Frohlinger's Marketing Report articles from April 1999

Frohlinger's Marketing Report archives from April 1999

REEBOK CREATES DISCIPLINED MARKETING DRIVE.
April 12, 1999... Reebok has undergone a strategic redirection and focused on the key elements of its brand. The strategic review orchestrated by Reebok Division CEO Carl Yankowski is a seven-stage plan designed to revitalize and energize the country's No. 2...

HANDWRITING ON WALL AT AYER.
April 12, 1999... The days of wine and roses as a major advertising agency for N W Ayer & Partners seem to be closing to a draw rather rapidly. The shift of the flagship Procter & Gamble account over to D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles puts the agency very close...

STAMPS HURTING TIME INC.
April 12, 1999... The sweepstakes industry ("the stamp business" is turning lots of noses at Time Inc. Time Inc. is a 50% owner of American Family Publishers and gets a substantial percentage of its subscriptions from such sources. Sources inside the company...

MILLER TIME.
April 12, 1999... Decision by Philip Morris executives to shift John Bowlin back to Milwaukee headquarters foreshadowed by numerous attempts to jumpstart beer business. Paramount in the decision was the failure to develop successful advertising and create a...

CITIBANK RUMORS FLY&AGAIN.
April 12, 1999... One rumor that just won't go away keeps on popping over the Citibank account. Despite denials from many circles, there does appear to be something to the rumor that Citibank will add a second agency besides Young & Rubicam. "It just keeps on...

HACHETTE KNOCKS AROUND.
April 12, 1999... Hachette Filipacchi Magazines is down to a short-list of candidates for the top position vacated by former CEO David Pecker. Executives on the short-list include Hearst Corp's Executive Vice President Anne Fuchs, Parade Publication's President...

BEAM TIME.
April 12, 1999... The alliance between Jim Bean and Remy is raising eyebrows inside the spirits industry. "The only people who benefited from this deal are Remy. There is a cash infusion for getting a partner that helps reduce Remy's debt but it looks hard to...

DISTILLED NUMBERS.
April 12, 1999... The privatization efforts by the Polish government have focused attention on two high-growth and profitable super-premium vodkas. Chopin and Belvedere compete in the rarified $25-30 vodka category in the U.S. and both have done very well,...

PARENTS A PAGE HIT.
April 12, 1999... Group Publisher Sharon Summer rebuilding venerable title with strategy of leadership and brand-building development. The Gruner & Jahr property, founded 71 years ago, ranks tops for women 18-34 with kids. The magazine showed 5% ad growth...

A TALE OF THREE HOUSES.
April 12, 1999... The huge battle between LVMH for control of Gucci will be decided in court after the Italian fashion house spurned two conditional bid proposals from French luxury group LVMH. A hearing in Amsterdam is scheduled for April 22, when the...

CANANDAIGU RUNS ADRIFT.
April 12, 1999... The departure of Dan Barnett as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company's Canandaigua Wine Company, Inc., subsidiary has come as a result of internal strife, report insiders. Canandaigua is the second largest supplier of wine, the...

LEVER RED IN THE FACE.
April 12, 1999... Faced with slow sales and merchandising problems, Unilever looks red in the face over its Elizabeth Arden subsidiary. The unit reportedly has run into massive inventory issues. "The issues started around Christmas and they ran get one with an...

ABSOLUTELY NOT.
April 12, 1999... Hard work and inspiration usually pay off but there are roadblocks in the second go-around for former Carillon executive Michel Roux. Michel's new company, xxx, seems to be running into problems. Roux was given backing for a two-year period in...

BIG G ADDS BITE.
April 12, 1999... General Mills has made two small but interesting acquisitions in recent months. It bought Farmhouse Foods ($25 million in sales) and Lloyd's Barbeque Meats ($90 million in sales). Farmhouse makes the second largest rice and pasta dishes in the...

Ad Libs:.
April 12, 1999... Gallo Wines looking for a head of marketing (yes, again)&Pillsbury has a vacancy open for a president of its retail operations reporting into current President John Lilly&Land's End, the publicly traded retail direct marketer has a major search...

THE FORCE IS WITH HASBRO.
April 26, 1999... Hasbro President Herb Baum plays hot hand with focus on launch of several major property tie-ins. "You couldn't have a better year than we're going to have. We have several hot properties&Furby's, Star Wars, Pokemon," said Baum. Hasbro, the...

COORS TURNS UP THE MARKETING VOLUME.
April 26, 1999... Senior Vice President Marketing Bill Weintraub hikes contemporary marketing efforts with fresh advertising and new executions for nation's No. 3 brewery. New ads in the works for Coors Light, Zima and corporate responsibility. "We've...

P&G REDEFINES BEAUTY LOOK.
April 26, 1999... A major executive change in offing which has major repercussions in the beauty care area. Procter & Gamble North American Beauty Care Products President Bob Blanchard targeted to retire in June. The move will create a cascade of important moves...

AD AGENCIES PLAY WITH INTERNET STRATEGIES.
April 26, 1999... With Internet frenzy at an all-time high, many advertising agencies and web design companies are still trying to find the right formulas to drive e-commerce successfully. Saatchi & Saatchi CEO Kevin Roberts believes two killer applications will...

VENATOR TURNS CORNER.
April 26, 1999... Venator, the old Woolworth Company, is getting a reprieve. With its stock nosing toward 3 in February, the company's future was the subject of intense speculation of a hostile takeover and lending covenants and had to get a waiver from its bank...

DIALING AROUND.
April 26, 1999... Look for Dial to look around for a new ad agency to handle its upcoming higher priced detergent under the Purex name. Dial has signed a joint venture with Henkel KGaA to develop & market a higher priced detergent under the Purex name to...

Ad Libs:.
April 26, 1999... Aetna relationship with Ammirati & Puris Lintas almost totally shot, report insiders. Look for changes long-term. One to watch is Prudential Healthcare which was bought by Aetna. Changes expected on $15 million account in next six months&New...