Could this win the next Grand Prix at Cannes?

Probably not, because it’ll be such old news by next June. But oddly enough, it’s made possible by the little race going on just up the road in France, the Tour de Lance.

For most Americans, it might as well be called that. When he’s in it, we’re interested. When he’s off galavanting with the latest Hollywood Hottie du jour, he’s fun fodder for People magazine, but it doesn’t do a whole lot for Americans turning their attention to guys riding bikes in France.

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather watch Manny Ramirez than NOCENTINI Rinaldo. That’s how they roll with the surnames across the pond; last name first IN CAPS, first name last. NOCENTINI wears the yellow jersey right now by virtue of his performance in yesterday’s seventh stage, 224 kilometers through the Pyranees, covered in about 6 hours.

And you thought baseball games took too long.

Anyway.

The Americans who are probably most interested in Lance riding in the Tour are the fine folks in Beaverton, OR with the swooshes on their clothes. They’re also the people who now bring you Chalkbot.

You may have seen it already, but if not, take a look.

Saying it’s simple, smart, and a great way of promoting Nike as the thought leader in sports and causes would be stating the obvious. It also engages real people and pulls them in, gets them involved with very little effort (other than the time and brainwork needed to build the damn machine).

It may or may not win any huge awards next year in the South of France, but at least it'll help motivate more folks in our great land to watttchh mmmore bikknngng...

Oops, woah, fell asleep for a sec there while I was watching the bike race thing. Sorry. Won't happen again. Promise.

Shouldn't they shower first?

Sports Marketing guru Terry Lefton reports in Sports Business Journal that the winning players in Super Bowl XLIII will be able to drape themselves in the first ever official Super Bowl Bath Towel on the field after the game. It’s a high-quality, nine-pound towel (I’m assuming that means dry).

In Lefton’s article, McArthur Towel and Sports President Gregg McArthur says, “[The towel] has always been a great vehicle in sports...anyone at Gatorade could tell you that. We’re taking the next step by turning them into an authentic championship item.”

Except that the Gatorade towel had a reason for being. Athletes sweat, towels soak up.

That said, I’m all for finding new revenue streams; the exposure at the Super Bowl is just about priceless, and I applaud all parties involved for being innovative and forward thinking.

In fact, more marketers should embrace the potential for getting their brands out there on the biggest and brightest stage in the world.

I’d like to see Burger King sponsor Championship paper crowns instead of the same old baseball hats. They

SPAM could be the official post game snack.

And just once, I’d like to see the game’s MVP, when asked where he’s going now that he’s won the Biggest Game on Earth, say: “Vegas, baby!”

Got any other ideas for official post game celebratory items?

Real stories are the best stories

Get ready for the hype...!!!!

The NFL playoffs start soon. So after weeks and weeks of preparation, and in some cases, last minute scrambles to be ready for the Big Game, all eyes and ears will hone in on the most important event of the year: the Super Bowl commercials.

Sure, they’ll play a game, too. But except in rare instances, the lion’s share of the post-game debates is around the ads.

The regulars will almost all be there, even at a starting price tag of $3 million, the highest ever. FedEx, who consistently ranks in the Top Ten in USA Today’s Admeter and hit #2 last year, is taking a pass. The logic is logical, but it’s too bad. They make great ads.

Speaking of which, this was just about my favorite from last year.



It’s so smart for the Super Bowl. A human story to break through the clutter of beer humor and animal jokes. An ode to friendship and teammates. And it’s all true, which made it even better.

The NFL is hoping lightning will strike twice this year. Their site is split in half, with players stories’ on one side and fans’ stories on the other. Again, real stories, and they hope they turn up another diamond. We get to vote for the best ones, with the winner appearing on the Super Bowl. Fun promo. Check it out.

I'll tell you what: some of those fans are awesome. They should get them into a broader audience, whether it's pre or post game, or at the stadium, or in movie theatres...wherever they can get a lot of people to see it. It's what football fandom is all about.

Ironic, how real people are way more interesting than the professional athletes they idolize.

If a tree falls...

I found a relatively interesting marketing platform but I may be the only person who's seen it. Actually, it wasn't that hard to find, since it was profiled on Adfreak a few days ago.

It's called Line of Scrimmage and it follows the Sunshine High School Tigers of Newbern, Alabama. The whole program is sponsored by Toyota. Some of them even air on NFL's Sunday Night football.

If you visit the site, spend some time and watch some of the videos. There's a myspace connection as well, where you can watch more. Great personalities, interesting little films.



Good for Toyota for giving us these wonderful little slices. Not sure it's real strong marketing, or how Toyota's going to benefit from it, but it's a step up from Saved by Zero.