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Dateline: Irvine, Calif.

TACO BELL COOKIN' WITH BCS, INKS 4-YEAR CATEGORY DEAL Taco Bell last week signed a four-year sponsorship pact through 2010 with Fox Sports making Taco Bell the "official quick service restaurant" of collegiate football's Bowl Championship Series telecasts on Fox. Taco Bell gets QSR rights to use the marks of the Fiesta, Allstate Sugar and Orange bowls, and the first BCS national championship game, Jan. 8, 2007, at the new Cardinals Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Taco Bell will advertise during Fox's BCS games and has rights to create BCS promotions with the net.

Dateline: New York

The City of New York, which has cut marketing deals with Snapple, the History Channel and others, plans to send out requests for proposals this week for an official ground delivery services provider. The winner, likely to be drawn from one of the three global package delivery firms--FedEx, UPS and DHL--will be known as the "Official Express and Ground Delivery Services Provider for the City of New York."

Dateline: Salt Lake City

A Federal District Court last week refused to modify the terms of a jury verdict vs. Nautilus issued last November. The jury found Nautilus liable for certain language in company ads and promotions that began in 1987 and ceased in 2004. The case involved the manner in which Nautilus described its Bowflex home gyms. The jury found for Icon Health & Fitness in the amount of $7.8 million and the court subsequently added another $325,000 to this amount. By an order dated April 3, the Court refused to modify the amount of the jury verdict. Nautilus intends to appeal.

Dateline: San Francisco

Dockers this week breaks a 30-second TV spot, via FCB, San Francisco, dubbed "Spin the Bottle." The ad will air on network and cable, including NBA programming and late-night. The humorous spot, featuring a man and woman--strangers--at a cafe, continues the theme of Dockers-clad couples enjoying life in San Francisco. Print also supports.

Cendant last week completed its purchase of the Baymont Inn & Suites system of 115 franchised units. The deal provides global rights but no real estate … FOR THE RECORD: The U.S. Web site for Chevy Tahoe in "Top of Mind" (page 20) should be www.tahoeapprentice.com.

Dateline: New York

Kristian Alfonso ("Hope Brady") and Peter Reckell ("Bo Brady"), stars of the NBC daytime TV drama Days of Our Lives, will represent Avon's Blue Rush for men and women in a new ad campaign and catalog breaking in July. Creative, handled in-house, will show the two stars in a passionate embrace surrounded by a powerful rush of ocean waves. Print ads will run in People magazine while the catalog effort lasts two years. Blue Rush is currently available for men; the women's version launches in July. Avon markets to women globally through a network of more than five million independent sales reps.

Dateline: New York

Beginning in fall 2007, Macy's--a unit of Federated Dept. Stores--will carry an all-new exclusive line of Martha Stewart Collection home merchandise. Products include bed and bath, housewares, casual dinnerware, flatware, glassware, cookware and holiday items. Martha Stewart Everyday, the domestic diva's home products line for Kmart, continues through 2009.

American Media's Celebrity Living, the year-old lifestyle spinoff of Star magazine, is ceasing publication. Editor Kelli Delaney will leave the company. Michelle Myers, vp/ group publisher, will remain at Star. AMI is also folding Shape en Español and automotive title MPH, and moving the National Enquirer offices back to Boca Raton, Fla., after 14 months in New York … PERSONNEL: TV and e-commerce retailer QVC, West Chester, Pa., named Jeff Charney svp-marketing/CMO. He was at consultancy Fringe Ventures, which he founded … ESPN ABC Sports, New York, is reorganizing its marketing and sales divisions, with sales responsibilities for ESPN Radio, ESPN International, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Regional Television folded into the company's ad portfolio. Michael Rooney, promoted from svp to evp, will lead the multimedia sales team. Sean Hanrahan, svp-marketing and promotions, will now oversee the new integrated sales, marketing and promotions team. Ed Erhardt remains as president of ESPN ABC Sports customer marketing and sales, reporting to Sean Bratches, ESPN evp-sales and marketing.

Dateline: Torrance, Calif.

American Honda is preparing to launch a spring campaign April 20, via RPA, Santa Monica, Calif., tagged "The Fit is go!" to back the U.S. introduction of its Fit subcompact. A series of "quick and fun" TV spots will initially trumpet the car's arrival, said Honda svp John Mendel. Radio, print and outdoor also support. Mendel said Honda's "non-traditional approach" in the creative will appeal to both first-time car buyers and empty-nesters looking for something more youthful and practical. Some Fit print ads will be surrounded by Day-Glo yellow and green concentric circles, making the work appear to radiate. Sources pegged spending at $50 million-plus. The Fit will compete in the U.S. against Chevrolet's Aveo, the sales volume leader and least expensive entry in the subcompact category, plus Toyota's Yaris and Nissan's Versa.

Dateline: Dulles, Va.

Much like Kentucky Fried Chicken became KFC in the 1990s, America Online is permanently dropping down to a three-letter ID. The Time Warner-owned Web brand now simply will be known as AOL, ending the 15-year old America Online moniker. AOL chairman/CEO Jon Miller believes the new name makes the company more accessible to a global, rather than just an American, consumer base. "Plus, consumers in the U.S. and around the world already know us by our initials," said Miller.

Cash-strapped General Motors last week agreed to sell 51% of finance unit General Motors Acceptance Corp. to a group of investors led by private investment firm Cereberus Capital Management. The deal should net GM close to $14 billion over three years … Pub Links Golfer magazine, which publishes a national wraparound with regional editions in 20 states, is changing its name to Golfing Magazine, to reflect a broader target of readers … PERSONNEL: Hartz Mountain, Secaucus, N.J., named William D. Ecker president/CEO. He succeeds Robert Devine, who is leaving the company. Ecker was chairman of retail display firm Diam International and, before that, worked for General Foods, Unilever, and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Dateline: Carlsbad, Calif.

TaylorMade, which this past weekend broke its "I Am a Golfer" brand campaign on TV around the Masters tournament, plans to continue with more new broadcast and print executions, via NYCA, San Diego. The global effort depicts both regular and tour golfers, on- and off-course, displaying their passion for the game. "Every part of an avid golfer's life somehow relates to golf," said TaylorMade evp Sean Toulon. TV spots air on The Golf Channel, event telecasts; print in golf pubs. POP, online and sales promos also support. TaylorMade spent $17 million on ads in 2005, per TNS.

Lake Wales, Fla.--Just in time for this year's event, Florida's Natural--the No. 2 selling not-from-concentrate orange juice manufacturer in the U.S.--signed a one-year deal, with options, as title sponsor of the LPGA Tour's Atlanta event. The Florida's Natural Charity Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez is scheduled the week of April 17-23. The tournament was previously sponsored for 11 years by Chick-fil-A restaurants, which departed after the 2005 event. Organizers solicited more than 30 potential title sponsors before landing Florida's Natural.

Devant Sport Towels, Monroe, N.C., is acquiring custom jacquard woven towel maker Sir Christopher Hatton, Alta-dena, Calif., to become the largest overall manufacturer of golf, sports and beach towels , per the company. All products currently manufactured by Sir Christopher Hatton will immediately inherit the Sir Christopher Hatton by Devant brand name and be sold through the Devant sales force … PERSONNEL: Phil Anderton named CMO for the Assn. of Tennis Professionals, based in London. He was CEO of Scottish soccer's Heart of Midlothian club and previously was head of the Scottish Rugby Union … Bank of America, Charlotte, N.C., hired Jill Gregory as svp/strategic marketing exec to oversee the bank's Nascar auto racing sponsorship programs, which include title sponsorship of the Bank of America 500 and the Neighborhood Excellence 400 presented by Bank of America, as well as sponsorships at 10 tracks throughout the country. She was at Sprint Nextel.