NYSportsJournalism.com
With a roster of endorsers that already includes Stephen Curry, Tom Brady, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Misty Copeland, sports apparel and footwear company Under Armour has added a new star to its program, Dwayne Johnson, better known as "The Rock," a WWE superstar and actor. The actor said, in a statement that the alliance was "years in the making."
Detroit Bureau
A Nissan concept car that the automaker is showing at the Tokyo auto show this week might be more at home in an Apple Store than a dealership. The oddly named Nissan Teatro for Dayz concept is aimed primarily at a young generation that is ambivalent, at best, about owning a car. It is a "multimedia device designed for share natives," suggested Carlos Ghosn, the Japanese maker's CEO.
Nation's Restaurant News
Subway will give away sandwiches next week as part of a major media campaign to mark National Sandwich Day. The Milford, Conn.-based sandwich giant will offer a buy-one-get-one deal on Nov. 3. Customers who buy a six-inch or a Footlong sub, plus a 30-ounce drink, will receive a sandwich of equal or lesser value for free. The company introduced the promotion with an ad that began airing during primetime television Thursday evening.
Nation's Restaurant News
Subway will give away sandwiches next week as part of a major media campaign to mark National Sandwich Day. The Milford, Conn.-based sandwich giant will offer a buy-one-get-one deal on Nov. 3. Customers who buy a six-inch or a Footlong sub, plus a 30-ounce drink, will receive a sandwich of equal or lesser value for free. The company introduced the promotion with an ad that began airing during primetime television Thursday evening.
Pro Publica
Uber has gotten friction for the higher "surge" prices it charges at peak times. The company says that pricing means a customer benefit, since there are more drivers on the road. But computer scientists from Northeastern University have found that higher prices don't necessarily result in more drivers.
Business Insider
Buffalo Wild Wings blames a rough third quarter on the NFL schedule. The QSR has reported $455.5 million in sales in Q3, less than the $466.8 million expected by analysts. Management cited food and labor, but also a fall sports calendar that opened a week later than last year's. "If you looked at September as a month, there were six days in which we didn't have college or pro football," said Buffalo Wild Wings COO James M. Schmidt.
Burger Business
The Burger Bar by Wegmans is emblematic of who is now challenging QSR's. The Burger Bar serves an array of exotic and traditional burgers at kiosk within a few Wegmans supermarkets in New York and Maryland. Such foodservice operations don't just compete with traditional QSR outlets, they have surpassed them in consumer preference, according to data from The NPD Group. The variety and quality of convenience foods available now at retail outlets have improved, and traditional QSR concepts are in peril.
Fortune
J.C. Penney has brought back its in-house brands, improved its e-commerce, and fixed up its stores. Penney CEO Marvin Ellison, who took the reins in August, says JCP has moved past the phase of "patching holes" and is now in rebuilding mode. One area is big data Penney has from its giant customer base, but isn't using, per Ellison. Such data can build forecasting, personaliz offers based on a shopper's specific buying patterns, and better negotiate prices with vendors.
Advertising Age
American Airlines has named MDC Partners' CP&B and WPP's MediaCom its new global agencies after a review. The account had been with Interpublic's McCann Worldgroup and TM for more than two decades. McCann had subsidiary Martin Agency pitch the creative business. American had narrowed down its finalists to Martin Agency with UM handling media; Energy BBDO with PHD, BBH with Optimedia, and CP&B with MediaCom. The process was overseen by AAR.
Automotive News
Ford Motor Co. plans to start running one of its biggest sales promotions since the recession next week, offering most vehicles at no-haggle prices within about $200 of dealer invoice for the rest of the year. The "Friends & Neighbors Pricing Event" runs Nov. 3 through Jan. 4, according to a 20-page guide distributed to dealers. Automotive News obtained a copy of the guide, which is marked confidential, from a source outside Ford's dealer network and confirmed it to be authentic.