Pleading guilty to dog fighting cost Michael Vick enormously, especially to his wallet. His contract with the Atalanta Falcons was terminated. So too were deals with both Reebok and the Atlanta-based AirTran Airways. The most significant endorsement deal that was victimized by Vick's run-in with the law was the loss of his Nike contract. It's difficult, if not impossible, to replace one of the world's most recognizable brands in one's endorsement collection. In the midst of all this, one company will try and has stepped up to show its support of Vick and trusts that the quarterback's image will return to its pre-electrocution-of-dogs-image. That company is NiteKey Inc., which is headquartered in Newport News, Va. not far from where Vick grew up. NiteKey designs, builds, markets, sells, and contracts keys for night deposit boxes. "We're the largest such company in the lower Chesapeake region," said Dave Wallenford, CEO of NiteKey. "We're hoping to film one commercial before he goes to the slammer," said Rolen Morgantown, a NiteKey rep. The commercial will air in the Newport News-Richmond region.
Wallenford did admit that the company "dabbled in the sneaker business early on," but found keys to be much more lucrative. The symbol on the keys resembles the world famous trademark of the Nike company. However, NiteKey uses an upside-down 'swoosh' with a line down the center. "Now don't start bringing up any trademark or copyright laws, they took us to court years ago and we won fair and square," assured Wallenford.
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