Advertising Age articles from February 2004

Advertising Age archives from February 2004

The Ad Market.(News)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Mercedes M. Cardona Turn Signals New business activity dropped off in December with only 26 accounts worth $840 million changing agencies, compared to 57 accounts worth $880 million in December 2002. Publicis Groupe appears to...

AdCritic.com's PlayList.(News)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Jim Hanas A monthly guide to the songs behind the spots. Monster: Soulmates Monster digs up an obscure single from the Cure. Agency: Deutsch, New York Song: "I Dig You" Artist: Robert Smith OfficeMax:...

Voted & Quoted.(Viewpoint)(network TV)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... 55%...of AdAge.com respondents think that broadcast TV's problems are as bad as the attendees of the recent NATPE conference suggested. The remaining 45% felt the attendees had exaggerated the plight of network TV. "Viewers are tired of...

Heat Index; Weekly Rating (0-10) of Sizzle & Fizzle.(Media Works)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... 10 'Lord of the Rings' Tops Oscar nominations with 11, including Best Picture and one for director Peter Jackson. None of the actors, however, got a nod. 8 Smoking Gun NBC and Web site thesmokinggun.com have struck a deal to collaborate on...

John Smith's ad gets American twist.(The World: Ad Age Global News & Data)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Emma Hall [London] Beer marketer Scottish Courage is taking its peculiar brand of British humor on an American outing for the latest U.K. commercial in its long-running campaign for John Smith's bitter starring comedian Peter Kay...

Mellman takes post at Red Cell.(The World: Ad Age Global News & Data)(Laurence Mellman)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Lisa Sanders [New York] WPP's Red Cell network named Laurence Mellman to the new position of London-based chief operating officer, a week after the resignation of Lee Daley, Red Cell's co-CEO and chief strategy officer. Andy...

L'Oreal to buy Chinese brand.(The World: Ad Age Global News & Data)(Yue-Sai)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Normandy Madden [Shanghai, China] L'Oreal is buying Yue-Sai, one of mainland China's largest makeup and skincare brands. The price has not been disclosed, but Procter & Gamble Co. is believed to have made a bid, too. Yue-Sai has...

FYI . . .(The World: Ad Age Global News & Data)(briefs)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... Greg Dyke and Gavyn Davies, the director-general and chairman of the British Broadcasting Corp., resigned last week under pressure from the British government. The government criticized the BBC's reporting of the controversy over the existence...

Editorial: Radio signals opportunity.(Viewpoint)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... It's the day after the big game and time to talk about what spots scored. One of our favorites: A Subaru commercial telling us the best time to test drive its four-wheel-drive cars was during a snowstorm. You didn't see it? Well, actually it...

Late News; McDonald's to send delegation to Cannes.(briefs)
February 2, 2004... [Oak Brook, Ill.] Following Procter & Gamble Co.'s lead in 2003, McDonald's Corp. is planning to send a delegation of 20 or so staff to the Cannes Lions Festival in Cannes, France this June 20-26. The festival management confirmed that both...

Radio scraps for its ad share; Forecasters see gains as events, wider range of listeners are targeted.(Radio)
February 2, 2004... Byline: JANET STILSON Howard Stern made the radio industry sit up and take notice when he vented his spleen about radio advertising during an appearance on "Late Night With David Letterman.'' Referring to a recent ad on his show for a...

The Week; Alberto-Culver shifts some brands.(Briefs)
February 2, 2004... Alberto-Culver moved some brands from Havas' Euro RSCG Tatham Partners, Chicago, resulting in the shop cutting 12 to 15 staffers, an agency spokeswoman said. The layoffs slice more than 16% off of its full-time work force. The marketer shifted...

If launched, 'Gala' faces crowded field; G&J celeb mag aims for prestige, mass advertisers.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: JON FINE For a magazine without an official green light, there's a lot of activity around Gruner & Jahr USA Publishing's Gala. Interim G&J CEO Axel Ganz, who launched the magazine in France a decade ago, speaks of a $100...

The Player: Brase playing by new rules in managing Charmin at P&G.(People & Players)
February 2, 2004... Byline: JACK NEFF It may have been surprising when Procter & Gamble Co., which never advertised on the Super Bowl before Feb. 1, chose Charmin, arguably one of its least glamorous brands, for its debut. But an equally unlikely story is...

Marketers look to `Restaurant' model; TV: High-profile NBC project involves sponsors from appetizer to dessert.(Special Report: Madison + Vine)
February 2, 2004... Byline: JANET STILSON Advertisers are still looking for landmarks as they try to navigate the world of TV production. Yet certain key signs are starting to emerge, including a growing willingness on the agency/advertiser side to fund...

Cross-leveraging: Alloy and 'Elle Girl' ink partnership.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: JON FINE Cataloger Aloy and teen title Elle Girl inked a multiyear partnership in a bid to leverage each other's audiences in the hotly competitive teen-girl niche. The partnership-which does not involve money changing hands or...

People.(People & Players)
February 2, 2004... Nancy Harhut, 43 to senior VP-exec creative director, relationship marketing, Interpublic Group of Cos.' Hill, Holliday, Boston, from senior VP-creative director, Interpublic's Mullen, Wenham, Mass. Georgia Juvelis to VP-communication,...

Ultra-luxury car marketers roll out red carpet for buyers.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: JEAN HALLIDAY Some prospects are whisked to product demonstrations via helicopter. Others are lavished with gourmet spreads, private concerts and museum tours. Still others are pampered at exclusive resorts. Whatever form the...

People.(The World: Ad Age Global News & Data)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... Craig Davis, 42, moves to London in March to take the newly created post of chief creative officer, Europe, Middle East and Africa at WPP Group's J. Walter Thompson. He is now the Hong Kong-based regional executive creative director at Publicis...

Martha's mag bleeds as trial gets under way; A 34.6% ad-page drop in 2003; 'Real Simple,' 'BH&G' see gains.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: JON FINE The delay in a key witness' testimony at the Martha Stewart trial may be a glimmer of good news for her legal case. But her company still faces myriad woes, as marketers shifted ad dollars toward her competitors in 2003,...

Pepsi raises bar for music deals; Music: Marketers join in recording companies' new distribution channels.(Special Report: Madison + Vine)
February 2, 2004... Byline: KATE FITZGERALD As the selling of music goes digital, the ad industry is becoming an increasingly important player in the distribution process. "We saw it taking hold last year, but we're on the verge of an explosion of...

Work 2.2.04.(News)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... Images of the week Ty Law and Jake Delhomme play Monday morning quarterback over a glass of milk in an ad for MilkPEP, from Interpublic Group of Cos.' Lowe, New York. Art director: Bernie Hogya. Copywriter: Josh Schildkraut.

Beer choice crucial to `Sahara's' tone; Films: Next action hero franchise links sponsor tie-ins to role's personality.(Special Report: Madison + Vine)
February 2, 2004... Byline: T.L. STANLEY When hollywood a-list actor Matthew McConaughey suits up as Dirk Pitt, a rough and tumble secret-agent-cum-treasure-hunter in the upcoming "Sahara,'' he won't be a cocktail swilling character like James Bond. Chances...

Pushing the right buttons; Top media buyer prods radio as it lags other media.(Radio)(Interview)
February 2, 2004... Facing a fragmented marketplace, the radio industry is looking for answers. Maribeth Papuga, senior VP-director of local broadcast for MediaVest USA, a Publicis Groupe agency that represents Procter & Gamble Co. and Kraft Foods, recently shared...

Apple, Song, Hershey ring up more than sales at their shops.(Viewpoint)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Jonah Bloom If you need justification for your next shopping trip beyond your usual musings that consumer spending is important for economic recovery; that a flex-the-plastic high sometimes outlasts buyer remorse; and that those...

Sales slump jolts staid Kraft.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: STEPHANIE THOMPSON Is marketing art or science? At Kraft it was long the latter, but now the nation's largest food manufacturer must foster creativity and risk-taking or face drowning by numbers. With its share figures way down...

Pressure mounts on Eisner after Pixar breaks off talks; CEO faces scrutiny from investors, analysts.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: T.L. STANLEY Whether or not it was a negotiating ploy will become clear soon, but the timing of Steve Jobs' announcement that Pixar would end talks with longtime partner Walt Disney Co. and listen to offers from rival studios was...

Spinning a 'yaaaarh!', gay marriage and political cliches.(Viewpoint)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Randall Rothenberg Quick quiz: Where were more media people present? The Iowa caucuses, the New Hampshire primary or the Golden Globe Awards? Yeah, I don't know, either. But for a solid two weeks, it certainly seemed like a...

Roca breakout dogged by rap's rap.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: STEPHANIE THOMPSON Urban apparel marketer Rocawear wants to be taken seriously by major marketers. But a hotly-disputed lawsuit charging CEO Damon Dash with rape and the potential departure of one of the founders are throwing off...

The Biz: MLB explores starting cable net.(Media Works)(Major League Baseball)
February 2, 2004... Byline: RICH THOMASELLI Major League Baseball plans to start its own 24/7 digital cable channel within the next two years, giving all four major professional sports their own stations and prompting the question: Will the leagues someday...

ABC takes risk on early Oscars; Latest net to fiddle with schedule tradition.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: RICHARD LINNETT On Feb. 29, ABC takes a crack at the great prime-time paradigm shift, airing the Academy Awards one month earlier than usual, in keeping with a recent trend of broadcast networks moving the conventional program...

Super Bowl Showdown; Bud's 'Tune Out' is pick of an otherwise predictable ad pack.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: BOB GARFIELD Pay attention, the ads shouted, PAY ATTENTION TO ME! But notwithstanding the annual hype and grandiose posturing, the advertisers offered nothing for the annals, little that will be remembered beyond Groundhog Day...

Sponsors sweat new Nascar scoring system; Change causes concerns about lack of media exposure during later parts of season.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: RICH THOMASELLI Nascar's new scoring system has some marketers thinking about hitting the brakes on a season-long, $15 million to $30 million sponsorship-and has some drivers and team owners fuming. Under a new points system...

'Cold Mountain' too late? Miramax eyes marketing shift after Oscar 'shutout'.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: T.L. STANLEY Miramax may not change its aggressive and often-copied marketing drive for the Academy Awards, but the Disney-owned studio will re-examine the strategy of releasing its Oscar hopefuls at year's end after "Cold...

Making light of Kerry; Challenge: Show somber Dem as 'man of people'.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: IRA TEINOWITZ You might say there are two John Kerrys. One is the intelligent, no-nonsense Massachusetts senator who delivers an often too-long speech. When he appears live on TV morning shows, he's earnest but seemingly devoid...

Spotlight: Coca-Cola.(The World: Ad Age Global News & Data)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Emma Hall Marketer: Coca-Cola Agency: Mother, London Mother does its own U.K. version of the global "Real" Campaign in the shop's first work for the Coke brand Coca-Cola Great Britain ditched Interpublic Group of Cos.'...

Brady's Bunch.(People & Players)
February 2, 2004... Byline: James Brady Hoorah! What a dandy political year this is turning out to be! Those antiquated and wonderfully folksy Iowa caucuses. Those cranky Yankees up in New Hampshire. The media in stocking caps and L.L. Bean boots. Old Fritz...

Work: Adidas.(The World: Ad Age Global News & Data)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... Adidas' global print campaign by independent 180 Amsterdam tells the authentic stories of runners who let nothing stand in the way of their passion. One subject, Fauja Singh, is not only a 92-year-old marathoner. Mr. Singh's real achievement is...

M+V: Momentum picks up as old ways die; New business models spring forth as the Madison + Vine intersection blossoms.(Special Report: Madison + Vine)
February 2, 2004... Byline: HANK KIM The money is starting to follow the call to arms. As the marketing-through-entertainment community reconvenes Feb. 4 at Advertising Age's second annual Madison + Vine conference, there are tangible signs that...

Hollywood embraces Latin culture; Host of films, TV shows star and target Hispanics, reflecting shift in industry.(Multicultural)
February 2, 2004... Byline: LAUREL WENTZ At Walt Disney Co.'s ABC network, TV projects in development include the secret world of maids in an upscale New York hotel and a series about a Chinese woman and a Mexican man who co-own a Mexican restaurant in Texas....

Cadillac takes tentative step toward targeting gay market; Seeks dedicated creative; starts small with $1M.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: JEAN HALLIDAY Conservative Cadillac is cautiously experimenting with its first-ever push into gay and lesbian magazines to reach luxury prospects and improve its image. The shift hits as Cadillac aims to build on its best sales...

Apparel sales rise: Dressing up returns, suits designers fine.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: STEPHANIE THOMPSON Sloppy-dressing days are over and men's fashion designers couldn't be happier. The new demand for dressier clothes has top design houses readying launches of more tailored, sophisticated lines and sales are...

Olympus looks to Fashion Week for brand flair; Tie-in aims to cast its camera as an accessory.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: MERCEDES M. CARDONA Olympus Corp., looking to glam up the image of its cameras, replaces Mercedes-Benz USA as name sponsor of New York's Fashion Week, after the DaimlerChrysler unit did not renew its three-year sponsorship. ...

The Buzz; What we're talking about.(Media Works)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Jon Fine Last Week a sea of tuxes crowded into Manhattan's Waldorf-Astoria to honor the latest winners of the magazine world's lifetime achievement kudos, the Henry Johnson Fisher award. And what was the Buzz's favorite moment? Was...

Post-game: CBS moves on, situation back to NORML.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Richard Linnett The Super Bowl was like a bad flashback for Allen St. Pierre, executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, aka NORML. CBS banned an anti-Bush administration commercial from the...

WPP to open planning network.(The World: Ad Age Global News & Data)(Brief Article)
February 2, 2004... Byline: Emma Hall [London] WPP Group is setting up a global communications planning network called Nylon in an attempt to replicate the success of independent communications planning agencies such as Naked and Michaelides & Bednash, but in...

Terry Tate builds buzz for Reebok, but not shoe sales; Real celebs are behind 70% spike.(News)
February 2, 2004... Byline: RICH THOMASELLI Reebok International's "Terry Tate, office linebacker'' campaign, lauded for its sharp humor, in the last year has become a pop-culture phenomenon. But as a sales catalyst, Terry Tate seems to be as flat as the...

AdWatch.(News)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Mercedes M. Cardona Turn Signals U.S. ad spending rose again in November, driven by strong gains in broadcast media advertising. All consumer media rose, except for Spot TV, which suffered from comparisons to last year, when...

Ad Age/IAG's Top Spots; #1: Bud Light.(News)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Nine of the top 10 most-recalled spots during the past two weeks made their debut during the Feb. 1 Super Bowl. Budweiser and Bud Light dominated the pack, with the first spot after kickoff-"Good Dog"-securing the recall gold. H&R Block's spot...

Voted & Quoted.(Viewpoint)
February 9, 2004... 90%... of AdAge.com voters think the overall quality of Super Bowl commercials is on the decline. The remaining 10% of the nearly 600 respondents think the ads are running par for the course in quality and theme. "At the Super Bowl we saw...

Heat Index; Weekly Rating (0-10) of Sizzle & Fizzle.(Media Works)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... 8 Time Warner Center Long-anticipated $1.7 billion headquarters of what was once to be known as AOL Time Warner center, opens with a fancy soiree last week. 6 'Queer Eye' Omnimedia Scout Productions, creators of Bravo breakout hit "Queer...

Digital Player: Tom Lynch.(Interactive)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Name: Tom Lynch Title: head of online marketing, ing Biggest Challenge? "The lack of integration of online with offline media. Traditional brand-tracking methodologies don't adequately measure online's impact, and standard online...

Coke catapults Starcom MediaVest; U.S. Media Agency of the Year sets consumer value over just CPM efficiency.(Special Report: Media Agencies of the Year)
February 9, 2004... Byline: CLAIRE ATKINSON When Starcom MediaVest Group started preparations for the $350 million Coca-Cola Co. review, the scope of the pitch was huge. The North American unit of Publicis Groupe spent around 12 weeks pulling out every stop...

Media's more creative side; A selection of creative media strategies from the leading media agencies.(Special Report: Media Agencies of the Year)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Parting Bug: MediaCom Mexico celebrated the last edition of the basic Volkswagen design by inviting consumers to join "The Old Beetle Farewell Club." The Internet and TV strategy included a sketch on a popular TV program. Blending in:...

Armani makes owls stars of campaign.(The World: Ad Age Global News & Data)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Laurel Wentz [Milan, Italy] Two global print and outdoor ads featuring owls wearing Emporio Armani sunglasses have captivated Italians, who are collecting the Armani ads and postcard versions handed out at clubs, bars and...

Canadian Cossette eyes NY acquisitions.(The World: Ad Age Global News & Data)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Gail Chiasson [Montreal] At Cossette Communication Group's annual meeting last week, the leading Canadian agency group's Chairman-CEO Claude Lessard said, "Further development in New York is our No. 1 priority.'' He said the...

CIE to open first U.S. park.(The World: Ad Age Global News & Data)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Laurel Wentz [Fort Lauderdale, Fla.] Mexico City-based CIE, the largest operator of amusement parks in Latin America, will open its first U.S. venture this spring in the form of a kid-scale town called Wannado City in the...

FYI ...(The World: Ad Age Global News & Data)(management buyout )(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... WCRS, the london agency of Havas-owned Arnold Worldwide Partners, is expected to complete a management buyout from Havas this week. Havas will keep a minority stake in WCRS, which will still work with the Arnold network.... Viacom's MTV...

People.(News)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Neal Tiles to exec VP-marketing, News Corp.'s DirecTV, New York, from exec VP-marketing, News Corp.'s Fox Sports Marketing Group. Bill McGowan, 38, to exec VP-national broadcast, Havas' MPG, New York, from co-director of national...

Adages: Next year's Super Bowl is not gonna have you naked.(News)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Richard Linnett Fox Television will broadcast the Super Bowl in 2005, and for many at the News Corp.-owned network, it should prove a moment of sweet redemption. "This CBS fiasco really is making us look good,'' said an...

Point-of-sale focus: P&G boosts design's role in marketing.(News)(Procter & Gamble Co)
February 9, 2004... Byline: JACK NEFF In a fundamental shift in marketing approach for the world's biggest advertiser, Procter & Gamble Co. is pushing to integrate design into the ground floor of every product initiative. The move is a key element in...

Bodice-ripper raises PR bar; Execs ponder fallout from halftime stunt.(News)
February 9, 2004... Byline: CLAIRE ATKINSON For those in the business of masterminding public-relations stunts for marketers, Janet Jackson's big expose during CBS's airing of the Super Bowl has raised a serious issue: how to top it. James LaForce,...

Conflict issues grow murkier; Entertainment, talent agencies, media shops add to the confusion.(Special Report: Media Agencies of the Year)
February 9, 2004... Byline: KATE FITZGERALD Although no one wants to talk about how many client conflicts are already lurking under agencies' roofs, several types are adding to existing headaches. New challenges for shops include potential conflicts in...

People.(The World: Ad Age Global News & Data)
February 9, 2004... Tania Kulb to president of Omnicom Group's TBWA Latin America, Sao Paulo, Brazil, from marketing director at McDonald's Corp. in Brazil. She succeeds New York-based Robert Rosenthal, who becomes worldwide managing director on TBWA's global...

Nextel antes up $70 million to leverage Nascar alliance; Ads, phones part of strategy to relate to fans.(News)(Nextel Communications Inc.)(National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing )
February 9, 2004... Byline: RICH THOMASELLI Gentlemen, start your sponsorship. Nextel Communications begins the first year of its 10-year, $700 million deal with Nascar Feb.15, when the famed Daytona 500 kicks off the first of 36 races. Drivers will now...

Bowl ads spark Web upticks; Mitsubishi, Cialis sites see traffic spike after game spots air.(Interactive)(mitsubishicars.com)(cialis.com)
February 9, 2004... Byline: JEAN HALLIDAY While creative quality on this year's Super Bowl slate is up for debate, one fact is not: The spots did a good job of driving viewers to the Web. Mitsubishi Motors North America's well-received "cliffhanger''...

General Mills bows first protein cereal; New Total extension aimed at appealing to low-carb dieters.(News)(General Mills Inc. print ads done by Publicis Groupe's Saatchi & Saatchi)(Total Protein)
February 9, 2004... Byline: STEPHANIE THOMPSON With low-carbohydrate diets threatening the nearly $7 billion ready-to-eat cereal category, General Mills later this month will introduce Total Protein, the first mainstream cereal designed to appeal to the...

Ingram in Charge.(Special Report: Media Agencies of the Year)(Chris Ingram will launch Ingram Partnership in New York)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Richard Linnett The dean of independent media agencies will soon return to New York. Chris Ingram, founder of CIA Medianetwork, which was acquired by WPP Group in 2001, expects to launch the Ingram Partnership in New York this...

Grammys take hard-line against online music piracy; Heineken ads, industry PSAs address issue.(News)
February 9, 2004... Byline: CLAIRE ATKINSON With ethical behavior suddenly back on the music industry's agenda, last night's Grammy Awards became a bully pulpit against illegal downloading. One of Grammy sponsor Heineken's spots from Publicis, New York...

Brady's Bunch.(People & Players)
February 9, 2004... Byline: James Brady Mr. Bush is shocked, shocked! to be told there may have been an intelligence screw-up. "They keep these things from me,'' he explained. Amid all the hand-wringing over lousy first quarter ad sales, a few rays of...

A Creative Low Point.(News)(declining quality of Super Bowl XXVIII advertising)(AdAge.com poll )(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Hillary Chura Advertising professionals derided the ads in Super Bowl XXVIII as, at best, creatively bereft and, at worst, a new low in cheap jokes and grade-school humor. In an AdAge.com poll last week, 90% of 588 respondents...

Garfield's AdReview: Stop-action singing mice make a convincing case for Quiznos.(News)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Bob Garfield If you pick the Yankees to return to the World Series, and they do, nobody will ever remember. But if you pick the Tigers... Well, we've just seen the new Quiznos campaign from the Martin Agency, Richmond, Va., and...

In-store media ring cash register; With media fragmentation stores find clever ways tocatch, hold shoppers' eyes.(In-Store Marketing)
February 9, 2004... Byline: KATE FITZGERALD Add the supermarket to the list of culprits contributing to media fragmentation. Retailers and marketers, armed with new technology, have transformed the store itself into a media channel, and they're jockeying...

Shopper Friendly.(In-Store Marketing)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Kate Fitzgerald Even the weariest, most distracted shopper will have a difficult time ignoring some of in-store marketing's newest gadgets, including floors that talk, messages that swoop down from the ceiling and motion sensors...

The Buzz; What we're talking about.(Media Works)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Jon Fine The new marketing face of the new America Online? Meet Michael J. Kelly, president of network sales and solutions, as attendees at last week's DeSilva & Phillips "Managing For Recovery'' conference did. The former head of...

'Covetable' items key: Differentiation works for Banana Republic.(News)
February 9, 2004... Byline: MERCEDES M. CARDONA Banana Republic continues to differentiate itself from its Gap Inc. brethren and ride the public's newfound interest in dressing up with a campaign in March magazines. Print ads in lifestyle and fashion...

Work 2.9.04.(News)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Image of the week Fans are already trying to decipher the poster created in-house for HBO's "The Sopranos.'' Does the boat pointing at Paulie Walnuts mean he's a goner? Will Tony be alone all season? Photographer: Annie Leibowitz....

The Player: Ragnetti looks to showcase Philips' high-end technology.(People & Players)
February 9, 2004... Byline: ALICE Z. CUNEO Andrea Ragnetti, Philips Electronics' first chief marketing officer, intends to carry out the European giant's strategy of driving growth by turning around its troubled U.S. brand one product at a time. After...

Verizon, Duracell each have solution to the other's problem.(Viewpoint)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Rance Crain Verizon is struggling to figure out how to make its geeky Test Man, the guy who asks the burning question "Can you hear me now?'' relevant beyond cellphone reliability. Gillette, on the other hand, is scratching its...

The Biz: P&G, Kraft brands adopt 'Odd Parents'.(Media Works)
February 9, 2004... Byline: T.L. STANLEY After keeping a low profile in the brand tie-in world, Nickelodeon' "Fairly OddParents'' is linking with longtime network partners Burger King and Kraft Foods Co., along with Procter & Gamble Co.'s Pringles, for a $50...

Using cereal strategy: Kellogg bulls its way into fruit snacks.(News)
February 9, 2004... Byline: STEPHANIE THOMPSON New products and heavy marketing investments have turned around Kellogg Co.'s cereal sales and now the marketer is planning to apply the same strategies and tactics to a new category: fruit snacks. Kellogg...

Obituary: Jordan was creative perfectionist.(News)(Obituary)
February 9, 2004... Byline: RICH THOMASELLI Advertising giant James Jordan, who coined several memorable taglines and later co-founded Jordan, McGrath, Case & Taylor, died Feb. 4 while vacationing in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He was 73. Mr. Jordan was...

'I Love NY' stranded as Wolf Group shuts; Stations won't run ads; state seeks answers.(News)
February 9, 2004... Byline: LISA SANDERS Right now New York region TV stations don't love New York. A number of metropolitan TV stations are owed several million dollars following the sudden shuttering of Wolf Group Integrated Communications' New York...

Spotlight: Pepsi Cola.(The World: Ad Age Global News & Data)(Brief Article)
February 9, 2004... Byline: Laurel Wentz Marketer: Pepsi Cola Agency: Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, London Britney, Beyonce and Pink overthrow an emperor and push Pepsi in a lavish spot that won't air in the U.S. For some reason, PepsiCola Co.'s...