BRANDedTRAY & Kraft Foods Partner to Offer NCAA Fans a "Brand Experience"

Greenwich, CT (PRWEB) March 15, 2010

BRANDed, LLC, a sponsored food tray producer, is partnering with the WHEAT THINS brand to produce the first campaign of its kind for NCAA? March Madness?.

During this month?s NCAA March Madness, Kraft Foods? Wheat Thins brand has teamed up with sponsored in-venue food and beverage tray producers, BRANDedTRAY?, to provide fans with more than exposure to out-of-home advertising, by offering fans a "brand experience."

According to a recent consumer research study conducted by Sponsorship Research International (SRi), BRANDedTRAY has demonstrated a more than 15% greater net awareness than in-stadium signage, and almost 40% greater awareness than in-game promotions. ?Our product works,?? reports BRANDed TRAY Senior Vice President, Tom Flynn. ??more than 80% of fans recall our trays and the messages on them. You just can?t say that about other in-venue media.?

BRANDedTRAY?s will be featured in 18 NCAA March Madness Men?s and Women?s basketball venues with a combined attendance estimated at 1.7 million.

?We?ve run sample campaigns before,?? says Kraft Foods Brand Marketing Director, Michael Tilley, ??but with BRANDed TRAY?s help, we?re thrilled with this opportunity to delight people with Wheat Thins in a new and unexpected place. And, it reinforces our effort to showcase Wheat Thins as a delicious snack with toasted whole grain crunch.?

?We?re putting brands in their hands?,? explains Thomas Piccolo, VP of BRANDed, ??and in this case, a tasty one, at that.?

Learn more about BRANDedTRAY online, and get their media kit on their NEWS + PRESS page.

About BRANDedTRAY

BRANDedTRAY produces high-quality sponsored food and beverage trays provided free during concession stand purchases at sports and entertainment events in participating stadia, arenas and race tracks. BRANDedTRAY is currently the approved tray of MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, NCAA and NASCAR.

Get more information about BRANDEedTRAY and their pioneering text-to-win, couponing and 2D barcode promotions by downloading BRANDedTRAY?s media kit at: brandedtray.com/media/ and/or fan BRANDed on Facebook.

About Kraft Foods

The combination of Kraft Foods and Cadbury creates a global powerhouse in snacks, confectionery and quick meals. With annual revenues of approximately $ 50 billion, the combined company is the world?s second largest food company, making delicious products for billions of consumers in more than 160 countries. The combined company's portfolio includes 11 iconic brands with revenues exceeding $ 1 billion ? Oreo, Nabisco and LU biscuits; Milka and Cadbury chocolates; Trident gums; Jacobs and Maxwell House coffees; Philadelphia cream cheeses; Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings; and Oscar Mayer meats. Another 70+ brands generate annual revenues of more than $ 100 million. Kraft Foods (http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com; NYSE: KFT) is a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard & Poor's 500, Dow Jones Sustainability Index and Ethibel Sustainability Index.

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New Hockey Website Hopes to Score with Fans and Pro Teams

(Vocus) October 6, 2010

PowerScout Sports Inc. is pleased to announce that PowerScoutHockey.com will go live at 12pm EST on October 7th, 2010. The founders are hoping to score with hockey fans who will experience a site that will revolutionize hockey this season and beyond, all at no charge and with no obligations or advertisements.

"After three decades of research and two years of web development, we believe that this site will be a game-changer in how hockey fans and professionals follow their favourite NHL teams and players," says President Terry Appleby who developed the PowerScout system of statistics.

He claims that what truly makes PowerScout stand apart is its innovative real-time game charts that measure "Team Intensity" and "Goaltender Performance." The site will also launch with 23 widgets that will track themes like "Best Special Teams", "Hardest Working Teams" and "Best Line-Ups."

The visionary behind the much-anticipated website is Marc Appleby, co-founder and VP of Marketing who explains: "We tried to combine the functionality of Google, the sharing of Facebook, the personalization of MySpace, and the real-time stats of NHL.com with our exclusive PowerScout tools to create the ultimate web experience for every hockey fan."

The following video provides a preview of the site's innovative widget-based drag & drop design:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PNOw9LEbpc

There are widgets for every fan like "Best Games to Watch" for NHL Center Ice subscribers, "All-Time Greats" for historians, "Streaks & Trends" for fantasy/pool junkies, "Team Effort" for journalists, and "Team Success Factors" that even the most demanding NHL general managers will appreciate.

Members will benefit from:

????Getting scores faster and easier than any other sites
????Enjoying live games more than ever using PowerScout's real-time Intensity and Goalie charts
????Customizing their home page to track only the hockey themes they want
????Following their favourite NHL team with unprecedented details
????Knowing who are the best players/teams with easy-to-interpret graphs and dashboards
????Evaluating players, trades and draft picks with more accuracy than ever before
????Making better predictions of player talent and team performance

At the core of PowerScoutHockey.com is the introduction of three revolutionary stats: PS, MAX, and INT, that Terry and Marc believe will help fans understand why good teams are winning hockey games in a simple, accurate and reliable way.

PS stands for 'Point Shares' and measures directly what share of a team's points were earned in the standings by that player alone.

MAX stands for 'Maximum Point Shares' and measures a player's point shares if he played the maximum amount of time allowed (i.e., 60 minutes a game). This provides an easy way to compare players regardless of position or role.

INT stands for 'Team Intensity' and measures in real-time how hard a team is working, making it easy to chart and record every game's momentum changes.

"Currently, 99% of fans use goals and assists to evaluate players," says Terry. "In my research, I found that goals and assists aren't equal as the scoring race suggests and they don't account for the 'little things' a player does offensively and defensively to help his team win. We combine 18 different player statistics into a single stat called MAX and update it every day."

The PowerScout system is based on analyzing over 14,000 games, 12,000 skaters and 28,000 goaltending performances since 1997. Terry has done extensive research into all aspects of hockey through which he also proved the following:

1.????Different skills are important at different positions;

2.????Not every position has the same importance to winning; and,

3.????Every player statistic can be expressed in terms of team wins.

Through Terry's work, the PowerScout system answers some of hockey's toughest questions such as:

Who are the best hockey players of all-time?
How hard is my team playing?
How much should that player be paid?
Who are the true MVP's?
What's the impact of injured players?

The website also promises to provide cutting-edge tools like their "TradeMaker" which will evaluate trades involving up to 8 players on six criteria: MAX, PS, team speed, team toughness, team defence, and salary.

"Never before has it been easier to evaluate a trade and assess its impacts on both teams," explains Terry. "This is more than a fantasy tool, it is designed with professional teams in mind as a valuable way to assess the true cost/benefit of every trade they are considering."

Most of the content being launched on October 7th is free for all users, forever. An additional nine widgets are scheduled for release in November and December and will be free until January 2011.

To register now, readers can go to http://www.powerscouthockey.com.

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Critics Berate NHL?s New Voting Rule for the All-Star Game as Fans Make a Mockery of the System by Starting an Online Campaign for Sean Avery

Carlsbad, CA (Vocus/PRWEB) December 23, 2010

BusinessInsider.com reports that the current player standings according to the votes cast by fans for the NHL All-Star game in Raleigh next year rank infamous Forward Sean Avery above many players who are statistically better than him. Commentators on ESPN.com and SportingNews.com have also come out against the voting trends that are now in play due to the NHL applying a new voting system to choose players for the All-Star game. This is all in lieu of an online campaign that was started by fans of Sean Avery at NYRangersBlog.com who marketed and advertised for Sean Avery using the power of social media. This led to a national ?Vote for Sean Avery? day which ended up in thousands of people voting for the underperforming player.

Sean Avery has only scored one goal and three points this season and has ended up ahead of better performing stars like Eric Staal, Nicklas Backstrom, Alex Semin, Jeff Carter, Marian Gaborik and Martin St. Louis. Avery is well known for his infamous antics on and off the field that have led to him and other players being suspended in the past. The online campaign to vote for Avery is not the first of its kind as many such online rallies have been started in the past with fans planning to vote for an unlikely player who wouldn?t make it to the All-Star game any other way.

The new system in place by the NHL allows for the fans to vote for the starting six players of the NHL All-Star game at the RBC Center in North Carolina. This includes 3 forwards, 2 defensemen and 1 goaltender. The players to get the highest votes in their category are then joined by 36 players picked by the NHL. These 42 players then go on to pick two captains who will pick their teams in a fantasy-style draft on January 28, 2011.

The game is to be played on January 30, 2011 and fans are understandably excited to be a part of this annual extravaganza. Speaking for the secondary ticket retailer TicketLuck.com, Anastasia Lyman commented, ?NHL tickets are always a big seller for us. The fact that fans get to pick who plays makes it a more exciting prospect for them.? On how the venue affects the sales, Lyman added, ?Raleigh is making sure the event is as sellable as possible. With their ?NHL All-Star Wide Open? week taking place and bands like Three Doors Down performing there, the NHL All-Star Tickets are practically selling themselves.?

While the fans? involvement might be good news for ticket retailers, many believe it is against the idea that only the best players get to play in an All-Stars game. The jury is still out as the voting continues; only time will tell if the end-result is a fair one for both the players and the fans of the National Hockey League.

About the NHL All-Stars Game

The NHL All-Stars Game is an annual exhibition match played between two teams usually consisting of the top players from both conferences of the National Hockey League. The game takes place mid-season and is hosted by a different city every year.

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Lil' Teammates Fill Toy Void for Young Sports Fans

Avon, OH (PRWEB) February 1, 2011

Millions of sports fans across the country can?t wait for the day when they can share their enthusiasm with their young son or daughter. For many, Party Animal Toys has brought that day closer with their line of collectible sports toys. Lil? Teammates are 3-inch vinyl figures available in various positions for the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and over 50 colleges. Their small size and slightly exaggerated features, which manage to come across as both tough and cute at the same time, help attract their target market, namely 4 to 11 year olds.

?We?ve been making licensed sports products for over 20 years,? says Jim Cantrall, president and owner of The Party Animal, Inc., ?but one day I realized there just isn?t much out there for little kids, especially when it comes to sports fan toys or action figures.? That void led to the company?s creation of Lil? Teammates, which debuted in February of 2010 to critical and commercial success.

?We ended up selling almost 40% over our initial sales forecast for last year,? says Cantrall. ?That often left us scrambling to keep up with demand.? The company quickly found that it wasn?t only kids the Lil? Teammates appealed to. ?During the Christmas season we heard from a lot of moms who told us these made perfect stocking stuffers, and dads love their team authenticity and detail.? In a short time, the Lil' Teammates toy line has become a winner with sports fans of all ages. ?The figures and concepts are right on,? says Tony Lott, a 51-year-old collector. ?(Party Animal Toys) has hit on a quality figurine with great detail that most companies have failed. They?re the perfect size!?

Even though their appeal stretches beyond their target market, Lil? Teammates stand alone as sports toys geared toward the kindergarten set. While there are a few examples of collectible sports figures, such as McFarlane?s Sports Picks, none attract the attention of younger children the way Lil? Teammates do. ?It?s great if some people just like collecting them,? says Cantrall. ?But what makes these toys unique as sports collectibles is their playability. These are durable figures with moveable parts that are meant to be knocked around and played with. That?s what kids love about them. They don?t have to be just stuck on a shelf.?

Series 1 of the toy line, currently available nationwide in team shops, retail stores and online, is comprised of seven different figure molds, including a quarterback, baseball pitcher and hockey goalie. With all the different teams available, the series actually totals over 200 figures in all, but it doesn?t end there. Along with the recently-introduced Lil? Teammates Throwbacks, and a limited edition figure called ?The Ref,? the toy line will further expand this spring with the release of its second series.

Lil? Teammates Series 2 will feature several new figures including a football lineman, baseball catcher, and basketball defender. Each figure will also feature more articulation to enhance their posing ability and playability. In conjunction with the toys, http://www.lilteammates.com was created as a place where kids and fans can go to register their figures, play games, win free prizes and learn more about their favorite teams. Visit that site for more information on Lil' Teammates.

ABOUT THE PARTY ANIMAL

The Party Animal,Inc., of Avon, OH, is a leading manufacturer of quality flags, banners, collectible toys and other fan product for the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League and over 70 colleges and universities. Founded in 1989 by James Cantrall, The Party Animal has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a manufacturer of wedding and party signs. The company is now a licensing industry leader with over 1500 unique products that prides itself on having ?the best customer service in the business.?

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San Jose Sharks Fans Feeding Frenzy at Bay Area Sports Apparel Shop, Winners

Santa Clara, CA (Vocus/PRWEB) May 07, 2011

Winners, the Peninsula and South Bay?s premier sports apparel retailer, is selling its Sharks gear fast, and looking forward to having San Jose become Hockey Town USA. In the event of a win, Winners will carry commemorative Championship items like San Jose Sharks T-shirts, hats, jackets, and hoodies to help fans all over the Bay Area celebrate their victory. In the mean time though, fans can go to either of Winners? stores in Santa Clara or San Mateo to show support while watching the Sharks from the couch, or cheering in the stands.

?With the way the Sharks have been playing so far in the playoffs, it?s looking good that they will be moving on,? said John Murphy of Winners. ?It would be great to see them get a first time win in their 20th anniversary and if they do, Winners will have all the gear to help celebrate it.?

Winners is also still celebrating the 2010 World Series Giants with championship gear so fans can support the defending champs in their current season.

For more information about Shark?s gear or any of Winner?s products, call them at (408) 244-1184, or come to their store located at 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd Suite 2503 in Santa Clara, or for Winners San Mateo store call (650) 571-7862 or visit 378 Hillsdale Mall. Visit them on the web at local.sfgate.com/162431/.

About Winners

Winners is a Santa Clara and San Mateo sports apparel retailer that specializes in authentic NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and college gear. They carry an extensive line for every Bay Area team, including the San Francisco Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Athletics, Oakland Raiders, Golden State Warriors and San Jose Sharks. They also carry a wide selection of Stanford and Cal sports apparel.

In addition to Bay Area teams, Winners carries a wide selection of authentic gear from teams around the country, as well as authentic memorabilia from the glory days of years past.

Winners operates two locations: 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd Suite 2503 in Santa Clara and 378 Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo.

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Voting Begins for maurices ?Small Town Sound? Nationwide Band Search -- Fans Can Help Select the Top 50 Female-Fronted Bands

Duluth, MN (PRWEB) October 29, 2010

maurices, the leading small town specialty store and fashion authority, today announced that voting has opened for its nationwide ?Small Town Sound? band search in partnership with PlayNetwork and Sonicbids. The ?Small Town Sound? program was created as an extension of last year?s ?Small Town Charm? campaign, a cross-country photo shoot which garnered immense support from local communities. The goal of Small Town Sound is not only to discover the hottest up-and-coming band in the country, but to continue building strong connections within maurices communities.

From now through November 15, fans can visit http://www.maurices.com and click on ?Small Town Sound? to cast their votes. The site features band profiles and audio tracks, and the first round of voting by fans will narrow the field to the top 50 musical ensembles.

More than 525 eligible female-fronted bands have entered the contest in hopes of becoming the next hot musical act in the country. From these 50 bands, a group of panelists including The Bangles, Chrissie Hynde and indie rock group Sick of Sarah will narrow it to 10 finalists who will then have two weeks to create an original song based on the ?Small Town Sound? theme. On December 1, voting will reopen on the site and consumers will vote a final time on the best original song to determine the grand prizewinner and the two runners up.

?We?re blown away by the number of female-fronted band submissions received for ?Small Town Sound,?? said Lisa Bartlett, maurices Associate Vice President. ?We were looking for a way to connect with our small town communities and inspire women to take a chance on their dreams. The enthusiasm from artists has been fantastic and now the fans get to vote and support their hometown favorites.?

The grand prize-winning band will perform live at their local maurices and receive a trip to Los Angeles to shoot a music video and record their winning song at the PlayNetwork production studio. They?ll also receive gifts from maurices and Daisy Rock Guitars as well as the opportunity to perform at a major national music festival this spring in a showcase with The Bangles and Sick of Sarah. Visit maurices.com for more information.

All fans who vote will receive a maurices coupon and will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of 13 maurices shopping sprees valued between $ 100 and $ 1,000. Winners will be drawn and notified on January 5, 2011.

About maurices

Established in 1931, maurices is wholly owned by dressbarn inc. maurices is the leading small town specialty store and authority for the savvy, fashion-conscious girl with a twenty-something attitude. Today, maurices operates over 750 stores in 44 states. maurices stands for fashion, quality, value and customer service. Offering sizes 1-24, styles are inspired by the girl in everyone, in every size. For store information and to shop online visit maurices.com

About PlayNetwork

PlayNetwork, Inc. specializes in the creation and distribution of entertainment media that connects the voice of the brand to the consumer across all touch points ? in-store, online and on-device. Founded in 1996, PlayNetwork is the industry?s leading integrated media provider for branded music, messaging, video, entertainment promotions and event media, systems integration services, retail advertising networks, and commercial XM Satellite Radio subscriptions. The company creates high-impact media experiences that drive consumer behavior and affinity, in-store and beyond. Working with many of today?s hottest brands in retail, hospitality, health and fitness, banking, and other business environments, PlayNetwork leads the way in creating media experiences that influence and inspire, making your brand relevant and engaging for the consumer. More information is available at http://www.playnetwork.com or http://www.xm4biz.com.

About Sonicbids

Sonicbids is the website the helps bands get gigs and promoters book the right bands. Our community includes more than 275,000 bands and 21,000 promoters and licensors from all around the world. With festivals, clubs, colleges, music licensing and much more, Sonicbids offers a diverse range of gigs for every kind of musician. In fact, last year alone, more than 71,000 gigs were booked on the site. The company was founded in 2001 by Panos Panay and continues to focus on its core mission of empowering the artistic middle class. Get a gig or book a band at http://www.sonicbids.com.

Media Contacts

Jamie Hector

GolinHarris on behalf of maurices

jhector(at)golinharris(dot)com

212-373-6018

Victoria Yarnish

Bender/Helper Impact on behalf of PlayNetwork

victoria_yarnish(at)bhimpact(dot)com

310-694-3132

Nikki Festa

Sonicbids

press(at)sonicbids(dot)com

617-502-1349

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