A story in today's News and Observer (by way of the New York Times) details the close relationship between Clemson and BMW.
The cross-promotional potential of this setup reminds of a Simpsons episode.
At Clemson's urging, BMW, in large part, created the curriculum for an automotive graduate engineering school. The company also drew up profiles of its ideal students; it gave Clemson, a state-supported university, a list of professors to interview, and even had approval rights over the school's architectural look.
The cross-promotional potential of this setup reminds of a Simpsons episode.
Skinner: Look around, Lisa. That grant money could do a lot of
good.
Chalmers: Don't you think those youngsters deserve a regulation
tetherball?
[the scene switches to Milhouse and Nelson playing
tetherball, only the ball is really a cinderblock, and
what it's tethered to is less of a pole and more of a
thin, crooked piece of metal. Nelson hits the 'ball',
which swings around and hits Milhouse in the face,
breaking his glasses]
Skinner: We can buy real periodic tables instead of these
promotional ones from Oscar Meyer.
Krabappel: Who can tell me the atomic weight of bolognium?
Martin: Ooh ... delicious?
Krabappel: Correct. I would also accept snacktacular.