The Trademark Blog: Ambush Marketing Archives

More On The Big Game

San Francisco Chronicle: "NFL Marketers Want 'Big Game' Trademark":

"One way that advertisers who aren't NFL sponsors typically attach themselves to the Super Bowl is simply to refer to it as "The Big Game.'' As in, "Get your flat-screen TV in time for the Big Game."
What is a generic term for most people becomes a very specific term in the lamp-blacked eyes of the NFL.
But the Big Game also has a very specific application for Stanford University and UC Berkeley, whose annual football game dates back to 1892. It has been known as the Big Game since 1902, according to San Francisco author Ron Fimrite, who is writing a history of Cal football."

Also, Canada.com weighs in, attributing the story to us.

Posted by Marty at 11:52 AM | Permalink

That Soccer Ball On That Plane Can Mean Only One Thing

lufthansa soccer.jpg

International Herald Tribune:"Can't tell the sponsors without a scorecard"

Continuing our in-depth coverage of ambush marketing in honor of the World Cup, we note that Lufthansa is painting soccer balls on the nose of its planes, to the annoyance of FIFA, and to Air Emirates, which paid a lot of money to FIFA for the right to tell consumers that it paid a lot of money to FIFA.

Practice pointer: If you client will engage in ambush marketing, advise that it avoid statements such as this:

"People might think we are a sponsor," said Amelie Lorenz, a spokeswoman for Lufthansa, "but that's good for us."

World Cup 2006 is the official world soccer championship of The Trademark Blog.

Posted by Marty at 01:43 PM | Permalink