• Brandweek, Thursday, February 2, 2006 11:45 AM

Advertisers are stepping up to the plate in an effort to help New Orleans recover from Hurricane Katrina by sponsoring the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. So far, the annual festival of jazz, blues, gospel, and zydeco has deals with major national marketers including American Express, Acura, Miller Lite, and Southern Comfort. Local sponsors include New Orleans-style food products maker Zatarain's, Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, health insurance provider Tenet Choices, and eye-care company St. Charles Vision. Shell Oil has taken on duties as the official presenting sponsor of the festival, which will be held April 28-30 and May 5-7. "In light of the great financial challenges of presenting the 2006 Festival on the grand scale everyone is accustomed to, we simply could not have produced Jazz Fest without unprecedented corporate support from Shell, who become the Festival's first-ever presenting sponsor," said Quint Davis, Jazz Fest producer/director. American Express will undertake a series of initiatives to promote New Orleans culture and stimulate economic recovery.

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