Nate DeMercurio Portfolio

Nearly a week after the start of the Tour de France, US viewers will begin tiring of the same advertisements playing repeatedly through NBC Sports Network's 4-hour daily coverage of the world's most famous bike race. Too bad there are still two weeks left. Regardless, there are a number of new commercials that debuted during the opening week. Let's take a look at a few: Cannondale SuperSIX EVO . The ad speaks to the technology and performance of the specific model and features riders from Team Liquigas-Cannondale (who have had tremendous early success with Peter Sagan). Road ID . Playing off the humorous and quirky Bob Roll commercials from a year ago where he couldn't find anyone to ride with, Bobke is back and trying desperately to meet up with professional cyclists and triathlete to go for a ride. Honestly, the ads are corny, but after an eye roll, they get the point across that even when heading out alone, the Road ID should be along for the ride. This is one of man...

Photo: Edward Reed/NYC Mayor's Office Citi recently announced a $41 Million partnership with New York City's bike share program, to be called " Citi Bike ," as well as a campaign to activate their sponsorship of the US Olympic and Paralympic Team called " Every Step of the Way ." They are promoting both through Facebook ( Citi Bike , Citi Every Step ) and Twitter ( @CitiBikeNYC , @CitiEveryStep ), and have released viral videos and advertising spots for Every Step, including featuring Team USA marathon runner Meb Keflezighi: Another Every Step viral video features Team USA triathlete Gwen Jorgensen: It will be interesting to keep an eye on Citi and their increased investment in the active lifestyle space as a supplement to other sports marketing initiatives.

It seems one brand, or non-brand, has recently stepped up marketing efforts in the endurance space. With support from fitness magazines and studies claiming chocolate milk is one of the best options for post-workout nutrition, the "Refuel | got chocolate milk?" campaign is playing out through the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) website, TV ads and viral videos, print ads and event sponsorships. Chocolate milk is now the "Official Refuel Beverage" of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series, Ironman, Lifetime Run, USA Swimming, and the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF). The well-integrated campaign leverages these partnerships on-site at the events by offering athletes the opportunity to be selected for a sponsorship through public voting. Athletes can record videos at the events, or wherever they choose, which are uploaded and voted on the following month by the general public. Those who are selected for Team REFUEL win $500, branded training gear, an...

Adidas has come out with a new star-studded ad campaign for the ClimaCool Seduction running shoe. In an article posted on  Sports One Source , an Adidas executive points out the emphasis on breathability and ventilation to keep runners cool and comfortable during the hot summer months. The shoe will hit retailers in April, but is currently available online in 10 different color choices at a $100 price point. Adidas may be seeking to compete with the  Nike Fly Knit  shoe with innovative sock-like knitted upper to decrease weight and increase comfort, however it will be priced at $150. As mentioned in Business Week's Nike Fly Knit article , lightweight shoes have seen a tremendous upswing, accounting for all of the U.S. running shoe growth last year and comprised 30% of the $6.5 billion market. On the Adidas advertisement itself, it seems more of a brand ad than a shoe ad, playing on the different situations and reasons why people run. There are plenty of shoe sh...

Images: WTC, Daniel Norton On the surface, Lance Armstrong officially returning to competitive endurance sports via Ironman triathlon is intriguing and newsworthy. The impact he could potentially have on the sport, however, may go infinitely deeper with far-reaching implications. Ironman 70.3 Panama today was the first of the series to welcome Lance and his entourage (3,279,274 Twitter followers at the time this post was written) to this type of competition. How many of his followers knew about Ironman? How many knew about the 70.3 series? How many people knew there was a race this weekend in Panama? What is currently known is Lance plans to race four 70.3 races and Ironman France in attempt to qualify for Kona. Not yet known are the answers to the many questions arising from his move back to triathlon, including: What will be the media impact on the sport? Judging by the reported circus around 70.3 Panama, and the immense amount of social media conversation since the announcement, it...

Major races have major sponsors that contribute millions to their bottom lines. In turn, the sponsors determine how to best leverage that sponsorship to make it worth the value of the fee. Below are two recent examples of major sponsors promoting their association with races in new ways: Honda signed a 3-year deal to become the title sponsor of the LA Marathon in February, 2010 , the first time the race has ever allowed a partner of that level. This year Honda integrated the accomplishment of running a marathon and their rights to race marks into a national "Leap List" campaign; although seen only briefly, the marks are visible on the athlete's medal lanyard and race bib. John Hancock took a step forward in the digital activation around their partnership with the Boston Marathon. It's doubtful the BAA will ever allow a title sponsor, but you can't get much closer to one than 26-year partner John Hancock, who for years has activated with volunteer support, offi...