Octagon First Call

First Call was in NY yesterday to assist the George Foreman division of Applica Consumer Products, Inc. by procuring tennis legend and Dancing with the Stars veteran Monica Seles for a “Knock out the Fat” cook-off challenge at the U.S. Open.

The company has created a web-based reality show “Knock Out the Fat”, and yesterday’s taping was done in front of a live audience on the grounds of tennis’ U.S. Open. You can find the webisode here.

The Foreman brand has done an unbelievable job of branding itself. When you think of the George Foreman grill/brand, you first think of quality and speed, not George himself.

Well done George Foreman brand!

Celebrities are lending their names to more than just perfume and soft drinks these days. As we’ve noted before, more and more celebrities are endorsing cause-related campaigns. This weekend, celebrities will be seen supporting good causes at three different television events.

Over 50 celebrities are slated to perform, take pledges and/or introduce segments of the program for Stand Up to Cancer, a charity focused on cancer awareness and research.  Many of the participating stars (ie: Christina Applegate, Katie Couric, Ellen DeGeneres) have a personal connection to the cause. The star-studded event will be aired on ABC, CBS, NBC and E! during Friday’s prime time slot.

Friday, Fashion Rocks will kick off New York Fashion Week (aired Tuesday on CBS). Performers include Justin Timberlake, Fergie, Keith Urban, the Pussycat Dolls and Kid Rock with Denis Leary hosting. The annual charity concert will benefit the Stand Up to Cancer charity.

Finally, the two-hour variety show America United: In Support of Our Troops will air on Sunday evening. Celebrities such as Pam Anderson, Janet Jackson, Ne-Yo and Snoop Dogg will make global appearances at military bases to benefit SupportAmericaUnited.com.

The celebrities involved in these events run the gamut in personalities, age and image. While this may attract a unique audience, cause-related campaigns should be aware of the change in perception that celebrity supporters/spokespeople can cause for a NPO. The results of our Cause-Related Celebrity Survey indicate that the public often changes their perspective on a campaign due to their personal opinion of celebrity spokespeople. 

Check back soon for a summary of all of our survey results.

I feel like we have been writing on Michael Phelps and the Olympics for a month but yesterday’s “surprise” announcement is a perfect way to conclude our coverage of the Olympics. The Olympian icon appeared on NBC’s Today Show where Speedo presented him his $1,000,000 bonus check for winning eight gold medals (actually the bonus was for winning seven).

He, in turn, announced that the money was being used to create the Michael Phelps Foundation, a Non-Profit Corporation organized pursuant to the District of Columbia Non-Profit Corporation Act. The Foundation’s purpose is to operate exclusively for charitable educational, and scientific purposes; and to promote healthy, active lives, especially for children, primarily by expanding opportunities for participation in the sport of swimming, both nationally and internationally.

A very classy way to end the Olympics! (PS–Check out his Facebook page — more than 1.5mm fans — incredible!!)

Now back to writing about Hollywood, music, chefs, designers, other athletes and more.

Stay tuned.

The guest judge on Project Runway amplifies interest and drama in each episode, in addition to providing a unique point of view. With a wide array of guest judges—from Brooke Shields to RuPaul, Bravo has done an incredible job of leveraging the excitement surrounding the show. And they don’t always rely on traditional celebrities to generate the hype. 

Last night, for example, celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe served as the guest judge. The rising Hollywood ‘influencer’ has a busy schedule with her own Bravo show (The Rachel Zoe Project) premiering next month and a new Rachel Zoe brand of clothes and accessories launching in 2009. While Bravouses a variety of guest judges on the show, they are careful to select people who will speak to the show’s audience and create an interesting angle for the weekly challenge. Thus, Rachel Zoe and other influencers are a perfect fit. Project Runway fans are likely fashion enthusiasts and value Rachel Zoe’s opinion. Not to mention the fact that Zoe can plug her own Bravo show with the larger and more established audience that Project Runway attracts.

Earlier this season, actress Natalie Portman served as guest judge on the show. She was able to showcase her new vegan shoe line to her ideal consumer—the show’s fashion-forward audience. Bravo to Bravofor working with these celebrities and influencers to create a mutual benefit for both.

The popular TV show Dancing with the Stars just released the newest roster of ‘stars’ for their seventh season. Coming off an Olympic gold medal in beach volleyball, Misty May-Treanor will appear on the show’s cast. Other athletes include retired NFL defensive tackle Warren Sapp (who just announced his retirement) and 2000 Olympic gold medalist sprinter Maurice Greene.

Singers Lance Bass and Toni Braxton as well as actors Susan Lucci, Ted McGinley, Cody Linley and Cloris Leachman will also compete on the show. Chef Rocco DiSpirito, reality show star Kim Kardashian, comedian Jeffrey Ross and model Brooke Burke will round out the list of competitors. The 13 stars and teammates comprise the largest contingent of contestants on the show.

In the past, DWTS has successfully reinvigorated contestants’ careers. Mario Lopez, Emmitt Smith and Drew Lachey saw marked increases in their marketability since their time on the show. Reaching over 20 million viewers two times a week, the show inevitably brings the cast into the media spotlight. However, the question of which star will be able to break out from the rest to re-launch their career remains to be seen. Who do you think will become this season’s fan favorites? Given the close proximity to the Olympics, Misty May-Treanor is a likely candidate. And, Rocco DiSpirito has the potential expand his appeal outside of the kitchen.

As the 2008 Olympic Games come to a close, Americans will walk away with many fond memories. From the Opening to the Closing Ceremonies, the Beijing Games provided excitement, entertainment and unthinkable accomplishments. Sponsors and non-sponsors alike capitalized on the many remarkable and unforgettable feats to capture the attention of millions of fans— through several ads seen throughout USA Today.

Vitamin Water (which Coca Cola purchased in 2007) ran a full page ad congratulating Kobe, LeBron, Dwight, Deron and Chris on winning the gold medal in men’s basketball. The five members of the men’s Olympic basketball team were featured in a campfire inspired ad campaign for the brand. Vitamin Water also released several viral videos featuring the stars behind the scenes footage carefully zooming in on them sipping their product.

Not to be outdone, Nike also ran a full page ad for the U.S. National Women’s Soccer Team. The ad draws on the excitement and sheer exuberance of the team immediately following the overtime victory for the gold medal. The ad connects Nike with the selflessness and teamwork that the team illustrated.

Of course, a number of ads and articles ran congratulating the Olympic icon Michael Phelps on his record-breaking eight gold medals. Hilton, a sponsor of Phelps, USA Swimming and the U.S. Olympic Team, congratulates Phelps on achieving his dreams and encourages others to pursue theirs at hilton.com. The creative full page ad run by ESPN shrewdly alluded to Phelps without mentioning his name or any Olympic imagery (because of Rule 45). The underwater photo and clever language clearly implies Phelps’s achievements without directly stating his name. There’s also a blurb about Phelps’s Sports Illustrated cover-turned-poster. Recognizing the commercial potential of the historic cover image, a poster of the clean SI cover of Phelps is being sold at FineArtLimited.com. Even the superstar’s mom, Debbie, has received continued coverage with her shoot for a Johnson’s baby commercial and interviews including Good Morning America.

While the 2008 Olympics are technically over, some of the most memorable moments and heroes of the Games will continue to leave lasting impressions in the minds of Americans. Smart brands will creatively use these people to take advantage of the feel good memories that they evoke.

Using celebrity’s to endorse a product is nothing new. It has been occurring for decades now. However, celebrities (and their agents) have recently upped the ante on celebrity endorsements. No longer willing to lend their name to a product for a set fee, brands are now making lines of products branded with the celebrity’s name (think ‘Gatorade Tiger’) or giving the celebrity a stake in the company.

Stampede Light, a new start-up brewery based in Dallas, recently announcedthat Jessica Simpson will be the face of the brand’s Stampede Light Plus. Not only will Simpson appear in advertisments for the brand, she also gains a 15 percent stake in the company.

Simpson and Stampede may be a perfect fit for each other. Simpson gives the new brand some clout with her recognizable name and face (83% name recognition and 74% face recognition). She has gained a reputation for being health conscious (a core value of Stampede Light) since her daisy-dukes wearing role in The Dukes of Hazard. Moreover, since her recent transition into country music, Simpson has been looking to ingratiate  herself into country scene. The Dallas based company may represent a great opportunity for her to catapult herself into that world.

While the blonde bombshell may not initially be the first person that comes to mind when thinking about beer, the fit aligns with both parties objectives.

Can’t make it to Beijing? No worries. Olympic sponsors are bringing the Games to you. The Games of the XXIX Olympiad are the most highly anticipated games since Atlanta ’96 and sponsors are marketing accordingly. Almost every Olympic sponsor is marketing in the digital space, developing both online and mobile content. Some companies like Speedo are dedicating nearly all of their marketing budgets to online programs. Others like Lenovo and McDonald’s have created global online programs like an international essay contest and an online scavenger hunt.

As we here at Octagon First Call continue to expand our own digital capabilities and services we think it makes perfect sense that sponsors are creating online and mobile marketing programs. With the Olympics taking place in China most consumers aren’t at home watching from the couch when major events are taking place. Instead they’re following Michael Phelps at the office, in meetings, and on the go. Internet and mobile technology allow consumers to access Olympic content when and where they want. Smart marketers will realize this and take advantage of this opportunity. Let’s see if any of the Olympic sponsors are savvy enough to engage and integrate an internet celebrity with valuable assets (like a loyal fan base) into their online and mobile marketing. If an Olympic sponsor can create something like this for their campaign then we’ll be impressed. If anyone does we’ll be the first to let you know.

By: Zola Short

Well, this is going to be an Olympics week for sure. Reading USA Today this morning, I saw the full page ad by Johnson & Johnson using USA Basketball and Duke University Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski. A few people have asked why there are not more ads running during the Games since Phelps has been in so many during the lead up (as well as others).

It’s called Rule 45. It states, “Except as permitted by the IOC Executive Board, no competitor who participates in the Olympic Games may allow his person, name, picture or sports performance to be used for advertising purposes during the Olympic Games.” This rule applies to all advertising involving the athlete, whether it is directly related to the Olympic Games or not. The net effect of this rule is that all of the athlete’s commercial endorsement activity, whether it is related to the Olympic Games or not, must cease during the two weeks of the Games, unless otherwise approved by the USOC.

For example, if you are currently appearing in/on a TV commercial, product packaging, print ad or electronic media or are scheduled to be in an advertisement in a monthly publication during the month of the Olympics, it is your responsibility to notify your sponsors of this restriction and ensure that they abide by the IOC’s rule; otherwise, your eligibility to participate in the Games could be at risk. Advertising with Olympic Sponsors: The IOC and USOC have agreed to allow specific, limited advertising to continue during the Games, provided that the promotion in question is not related to the athlete’s performance at the Olympic Games. This only applies to Olympic Sponsors. All requests for Rule 45 waivers must be submitted through the normal Marks Approval process. If the USOC approves your official Marks Approval submission (or that submitted by the Sponsor), it means that the USOC and the IOC have granted a Rule 45 waiver.

Advertising with Non-Olympic Sponsors: The USOC will grant a waiver of Rule 45 to non-Olympic sponsors only in exceptional circumstances. In such instances, the advertisement may not relate to the athlete’s performance at the Olympic Games.

It is also why you will see a ton of ads run immediately following the Games. Hope that helps clarify things.

Go USA. And props to Michael Phelps as he is two for two on gold medals and world records. His icon stature is sure to continue to grow throughout the Games as he goes for eight.

Most women hear the name Madden and instantly reach for their credit card, ready to splurge on that next pair of Steve Madden shoes; but with the growing popularity across an assortment of markets, John Madden has transcended into a household name. In the midst of men engrossed by him on TV and children (okay men too!) pleading for the latest and greatest version of his game, Madden is a name women can’t seem to overlook.  Talk about a marketing powerhouse!  His undeniable style has made him a standout from typical sports broadcasters in the game and his personal tag lines like “Boom!” and “Bam!” practically write the advertising reel themselves.

Acclaimed NFL coach and commentator, Madden is most assuredly a marketing force to be reckoned with.  He has made several promotional appearances in every field of retail from the “helpful hardware guy” with Ace, to the many Madden Miles traveled with Outback Steakhouse and the Madden Cruiser; and who can forget “Fast-Actin’” Tinactin?!  This guy really knows how to appeal to consumers of all ages, boys & girls, men & women alike.

As if a being a Pro Football Hall of Famer and Super Bowl title holder isn’t accomplishment enough, Madden can now add author and video game extraordinaire to his repertoire.  The popularity of his video game, Madden NFL, first launched in 1988, has hit an all-time high. With his likeliness attached to what Game Critics have named Best Sports Game of E3, Madden NFL 09’ and EA Sports have scored a touchdown with this marketing combo.

Much of the game’s success is due in part to Madden’s realistic understanding and familiarity with his consumer.  He knows what the players want in a video game and won’t stop until just that is delivered. Coming into their 20^th anniversary, EA Sports has big plans to play up their marketing powerhouse, Madden, through a series of events at this year’s Maddenpalooza.  This music festival features bands from past and current Madden NFL soundtracks like Good Charlotte, Busta Rhymes, and Rev Theory. With a genre so widespread, gamer or not, music fans are sure to fill the Rose Bowl in Pasadena for this show. Proving once again that EA Sports and team Madden really can reach every demographic.  The next time you find yourself looking for a celebrity or influencer remember what you’re mother told you when you were young, “beauty is only skin deep, it’s what’s inside that counts”…personality goes a long way and is a very marketable attribute.

By: Liz Baker