Super Bowl & Football

While snacks, beer, and soft drinks score biggest for Super Bowl, retailers can gain yardage with many nontraditional products, too.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. -- Supervalu retailer Cub Foods' East Region, based here, here achieved impressive sales growth via a multitude of in-store sampling events conducted between November 2004 and April 2005, in conjunction with sampling services firm Mass Connections.

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Publix Supermarkets in South Florida here will exclusively carry a three-part series of collectible Comic Books sponsored by Gatorade and created in a partnership between Ultimate Sports Entertainment, Inc. and the NBA's Miami HEAT team.

SAN ANTONIO -- Roger Clemens, the Houston Texans cheerleaders, and two members of the San Antonio Spurs are among the many colorful Texas icons joining Charles Butt, chairman and c.e.o. of H-E-B Grocery Co., in a new television commercial that promotes the grocery chain's Centennial Celebration.

Irvine, Calif. -- As consumer demand for avocados soars to an all-time high, so too, does the demand for more retail merchandising support. In repsonse, the California Avocado Commission (CAC) has expanded its retail merchandising force through agreements with David M. Anderson, Texas; Sheila Carden, Mid-Atlantic/Southeast; and Cece Krumrine, Northeast.

COLTON, Calif. -- A letter of intent has been entered into by Stater Bros. and its partners, Pepsi, Frito-Lay, Gatorade, and Tropicana, to sponsor the Stater Bros. 300 NASCAR Busch Series race at California Speedway in Fontana, Calif. on Saturday, Feb. 26. The sponsorship agreement will run through 2009.

MILWAUKEE - Miller Brewing Co. will host off-premise promotions starting in January for its Miller, Miller Lite, and Fosters brands.

An extra week of Super Bowl merchandising gives retailers the chance to score extra sales.