When I get the Sunday paper, the first thing I ruffle through is the shiny shopping circulars like the one by RedPlum. I probably consume it first because it's not a commitment like the business or style sections; it's a quick read to learn about new products. (I do rip out some coupons, but they usually end up in the garbage after the expiration date.) I'll often put on the TV afterward just to check the weather and latest local news.

Lately I've gotten smiles out of this Sunday routine because I've seen some familiar faces: Venus Williams, Chris Evert, John McEnroe and Billie Jean King (pictured right after losing 35 pounds with endorsee Nutrisystem).

Not because they were featured in the sports section or within TV programs—but because they've been hawking Tide Plus Febreze Freshness Sport, Simply Smart Milk, National Car Rental, and Nutrisystem, respectively. Serena Williams' battle with Mother Nature for Tampax Pearls still appears occasionally, too. All links go to ads featuring the players.

These are some of the biggest names in American tennis, and it's great to see them being used for mass media ad campaigns. It's a sign that tennis, which remains one of the fastest growing traditional sports, is a viable marketing tool and the demographic is very appealing to sponsors.

The pop-culture connection beyond tennis packs some surprises beyond red-carpet affairs, too. Hanging in the lobby after a session at The Jam NYC, a recreational music club that's open to the public, I spotted Bob and Mike Bryan on the cover of Making Music magazine. As a tennis/sports writer, you're probably very familiar with their musical endeavors, but it's nice to see a non-endemic publication talk about how the twins pack Mike's guitar and Bob's keyboard along with their racquets about 40 weeks a year.

Another unexpected tennis appearance, another smile.