February 2010 Archive

The following posts were made in February 2010. You may subscribe to the RSS feed for this archive if you would like to take your time reading through our posts.

Catalyst News

UNDER ARMOUR KICKS OFF "Protect This House. I Will." NATIONAL CAMPAIGN DURING NFL SCOUTING COMBINE

Michael Phelps Officially Joins Under Armour Family, Stars in New Commercials

Baltimore, MD (February 24th, 2010) - Under Armour, (NYSE:UA) the Baltimore-based leader in performance apparel and footwear, announced today the launch of a new national multi-faceted campaign, "Protect This House. I Will.", which features breakout stars from multiple sports and showcases the company's deep-rooted commitment to training and performance.

The :60 spot will also serve to introduce Michael Phelps to the Under Armour family, as the 14-time Olympic gold medalist begins his partnership with the Brand.  The commercial will debut on February 27^th on NFL Network and will also run on ESPN, ESPN2, CBS SPORTS, Direct TV, MLB.com, Slam.com, and Stack.com. Under Armour will also utilize multiple social media channels to distribute the spots, including YouTube postings and direct integration into the athletes' Facebook and Twitter accounts.  The campaign will run on TV, print, online and out of home advertisements nationwide.

Coinciding with this week's NFL Combine, of which Under Armour is the presenting sponsor, "Protect This House. I Will." chronicles Phelps, as well as Under Armour athletes Milwaukee Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings; former Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant; and UFC champion Georges St-Pierre, as they endure grueling training sessions.  Each athlete then declares his personal "I Will" pledge, vocalizing his own determination and overcoming challenges to "Protect This House." Targeting a younger demographic and inspiring athletes at all levels to perform their best, "Protect This House. I Will." represents the newest iteration of Under Armour's iconic tagline.

"We're very excited to launch 'Protect This House. I Will.', which simultaneously highlights Under Armour's core commitment to combine training and provides an intimate look at some of our most dynamic young athletes.  Consistent with Under Armour's mission to make all athletes better, these individuals share an incredible passion to be the best at their sport," said Steve Battista, Under Armour Senior Vice President, Brand.  "This is one of our most ambitious efforts to elevate the heritage of our training platform, and we feel that Michael Phelps - a true global icon - is an ideal ambassador for the 'Protect This House. I Will.' message."

"I'm looking forward to a great relationship with Under Armour," said Phelps.  "As a Baltimore native, I have always been a fan of the Brand and admired their success.  Given our mutual commitment to training, this is a natural partnership, and 'Protect This House. I Will' is a perfect way to kick things off."

Under Armour's partnership with Phelps is another bold move for the Brand, which continues to target premier athletes from across all disciplines, including Jennings, Bryant and St-Pierre, as well as Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn, X-Games gold medalist Lindsey Jacobellis, Olympic volleyball player Kim Glass and lacrosse superstar Paul Rabil. 

The "Protect This House. I Will." campaign was co-created by Under Armour's in-house creative team and Shilo (www.shilo.tv) creative production company. Shilo also produced the new spot. Consumers can visit www.underarmour.com to make their own personal "I Will" pledge.

Under Armour, the originators of performance apparel, has transitioned athletes into moisture-wicking apparel since 1996. Under Armour products are sold worldwide and worn by athletes at all levels, from youth to professional, on playing fields around the globe.

About Under Armour, Inc.

Under Armour^® (NYSE: UA) is a leading developer, marketer, and distributor of branded performance apparel, footwear, and accessories. The brand's moisture-wicking synthetic fabrications are engineered in many different designs and styles for wear in nearly every climate to provide a performance alternative to traditional natural fiber products.  The Company's products are sold worldwide and worn by athletes at all levels, from youth to professional, on playing fields around the globe.  The Under Armour global headquarters is in Baltimore, Maryland, with European headquarters in Amsterdam's Olympic Stadium, and additional offices in Denver, Hong Kong, Toronto, and Guangzhou, China. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.underarmour.com.

Tags: under armour , michael phelps , protect this house , dez bryant , brandon jennings , georges st-pierre , steve battista , lindsey vonn , lindsey jacobellis , kim glass , paul rabil

Catalyst News

SUBWAY® Restaurants and NASCAR Driver Carl Edwards Bring ‘Footlong Nation Appreciation’ Campaign to Daytona

Driver of the No. 99 Aflac/SUBWAY Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion has extra incentive to win Sunday's Race

 Fans to Select 'America's Favorite Footlong' via Online Vote;

City with Largest Amount of Votes Named "Capital of Footlong Nation" and Awarded Sandwich Donation to Local Food Bank

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., February 12, 2010 - SUBWAY^® restaurants, the world's largest submarine sandwich franchise, today announced that Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Aflac/SUBWAY Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion, is helping to bring the company's "Footlong Nation Appreciation" campaign to Daytona. 

The recently launched campaign, which gives thanks to consumers for contributing to the success of the famous SUBWAY "Footlong," is also providing Edwards with extra incentive to win Sunday's race - finish first and his hometown of Columbia, Mo., food bank receives 500 Footlong subs, plus an additional 50 subs for each lap Edwards leads.

"It's been a lifelong dream to win the Daytona 500 and knowing that if I win SUBWAY will feed hundreds of people in need makes me even more driven to succeed," said Carl Edwards.  "Some of the most legendary names in NASCAR have won this prestigious race and I hope to add my name to that list while helping others."

Footlong fans across the country can also get in on the action by visiting www.subwayfreshbuzz.com and voting for their favorite sub. The city or town with the most votes cast by March 22, 2010 will be deemed "Capital of Footlong Nation" and receive a donation of 500 Footlongs to a local food bank.

To further show appreciation for making SUBWAY® Footlongs famous, fans will also have an opportunity to win free Footlongs for a year along with many other prizes, with a new winner selected every day through April 15, 2010.

 "SUBWAY's 'Footlong Nation Appreciation' campaign gives our fans the opportunity to have their voices heard in deciding the most popular Footlong while trying to benefit their local food banks," said Tony Pace, chief marketing officer of the Subway Franchisee Advertising Fund Trust (SFAFT). "Everyone at SUBWAY is pulling for Carl Edwards as he drives towards victory." 

About SUBWAY^® Restaurants

With more than 32,000 locations in 91 countries, the SUBWAY® restaurant chain is the world's largest submarine sandwich franchise and famous for its made-to-order footlong and 6-inch submarine sandwiches and salads. The SUBWAY® restaurant chain was founded in 1965 by Fred DeLuca and Dr. Peter Buck as a means for then 17-year-old DeLuca to earn enough money to pay for college tuition. That partnership, which continues today, marked the beginning of a remarkable journey - one that made it possible for thousands of individuals to build and succeed in their own business. The SUBWAY® brand has been named as the number one franchise opportunity in Entrepreneur magazine's "Annual Franchise 500®" listing 17 times in the past 23 years, and was also ranked by the magazine as "America's Top Global Franchise" for 2009. For more information about the SUBWAY® chain, visit www.subway.com or www.subwayfreshbuzz.com. SUBWAY® is a registered trademark of Doctor's Associates Inc.

Tags: subway , roush fenway racing , carl edwards , nascar , footlong , daytona 500 , footlong nation appreciation , tony pace , sfaft

Catalyst News

YESTERYEAR FANTASY CHALLENGE KICKS OFF NEW SEASON IN FANTASY SPORTS

 Retired Players Drafted in New Fantasy Sports Game Based on Historical Statistics

(Charlotte, N.C.) Feb. 3, 2010 - YesterYear Fantasy Sports, the newest and most innovative company in the fantasy sports category announced today the launch of the YesterYear Fantasy Challenge.  The Challenge brings the history of professional football back to life using historical data as the basis for the league and team match ups.  Registration and "try outs" for the Challenge are currently taking place.  Challenge games kick off Feb. 14, 2010.

YesterYear Fantasy Sports is similar to other fantasy sports games with drafting, player waivers, scoring, etc., but participants compete with teams made up of their all-time favorite players using their historical statistics.

"Football fans no longer need to wait for the season to begin to play fantasy sports," said E. Jim Pennington, co-founder and chairman of YesterYear Fantasy Sports. "True fantasy football fans will love the YesterYear Fantasy Challenge because it allows them to draft the greatest football players of all time and truly build their 'fantasy' teams - regardless of when the athlete actually played the game."

Each team consists of up to three quarterbacks, four running backs, four wide receivers, two tight ends and two team defenses. The starting lineup for each week will be one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, one tight end and one team defense.  Scores for players are determined by using a proprietary algorithm that randomly selects real game statistics of the player or defense during a three-year period. Those game statistics are the basis for calculating the player's fantasy points for that week. The same system applies for all players on the team, each deriving points from other real games similarly chosen at random.

The standard version of the Yesteryear Gridiron Greats Fantasy Challenge is free to play with the system auto drafting the team and the owner selecting the starting line up. For fans interested in drafting their own team, the Gridiron Greats Fantasy Tool Kit is available for $3.99 per team. The tool kit allows the owner to custom draft the team and make player moves throughout the competition.

YesterYear Fantasy Sports will donate a portion of the revenues to support the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, a nonprofit corporation providing financial aid and medical assistance to retired NFL players.

The inaugural season of the Challenge will award the top 5,000 teams after a four-week season with entrance to the Challenge finals where they will play directly against 20 former pro football greats, including guys like Mike Ditka, Tony Dorsett and Dwight Clark among others.

Following the launch of the Challenge, fantasy sports enthusiasts will be able to set up their own leagues and play against their friends based on any three-year era from 1960-1999.

Visit www.yyfantasy.com for YesterYear Fantasy Challenge details, complete rules and for more information about the other leagues available. 

###

 About YesterYear Fantasy Sports

Founded in Charlotte, N.C., in April 2009, Yesteryear Fantasy Sports' mission is to the expand the Fantasy sports market to include historical play and meet the needs of the some 27 million fantasy sports players who have to put their obsession on hold during the "off-season."  YesterYear Fantasy Sports executives have more than 50 years combined Internet-based business experience and a love for fantasy sports.  The company's advisory council includes 11 retired "Hall of Fame" professional football players.

Tags: yesteryear , fantasy sports , gridiron greats , draft , professional football , nfl , hall of fame

Catalyst News

SUBWAY® Restaurants Announce ‘Footlong Nation Appreciation’ Campaign to Say ‘Thanks’ for Making Their Footlongs Famous

 Fans to Select 'America's Favorite Footlong' via Online Vote;

City with Largest Amount of Votes Named "Capital of Footlong Nation" and Awarded Sandwich Donation to Local Food Bank

MILFORD, CT, February 3, 2010 - SUBWAY^® restaurants, the world's largest submarine sandwich franchise, today announced the launch of "Footlong Nation Appreciation," a campaign designed to give thanks to consumers who have contributed to the success and celebrity of the famous SUBWAY® "Footlong." Since its debut, the Footlong has been a hit with popular varieties ranging from the Italian BMT® to the Oven-Roasted Chicken. However, what has yet to be determined is: What is America's Favorite Footlong?

To help answer this question, SUBWAY® restaurants are calling upon consumers nationwide to vote for their Favorite Footlong on www.SubwayFreshBuzz.com. Here fans can log their votes and track how their Footlong of choice is placing in real time. The city or town with the most votes cast by March 22, 2010, will be deemed "Capital of Footlong Nation" and receive a donation of 500 Footlongs to a local food bank.

To further show appreciation for making SUBWAY® Footlongs famous, fans will also have an opportunity to win free Footlongs for a year along with many other prizes. With a new winner selected every day through April 15, 2010, consumers can vie for a chance to win online at www.SubwayFreshBuzz.com.

 "SUBWAY's $5 Footlongs have redefined the fast-food industry and now, along with a chance to win free footlongs for a year, our fans have the opportunity to tell us which footlong is their favorite," said Tony Pace, chief marketing officer of the Subway Franchisee Advertising Fund Trust (SFAFT). "The 'Footlong Nation Appreciation' campaign allows our fans to have their voices heard, while also trying to benefit their local food banks."

To further enhance consumer engagement and awareness, some Famous Fans of SUBWAY® restaurants will be spreading the word of Footlong Nation Appreciation by campaigning for their own favorite Footlongs on-site in Miami and Daytona, FL and encouraging consumers to get online and vote.

About SUBWAY^® Restaurants

With more than 32,000 locations in 91 countries, the SUBWAY® restaurant chain is the world's largest submarine sandwich franchise and famous for its made-to-order footlong and 6-inch submarine sandwiches and salads. The SUBWAY® restaurant chain was founded in 1965 by Fred DeLuca and Dr. Peter Buck as a means for then 17-year-old DeLuca to earn enough money to pay for college tuition. That partnership, which continues today, marked the beginning of a remarkable journey - one that made it possible for thousands of individuals to build and succeed in their own business. The SUBWAY® brand has been named as the number one franchise opportunity in Entrepreneur magazine's "Annual Franchise 500®" listing 17 times in the past 23 years, and was also ranked by the magazine as "America's Top Global Franchise" for 2009. For more information about the SUBWAY® chain, visit www.subway.com or www.subwayfreshbuzz.com. SUBWAY® is a registered trademark of Doctor's Associates Inc.

Tags: subway , america\'s favorite footlong , $5 footlong , footlong , subway fresh buzz , tony pace

Catalyst News

POWERADE® SLAM DUNKS A SEARCH FOR MOST CREATIVE HOOPSTER

Dunk Domination contest seeks America's most innovative dunker;

Winner to judge the 2010 POWERADE Jam Fest during McDonald's All American^® High School Basketball Games  

Whitestone, NY (February 3, 2010) - Athletes who can throw down a monstrous dunk with more than a little imagination are invited to showcase their skills by entering a video in the POWERADE Dunk Domination contest.  If their slam rises above the competition, they will join a celebrity judging panel at POWERADE Jam Fest on March 29 in Columbus, Ohio (broadcast at 7:30 pm EST).

Inventive athletes ages 13 and older are encouraged to submit a video of their most creative jam at www.poweradedunk.com.  With safety in mind, entrants are free to use props, costumes, lowered rims, etc---anything that will give their dunk that little something extra.  True to the brand's persona, POWERADE expects the entries to showcase innovation and power.  The judging will be done by a panel that includes POWERADE partner and pro star Chris Paul.  The contest is open until March 11.

The winner will serve as a member of the Jam Fest judging panel.  The POWERADE Jam Fest is a skills competition for the country's top high school basketball players competing in the McDonald's All American Games (March 31 at Columbus' Value City Arena).  Past Jam Fest slam dunk winners include Blake Griffin (2007), Candace Parker (2004), LeBron James (2003), Carmelo Anthony (2002), Baron Davis (1997) and Vince Carter (1995).

In addition to celebrating the average Joe's most awesome throwdown, POWERADE is honoring Jam Fest's top dunks of the decade by hosting a fan vote to determine the best of the 2000's.  Fans can mark their ballots at www.poweradedunk.com.

This is the second consecutive year that the brand is holding its Dunk Domination contest.  The inaugural program coincided with the launch of POWERADE's new formulation--POWERADE ION4^®. The evolutionary sports drink features an advanced electrolyte system that helps replenish four electrolytes lost in sweat - sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. 

For more information on how to enter, to review a complete set of rules, or to cast a vote for dunk of the decade, visit www.poweradedunk.com.  For POWERADE Jam Fest or McDonald's All American Games tickets, visit ticketmaster.com or call 1-800-745-3000. For additional information on the Games, visit mcdonaldsallamerican.com.  Proceeds from the 2010 Games will benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities^® of Central Ohio. 

About POWERADE

POWERADE, the complete sports drink, is part of the Active Lifestyle Brands (ALB) unit of Coca-Cola North America.  ALB consists of brands that offer tasty hydration for every occasion, including vitaminwater, smartwater®, POWERADE®, FUZE®, NOS® and Full Throttle®.  The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands.  For more information about POWERADE, visit www.us.powerade.com.

About McDonalds

McDonald's USA, LLC, is the leading foodservice provider in the United States serving a variety of wholesome foods made from quality ingredients to more than 26 million customers every day. Nearly 90 percent of McDonald's 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local business men and women. Customers can now log online at any of the 11,000 participating Wi-Fi enabled McDonald's U.S. restaurants. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter (@McDonalds) and Facebook (Facebook.com/McDonalds) for updates on our business, promotions and products.

Tags: powerade , poweradedunk.com , powerade dunk domination , powerade jam fest , jam fest , mcdonald’s all-american game , slam dunk , celebrity judging panel , chris paul , lebron james , carmelo anthony , blake griffin , baron davis , vince carter