Marketing and all things related

We love pro tennis more than the next pundit. In fact, our son is treating us to the men’s finals for the ATP Masters Series Tournament this weekend. (Look for Marketing Blurb and Son during the television coverage.) But if we lived in Manhattan, we would be more likely to run into women’s pro star, Maria Sharapova, wandering the streets before the US Open. Maria is promoting the new line of Canon PowerShot digital cameras by passing out branded fans and subway maps with directions to reach the tournament in Queens. But do not get too excited, because according to Promo Magazine, Cannon is actually deploying 20 Maria Sharapova look-alikes to pitch the camera in Fun City. And yes, the campaign will include television spots, magazine inserts and mobile billboards with the real deal. “It gave us the opportunity to do something new and different,” says Cannon spokesperson Rick Booth. “Having Maria as a spokesperson allows us to cut through the clutter and noise around the U.S. Open. We’ve developed a 360-degree program that reaches consumers from a number of different angles.” We think Maria looks great from any angle, and we steer clear of her backhand. You can see Maria Sharpova on the Powershot.com website. Photo Credit: Canon