Gillette Receives 2008 NASCAR Marketing Achievement Award
The successful Gillette Young Guns platform receives racing’s top sponsor honor
The 2008 season began with a victory at the Daytona 500 by Gillette Young Guns driver Ryan Newman and culminated last week with the announcement of Gillette(R) [PG], the world’s leading male grooming brand, being presented the 2008 NASCAR Marketing Achievement Award. Racing’s top sponsor award was presented during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champions Week in New York, December 2 – 5.
In February, days before the historic Daytona 500 race, rising stars Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer joined an exclusive team when they were unveiled as the newest members of the Gillette Young Guns during a ceremonial shave for fans at Daytona International Speedway. The six Gillette Young Guns and World Wrestling Entertainment(R) superstar John Cena(R) also were featured in a national ad campaign to support the launch of the Gillette Fusion Power Phenom that debuted during the Daytona 500 race broadcast.
In its fifth year, the Gillette Young Guns program continued to drive sales for Gillette premium razors and shave care products. The integrated program involved television, print, online, public relations and event marketing to reach racing fans. The consumer program was coordinated with NASCAR’s exciting Chase for the Sprint Cup. Ten lucky sweepstakes finalists from all over the country experienced a race fan’s dream when they zipped up their firesuits for the Gillette “TimeShaver Challenge” on December 7 in Charlotte, N.C. Each winner was coached by one of the six Gillette Young Guns and the finalists were behind the wheel of actual stockcars competing in a five-lap race for the grand prize trophy at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Source: Procter & Gamble
ESPN Deportes Unveils Five Year Anniversary Celebration Campaign
Viewers to Program Network December 22 – January 7
In an effort to celebrate its five year anniversary, ESPN Deportes announced today the launch of ESPN Deportes Replay, a multimedia campaign that will give fans the opportunity to program the network for three consecutive weeks. The initiative will allow fans to program the network by choosing from a programming roster that includes some of the most memorable sporting events and compelling athlete profiles aired on the network over the past five years.
The voting process which started December 3 will go through December 14, giving fans the opportunity to cast their votes via http://www.espndeportes.com/replay and chose from a pool of programming that includes UEFA Champions League, EURO 2008, South American World Cup Qualifiers and winter baseball from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, among others. The events with the most votes will be aired December 22 through the day of ESPN Deportes’ fifth anniversary, Wednesday, January 7, 2009. Each day, ESPN Deportes will feature at least three programs chosen exclusively by fans. The five year anniversary celebration will culminate with a one-hour special edition of SportsCenter.
The ESPN Deportes brand was first introduced September 2000 with the launch of ESPNdeportes.com, the company’s Spanish-language sports site which today features more than 4 million monthly uniques. The television network, which now reaches more than 4 million U.S. Hispanic Nielsen cable homes, also had its beginnings in 2000 as a Sunday night programming block. In 2004, ESPN Deportes was launched 24/7, followed by the launch of ESPN Deportes La Revista, ESPN Deportes Radio, and ESPN Deportes Mobile. Since its launch, ESPN Deportes has reached numerous programming milestones, highlighted with its exclusive telecasts of the inaugural World Baseball Classic (2006), XV Pan American Games (2007) and the UEFA EURO 2008. The network, which launched with a live edition of SportsCenter will have produced its 5,755th live edition by anniversary date.
Source: ESPN Deportes
Nebraska to Play Clemson in the January 1, 2009 Konica Minolta Gator Bowl
Brian Goin, Chairman of the Gator Bowl Association and Vice President of Championship Management for the PGA Tour, announced today that the University of Nebraska will play Clemson University in the January 1, 2009 Konica Minolta Gator Bowl.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Big 12 Conference representative, finished their regular season on a 3 game winning streak and with an overall record of 8-4. This match-up will mark their first appearance in the Gator Bowl Classic.
The Clemson Tigers, the Atlantic Coast Conference representative, has a 7-5 record entering the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl and has won four of its last five games. This will be Clemson’s ninth appearance in the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl, more than any other school, but its first appearance since the January 1, 2001 contest when the Tigers lost to Virginia Tech, 41-20. Clemson has a 4-4 overall record in the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl.
“Nebraska and Clemson are truly among the greatest of football traditions in the nation. The Cornhuskers and Tigers have had exciting seasons and we are looking forward to a truly great Bowl match up in Jacksonville on New Year’s Day,” said Chairman Brian Goin.
“Playing Nebraska is very special for all Clemson fans because of the 1982 Orange Bowl. Nebraska is one of the great college football programs and it will be a special day in Jacksonville when we face them on January 1. Coach Pelini has done an outstanding job with the Cornhuskers and has an experienced staff. I know our players and staff are excited about this matchup. It will be an opportunity to see how we stack up against a quality Big 12 opponent,” said Coach Dabo Swinney.
“We are pleased to be invited to participate in the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl,” Nebraska Coach Bo Pelini said. “Our players have worked extremely hard throughout the season, and the opportunity to play in a New Year’s Day Bowl is a great reward for our program. We look forward to the trip to Jacksonville and the chance to play an outstanding Clemson team.”
The January 1, 2009 Konica Minolta Gator Bowl will mark the first Bowl appearance as head coach for both Nebraska Head Coach Bo Pelini and Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney. It will also be the first time the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Clemson Tigers have played since the 1982 Orange Bowl, which Clemson won 22-15 to win its only national championship.
The 64th Annual Konica Minolta Gator Bowl will be played on January 1, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. in Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. Tickets and Bowl information are available online at www.gatorbowl.com.
Quote from Kevin Kern, Vice President of Marketing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc.
“In our second year as the title sponsor of the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl, we are excited to have two teams with the rich football tradition and national appeal that Nebraska and Clemson will bring to this year’s game,” said Kevin Kern, vice president of marketing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. “We look forward to seeing each team’s enthusiastic fans in Jacksonville on New Year’s Day and would like to encourage all Cornhusker and Tiger fans to visit www.kmbssports.com to register for a chance to win a trip for two to the 2009 Konica Minolta Gator Bowl.”
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 48 CONTIGUOUS U.S. (D.C.), 21 YEARS AND OLDER. VOID IN AK, HI AND WHERE PROHIBITED. Sweepstakes ends: 12/12/08.
For Official Rules, prize descriptions and odds disclosure, visit www.kmbssports.com. Sponsor: Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc., 100 Williams Drive, Ramsey, NJ 07446.
Source: The Gator Bowl Association
Nestle Launches New Research Program on the Specific Nutritional Needs of Athletes
In the wake of the findings of its 5th International Nutrition Symposium, which explored scientific advances in nutrition and its importance in elite physical performance, Nestle has launched a new research program on the specific nutritional needs of athletes engaged in different kinds of sports. The program will provide data to help support a more personalized approach to sports nutrition in the future, which should lead to a new generation of personalized sports nutrition products for leading, and aspiring athletes.
“The new research program further strengthens Nestle’s commitment to promoting sporting integrity through nutrition,” said Richard Laube, Nestle Nutrition CEO. “Since 2004, we have sponsored nutrition-focused international symposia that address consumer needs, ranging from weight management, healthy recovery, and now helping athletes optimize performance.”
At a special conference for the media, Nestle announced the key research findings from the 2008 International Nutrition Symposium and provided a forum for discussion. Among the findings:
- A good diet has a much greater potential than previously recognized to improve physical performance;
- Exercise/physical activity is highly beneficial to human health at all ages; inactivity is devastating to human health at all ages;
- Muscle development and degradation are active processes; muscle cell requires stimulation — use it or lose it;
- Muscle metabolism is, in part, mediated by nuclear receptors
- Exercise turns the nuclear receptors on — and drugs targeting these receptors mimic exercise in animal models
- Nutritional status and exercise are critical to build and retain bones through life
- Nutrition can enhance the benefits of exercise, but, its ability to prevent the damage of inactivity is limited.
Werner Bauer, Chief Technology Officer, outlined Nestle’s competitive advantages in food and nutrition sciences research and development, citing the wealth of consumer and safety research supporting billions of unique products. He also touted Nestle’s goal of creating foods that better meet consumer needs for nutrition, health and wellness such as by reducing trans fat content and adding whole grains.
Dr. Bruce German, a Professor at the Department of Food Sciences and Technology at the University of California-Davis, and Senior Scientific Advisor at Nestle explained the mission of the International Nutrition Symposia and the challenge of bringing leading scientists together. “The idea of having an annual scientific event was a bold one. Among the many scientists, eight Nobel laureates have stood here. We want these scientists to come into this room and then challenge them to think broadly on how their science can be translated into improvements in the human condition through diet.”
Highlighting the media conference was a public debate between two elite athletes. Gunn-Rita Dahle, eight-time world champion mountain biker, and Faris Al-Sultan, five-time Ironman winner and former Ironman world champion — together with Dr. Samantha Stear, Head of Nutrition at the English Institute of Sport — debated the proper use of nutrition during training, performance and recovery.
“Nestle is playing its part, with top quality products, adding nutritional integrity to the health and well-being of young people,” said David Hemery, a former Olympic champion and founder of the 21st Legacy Project, in his keynote speech. Hemery underlined the importance of athletes achieving elite performances through talent, hard work and determination as role models for youth.
Separate Web casts of these different discussions can be watched on http://www.nestle.com/.
Changing Times Vitamins to Sponsor Emmanuel Manny Pacquiao in Upcoming Fight With Oscar De La Hoya
Changing Times Vitamins, Inc., (Pink Sheets: SGTB) announced today that they have signed an agreement with World Boxing Champion Manny Pacquiao to be a spokesperson for their patent pending sports drink, RecoveryX.
Pacquiao is fighting one of the greatest names in boxing, Oscar De La Hoya, in what’s being billed as the biggest boxing event of the year. Pacquiao, whose titles include WBC Flyweight Champion, IBF Super Bantamweight Champion, WBC Super Featherweight Champion, and WBC Lightweight Champion, has also been named Ring Magazine’s Fighter of the Year, Boxing Writers Association of America’s Fighter of the Year, and World Boxing Hall of Fame’s Fighter of the Year.
In his last 17 fights, he has a record of 14-1-2, with all 14 wins coming by knockout. The fight is being held at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas to a sellout crowd. The fight is also being shown on HBO PPV.
Pacquiao will be representing RecoveryX along with baseball superstar Manny Ramirez, World Strongman Kevin Knee, and world renowned, cartoon character and spinach connoisseur, Popeye the Sailor Man. Pacquiao will be wearing RecoveryX gear before, during and after the fight for his interviews.
RecoveryX is an all-natural recovery drink specifically targeting athletes and people with active life styles. RecoveryX contains a patent pending algae extract that has been clinically tested in humans and animals.
CHANGING TIMES VITAMINS, INC.
Changing Times Vitamins is developing a line of products specifically geared to the health and energy sectors. The company currently has one primary product, RecoveryX, an all-natural recovery drink specifically targeting athletes and people with active life styles. RecoveryX contains a patent pending algae extract that has been clinically tested in humans and animals. http://www.recoveryx.com/
Golfers Now Guided by ProLink GPS at Indian Wells GC
Longtime Myrtle Beach Favorite Earns Added Revenue from On-Screen Ads
ProLink Solutions — a wholly-owned subsidiary of ProLink Holdings Corp. and the world’s leading provider of Global Positioning Satellite (“GPS”) golf course management systems and digital out-of-home on-course advertising — today announces Indian Wells Golf Club (Garden City, S.C.) now features the ProLink Solutions GPS system used at many of the world’s most famous golf courses and plans to participate in ProLink’s exclusive national advertising opportunity.
A perennial favorite of Myrtle Beach locals and visitors alike, Indian Wells earns raves for its Gene Hamm layout and top-notch conditioning courtesy of Classic Golf Group management. While it plays to a modest 6,624 yards from the back tees, Indian Wells’ numerous challenges — often in the form of water hazards — add up to an eye-opening USGA Slope rating of 136. The 383-yard, par-4 finishing hole has earned a place on the Grand Strand’s Dream 18 many times.
“Our course has a few tricks up its sleeve, so ProLink’s precise yardages and hole depictions serve as a trusted guide for golfers,” says Steve Hamrick, General Manager at Indian Wells. “We rely on the system for many facets of our operations, such as maintaining a brisk pace of play and monitoring cart usage. The added revenues generated from the food-and-beverage, tournament-scoring and advertising functions is a great plus as well.”
“We’re excited to welcome Indian Wells, one of the Myrtle Beach area’s finest, to our family of trusted partners,” says Lawrence D. Bain, CEO of ProLink Solutions. “In addition to golfer benefits, ProLink GPS is a proven producer of incremental course revenue through multiple channels. Meanwhile, the ability to target affluent golfers at upscale clubs like Indian Wells makes our ad program highly attractive to major brands.”
With ProLink’s patented, 10.4″ high-resolution color screen — the industry’s largest — Indian Wells’ cart-mounted units display dynamic, easy-to-read graphics including distances to the pin and hazards, pro tips, pace-of-play timer and radial arc for cart-path-only holes. Golfers at Indian Wells will also be able to order food and beverage items with a touch of a button on the ProLink screen.
Phillies to Release ‘The Perfect Season’ DVD
Exclusive footage and interviews that chronicle the passion and glory of a team of champions
The Phillies and Arts Alliance America have announced the release of The Perfect Season: The 2008 Phillies Video Yearbook, an action-packed DVD that gives fans the chance to relive all the excitement, drama and intrigue that made Philadelphia a world-champion city once again.
The Perfect Season will be available for pre-sale on December 2 at phillies.com and through the Official Phillies Merchandise Catalog at 1-877-GO-PHILS, for a suggested retail price of $19.95. The DVD will also be sold at the Majestic Clubhouse Store at Citizens Bank Park as well as retail stores across the Delaware Valley beginning December 12.
A Phillies production, The Perfect Season chronicles the Phillies’ journey from spring training through the World Series with exclusive player footage and interviews, as told by the words and deeds of the Phillies team. Narrated by All-Star closer Brad Lidge, this 75-minute feature covers all the highlights of the ’08 campaign … from the hard-fought rivalry with the Mets to the incredible September run that brought another National League East title. The Perfect Season also includes an additional two hours of never- before-seen bonus footage from the regular season, postseason, World Series, parade and celebration at Citizens Bank Park.
The film was edited and produced by Emmy award-winning “Video” Dan Stephenson, who also created Richie Ashburn: A Baseball Life, which was featured in the 2008 Philadelphia Film Festival.
“The 2008 Phillies season started with great promise and ended in a dream,” said Stephenson. “The Perfect Season follows this amazing journey, from the February mornings in Clearwater, Fla., to the glorious October afternoon when millions of fans in the Delaware Valley rejoiced as one. Fans will no doubt get the ultimate inside look at a team that evoked a championship spirit from the very beginning.”
“Being a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, and a die-hard Phillies fan myself, I am elated to be able to bring this document of sports history to all fans of the team,” said Joe Amodei, President of Arts Alliance America.