Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.ads From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: ads Tue, Jul 7 1992 Date: Tue, 7 Jul 92 05:13:30 EDT Message-ID: 07-07 0000 DECISIONLINE: Advertising USA TODAY Update July 7, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network AGASSI COULD CASH IN ON WIN: Andre Agassi didn't just shed his reputation as a tennis underacheiver with Sunday's Wimbledon win. He burnished his already golden status as a spokesman and could double his endorsement deals to more than $10 million a year. "He was a phenomena waiting to happen," says Brian Murphy, editor of Sports Marketing newsletter. "The only thing holding him back was poor performance." (For more, see special Agassi package below.) NIKE APPEALS SPANISH RULING: Nike said Monday it is appealing a Spanish court ruling which bars the advertising or sale of Nike apparel in Spain. Nike has paid millions of dollars to put its name on the U.S. track and field team's uniforms at the summer Olympics in Barcelona. The court is barring the firm from using the Nike name on clothing because a Barcelona firm registered the trademark first in 1932. NIKE'S NEW ADS READY TO ROLL: Nike's fall "Just do it" campaign will include one spot featuring baseball players who are all more than 75 years old. The spot is set to air July 14 during Major League Baseball's All-Star game. Other ads in the campaign: A rap-style spot with Charles Barkley, a cross-training ad with Deion Sanders, and a "Bo Knows" spot featuring sidelined Bo Jackson. It's called "Bo's Hip." VIEWERS WATCHING DREAM TEAM: For the second consecutive week, NBC drew a huge summer Sunday afternoon rating for a USA basketball Dream Team blowout, this time 127-80 over Venezuela. NBC's 9.6 overnight rating was 3% higher than the 9.3 for the USA team's opening Tournament of the America's win last week. Sunday's number follows a stunning 5.6 cable rating on TNT at 10 p.m. ET Wednesday for the USA team against Argentina. WIMBLEDON RATINGS ARE UP: NBC's strong ratings year continued with the final Wimbledon weekend. While Wimbledon's first weekend's ratings were down 31%, NBC finished with aces - up 35% in overnight ratings Saturday to 6.5 plus a 38% jump Sunday to 6.9. Friday's rainout pushed the popular John McEnroe-Andre Agassi semifinal to Saturday. Sunday's show had Agassi in the men's final and McEnroe in the doubles. CONVENTION COVERAGE GOES DOWN: For the most complete coverage of next week's Democratic convention, don't count on network TV. Viewership for the political conventions has dropped every year since 1956, and the networks are taking that cue. This year, none of them are broadcasting more than two hours a day from the conventions. CNN, C-SPAN and PBS will fill the coverage void. MORROW RETURNS FOR NOW: Rob Morrow of "Northern Exposure" returned to the set after missing 12 days in a salary dispute. The show's producers slapped Morrow with a $5 million breach of contract lawsuit and refused to negotiate while he held up production. Morrow agreed to return for the next two weeks, hoping to come to terms by then. If the two sides don't, Morrow has said he'll walk. TRANSPORTATION ACCOUNT AWARDED: The California State Department of Transportation has selected ad agency Kressler:Craig of Santa Monica, Calif., to handle a $12.9 million campaign. It is designed to promote highway traffic reduction in southern California. Anita Santiago ad agency, also of Santa Monica, has been subcontracted to handle ethnic advertising. BURNETT OPENS OFFICE IN CHINA: Leo Burnett Worldwide, based in Chicago, has opened an office in Guangzhou, China. The new office handles Chinese advertising for clients which include Procter & Gamble, Philip Morris and Kellogg. Previously, Burnett serviced clients who do business in China through its regional headquarters in Hong Kong. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON AGASSI: TENNIS PLAYER LIKED BY TEENS: The flamboyant Andre Agassi - who sports frosted, shoulder-length hair, earring and wild tennis apparel - has long had marketing charisma, especially to teens. Now, with a win at Wimbledon, the endosement deals are likely to start flooding in. He already has long-standing deals with athletic shoe maker Nike and camera maker Cannon. AGASSI TO GET JORDAN-LIKE DEALS: Agassi endorses General Mills' cereals, Donnay tennis rackets, Ebel watches and Fitgar, an Italian sports drink. All together, says Brian Murphy, editor of Sports Marketing newsletter, Agassi reaps about $5.5 million annually from sponsorship. Winning Wimbledon could loft the 22-year-old Agassi into the same league with Michael Jordan, who gets an estimated $13 million annually. TV TALK SHOWS WANT INTERVIEWS: Agassi could enhance his reputation with appearances on the phalanx of television shows clamoring for interviews. "Everyone wants him," says Patty Giudice of Agassi's Cleveland-based agent, International Management Group. "He was always a media star. He's even more so now." NIKE GETS HEAD START: Nike signed Agassi when he turned pro at age 16. During Wimbledon, the firm aired an old ad featuring Agassi and John MacEnroe Saturday and a new Agassi ad Sunday. "If it's good for Andre's career, it's great for us," says Nike's Elizabeth Dolan. "We've promoted him heavily for several years. Despite his recent slump, his popularity never dipped." (End of package.) Advertising Editor: Ed Kelleher. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM