Frohlinger's Marketing Report articles from October 1999

Frohlinger's Marketing Report archives from October 1999

HOME DEPOT HAMMERS AWAY.
October 5, 1999... Home Depot Chairman Bernard Marcus slates increased marketing efforts and accelerated store opening program in next four years. Program calls for store acceleration from current 850 store level to 1600 stores by 2003. "People are shopping...

TOP BOOKSHELF.
October 5, 1999... Barnes & Noble is looking to grab additional marketshare in the near future. Vice Chairman Len Riggio said the company's recent efforts have been very successful. "Our share is improving. We have grown in the consumer market from a 16% share...

BIG G BARKING UP RALSTON'sTREE?
October 5, 1999... With partners looking this way and that for combinations in the domestic market, one marriage that makes sense would be a combination of Ralston Purina and General Mills. With Mills' growing status in the cereal market and the loosening of the...

IS THERE A PM NEXT TO KELLOGG'S FUTURE?
October 5, 1999... The shifting sands of interested suitors in Kellogg's has blown away some previous interested parties and added some very interesting new ones. Philip Morris has been quietly looking at Kellogg's, the dominant cereal company worldwide, report...

BURGER KING COOKS IT UP.
October 5, 1999... No flares yet on the $500 million Burger King account but there are signs that there is reason for ad agency executives to keep an eye out for changes. Current agency Ammirati & Puris Lintas is not in trouble but industry executives point to...

RADIO SIZZLES.
October 5, 1999... Pricing in radio has gone off the charts in the spot market for the fourth quarter. "The business is hotter than ever because all of the dot.coms have thrown everything out of kilter. They want to advertise and Christmas is coming&If you don't...

COMPUSA FALLS FLAT.
October 5, 1999... Bowing to pressure from direct mail and poor service issues, CompUSA President Jim Halpin is trying to stem the tide. The company has seen a decline in its base market. "Our business is declining but one area that is doing a bit better is...

THE SPORTING LIFE.
October 5, 1999... Women's Sports & Fitness Publisher Suzanne Grimes slots 37% increase in circulation next Spring as women's title moves to 650,000 guaranteed rate base from current 475,000 mark. "Advertisers are responding to an active women marketplace," said...

UAL's FLYTIME?
October 5, 1999... There is a lot more wind coming from Chicago with rumors over an ad review by United. "There is a lot of talk of unrest over the relationship and it looks like it is unraveling with Fallon McElligott," sad an industry source.

WATERHOUSE UPS SPENDING LEVELS.
October 5, 1999... TD Waterhouse is making its presence known in the financial sector. The company is trying to increase its awareness levels with a new ad campaign that will double spending from $50 to $100 million in a fourth quarter kickoff. Ads highlight...

ARCH DIGEST DRIVES FORWARD.
October 5, 1999... Architectural Digest Publisher Peter Hunsinger primes new product pipeline with roll of Motoring magazine. New magazine distributed to current subscriber base of 700,000. Frequency expected to increase next year with two more issues with plans...

VERY LIMITED.
October 5, 1999... Lots of new executives moving into The Limited but its vendors feel like they are still being brutalized. "It's a zoo. We are treated like dirt with them despite the fact we work like crazy for them. No one gets any respect practically despite...

BIG BANG, PART THREE.
October 5, 1999... The merging of media behemoths in U.S. under MindShare umbrella impressive. Marks first time a $5 billion+ operation has set sail. Promotion of former Ammirati veteran Mike Lotito to head operations solid. Industry observers expect Omnicom to...

Ad Libs:.
October 5, 1999... Does anyone else think the Levi's ads done by the San Francisco office of TBWA Chiat/Day are really weak? The headless approach is really pointless and really has no vision or branding voice&Shed no tears department: Reebok Vice President Angel...

THE LAST BIG DANCE STARTS UP.
October 18, 1999... Very quietly, all of the major food players in the United States have had their stock charts and P/Es under constant evaluation. The industry seems to be ready for a major consolidation phase. Every major food company has first, second and...

NEWELL LOOKS TO FIX OPERATIONS.(Brief Article)
October 18, 1999... Newell Rubbermaid Inc. is looking to jumpstart several divisions and rebound after falling from high-flyer on Wall Street status. CEO John McDonough acknowledged the company is looking for answers on several key divisions including Little...

AD AGENCIES LOOK TO REDRAW COMMUNICATIONS MIX.(Brief Article)
October 18, 1999... BBDO CEO Allen Rosenshine has placed the development of Internet disciplines into the marketing process as a high-end priority for the Omnicom advertising agency. Rosenshine has moved the process of integration forward quickly as the...

DIAL LOOKS FOR RESPECT.(Brief Article)
October 18, 1999... Dial Corp. has learned religion but the company does not have the respect of Wall Street. CEO Mal Jozoff has righted the company but told the financial community he still doesn't understand why the stock price falls short of his expectations....

GALLO WINES AND DINES.(Ernest Gallo is interviewing marketing vice president candidates)(Brief Article)
October 18, 1999... The sound of executives and grapes being squeezed can be heard simultaneously in the background as candidates march before Ernest Gallo. Job open is for a Vice President, Marketing at Gallo. Ernest, 91, has been grilling potential candidates....

EMAP LOOKING AGAIN?(rumors of executive appointments at US division)(Brief Article)
October 18, 1999... Sources believe that Emap's U.S. division is looking to bolster its executive ranks. ""The word on the street is that they are looking for a president to handle the company and also a chief marketing officer. Both are significant positions,"...

WINNERS IN NEW GAME.(iWon.com marketing plans)(Brief Article)
October 18, 1999... One of the more interesting new CBS/Viacom.coms portals is iWon.com, an Internet play based on prizes. The company is trying to broaden its audience with other CBS related Internet sites (MarketWatch, etc). The company will spend $40 million on...

SAATCHI FALLS IN LOVE.(hires Tim Love to VP position)(Brief Article)
October 18, 1999... Saatchi & Saatchi has added a pro with addition of ex-D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles Executive Vice President Tim Love to work on its Procter business. Assignment breaks a long P&G policy which prevented its agency executives from moving to...

HE's THE ONE.(Pepsi's PepsiOne diet drink and the soft drink market)(Brief Article)
October 18, 1999... Rumblings inside Pepsi over lack of impressive headway for Pepsi One diet drink. Mumblings directed toward former Pepsi executive and new Levi's President Phil Marineau. "It may be all to convenient now that he's gone but there are rumblings...

HALLMARK LOOKS AFIELD.(Brief Article)
October 18, 1999... More changes to come on Hallmark marketing and advertising front. Newly placed Vice President, Marketing Jan Murley is looking to shake things up even more at the largest greetings card company in the world. Murley, who just arrived from...

PROCTER BUILDS.(Brief Article)
October 18, 1999... Technology and acquisitions will fuel the changed P&G over the next few years. Benchmark for new brands will be potential of $500 million in global sales as P&G has shifted strategy with mix in pricing directed to premium pricing for premium...

ROCHE FLEXES MUSCLES.(Brief Article)
October 18, 1999... Roche Pharmaceuticals, looking to develop a small base in the U.S. for a consumer products division. Roche is trying for a snapback in its U.S. operations after an embarrassing multi-million payment to the government for price control fixing on...

DOTCOMS CLICK.(online companies are spending large amounts on advertising)(Brief Article)
October 18, 1999... dot.coms are giving a much needed shot in the arm to ad agencies as a source of new revenue. Some of the leading accounts up for grabs include: Mapquest ($15 million), Pingpong.com ($15mm), Etown.com ($15 mm), Iwant.com ($5mm), Dash.com ($5m),...

OFFICE MAXING OUT.(Brief Article)
October 18, 1999... The Cleveland based office supplies firm is putting some of the most vapid advertising on the airwaves. The company, in a highly competitive category, is still using the sticks figures in its advertising and has not paid enough attention to...

AUTOBAHN RUMORS.(Brief Article)
October 18, 1999... There are strong rumors over Springer Jacoby buying Cordiant's Scholz & Friends division. Move makes sense for Springer but unlikely short-term. Strategy makes little sense for Scholz's parent firm Cordiant PLC. "There are very strong rumors in...

Ad Libs:.(Brief Article)
October 18, 1999... Rumored: Disney is looking for a Vice President of Marketing, based in Los Angeles&Former Nabisco and Tropicana President Ellen Marram leads charge for new Internet firm Efdex which will be an global electronic food and drink exchange&Young &...