With the summer over halfway gone, retailers are already pushing back to school sales as hard as they can. However in the sports world.the Olympics focus and the start of NFL training camp, combined with the traditional August vacation stretch for many sports, seems to push the “Back To School” programs until later in the month, when we will see a rush of teams and brands getting with kids and local school initiatives. However once again a NASCAR driver promotion is out in front and leading the charge with a retailer to get the Back To School theme top of mind. This time its Carl Edwards and his market by market program with sponsor Office Depot, donating thousands of dollars of school supplies with backpacks to kids in advance of the traditional push. The use of Edwards as a sincerely interested, well spoken athlete is a great score for the brand as well, and Edwards appears to be yet another of the NASCAR drivers who gets the message, embraces the message and delivers it. The program yet again will expand NASCAR's touch points beyond their core fan base, especially in the inner cities, and will resonate even more with the traditional fan. Great timing, great story, great plan for business partner, league brand and athlete.
Some other great reads…on the apparel side, Under Armour scored a great hit in the style section of Thursday's New York Times, with a well placed fashion piece defining the brand in the sport.apparel world…the Kansas City Star has a solid piece on the efforts the Kansas City Chiefs are making to develop their players both on and off the field…and o.Octagon's First Call blog has a really good piece on the brand of John Madden and how he has built his endorsements around his unique personality…Marketing Daily has a “simple tips” guide to brand success in Beijing…the Times also had an outstanding piece on the Rays Rocco Baldelli and his struggle to overcome health issues and get back in baseball…Dave Goetzel in Media Post has a good piece today on the great ad rates Senators McCain and Obama have gotten for the Beijing Olympics…very unique insight into the ad pricing game.
