dirty
EOG Master
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td align="left" valign="top"> Updated Wednesday, February 28 at 11:59 PM
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>
Airport incident hasn't hurt Vick with corporate America
by The Associated Press
ATLANTA - Here's the real trick to Michael Vick's water bottle adventure: The Atlanta Falcons quarterback may be even a bigger hit with corporate America following his encounter with airport security in Miami.
Vick's attempt to bring a water bottle with a hidden compartment on the AirTran flight in January sparked initial concern from security screeners. A police report said the compartment contained a ``small amount of dark particulate'' and a pungent odor consistent with marijuana.
The incident sparked hot public discussion, locally and nationally. There seemed to be reason to question Vick's future in Atlanta, much less his status as a pitchman for Nike, Coca Cola's Powerade and other companies including AirTran.
Less than a week after the bottle was confiscated, Vick and the bottle were cleared when lab tests found no evidence of marijuana. For cutting-edge athletes such as Vick, any exposure is good exposure, even a potentially damaging incident with a happy ending.
In fact, Vick may be more desirable than ever.
``Strangely enough in our society today, when an event like this happens, he makes that crossover from sports to mainstream and now he's even more marketable than before, particularly since the charges were dropped,'' said Brooks Downing, president of Game Seven Sports Marketing, based in Lexington, Ky.
No matter what questions remain about the trick bottle, Falcons owner Arthur Blank stood up for his quarterback on Feb. 15 as ``a very fine person.''
Is any publicity good publicity?
``Right or wrong, that's the climate we live in,'' Downing said.
``You hear the term 'street cred.' That comes along with it for a demographic that is very marketable. It's very engaging for a lot of companies out there when you have someone who can reach a specific audience.''
Vick had ``cred'' with AirTran, appearing on billboards and radio spots in Atlanta, before the Orlando-based airline was faced with the awkward dilemma of having Vick spark suspicion for trying to bring the bottle onto one of its flights.
``At least he wasn't boarding a Delta plane,'' said Air Tran marketing director Tad Hutcheson with a laugh. ``I'm just glad he used the product he endorses.''
Hutcheson says Vick's ad campaign has been a hit.
``We're very pleased with Michael Vick's endorsements,'' Hutcheson said. ``He's done exactly what we've wanted, which is to sell airline tickets. A lot of people have bought airline tickets because of Michael Vick.''
Nike spokesman Brian Facchini says Vick's status as a pitchman for the company hasn't changed. Nike's ``Michael Vick Experience'' TV ad ends with the quarterback in the end zone saying ``That's not in the playbook, but it should be.''
Vick didn't have to say a word in one of his most memorable commercial appearances. In a spot for Powerade, Vick shows off his strong left arm by heaving a ball out of a stadium.
Coca-Cola spokesperson Susan McDermott said Vick's endorsement deal for Powerade ended long before the incident in Miami.
``It has nothing to do with what has been going on with him,'' McDermott said Wednesday. ``We just don't have a relationship with him. The NFL is not a focus for us.''
AirTran's Vick billboards in Atlanta seemed to immediately disappear after the Miami incident on Jan. 17. That was only a coincidence, according to Hutcheson, who says the company already planned to replace its football-based advertising following the end of the NFL's regular season on Dec. 31.
A Saturday Night Live skit mocked Vick for his water bottle escapade, but Hutcheson says Vick's appeal is nothing to laugh at.
``What's amazing to us is so many people respect him and follow him and it crosses all walks of life,'' Hutcheson said. ``It's young and old, women and men, white and black. People worship the ground he walks on, and if he says buy a ticket to AirTran, they do. We value the association, we just want it to be a good, clean healthy association and Michael Vick understands that.''
Vick's appeal is obvious at Falcons home games. His No. 7 jerseys are everywhere, worn by fans of all demographics.
The Falcons, who have suffered a mostly inglorious history, have never boasted a bigger star. Even as the team missed the playoffs each of the last two seasons, the Georgia Dome was sold out for every home game a rare event before Vick brought his electrifying runs to town.
``The 16-year-old knows the name but guess what, the mom who is buying the clothes also knows the name,'' Downing said. ``Globally, his marketability just increased.''
It's no wonder new Falcons coach Bobby Petrino put a quick end to speculation that Vick's status as the starter was in doubt, and Blank has affirmed the team's support for the quarterback.
``He is our quarterback,'' Blank said. ``We're proud of Michael. He's obviously a great player and he's a very fine person. The incident in Miami was unfortunate, but as we found out it was a water bottle. It might have been a trick water bottle, but it was a water bottle and it was filled with water and that's what it was filled with.''
Still, Vick has been put on alert to avoid negative publicity. He was called to the team's Flowery Branch headquarters for a private meeting following the Miami incident.
It wasn't Vick's first taste of negative publicity for something that has nothing to do with his passer ratings or rushing yards.
Last April, Vick settled a lawsuit filed by a woman who claimed the player knowingly gave her herpes. She also claimed that he used the alias ``Ron Mexico'' while seeking treatment for the sexually transmitted disease.
Vick was fined $20,000 last November after making obscene gestures to fans when walking off the field following a home loss. He apoligized the next day. For at least a few days, the incident overshadowed his path to becoming the first NFL quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards.
``We all do dumb things, but when you're a public figure like that you've got to remember people are watching you constantly,'' Hutcheson said.
Vick has made no public comment since the airport incident and could not be reached for comment.
Hutcheson said Vick's AirTran contract is up for renewal this summer.
``There have been some off-field activities that we are not pleased with,'' he said. ``When something happens off the field which does not portray the image we want then everyone is upset, including Michael Vick.
``We have been assured those off-field activities will not recur.''
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) </td> <!--END STORY//--> </tr> <tr> </tr><tr><td align="left">
?Copyright 2007 AccessNorthGa.com / WDUN News/Talk 550.
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.</td></tr></tbody></table>
AccessNorthGa.com - News Articles: North Georgia's Sporting News Weather and News
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>
Airport incident hasn't hurt Vick with corporate Americaby The Associated Press
ATLANTA - Here's the real trick to Michael Vick's water bottle adventure: The Atlanta Falcons quarterback may be even a bigger hit with corporate America following his encounter with airport security in Miami.
Vick's attempt to bring a water bottle with a hidden compartment on the AirTran flight in January sparked initial concern from security screeners. A police report said the compartment contained a ``small amount of dark particulate'' and a pungent odor consistent with marijuana.
The incident sparked hot public discussion, locally and nationally. There seemed to be reason to question Vick's future in Atlanta, much less his status as a pitchman for Nike, Coca Cola's Powerade and other companies including AirTran.
Less than a week after the bottle was confiscated, Vick and the bottle were cleared when lab tests found no evidence of marijuana. For cutting-edge athletes such as Vick, any exposure is good exposure, even a potentially damaging incident with a happy ending.
In fact, Vick may be more desirable than ever.
``Strangely enough in our society today, when an event like this happens, he makes that crossover from sports to mainstream and now he's even more marketable than before, particularly since the charges were dropped,'' said Brooks Downing, president of Game Seven Sports Marketing, based in Lexington, Ky.
No matter what questions remain about the trick bottle, Falcons owner Arthur Blank stood up for his quarterback on Feb. 15 as ``a very fine person.''
Is any publicity good publicity?
``Right or wrong, that's the climate we live in,'' Downing said.
``You hear the term 'street cred.' That comes along with it for a demographic that is very marketable. It's very engaging for a lot of companies out there when you have someone who can reach a specific audience.''
Vick had ``cred'' with AirTran, appearing on billboards and radio spots in Atlanta, before the Orlando-based airline was faced with the awkward dilemma of having Vick spark suspicion for trying to bring the bottle onto one of its flights.
``At least he wasn't boarding a Delta plane,'' said Air Tran marketing director Tad Hutcheson with a laugh. ``I'm just glad he used the product he endorses.''
Hutcheson says Vick's ad campaign has been a hit.
``We're very pleased with Michael Vick's endorsements,'' Hutcheson said. ``He's done exactly what we've wanted, which is to sell airline tickets. A lot of people have bought airline tickets because of Michael Vick.''
Nike spokesman Brian Facchini says Vick's status as a pitchman for the company hasn't changed. Nike's ``Michael Vick Experience'' TV ad ends with the quarterback in the end zone saying ``That's not in the playbook, but it should be.''
Vick didn't have to say a word in one of his most memorable commercial appearances. In a spot for Powerade, Vick shows off his strong left arm by heaving a ball out of a stadium.
Coca-Cola spokesperson Susan McDermott said Vick's endorsement deal for Powerade ended long before the incident in Miami.
``It has nothing to do with what has been going on with him,'' McDermott said Wednesday. ``We just don't have a relationship with him. The NFL is not a focus for us.''
AirTran's Vick billboards in Atlanta seemed to immediately disappear after the Miami incident on Jan. 17. That was only a coincidence, according to Hutcheson, who says the company already planned to replace its football-based advertising following the end of the NFL's regular season on Dec. 31.
A Saturday Night Live skit mocked Vick for his water bottle escapade, but Hutcheson says Vick's appeal is nothing to laugh at.
``What's amazing to us is so many people respect him and follow him and it crosses all walks of life,'' Hutcheson said. ``It's young and old, women and men, white and black. People worship the ground he walks on, and if he says buy a ticket to AirTran, they do. We value the association, we just want it to be a good, clean healthy association and Michael Vick understands that.''
Vick's appeal is obvious at Falcons home games. His No. 7 jerseys are everywhere, worn by fans of all demographics.
The Falcons, who have suffered a mostly inglorious history, have never boasted a bigger star. Even as the team missed the playoffs each of the last two seasons, the Georgia Dome was sold out for every home game a rare event before Vick brought his electrifying runs to town.
``The 16-year-old knows the name but guess what, the mom who is buying the clothes also knows the name,'' Downing said. ``Globally, his marketability just increased.''
It's no wonder new Falcons coach Bobby Petrino put a quick end to speculation that Vick's status as the starter was in doubt, and Blank has affirmed the team's support for the quarterback.
``He is our quarterback,'' Blank said. ``We're proud of Michael. He's obviously a great player and he's a very fine person. The incident in Miami was unfortunate, but as we found out it was a water bottle. It might have been a trick water bottle, but it was a water bottle and it was filled with water and that's what it was filled with.''
Still, Vick has been put on alert to avoid negative publicity. He was called to the team's Flowery Branch headquarters for a private meeting following the Miami incident.
It wasn't Vick's first taste of negative publicity for something that has nothing to do with his passer ratings or rushing yards.
Last April, Vick settled a lawsuit filed by a woman who claimed the player knowingly gave her herpes. She also claimed that he used the alias ``Ron Mexico'' while seeking treatment for the sexually transmitted disease.
Vick was fined $20,000 last November after making obscene gestures to fans when walking off the field following a home loss. He apoligized the next day. For at least a few days, the incident overshadowed his path to becoming the first NFL quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards.
``We all do dumb things, but when you're a public figure like that you've got to remember people are watching you constantly,'' Hutcheson said.
Vick has made no public comment since the airport incident and could not be reached for comment.
Hutcheson said Vick's AirTran contract is up for renewal this summer.
``There have been some off-field activities that we are not pleased with,'' he said. ``When something happens off the field which does not portray the image we want then everyone is upset, including Michael Vick.
``We have been assured those off-field activities will not recur.''
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) </td> <!--END STORY//--> </tr> <tr> </tr><tr><td align="left">
?Copyright 2007 AccessNorthGa.com / WDUN News/Talk 550.
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.</td></tr></tbody></table>
AccessNorthGa.com - News Articles: North Georgia's Sporting News Weather and News