Sharapova Featured in Canon Ads

Canon is backing its pro tennis/football ad campaigns,for its EOS Rebel and PowerShot cameras with grassroots efforts, contests and sweepstakes dangling everything from a collection of diamond-encrusted Canon Elph cameras to a trip for four to the next Super Bowl.

The new TV spot for Canon PowerShot, featuring tennis star Maria Sharapova and her dog Dolce, shows fans with Elph cameras approaching the player and asking to take a picture. Unfortunately, the picture they want (to her growing chagrin) is of her dog.

The ad had been slated to launch this spring. However, a senior marketing manager at the Lake Success, N.Y. company said the TV launch was postponed to time with the U.S. Open and a New York City event, "Canon Center Court."

The TV spot will break on the first day of the Aug. 25-Sept. 7 tournament and run for its duration on USA Network and CBS. And the tennis star will unveil five diamond-encrusted Canon PowerShot Elph cameras during an invitation-only event at "Canon Center Court" on Aug. 20 at South Street Seaport.

Source: MediaPost Publications