Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Please Doc, stay in Toronto!

Viper Losing Its Bite

The Viper captured the hearts and imagination of performance enthusiasts around the globe. That's what Dodge boss Mike Accavitti said in a recent statement. Viper did indeed capture hearts, once upon a time, but with the weakened economy all that's left are broken hearts and bank balances. As the Black Eyed Peas say, where is the love?

At $91,000 a pop this was hardly an affordable vehicle in the first place, and now in these tougher times, it's simply become an unnecessary luxury. A shame really. This is one cool looking car, with more than a little venom under the hood in its 8.4-liter, 600-horsepower V-10 engine.

Chrysler will continue production until 2010 when the factory will be closed.

Roger Federer's Midas Touch

Roger Federer has copped a bit of a serve for his flamboyant gold-trimmed jacket in The Sydney Morning Herald this week. Writer Alan Attwood declares, "Tennis is about swinging a racquet, not a jacket." Funny stuff.

But while I tend to agree with Attwood's assessment of Roger's Nike-loving ways, I think there's room for a little flair in tennis. Tennis is, after all, one of the few sports that hinges on personalities. The inherent drama of singles tennis, for instance, is created by our perception of the personalities at play. What are they thinking? How are they coping? What's the strategy for the next point? Does this player have the nerve to defy another match point? Do you think he turned the iron off this morning?

Tennis, while not physical like football or even basketball, calls for a gladiatorial-like spirit. It's a battle of wits, focus and courage. Even Russell Crowe seemed uneasy during Sunday's marathon battle between Federer and Andy Roddick. And he's The Gladiator!

So my point is that because of this individuality - this "internal struggle" - tennis personalities should be allowed some flexibility when it comes to personal style. Without it, we're simply looking at a couple lanky ball bashers in hospital whites. What's fun about that? Without it, would we have had Bjorg's headband, McEnroe's hair, Connor's sweatbands, Nadal's pedal pushers and everything Serena Williams wears?

Federer maybe takes the "goldness" a little further than most, what with his embroidered RF branding on everything from his shoes to probably his underpants. The guy could have played Goldmember in Austin Powers. But he's won 15 Slams, so I'm prepared to cut him some slack on this one.
Andy Murray, Fred Perry And Others With Money, Perhaps?

Andy Murray may have crashed out of Wimbledon last week but his brand stock only rose. Newspapers are already reporting the Scotsman's ability to pull a crowd, with The Times' Kevin Eason noting that The All England Club "made a mint out of Murray" these past two weeks. Maybe Murray could play to London crowds everyday and turn the economy around?

With his gutsy approach, toned physique and John McEnroe-like demeanor, Murray will surely be a box office smash for years to come. I mean, 500,000 fans through Wimbledon's gates this past fortnight can't be wrong can they? Well, presumably they could be if they only rocked up for a glimpse of Sharapova or Ivanovic and Murray was merely in the line of sight.

We'll give you the benefit of the doubt Andy.

A semi-final finish at the world's most prestigious tennis tournament means something, you know. Certain people with fat wallets tend to throw a little coin around in the hope that they can fatten up said wallets even further. It's the circle of tennis life. So the prediction is that endorsement offers will start to pile up for Murray now. The likes of Reebok, Nike and Adidas should soon be bidding for a piece of Murray Mania. And don't forget, Murray has already signed a £750,000 (US$1.2 million) deal with Fred Perry, the brand named after the last male British Wimbldeon winner, 73 years ago. It's a modest but stylish start for Brand Murray.

Vancouver 2010 Posters


The next Winter Games are not far off now, so wipe down those skates and dust of the goggles, Olympic fever awaits! (Okay, fine. Let's enjoy some more sun for a while).

But for a taste of the inspiration to come, the organizers of the Vancouver Games want you to see their latest poster. It's not Canadian born Elisha Cuthbert or anything, but it's still pretty cool.

The recently released promotional poster is actually a "half-poster" - a two-part puzzle that's displayed in separate sections. Again, unfortunately neither half features a maple syrup-loving beauty like Emmanuel Chriqui but at least there's the country's national emblem, the maple leaf. The visual only becomes complete when the posters for the Olympic and Paralympic games are placed side-by-side. Clever.

But why?

Well, the Vancouver organizers say they've always treated the Olympics and Paralympics as two parts of the same celebration and the posters are designed to make that point.

Vancouver's Olympic branding takes on a fairly "earthy" feel too, with parts of the blue-and green-colored maple leaf dotted with smaller images such as trees and waves. Think beautiful Pacific, north-west land and ocean...and then British Columbia's own Pamela Anderson strutting towards you in a red swimsuit.

Ahhh. Viva Olympics!

NFL Is The World's Biggest Sports Brand


The NFL is the world's strongest sports brand according to Sports Pro Magazine. The National Football League, not surprisingly, is valued at a whopping $4.5 billion. That's a little more than Major League Baseball, about double the value of the NBA, but still probably less than Larry King's per show kitty.

In Sports Pro's recent "most valuable brands survey", the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket competition amazingly featured amongst the biggest brands too. Despite being only two years old, the IPL is valued at US$1.6 billion, or just under the cost of Mr. King's monthly hairdressing bill. That's when you know you've made it folks.

Wrigley Field's brilliant brand spots

While the club owners have thankfully bucked the trend of selling venue naming rights to the corporate world, they've obviously found other ways to turn a profit in recent years. The Friendly Confines are also financially friendly...so to speak.


Chief among the advertising options are on-field placements, which re-emerged a couple of years back. One I always notice during televised Cubs games is Under Armour, plastered on the double-doors between the ivy, in left-center and right-center fields. Commercial space doesn't come much better. Unless it's on Kim Kardashian's backside, that is.


You've probably noticed the dugout logos too, which have displayed Sears, Walter E. Smithe and more recently, State Farm. But perhaps the most innovative are the ads on nearby buildings, especially those across Waveland and Sheffield Avenues.


In Sunday's game between the Cubbies and Dodgers, the broadcast team discussed various "landmarks" just outside the park, including the Miller beer sign atop one of the residential properties. I'm sure the owner loves the goldmine he's sitting on, but you wouldn't want to be caught walking by a window in your jockey shorts would you?

David Beckham, Missy Elliot and Katy Perry at an Adidas House Party

Maybe I'm a sucker for classic Adidas shoes and a good beat, but this is one hell of a commercial from Adidas.


"The House Party" TV ad features David Beckham, Katy Perry and Missy Elliot among other big names tearing it up in their Adidas Originals. But according to The Guardian in the UK, the Advertising Standards Authority actually received a complaint that the footage "condoned and promoted antisocial activities". The commercial is good to go, however, after the ASA recently dismissed the claim.


Looks like good, clean fun to me. The music and atmosphere really set an uplifting emotional tone I think, an Adidas brand standard in recent years. Makes you want to hit your next party in some three stripes, no?


Lululemon Has Taken Lemons And Made A Lemon Loving World

lululemon is sweeping the nation, in case you hadn't heard.

If you're into yoga, it's likely you have some lululemon athletica clothing in your wardrobe. I'd put money on it. If you don't, no doubt it's on your shopping list. Why? Well because this stuff is to yoga enthusiasts what Nike Air is to hoopsters. It has major brand appeal. Just ask Minka Kelly, a devotee of the product.

The label focuses on form-fitting lycra and nylon garments, which impressively adopt consumer ideas in order to constantly evolve. Some lululemon products are so specified and catered to customers, that they integrate materials to help prevent odor, or moisturize skin.

Nice. But this isn't just about yoga pants that make you look and feel good - lululemon is offering a lifestyle here.

Riiiiight, you say. What does that mean exactly?

Well, yoga instructors associated with the company help promote the brand within specific neighborhoods, teaching classes, but also talking fitness, health, motivation and a culture around these things. Stores even provide public notice boards with information on local yoga studio and events - and to encourage feedback.

It truly is an all encompassing idea that perfectly utilises positive brand association. And Minka's approval doesn't hurt either.