolve an online presence. Go Daddy provides a variety of domain name registration and Web site hosting services, as well as a broad array of on-demand and other services. The Go Daddy Group, Inc. has more than 17.7 million domain names under management. Go Daddy registers, renews or transfers a domain name every 2 seconds. GoDaddy.com is the world's No. 1 domain name registrar according to Name Intelligence, Inc. GoDaddy.com is also rated the world's largest hostname provider according to Netcraft(R) Ltd. During 2006, The Go Daddy Group registered approximately one-third of all domain names registered in the top six generic top-level domains, or gTLDs, including .com, .net, .org, .biz, .info.
- The Go Daddy Group -
Copyright (C) 2007 GoDaddy.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The Home Depot Becomes an Official NFL Sponsor
Agreement Includes Exclusive NFL Network Postgame Sponsorship and NFL Experience Presenting Sponsorship
The National Football League(R) (NFL(R)) and The Home Depot(R), the world's largest home improvement retailer, today announced they have entered into a multi-year integrated marketing partnership that designates The Home Depot as the "'official home improvement sponsor' of the National Football League."
The partnership includes marketing rights to the Super Bowl(R), Pro Bowl(R), community affairs activities, NFL Network-related programming and designates The Home Depot as the presenting sponsor of The NFL Experience, pro football's interactive theme park spanning nearly 850,000 square feet and featuring more than 50 interactive games and attractions. The NFL Experience Built By The Home Depot takes place Jan. 27-28 and Feb. 1-4, 2007, adjacent to Dolphin Stadium, in South Florida. This is the third time in the event's 16- year history that it will visit South Florida.
The Home Depot became the official postgame sponsor of NFL Network's eight regular season games, called "The Home Depot PostGame Show," which began on Thanksgiving night and ran through the final week of the regular season. Also under the agreement, The Home Depot obtains rights to NFL Kickoff, NFL Playoffs, Super Bowl XLI, XLII, XLIII, the 2007, 2008 and 2009 Pro Bowls. Moving beyond the football arena, The Home Depot also will create and manage an ongoing community service-focused program, which will be featured on NFL Network's "Total Access(SM)" program.
"This sponsorship will showcase The Home Depot's products, services and community relations expertise, while giving our 355,000 associates and strong customer base a foray into one of the most popular professional sports," said Roger Adams, chief marketing officer and senior vice president of Marketing for The Home Depot. "We'll identify additional opportunities to integrate both our supplier partners and our important Pro customer segment to drive exciting programs at the store level."
"We are pleased to welcome The Home Depot to our family of sponsors," said Peter Murray, the NFL's vice president of partnership marketing and sales. "We look forward to working with the company to bring its customers closer to the NFL through multi-faceted promotions across our numerous key events and media properties."
In addition to its new national partnership with the NFL, The Home Depot has existing local club sponsorship agreements with the Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins.
About The Home Depot
The Home Depot(R) is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,141 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, 10 Canadian provinces, Mexico and China. Through its HD Supply(SM) businesses, The Home Depot is also one of the largest diversified wholesale distributors in the United States, with nearly 1,000 locations in the United States and Canada offering products and services for building, improving and maintaining homes, businesses and municipal infrastructures. In fiscal 2005, The Home Depot had sales of $81.5 billion and earnings of $5.8 billion. The Company employs approximately 355,000 associates and has been recognized by FORTUNE magazine as the No. 1 Most Admired Specialty Retailer and the No. 13 Most Admired Corporation in America for 2006. The Home Depot's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index. HDG
Cirque du Soleil to Perform in Super Bowl XLI Pregame Show Feb. 4 on CBS
Designed by Celebrated Pop-Artist ROMERO BRITTO; Grammy(R) Award Winner Louie Vega to Create Original Score
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL and Miami-based artist ROMERO BRITTO will team to celebrate South Florida and football in an unprecedented performance in the Super Bowl XLI pregame show on CBS at Dolphin Stadium in South Florida on Sunday, February 4, the NFL announced today.
The Super Bowl is annually the nation's highest-rated TV program. More than 141 million viewers watched last year's game in the U.S. Super Bowl XLI will be broadcast to a potential worldwide audience of 1 billion in more than 230 countries and territories.
Inspired by Brazilian street theater, 60 professional performers and hundreds of other participants will participate in the pregame show which will be a high-energy extravaganza of music, dance, gymnastics and circus arts linked by a multi-colored football theme. The Cirque du Soleil performers will be a living, breathing canvas for Britto, whose signature pop-art has come to define the color and vibrancy of South Florida.
Grammy(R) Award Winner LOUIE VEGA will supply an original musical score and will perform with his Elements of Life Orchestra featuring vocalist Anane while the Cirque du Soleil performance comes to life.
The Cirque du Soleil team will include Fernand Rainville, Director of Creation, Patricia Ruel, Creator of Costumes and Accessories, Genevieve Dorion-Coupal, Choreographer and Daniel Cola, Acrobatic Coach.
Don Mischer Productions and White Cherry Entertainment will produce the Super Bowl XLI pregame show as part of their season-long marquee entertainment agreement with the NFL. The two companies produced the NFL Opening Kickoff 2006 special from Pittsburgh and the Thanksgiving special from Kansas City on NFL Network. In addition to the pregame show, they also will produce the Pepsi Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show. Don Mischer Productions will serve as executive producer and director, while White Cherry Entertainment, led by Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss, will serve as executive producers. The NFL has worked the past three years with both Don Mischer Productions and White Cherry Entertainment on Opening Kickoff and Super Bowl shows.
David Saltz of Red Eye Flight Productions will also serve as producer of the pre-game show. Saltz has worked with Cirque on their Beatles inspired LOVE production and has brought them together with Britto for this original Super Bowl performance. Saltz has worked with the NFL on Opening Kickoff and Super Bowl Halftime the past three years.
Party411.com Seeks Online Video Entries for its 2007 Big Game Challenge
Grand prize winner receives 42-inch plasma HDTV in time for Super Bowl.
Using one of the Internet's hottest trends, professional football fans everywhere will have the opportunity to bring home the ultimate Super Bowl party in the 2007 Party411.com Big Game Challenge. Party411.com, one of the Internet's leading party-planning Web sites, is tapping into the online video craze to award a prize package that includes a new 42-inch plasma HDTV and more than $500 in football decorations and party favors.
Between Jan. 12 and Jan. 26, 2007, fans are asked to upload a 40-second (maximum), video to their favorite video-sharing Web site, and answer the question, "Why do I deserve the ultimate Super Bowl party?" Once a submission is uploaded, participants fill out an entry form at Party411.com with the URL to their video. All entries will be intercepted by Pary411.com's Party Girl and CEO, Sherri Foxman, and judged on creativity, humor and originality.
"Last year, we asked people to enter the contest using voicemail, and we received some wildly creative submissions," said Foxman. "So this year we decided to take it to the next level with online video submissions, and we're anxious to see what football and party-crazed fans deliver."
The top-three entries will be rewarded by Party411.com, with the grand prize winner taking home a 42-inch plasma HDTV (delivered in time for the Super Bowl on Feb. 4), $500 worth of fabulous football party decorations and favors, and an NFL Trimstyle telephone, valued at $35.
Fans unable to submit a video can also enter by changing their personal voicemail message. All contest descriptions, official rules, prizes, and entry forms are posted on www.Party411.com.
Founded in 1997, Party411.com is one of the leading Internet providers of creative party ideas, custom props and decorations, serving more than 10- million private-party planners, corporate-event planners and benefit fundraisers each year. For more information, go to www.Party411.com or call 877-514-8411.
Source: Party411.com
$100,000 Pepsi Can and Super Bowl Tickets for Life Up for Grabs at Super Bowl XLI
Bejeweled Can Inspired by Past Super Bowl Rings to be Awarded Immediately After Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show
-- During the nation's most-watched TV event, football fans will have the chance to win a one-of-a-kind Super Bowl Edition Pepsi can and tickets to the biggest game of the year -- for life.
The Pepsi Super Bowl can is inspired by 40 years of Super Bowl rings. Crafted from sterling silver and inlaid with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires, the can is estimated to be worth $100,000.
Beginning January 13, consumers can log onto www.SuperBowl.com/Pepsi to learn how to register and receive their own unique code. The winning code will be broadcast immediately following the Pepsi Halftime Show of Super Bowl XLI on February 4. The lucky fan with the winning code will be awarded the commemorative Pepsi Super Bowl can and two Super Bowl tickets for life.
"There is no better stage on which to reward a football fan with a one-of- a-kind Super Bowl collector's item and tickets for life to the most anticipated game of the year," said Cie Nicholson, VP and CMO, Pepsi-Cola North America. "The audience will not only watch the great entertainment during the halftime show, many will also watch to see if they've won these two incredible prizes."
Pepsi has developed this unique promotion to celebrate the launch of its global brand restyle. This restyle will be highlighted by new package graphics for Pepsi-Cola, which will change every few weeks to reflect themes close to the hearts of teens and young adults, such as sports, music, fashion and cars.
The Super Bowl is annually the nation's highest-rated TV program. More than 141 million viewers watched last year's game in the United States. Super Bowl XLI will be broadcast to a potential worldwide audience of 1 billion people in more than 230 countries and territories.
Pepsi, which has been an NFL sponsor for the past five seasons, is sponsoring the Super Bowl Halftime Show starring Prince.
About Pepsi
Pepsi-Cola North America (www.pepsi.com) is the refreshment beverage unit of PepsiCo, Inc., in the United States and Canada. Its U.S. brands include Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Jazz, Pepsi ONE, Wild Cherry Pepsi, Pepsi Lime, Mountain Dew, Diet Mountain Dew, Mountain Dew Code Red, Mountain Dew LiveWire, Sierra Mist, Sierra Mist Free, Mug, Tropicana Twister Soda, Aquafina, Aquafina FlavorSplash, Aquafina Sparkling, Quaker Milk Chillers, Dole single-serve juices, Tropicana Juice Drinks, IZZE and SoBe. The company also makes and markets North America's best-selling ready-to-drink iced teas and coffees, respectively, via joint ventures with Lipton and Starbucks.
Super Bowl Party 1-2-3; For Easy and Delicious Super Bowl Classics with a Twist
The countdown to Super Bowl XLI on Sunday, February 4, 2007 has begun. Super Bowl Sunday is the number 1 at-home party day of the year, also the day of the highest consumption of Hass Avocados from Mexico, which are used to make millions of pounds of Guacamole. This delicious Mexican staple is one of the favorite party dips of choice in the U.S.
Over a hundred million people tune in to the Super Bowl -- creating a huge national party from coast to coast.
Because avocados are a versatile, flavorful and easy-to-use ingredient they can be used to make exciting, delicious dips to ensure a touchdown at any Super Bowl party. Here are some exciting recipes easily prepared ahead of time, so you can spend more time watching the game with friends and cheering on your team, and less time in the kitchen.
Tomatillo Guacamole
serves 2
Ingredients:
4 Hass Avocados from Mexico
1/4 cup red onions, finely diced
3 tablespoons cilantro, roughly chopped
3 serrano chiles (or to taste), finely diced
Salt, to taste
2/3 cup tomatillos, finely diced
1 lime
Method:
Combine the onions, cilantro, chiles and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl or mortar/molcajete. Grind them to a paste. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits and skins. Mash the avocado into the paste until you reach the desired consistency. Remember, guacamole does not have to be perfectly smooth.
Stir in the tomatillos and the juice of 1 lime. Check the seasoning and add more salt to taste.
If you can't find tomatillos, substitute green or red tomatoes.
Courtesy of Chef Joe Raffa of Jose Andres' Oyamel in Washington, D.C. for Hass Avocados from Mexico.
Fajita Chicken Wings w/Cool Ranch Hass Avocado Dipping Sauce
Yields: 25-30 chicken wings
Ingredients for the wings:
2 1/2 lbs chicken wings, split at the joint, wingtips removed
2 packages of fajita or taco seasoning
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
Ingredients for the dip:
2 Hass Avocados from Mexico
1 package ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Method:
Mix the fajita seasoning, ketchup, vegetable oil, Worcestershire sauce and salt in a one gallon Ziploc bag. Add chicken wings, seal bag and shake until the wings are completely covered in the marinade. Refrigerate at least one hour, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place wings in a single layer onto a lightly greased or nonstick baking sheet. You may have to use two baking sheets to fit all of the wings. Place wings in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm with the Cool Ranch Avocado Dipping Sauce (recipe below).
In a small bowl, combine the avocado, ranch dressing mix, sour cream, and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly until smooth.
Courtesy of Holly Moore of The French Culinary Institute for Hass Avocados from Mexico.
New National Survey: For Watching the Super Bowl, Couch Defeats Stadium; Super Bowl Party Preferences Revealed
A new national survey commissioned by consumer electronics retailer Circuit City Stores, Inc. reveals more Americans would rather see the Super Bowl on a new high definition TV than watch in the stadium where the game is actually played.
More than 4,500 men and women responded to Circuit City's "Big Game Survey," and sixty percent of respondents said football is the sporting event they most enjoy watching on TV (football is top choice for 72 percent of men and 48 percent of women). When asked how they'd prefer watching the Super Bowl if they had a choice, almost half of respondents (48 percent) said they would rather view the game on a new HDTV than attend the game in person (26 percent).
Other survey findings:
* Fifty-one percent of respondents said they don't have an HDTV but they
want one.
* Thirty-four percent said they plan to buy a new HDTV within the next
year.
* Sporting events such as the Super Bowl prompt those who do not yet own
an HDTV to want to buy one (49 percent of women and 60 percent of men).
* Almost half (45 percent) said they would be most inclined to invite
friends over to watch the Super Bowl or other sporting events if they
had an HDTV (29 percent said they'd invite guests to watch movies).
Super Bowl Party Plans:
More than a third (36 percent) said they plan to attend or host a Super Bowl party this year.
When asked what they most enjoy about attending Super Bowl parties:
* Fifty-two percent said getting together with friends
* Twenty percent said watching the game
* Nineteen percent said watching the commercials
* Five percent admitted it's the snacks and drinks
The "Big Game Survey" was commissioned by Circuit City Stores, Inc, and conducted by independent research firm Decision Analyst, Inc. of Arlington, Texas. The survey's margin of error is plus or minus two percentage points.
About Circuit City Stores, Inc.
Circuit City Stores, Inc. (NYSE:CC) is a leading specialty retailer of consumer electronics and related services. The domestic segment operates through 641 Superstores and 12 other locations in 158 U.S. markets. The international segment operates through more than 950 retail stores and dealer outlets in Canada. Circuit City also operates Web sites at http://www.circuitcity.com/, http://www.thesource.ca/ and at http://www.firedog.com/.
Super Bowl Sunday Revealed as Most Popular Winter Grilling Day
Record 17 Million Grill Shipments in 2006 Due to Increased Popularity of Year-Round Grilling
Super Bowl Sunday is more than just a big game; it's the most popular grilling day of the winter. According to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association's (HPBA) State of the Barbecue Industry Report, Super Bowl Sunday is one of the Top 10 most popular grilling days of the year with 62 percent of grill owners looking to fire up their grills to feed family and friends for the Big Game.
"With millions of Americans cooking on the grill, this popular Sunday is the perfect occasion to cook up delicious grilled food," says Leslie Wheeler, communications director for HPBA. "We are seeing year-round grilling as a major trend among Americans. In 2006 alone, grill shipments reached an industry record high, supporting the fact that more than 60 percent of grillers are grilling year-round."
In 2006, the barbecue industry experienced the fastest year-to-year growth rate since HPBA began measuring grill shipments in 1985, shipping a record 17 million grills and marking a 15 percent increase from the previous year. Convenient, fast and known for heart-healthy cooking, grilling is one of Americans most preferred ways to prepare a meal.
"When you factor in the 70 percent of Americans who cite easy clean-up as a huge perk, grilling for the big game at home is a convenient, no-mess way to pull together a feast big enough for a football team or a pack of die-hard fans," says Wheeler.
If experiencing the pre-game in person at Dolphin Stadium is not an option, fans can still enjoy tasty tailgate grill recipes from the comfort of their couch. This Super Bowl, grill outdoors and create your own indoor tailgating party with family and friends using these tips from the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association:
-- Pre-game Prep - Plan ahead to ensure that you'll be watching the game
instead of still preparing the food. Prep food ahead of time by
marinating meats the day before. On game day simply remove from the
refrigerator and throw on the grill.
-- Equipment Check - Eliminate a last minute run to the local store for
charcoal or propane by checking levels the day before.
-- For the Feast - Burgers, steaks, and chicken are the most popular
foods for the grill, but try some other appetizing ideas to feed your
friends like grilled pizza, grilled veggies and even grilled fruit.
All tailgate and grilling recipes can be found at
http://www.hpba.org/ .-- Reci-tips:
-- Using skewers? Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 30
minutes to prevent veggies from sticking.
-- Before grilling, trim the excess fat from meat to avoid flare-
ups.
-- Place vegetables and fruits at the outer edge of the grill to
prevent burning.
-- When grilling, use tongs or spatulas to move or turn meats
instead of a fork to minimize the loss of juices.
-- Light the fire - Before lighting the grill, apply non-stick spray on
the grates. The protective spray cuts down the clean-up time
afterwards.
-- Quick Clean-Up - For charcoal grills, line the bowl with aluminum
foil. After grilling, and once the grill and coals are cool (as a rule
of thumb, always allow coals to burn out completely and let ashes
cool* at least 48 hours before disposing), simply discard the foil
with the coals and ash, then wash and reline with foil for next time.
*If you must dispose of coals and ashes before completely cooled,
place them in heavy duty foil and soak with water completely before
disposing in a non-combustible container.
For more grilling tips, recipes and information, please visit http://www.hpba.org/ .
About Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA)
The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association based in Arlington, VA, is the North American industry association for manufacturers, retailers, distributors, representatives, service firms and allied associates for all types of hearth, barbecue and patio appliances, fuels and accessories. The association provides professional member services and industry support in education, statistics, government relations, marketing, advertising and consumer education. There are more than 2,700 members in the HPBA.
Source: Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association
Honda Announces Three Super Bowl Advertisements
Entertaining Honda Element Ads and a Fuel Economy Leadership Message to Air on CBS
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. will place three television advertisements during the broadcast of this year's Super Bowl on CBS, the company announced today. Two fifteen-second Element advertisements, along with a thirty-second spot highlighting Honda's position as the most fuel efficient car company in America are planned for the February 4th airing.
"The Super Bowl remains one of the best opportunities to reach a wide television audience in one shot," said John Mendel, senior vice president of American Honda. "Many Super Bowl viewers look forward to the commercials almost as much as the game, and Honda has taken this great opportunity to highlight a couple of its key brand values through fun and creative ads."
The three separate advertisements will run during the fourth quarter of the game. Two fifteen-second spots featuring the Honda Element as part of the popular "Crab" campaign will highlight Honda's fun image, and a thirty-second spot called "Slalom" will reinforce Honda's fuel-efficiency leadership.
Consumer information about the Honda products is available at www.honda.com.
Source: American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Kanye West, Fergie and John Legend Touchdown in Miami to Perform at 'The Pepsi Smash Super Bowl Bash' Premiering on Saturday, February 3 at 10PM*
Taye Diggs To Host
Exclusive Performances To Air on VSPOT, VH1's Broadband Channel
VH1, Pepsi and the NFL have joined forces once again to bring the worlds of football and music together with "The Pepsi Smash Super Bowl Bash." Taking place in the host city of Miami, Florida, the one-hour concert will pay tribute to the All-American sport of football and its 41st Super Bowl with performances by Kanye West, Fergie and John Legend among other special guest appearances.
Hosted by Taye Diggs (ABC's "Daybreak"), "The Pepsi Smash Super Bowl Bash" will also feature appearances by numerous NFL superstar players.
"The Pepsi Smash Super Bowl Bash" will be taped at the NFL Experience (adjacent to Dolphin Stadium) in Miami on Thursday, February 1st and will air on VH1 on Saturday, February 3, at 10PM.* In addition to performances from the on-air show, exclusive performances from all three acts will be available on demand on VSPOT, VH1's broadband channel, at http://vspot.vh1.com/ beginning Saturday, February 3. The Saturday broadcast will also be streamed live on http://www.superbowl.com/.
"The Pepsi Smash Super Bowl Bash" will be executive produced by Lee Rolontz for VH1. Patty Dimaria is the producer. Dave Diomedi is the director.
* all times ET/PT
Circuit City Launches firedog(SM) TV Spots During FOX's '24' Premiere
Highly Anticipated Season Premiere Selected for the Brand's Broadcast Debut
FOX Network viewers got more than they bargained for this past Sunday and Monday. During "24's" two-part season premiere, Circuit City Stores, Inc. debuted its first TV campaign for firedog(SM), the company's new brand that provides a new level of personal computer services, home theater installations and integration of home electronics.
The two 30-second commercials, "Ralph" and "Obedience", were created by Euro RSCG Chicago.
Circuit City made this show its platform for firedog(SM)'s TV launch because "24," a program with a dedicated weekly following of nearly 14 million viewers, is a rare "appointment TV" exception in the age of TiVo and busy schedules.
"We were thrilled to debut firedog(SM)'s first TV campaign during "24's" highly anticipated season premiere," said Peter Weedfald, chief marketing officer of Circuit City. "The idea of launching firedog(TM) during this program was a natural fit for us, as the show's star relies on technology to get him out of countless jams."
"With the upcoming launch of Vista and the Super Bowl fast-approaching, our goal is to reach viewers with the message that firedog(SM) is there to assist consumers in using and integrating the technologies that make up their 'digital life,'" said Marc Sieger, senior vice president and general merchandise manager of services at Circuit City.
"firedog(SM) is about helping improve man's relationship with technology, and the ads speak to this point with both humor and excitement about the new brand," said William Mericle, executive creative director of Euro RSCG Chicago.
The firedog(SM) Challenge Sweepstakes accompanies the "24" launch. The contest takes place at http://www.firedog.com/, where viewers have the chance to win a trip to Fox Studios in Los Angeles and a firedog(TM) home theater installation by answering trivia questions related to the show.
Euro RSCG Chicago won the firedog(TM) launch assignment in 2005. The brand debuted in September 2006, supported by in-store, print and online.
About Circuit City Stores, Inc.
Circuit City Stores, Inc. (NYSE:CC) , Richmond, VA, is a leading specialty retailer of consumer electronics. The domestic segment operates through 642 Superstores and 12 other locations in 158 U.S. markets. The international segment operates through more than 955 retail stores and dealer outlets in Canada. Circuit City also operates Web sites at http://www.circuitcity.com/, http://www.thesource.ca/, and at http://www.firedog.com/.
About Euro RSCG Worldwide
Euro RSCG Worldwide, a leading integrated marketing communications agency and Advertising Age's 2006 Global Agency of the Year, is made up of 233 offices located in 75 countries throughout Europe, North America, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific. Euro RSCG provides advertising, marketing services, corporate communications, and interactive solutions to global, regional, and local clients. The agency's client roster includes Airbus, Air France, BNP Paribas, Capgemini, Charles Schwab, Danone Group, Diageo, IBM, Jaguar, L'Oreal, LVMH Louis Vuitton, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Reckitt Benckiser, sanofi- aventis, Schering-Plough, Verizon, and Volvo. Headquartered in New York, Euro RSCG Worldwide is the largest unit of Havas, a world leader in communications (Euronext Paris SA: HAV.PA).
Euro RSCG Chicago serves clients including Assurant Health, Barilla, Calphalon, Graco Children's Products, Circuit City, Citigroup, Culligan, DirectBuy, Potbelly and Valspar.
Credit List - "Obedience School":30, "Ralph":30
Production Company: Smuggler
Director - Renny Maslow
Executive Producer - Patrick Milling Smith, Brian Carmody
Line Producer - Rhonda Vernet
DP - Bryan Newman
Agency: Euro RSCG - Chicago
Chief Creative Officer: Steffan Postaer
Executive Creative Director - William Mericle
Group Creative Director - Paul Janas
Copywriter - Merrideth Kalil, Terry Cosgrove
Art Director - Simon Kao
Producer - Monica Wilkins
Editorial: Whitehouse Post
Editor - Angelo Valencia
Asst. Editor - Tim Warmanen
Post Producer - Dawn Guzowski
Audio and Sound Design and Mix: Another Country
Producer - Scott Maples
Engineer - John Binder
Final Online, Telecine, Graphics: Filmworkers Club
Online Editor - Rob Churchill
Colorist - Fred Keller
Post Producer - Dan Walsh
Source: Euro RSCG Worldwide
Anheuser-Busch Announces Agreement With Aristotle for Online Age-Verification on Bud.TV, Brand Web Sites
Anheuser-Busch Inc. today announced it has selected Aristotle Inc., based in Washington, D.C., as the vendor to implement an independent age-verification system for its new online entertainment network, Bud.TV, which will launch on Feb. 4 following the Super Bowl broadcast. Bud.TV will feature programming similar to late-night network and cable television. By April, the age-verification technology also will be implemented on all of the company's beer-branded Web sites, such as http://www.budweiser.com/ . This initiative makes Anheuser-Busch the first alcohol beverage company to use an independent age-verification system for its Internet sites.
"We chose Aristotle because of its experience in implementing cutting-edge identity verification systems that work quickly," said Tony Ponturo, vice president of Global Media and Sports Marketing, Anheuser-Busch Inc. "Aristotle's Integrity system will enhance our ability to admit only those adults of legal drinking age to our beer-branded Web sites."
Web site visitors will be asked to provide their first and last name, date of birth and zip code, which Aristotle will then attempt to verify against its database of public records in real time. Users who are verified may then create a password that will give them on-the-spot and future access to Bud.TV, as well as to Anheuser-Busch's other beer-branded Web sites.
"Going the extra mile to do the right thing is the very definition of good corporate citizenship. And Anheuser-Busch's use of robust age-verification technology in this manner is further proof of the company's commitment to corporate responsibility," said John Phillips, chief executive of Aristotle, Inc. "This is a key reason we are so pleased to work with America's leading brewer in helping deter access by underage site visitors so that only those who can lawfully drink visit Bud.TV and the company's beer-branded Web sites."
Recognizing the powerful influence parents have with their children, Anheuser-Busch's Ponturo cautioned that online age verification cannot take the place of parental oversight. "Just as with television, music or movies, parents must be vigilant in monitoring the Internet sites their teens are visiting, and they should establish rules for Internet usage," he added. To assist parents with this important task, Anheuser-Busch regularly gives Internet-screening software companies information on all of its beer-branded sites.
Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 48.8 percent share of U.S. beer sales. For a quarter century, Anheuser-Busch and its nationwide network of 600 independent wholesalers have led the alcohol beverage industry in promoting responsibility and respect for the law, investing more than a half-billion dollars in alcohol awareness and education programs and partnerships. In 2006, for the third year in a row, the company ranked first in the beverage industry for social responsibility in FORTUNE magazine's "America's Most Admired Companies" and "Global Most Admired Companies." More information about the company's responsibility efforts is available at http://www.beeresponsible.com/ .
Aristotle is a global software and data services firm dedicated to facilitating communication between citizens and companies, non-profits, elected representatives and government agencies with whom they chose to do business. Aristotle's Integrity(SM) is the most widely accepted identity- and age-verification service deployed for instantly verifying government-issued ID's for citizens of 152 nations. The service operates on a variety of platforms, including Internet, interactive voice response, mobile and handheld devices.
Aristotle has provided age-verification services that have enabled major tobacco companies to comply with the multi-state Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement and its provisions that prohibit marketing to minors. In addition, the members of the Motion Picture Association of America that have promoted their studio's releases that include "R" rated content have used Aristotle to limit minors' online access to those promotional Web sites. Similarly, Aristotle works with more than 30 Fortune 500 companies to verify age and identity for purposes of fraud prevention. More information is available at http://www.aristotle.com/ .
Source: Anheuser-Busch Inc.
Billy Joel to Perform National Anthem February 4 at Super Bowl XLI on CBS
Grammy-Award winning performer BILLY JOEL will sing the National Anthem during the SUPER BOWL XLI PREGAME SHOW on CBS at Dolphin Stadium in South Florida on Sunday, February 4, the NFL announced today. Joel becomes the first performer to sing the National Anthem twice in the Super Bowl.
Joel, who has won six Grammys and been nominated for 23 total, is one of the world's most-popular recording artists. His extensive list of accomplishments includes selling more than 100 million records, 33 Top 40 hits. He was awarded the Grammy Legend Award (1991), inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (1992) and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (1999).
Super Bowl XL was watched by more than 141 million viewers in the U.S. last year. It is annually the nation's highest-rated TV program and the most-watched single-day sporting event. The game will be broadcast to a potential worldwide audience of 1 billion in more than 230 countries and territories.
This marks the second time Billy Joel has performed the National Anthem at the Super Bowl in South Florida; he was featured in the Super Bowl XXIII pregame show in Miami in 1989.
Joel is among many great performers who have been honored with singing the Super Bowl National Anthem including: Diana Ross, Neil Diamond, Whitney Houston, Harry Connick, Jr., Garth Brooks, Natalie Cole, Vanessa Williams, Luther Vandross, Jewel, Cher, Faith Hill, the Backstreet Boys, Mariah Carey, Dixie Chicks, Beyonce Knowles and many more. See below for a complete list of National Anthem performers from past Super Bowls.
SUPER BOWL NATIONAL ANTHEM HONOR ROLL
Super Bowl Performer
Super Bowl I Universities of Arizona & Michigan Bands
Super Bowl II Grambling University Band
Super Bowl III Anita Bryant (Pledge of Allegiance by Apollo
Astronauts)
Super Bowl IV Al Hirt (Pledge of Allegiance by Astronauts)
Super Bowl V Tommy Loy (trumpeter)
Super Bowl VI U.S. Air Force Academy Chorale
Super Bowl VII Andy Williams & Little Angels of Holy Angels Church
(Chicago) Pledge of Allegiance by Apollo 17 crew
Super Bowl VIII Charlie Pride
Super Bowl IX Grambling University Band with Mardi Gras Chorus
Super Bowl X Tom Sullivan
Super Bowl XI Vicki Carr (America the Beautiful)
Super Bowl XII Phyllis Kelly of NE Louisiana State University
Super Bowl XIII Colgate University Thirteen
Super Bowl XIV Cheryl Ladd
Super Bowl XV Helen O'Connell
Super Bowl XVI Diana Ross
Super Bowl XVII Leslie Easterbrook
Super Bowl XVIII Barry Manilow
Super Bowl XIX Children's Choir of San Francisco
Super Bowl XX Wynton Marsalis
Super Bowl XXI Neil Diamond
Super Bowl XXII Herb Alpert
Super Bowl XXIII Billy Joel
Super Bowl XXIV Aaron Neville
Super Bowl XXV Whitney Houston
Super Bowl XXVI Harry Connick, Jr. (Signed by Lori Hilary)
Super Bowl XXVII Garth Brooks (Signed by Marlee Matlin)
Super Bowl XXVIII Natalie Cole with Atlanta University Center Chorus
(Signed by Courtney Keel Foley)
Super Bowl XXIX Kathie Lee Gifford (Signed by Heather Whitestone)
Super Bowl XXX Vanessa Williams (Signed by Mary Kim Titla)
Super Bowl XXXI Luther Vandross (Signed by Erika Schwarz)
Super Bowl XXXII Jewel (Signed by Phyllis Frelich)
Super Bowl XXXIII Cher (Signed by Speaking Hands)
Super Bowl XXXIV Faith Hill (Signed by Briarlake Elementary School
Signing Choir)
Super Bowl XXXV Backstreet Boys (Signed by Tom Cooney); "America The
Beautiful" performed by Ray Charles
Super Bowl XXXVI Mariah Carey (Signed by Joe Narcisse); "America The
Beautiful" performed by Mary J. Blige & Marc Anthony
Super Bowl XXXVII Dixie Chicks (Signed by Janet Maxwell); "God Bless
America" performed by Celine Dion
Super Bowl XXXVIII Beyonce Knowles (Signed by Suzanna Christy)
Super Bowl XXXIX More than 100 representatives from the four branches
of the military (Signed by Wesley Tallent)
Super Bowl XL Aaron Neville and Dr. John with Aretha Franklin &
Detroit based 150-member choir (Signed by Angela
LaGuardia of Michigan School for Deaf)
Super Bowl XLI Billy Joel
Source: NFL
Entertainment Icon Snoop Dogg Brings Snoop Bowl III to Miami on February 3rd
Coach Snoop Looking to Capture His Third Straight Title
Music icon, Snoop Dogg, announced today that Snoop Bowl III, presented by Amp'd Mobile, will be taking place on February 3rd, 2007 at the Orange Bowl Stadium in Miami, FL. The event is being produced by Jacksonville-based Axcess Sports & Entertainment.
Snoop Bowl III will feature the Snoop Dogg All-Stars, a youth football team from California coached by Snoop Dogg, against an all-star team from South Florida coached by Oakland Raider Zach Crockett, his brother, former Minnesota Viking, Henri Crockett and Green Bay Packer Al Harris. The game will be held the day before Super Bowl XLI, and is expected to draw in excess of 15,000 fans. The teams will be competing for the Snoop Bowl Trophy, which is being created by the world-renowned jeweler and silversmith Tiffany & Co., who also craft the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl trophy for the NFL.
Snoop Bowl II, held last year in Detroit, MI prior to Super Bowl XL was a huge success, drawing nearly 20,000 fans and raising over $50,000 for charities. In that game, the Snoop Dogg All-Stars came away with a 31-6 victory over the Detroit PAL All-Stars, in an event that was tabbed one of the "Top 5 Things To Do in Detroit" during Super Bowl week. In 2005, the Snoop Dogg All-Stars captured the inaugural Snoop Bowl in Jacksonville, FL in front of over 12,000 fans.
"This game is not only about working with the kids through football, and helping them learn all of the positive values that come with it, but it's a way for the kids to see a different part of the country and to meet their peers from other places who are just like them," commented Snoop Dogg. "This game is all about the kids and making sure they know that we care and want to see them succeed both on the field and off."
The Snoop Dogg All-Stars are made up of kids who participate in the Snoop Youth Football League, a football league comprised of 2,000 kids in the Los Angeles area funded by Snoop Dogg and corporate sponsors like Amp'd Mobile. Snoop Dogg founded the league in 2005 in order to provide at-risk youth an affordable way to play football. Kids who participate must maintain strict academic requirements to remain eligible and Coach Snoop even provides insurance to each participant free of cost.
"If these city kids didn't have the SYFL, most of them wouldn't be able to play football," says Johnny Borda, Senior Director of Production at Amp'd Mobile. "Most of the leagues for kids this age are expensive and located in the suburbs, so city kids with working parents don't have a chance to play. The SYFL gives these kids a chance and that is all a kid needs. Amp'd Mobile is proud to support such a worthwhile cause."
Proceeds from Snoop Bowl III will benefit the Snoop Youth Football League, a 501c3 non-profit foundation aimed at building character in under-served youth through athletics, academic and leadership programs.
Tickets are on sale at the Orange Bowl stadium, as well as by calling 877-877-7677 or logging on to www.ticketfusion.com and are $10 each.
Playboy's Eighth Annual Super Saturday Night Party Promises to Bring Miami's Sexiest Dreams to Life
'P.M.: Playboy Miami After Dark' Presented by Miller Lite(R), Cuervo Black(R), PlayStation(R)3, Dodge, and Vonage
For the eighth consecutive year, Playboy will throw the most exclusive party in town during Miami's highly-anticipated Super Bowl weekend. "P.M.: Playboy Miami After Dark" will be held at the American Airlines Arena on Saturday, February 3, 2007. The annual Super Saturday Night event will be hosted by "The King of Crunk" Lil Jon and 30 Playboy Bedtime Bunnies, and promises to be the sexiest soiree in South Florida.
Celebrities, athletes and VIPs will be treated to a dream-filled evening as Beverly Bond and DJ Reach spin the tunes on a dance floor surrounded by cabanas. Partygoers' sexiest dreams will come to life with after dark surprises that include a seductive aerialist, a stargazing lounge, midnight munchies, a bedtime story area filled with pillow-fighting models, a stiletto seduction bar, and more.
Sponsors for Playboy's Super Saturday Night event include Miller Lite(R), the great tasting, less filling, original light beer; Cuervo Black(R), a new signature blend of Tequila perfect for mixing with cola or drinking on the rocks; and PlayStation(R)3, this year's hottest computer entertainment system from Sony Computer Entertainment America. Additional sponsors include Dodge, Vonage, and Greater Fort Lauderdale. Partygoers will have a chance to challenge Playboy Playmates to a selection of PlayStation3 games while enjoying Cuervo Black beverages and Miller Lite beers. VIP guests will arrive at the after dark event in vehicles provided by Dodge. All sponsors will be integrated into the event through creative and unique decor elements.
For the sixth consecutive year, the evening will feature a silent auction to raise money for charity. Two organizations will benefit from this year's auction, sponsored by TicketCity.com: Athletes Helping Kids, a charity that funds programs with a direct impact on the well-being of our country's youth and focuses on the importance of education and substance abuse awareness; and A Touch of Braille, Inc., an organization that promotes the role of communication skills, especially knowledge of Braille, in increasing the independence and the successful employment potential of people who are blind or visually impaired. Items for this year's auction include tickets to Hugh Hefner's Midsummer Night's Dream Party at the Playboy Mansion, a spectacular array of autographed sports memorabilia from various superstars, tickets to the 2007 Florida State v. Florida game, and much more.
Last year's Super Saturday Night silent auction raised more than $100,000 for Athlete's Helping Kids and the Kanye West Foundation. Celebrities and athletes such as Kanye West, Usher, Jaime Pressly, Adrian Grenier, Niki Taylor, Marcus Allen, Matt Leinart, Champ Bailey, and Julius Jones attended Playboy's aviation-themed bash, "Eight Mile High Club," in Detroit last February.
Source: Playboy
Sprint Phone-A-Friend @ NFLPLAYERS LIVE! Gives Fans Across the Country an Opportunity to Connect With NFL Stars Saturday, Feb. 3 at the NFL Experience
PLAYERS INC and Sprint (NYSE:S) have teamed up to offer fans attending the NFL Experience at Super Bowl XLI on Saturday, February 3rd a memorable mobile experience. From noon to 6 p.m. ET on the Main Stage, Sprint Phone-A-Friend @ NFLPLAYERS LIVE! will give fans the opportunity to have NFL stars call a friend or family member directly from Sprint wireless phones. Four NFL players will line-up to deliver messages each hour throughout the day, totaling 24 players in all.
Additionally, FOX SPORTS RADIO will be broadcasting "FOX Super Bowl Saturday" nationally with John Fricke, Andrew Siciliano, Lincoln Kennedy and Todd Lyght live from the event.
Some of the NFL players scheduled to smile and dial include:*
Ronnie Brown (Miami), Derrick Dockery (Washington), London Fletcher
(Buffalo), Robert Gallery (Oakland), Tamba Hali (Kansas City), Larry Izzo
(New England), Steven Jackson (St. Louis), Jevon Kearse (Philadelphia),
Roman Oben (San Diego), Shaun Phillips (San Diego), Bart Scott
(Baltimore), Darren Sharper (Minnesota), LJ Smith (Philadelphia), Rod
Smith (Denver), Chester Taylor (Minnesota), Jonathan Vilma
(New York Jets), and Brian Westbrook (Philadelphia).
*players are subject to change
All player appearances and marketing opportunities for all NFL sponsors throughout the year are arranged by PLAYERS INC, the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association. NFLPLAYERS LIVE! is a consumer focused event created by PLAYERS INC in an effort to highlight players as real people with real passion and real personalities.
About PLAYERS INC
Formed in 1994, PLAYERS INC is the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association. Representing more than 1,800 active and 3,500 retired NFL players, PLAYERS INC "takes the helmets off" the players and markets them as personalities as well as professional athletes. Through an exclusive sponsorship agreement between the NFL and PLAYERS INC, NFL players are integrated into NFL sponsor activation programs through PLAYERS INC. In addition, under an exclusive agreement between the NFL and PLAYERS INC, NFLPLAYERS.COM, PLAYERS INC's official website, is part of the NFL Internet Network. Each year PLAYERS INC negotiates and facilitates more than 3,500 player marketing opportunities for NFL players. PLAYERS INC activities include retail licensing, corporate sponsorships and promotions, special events, radio and television projects, publishing and internet. For more information, please visit NFLPLAYERS.COM.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two robust wireless networks serving more than 51 million customers at the end of third quarter 2006; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and an award-winning and global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com
Source: PLAYERS INC
Coca-Cola is Back
First, TV's Biggest Entertainment Show
And Now, TV's Biggest Sports Event
Coca-Cola Returns to Super Bowl Broadcast for the First Time Since 1998
"Video Game" and "Happiness Factory" Reach Huge Viewing Audiences on AMERICAN IDOL on FOX and Telecast of Super Bowl XLI on CBS
Additional Ad Created Specially for Super Bowl Broadcast Will Also Debut During Game
Big ads deserve big audiences. In an unprecedented move, the newest commercials for Coca-Cola are airing on two of television's most watched programs -- the broadcast of Super Bowl XLI on CBS and AMERICAN IDOL on FOX.
Two "Coke Side of Life" commercials, "Video Game" and "Happiness Factory," will join the ranks of television's most anticipated advertising broadcast as millions tune in to watch the telecast of Super Bowl XLI on Sunday, February 4 on CBS. "Video Game" first aired on the season premiere of AMERICAN IDOL on FOX and "Happiness Factory" makes its debut on tonight's episode of the popular show. Last week's season opener was the highest rated premiere in AMERICAN IDOL's six seasons.
A new Coca-Cola ad developed specifically for football's biggest game will also air during the broadcast.
"Both 'Video Game' and 'Happiness Factory' are larger-than-life ads, so we think it's only fitting that we share them with the massive viewing audiences that make the Super Bowl and AMERICAN IDOL television's ultimate appointment programming," said Sandy Douglas, president, Coca-Cola North America. "We also look forward to surprising viewers with a special new ad that will debut during the game."
"Video Game" offers a positive twist on traditional video game plots which often feature characters causing mayhem. In this ad, the hero spreads happiness and optimism by passing out Coca-Cola to people he encounters as he moves through the city streets. "Happiness Factory" provides a fanciful glimpse inside a Coca-Cola vending machine and follows a bottle of Coke on its surprising journey to the vendor's exit door. Both ads remind people that Coca-Cola is the world's most delicious and refreshing beverage.
"Coca-Cola belongs to consumers everywhere, and if we can make watching the world's favorite entertainment and sports broadcasts a little bit more fun with the world's favorite brand, then we will be there," said Katie Bayne, senior vice president, Coca-Cola brands, Coca-Cola North America.
Immediately after the broadcast of Super Bowl XLI on CBS, all Coca-Cola ads that aired during the game will be available for viewing on cbssportsline.com and on the homepage of mycokerewards.com.
Before their "small screen" launches on AMERICAN IDOL, both ads made their "big screen" debut in theaters across the U.S. "Happiness Factory" has also been posted online on peer-to-peer content sharing websites, generating impressive awareness in some unusual places. As an example, according to proprietary Coca-Cola research, the ad has an 11% awareness score among Belgian teens -- even though the ad has not aired in Belgium.
Both commercials will also be part of a fully integrated marketing program designed to extend their themes to the digital world. Special rewards based on imagery from each ad will be offered through My Coke Rewards, the popular online mega-rewards program. Some rewards will also connect mycokerewards.com with Mycoke.com, the online environment where Coca-Cola drinkers hang out, socialize, play games, and create their own virtual worlds in Coke Studios.
By constantly expanding the rewards pool and offering exclusive items tied to programs like AMERICAN IDOL, NCAA basketball, the Academy Awards and now new advertising, to date almost 3.5 million members have claimed more than 1.6 million rewards at mycokerewards.com.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company. Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world's most valuable brand, the Company markets four of the world's top five soft drink brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta and Sprite, and a wide range of other beverages, including diet and light soft drinks, waters, juices and juice drinks, teas, coffees, energy and sports drinks. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company's beverages at a rate exceeding 1.3 billion servings each day. For more information about The Coca-Cola Company, please visit our website at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.
Source: The Coca-Cola Company
