Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton may be a star on the football field, but he’s infamously prickly with the press. Now, a day after implying that it was “funny” that a female sports reporter might actually understand basic football terminology, Newton will no longer be in ads for the official yogurt of the NFL. [More]
endorsements
[UPDATE] Speedo, Ralph Lauren Ending Sponsorships Of Ryan Lochte After Scandal In Rio
By 8.22.16
UPDATE: Ralph Lauren has joined Speedo USA in announcing that it will no longer sponsor Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte. [More]
Company That Paid YouTube Users To Promote Xbox One Settles Charges Of Deceptive Advertising
By 9.2.15
When Microsoft teamed up with Machinima to launch a promotion that paid affiliated YouTubers for shilling for the Xbox One console in January 2014, we questioned whether any potential negative publicity and regulatory hassle would be worth it. Turns out, we were right to think the company would face scrutiny from federal regulators, as the Federal Trade Commission says it has cleared Microsoft of wrongdoing and settled charges that Machinima pushed videos of people endorsing the video game without disclosing they had been paid. [More]
Snoop Dogg Suing Pabst Brewing Co. For A Cut Of Its Profits From Selling Colt 45
By 6.9.15
Companies love it when celebrities sign on to endorse their products, but you better believe those famous faces want to protect their paycheck when push comes to shove. That’s why Snoop Dogg is taking Pabst Brewing Company to court over the sale of the beer company’s Colt 45 line, claiming he’s owed a portion of the proceeds from that sale. [More]
Nike Officially Dumps Adrian Peterson After Plea Agreement
By 11.7.14
After previously suspending its endorsement contract with Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson when he was accused of hitting his son, Nike has now officially dropped the NFL player after his plea agreement to a misdemeanor assault charge. [More]
The Important Legal Difference Between Being A Celebrity Endorser & Just A Famous Face In An Ad
By 11.3.14
Turn on your TV today and maybe you’ll see an iPhone ad with Jimmy Fallon followed by 30 seconds of Matthew McConaughey giving his personal philosophy on Lincoln automobiles. To many of us, it’s all part of the endless parade of familiar faces and voices being paid to sell us something, but there’s an important legal distinction between a celebrity who endorses a product they claim to believe in and one who is just picking up a paycheck to appear in an ad. [More]
Nike Doesn’t Want To Be Associated With Adrian Peterson Right Now
By 9.17.14
Even before Nike took over as the official supplier of NFL jerseys, one of the company’s highest-profile NFL endorsement deals was with Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. But now that the Pro Bowl back faces allegations of child abuse, Nike has decided it’s probably a good time for the two to take a break from each other. [More]
Report: Pro Athletes Are Mostly Shilling Junk Food To Kids
By 10.8.13
One of the perks of being a professional athlete is that you get paid the big bucks to endorse products, based on the premise that your fans will buy anything you put your name on. But one report says those lucrative endorsement deals are often tied to unhealthy foods marketed toward kids. [More]
Meet The Lactose Intolerant Dairy Princess
By 5.26.11
A potential Washington State Dairy Ambassador does not have the stomach for the product she endorses. Lucky for her, the rigid requirements for the position do not include lactose tolerance. [More]
Favre's Photography Endeavor Could Lose Him $100 Million In Endorsements
By 10.14.10
Over his storied career, Brett Favre has developed a reputation for inexplicable turnovers, but his off-field exploits could cause his biggest giveaway yet. Accusations that he sent lewd pictures and text messages to a whistle blower could make him cough up $100 million in potential endorsements over the rest of his life. [More]
Bruce Willis To Debut "Manliest Scent In The World" This Week
By 7.6.10
Have you been sitting in the hot tub, trying to enjoy your bottle of Whitesnake wine but felt that you were lacking a cologne to match your macho sexiness? Well, yippee-kay-yay mothertrucker… Bruce Willis has come to save the day with his new signature scent. [More]
Ellen Can't Open The Make-Up She Endorses
By 2.2.10
A viewer recently wrote to Ellen DeGeneres asking if she’d ever tried to open the Cover Girl Simply Ageless foundation that she endorses. The answer, it seems, is no. [More]
FTC Says Bloggers Can't Hide Endorsement Deals
By 10.5.09
For the first time since 1980, the FTC has updated its rules about endorsements and testimonials, and they’ve added blogging to the books. Now bloggers who don’t disclose that they’ve been somehow compensated—either with cash or with free services or products—can be fined up to $11,000.
