Advertising Age articles from January 2006

Advertising Age archives from January 2006

`Fear factor' fan is eager for her first cellphone.(The Consumer)
January 2, 2006... I often watch TV on weekdays, but on the weekends I go out so I'm not watching. I like to watch "Fear Factor'' with my aunts and "American Idol.'' Most of what I watch is on cable; I'm not allowed to watch teenage stuff, so I watch...

Late News; AT&T starts $500M marketing blitz.(Obituary)
January 2, 2006... [San Antonio] AT&T rang in its new image with a New Year's Eve Times Square and TV ad blitz to be followed by an estimated $500 million-plus multimedia marketing campaign through early 2006. The formation of the new Ma Bell, resulting from the...

2006 RECIPE FOR U.S. MELTING POT.(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... 1. majority minority. Non-Hispanic whites account for less than half the population in Texas, California, New Mexico and Hawaii. Nine other states-including New York and Florida-are on the path to majority minority. 2. Race is no longer...

TEEN ANGEL? KINDA; Stereotypical rebellious image yields to one of `friendly' youth but no easy sell.(LifeCycle: 13-17)
January 2, 2006... Byline: LARRY DOBROW The time-honored image of the American teenager is one of a kid with his ear glued to the phone, eyes rolling at parental pronouncements as innocuous as "Tell your father that dinner's on the table.'' He litters...

About the survey:.(Perception)(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... The American Demographics 2006 Consumer Perception Survey was conducted Nov. 23-29 by Aegis Group's Synovate (synovate.com) through online questionnaires fielded to 6,011 adults in its Global eNation/ViewsNet consumer-opinion panels in the...

AGELESS AGING OF BOOM-X; Latter baby boom, early Gen X want to be defined in terms of attitudes, not years.
January 2, 2006... Byline: JAMES TENSER Call it the hidden generation gap. The world view of younger baby boomers, born from the mid- to late 1950s through the mid-'60s, may not be quite as hopeful and confident as their protest-marching, idealistic...

BLING IS THE THING; Young adults seek post-9/11 reassurance by creating their own material world.
January 2, 2006... Byline: JIM HANAS Sixty-nine million consumers, or 23% of the U.S. population, will occupy the 18-to-34-year-old segment in 2006, and their attention has never been so difficult to earn. This is an age group bookended on one side by...

In control with tivo, but ads find new touch points.
January 2, 2006... The day begins with me going straight to my computer. I check my e-mail and read Yahoo News headlines. I'll pick up the L.A. Times, USA Today, sometimes The Wall Street Journal and the trades. I occasionally check news sites on the Web-New York...

U.S. CONSUMER -LIKE NO OTHER ON THE PLANET; Americans spend more than anyone else on earth. But there are ominous trends that marketers must understand. And also cause for optimism.(Trend Analysis)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Peter Francese Americans are the biggest spenders on the planet. Collectively, U.S. consumers spend more each week than the annual gross domestic product of Finland. At that pace of spending, the average American household's...

Welcome to orange decade as marketers color your world.(Consumer Spending)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Mya Frazier Gray may be the new silver (in cars). Red could be the new orange (in logos). Turquoise and teal will help set the tone in 2006 (in fashion). But when it comes to America's favorite color, consumers are still singing...

Consumer Data Whipsaw: `Greed,' `Value' Co-exist.(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... What's the first thing that comes to mind for U.S. consumers when they think of... GM: No consensus in the consumer survey. Positive comments about product (more mentions of "good'' than "bad'' for vehicles and quality) but many negative...

`Marketers have us where they want us,' for now.(The Consumer)
January 2, 2006... Sometimes I wake up to NPR on the radio, but the very first thing my fiance and I do is turn on New York 1, the local channel here, and watch the weather and a bit of local news. I skim The New York Times, and when I get to work I go online....

A WALK ON THE MILD SIDE; Kids, tweens embrace family values-they can be savvy without being snarky.
January 2, 2006... Byline: LARRY DOBROW During a shopping trek with young consumers a few years back, Hasbro researchers noticed the onset of what they considered something of a disturbing trend: Older kids were starting to walk away from the toy aisles,...

THREE YEARS AND OUT; From electronics to furnishings, it's a rapid cycle of 'Use it, then lose it'.(Consumer Spending)
January 2, 2006... Byline: MYA FRAZIER By the U.S. government's inflation tally, $100 of goods in 1995 would have cost $130.71 in 2005. But you'd never know it if you looked at apparel, electronics, furniture and other wares whose bargain, made-in-China...

ONE CONSUMER AT A TIME; Demanding boomers, multitasking Gen Yers decide what, how and when.
January 2, 2006... Byline: GREG LINDSAY Wayne and Tyna Donelson, 56 and 54, don't have much time for most mass media. A married pair of small-business owners who work from home in rural Massachusetts, they subscribe to the local paper and a few magazines,...

NEW OLD WON'T GO QUIETLY; Is 55 the new 40? These boomers are determined to live better than their parents.
January 2, 2006... Byline: JAMES TENSER In the good old days, life began at 40. Today's older baby boomers are challenging that cliche as they pass through their mid-50s and begin to visualize a "retirement'' characterized by youthful vigor, prosperity...

Digital-age teen eating healthy--sometimes.
January 2, 2006... I watch both cable and broadcast TV. I like Comedy Central and Cartoon Network, and some of my favorite shows are "The Boondocks,'' Jon Stewart's show, "Family Guy.'' On network TV I like "The Amazing Race,'' "Survivor,'' "CSI: Miami,'' "Two...

AMERICA, NEW & IMPROVED; It's a bifurcated nation-with younger, global set poised to succeed older, suburban.
January 2, 2006... Byline: BRAD EDMONDSON Baby boomers are the stars of the U.S. consumer market, and their turn in the spotlight will continue for at least another decade. But the boomers, aged 42-60 in 2006, are only about one-quarter of the U.S....

IN GOD--AND GM--WE TRUST; Don't gloat yet. Lauded marketers can also draw U.S. consumers' disdain.
January 2, 2006... Byline: BRADLEY JOHNSON General Motors Corp. is loaded with debt and the subject of bankruptcy speculation, but give it credit: GM scores tops for trust among U.S. consumers. There's a downside, however: GM also shows up on the list of...

A career track that stretches past `retirement'.
January 2, 2006... I'm usually the first person to arrive at work, and I begin with The New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal. And I may peruse them throughout the day. I spend quite a bit of time on the Internet-news sites mainly. I get...

Editor's note.(Brief Article)
January 2, 2006... If there's a core reason the business of marketing is in flux it's that the American consumer is changing-and taking charge. In this special issue, we tell the story of the consumer of 2006 through an examination of demographics and trends,...

Ad icons march to museum.(Viewpoint)(Advertising Icon Museum)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... [KANSAS CITY, MO. ] - Work has begun on a Kansas City development that will include a museum devoted to giving Tony the Tiger, Mr. Peanut and the California Raisins their proper places in history. The Advertising Icon Museum, to open in the...

Hardly a thrill seeker, climber soars to summit.
January 9, 2006... Byline: Alice Z. Cuneo What really drove Will Travis, president of Attik, close to the edge of the Earth started with a 2001 game of darts at the cozy Pelican Inn nestled between the Pacific Ocean and a Northern California redwood forest....

R/GA.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(management strategies of Robert Greenberg)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 4 stars THE ESSENCE: Robert Greenberg, CEO of R/GA, has built his agency, a unit of Interpublic Group of Cos., with a reputation for technical and creative excellence. He has done this by giving database techniques and...

Vidal Partnership.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 5 stars THE ESSENCE: Vidal PartnershipAEs hefty late-2004 new-business wins from Sprint, Home Depot and, in the biggest U.S. Hispanic account move of the year, the $50 million Nissan Motor Co. account fueled the agencyAEs 78%...

Honor, valor and semper fidelis: Why we're proud of Jim Brady.(Viewpoint)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Rance Crain For the first time in 28 years, Jim Brady's wit and wisdom won't be gracing our pages in 2006. Jim is moving on to other assignments (he'll be writing a column for forbes.com, has renewed with Parade to write more...

Zenith's Jones makes some noise for media planning, ROI and tools.(People & Players)(return on investment)(Tim Jones of ZenithOptimedia)
January 9, 2006... Byline: MATTHEW CREAMER The post-punk lifestyle is known to take many varieties. Among the strangest, an ROI-obsessed head of a media buying and planning agency that controls $8 billion in spending. That's how it's gone for Tim Jones,...

Weber Shandwick.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 4 stars THE ESSENCE: Along with Edelman, Weber Shandwick hulks over the rest of the PR industry. The Interpublic-owned network ended 2005 sharing in McCann WorldGroupAEs win of the U.S. ArmyAEs huge marketing account. It also...

The latest European import: fast fashion; Target, J.Crew take up H&M trend of limited editions by hot designers.(News)
January 9, 2006... Byline: MYA FRAZIER Browsing the aisles of her neighborhood Target store in Columbus, Ohio, Katie Carey, 18, stops to admire the faux-jewel buttons on a light-blue Firoucci sweater for $24.99. "It's got a great retro feel to it,'' she...

Oh, Ricky, you're so fine...(Media Works)(Ricky Gervais)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Ann Marie Kerwin Ricky Gervais is best known for his portrayal as an out-of-touch, delusional, sad-sack middle manager in "The Office.'' But he seems to be completely in touch with iPod denizens. "The Ricky Gervais Show on Guardian...

Bromley Communications.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 3 stars THE ESSENCE: Publicis Groupe's 49%-owned Bromley Communications, San Antonio, pushed WPP Group's shrinking Bravo Group out of the top slot for biggest U.S. Hispanic agency after the 2004 merger of Miami-based Publicis...

Leo Burnett USA.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 3 stars THE ESSENCE: Leo Burnett USA President Rich Stoddart made keeping the Army a priority. He failed. Whether he and CEO Tom Bernardin can keep the agency on track for an incipient recovery in spite of that loss is the big...

Crispin Porter & Bogusky.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 5 stars THE ESSENCE: The nation's most innovative ad agency is also probably the only one fully in control of its fate. Wins from Volkswagen of America, Coca-Cola Co. and Miller Brewing Co.; hot creative and media ideas; and...

Campbell-Ewald.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 3 stars THE ESSENCE: A stable year followed an up-and-down 2004 that included the loss of Pier One and the agency's big Alltel win. It didn't lose-or win-any big accounts and hung onto the U.S. Navy. Chevrolet handed some...

DDB Worldwide.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 3 stars THE ESSENCE: 2005 was a quiet year following 2004's new-business streak. DDB Worldwide solidified top leadership and deepened relationships with clients from McDonald's to Dell. Biggest new-business wins were Luxottica...

Deutsch.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 2 stars THE ESSENCE: Deutsch this year fought off questions about its fate as it was hit with serious account losses and major management changes. Clients including Bank of America, Revlon, Mitsubishi Motors North America,...

Dieste Harmel & Partners.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 4 stars THE ESSENCE: Revenue at Omnicom Group's Dieste Harmel & Partners grew 21% in 2005, with billings close to $250 million. Dieste's growth came from new accounts like Nationwide Insurance, CompUSA and Leapfrog Toys, plus...

Digitas.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 3 stars THE ESSENCE: Digitas, which specializes in below-the-line work in digital and direct marketing, benefited in 2005 from the overall industry trend of marketers demanding accountability and ROI in their campaigns. The...

Doner.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 3 stars THE ESSENCE: Whither Mr. Six? The question looms large for Doner as the agency goes into 2006. Dan Snyder, who's on record knocking the agency's work for the amusement park, is now calling the shots at Six Flags. The...

Draft.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 50 stars THE ESSENCE: Losing Bank of America hurt, but it couldn't overshadow what was yet another strong year for the marketing services powerhouse that continues to benefit as companies shift dollars into marketing services....

Euro RSCG.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 3 stars THE ESSENCE: A tumultuous year at parent Havas led to management change at Euro RSCG, its largest global network. Despite the changes, Euro's largest U.S. office, New York, fought back after the exit of one of its...

Fallon Worldwide.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 2 stars THE ESSENCE: Fallon Worldwide followed a tough 2004 with a worse 2005. It split, for a variety of reasons, with clients including BMW of North America, Dyson and Lee Jeans. Sony Electronics was in and out in five...

Foote Cone & Belding Worldwide.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 2 stars THE ESSENCE: After an uneventful start, Worldwide Chairman-CEO Steve Blamer arrived in June. Mr. Blamer, who sat out a six-month garden leave at home after leaving his post as CEO of Grey North America, brought new...

Arnold Worldwide.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 3 stars THE ESSENCE: On Sept. 6, Arnold staffers arrived to learn its biggest client had fired the shop, a blow that would have devastated most agencies. But just weeks after Volkswagen of America ditched it for Crispin Porter...

Avenue A/Razorfish.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 3 stars THE ESSENCE: Avenue A/Razorfish, a unit of aQuantive, is a top buyer of online media in the U.S., managing $312 million in online media billings for 2004, and expected to manage more than $400 million in 2005. Having...

Bartle Bogle Hegarty.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 4 stars THE ESSENCE: Since opening in 1998, the U.S. outpost of London-based Bartle Bogle Hegarty in New York has struggled with consistent, high-level performance. But in 2005, the agency hit its stride. The U.S. team was a...

Berlin Cameron.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 2 stars THE ESSENCE: Berlin Cameron in 2005 epitomized one of the ad biz's omnipresent perils: A big account can make or break an agency. October was a bleak month, when Berlin lost both Coca-Cola Co.'s flagship Classic brand...

Goodby, Silverstein & Partners.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 3 stars THE ESSENCE: 2005 was not the brightest year. Goodby Silverstein placed an $80 million losing bet-in the form of the resignation of the Discover card account-on a shootout with siblings BBDO and TBWA for the $300...

Grey Worldwide.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 3 stars THE ESSENCE: 2005 ended talk over Grey Global Group's fate. In March, the company completed its sale to WPP Group in a $1.75 billion cash-and-stock deal. Ed Meyer, CEO of Grey since 1970, reaped $445 million from the...

GSD&M.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 3 stars THE ESSENCE: GSD&M, long a leading creative shop, is trying to stay at the forefront of the massive changes sweeping its industry. It's been undergoing what the Austin, Texas, shop describes simply as the...

JWT.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 2 stars THE ESSENCE: The agency formerly known as J. Walter Thompson kicked off the year with a nominal bid to modernize itself. But its decision to drop the name of the long-dead Commodore for the sleeker, well-used...

Kaplan Thaler Group.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 4 stars THE ESSENCE: Kaplan Thaler Group is one of the few agencies founded and run by a woman. Linda Kaplan Thaler, CEO-chief creative officer, started the agency in 1997, sold it to Publicis Groupe and today counts some...

Late News; Macy's to put media shop at center of relationship.
January 9, 2006... [New York] Federated Department Stores' Macy's in coming weeks will be the latest in a line of major marketers to establish its central agency relationship with a media buying and planning agency rather than a creative shop. Similar shifts have...

Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 2 stars THE ESSENCE: It was a disappoint-ing year for Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners. Liberty Mutual left with its $50 million creative. Also gone are Timex and Equal. One of two finalists for BMW's ad account, it lost to GSD&M...

Lowe Worldwide.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 1 star THE ESSENCE: How low can Lowe go? As the year got under way, it seemed the suffering Interpublic network might have momentum with new leadership. That, however, was before a miserable stretch where two retail clients...

Martin Agency.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 3 stars THE ESSENCE: Martin Agency keeps producing top-flight TV spots for big brands like UPS and Miller Brewing Co.'s Miller Genuine Draft. The Interpublic-owned shop, based in Richmond, Va., didn't net any big new...

Nestle to shift French media biz to Zenith.(The World)(ZenithOptimedia)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Laurel Wentz [Paris] Nestle will move its $300 million media planning and buying account in France by the end of 2006 to ZenithOptimedia. The move completes, except for a few small countries, a global country-by-country review that...

McCann Erickson Worldwide.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 5 stars THE ESSENCE: McCann Erickson Worldwide, advertising unit of Interpublic Group of Cos.' largest entity, McCann WorldGroup, kept its status as the holding company's powerhouse. Despite financial issues at parent...

McGarryBowen.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 4 stars THE ESSENCE: Independent McGarryBowen, which launched in 2002 with Verizon Corp., keeps building a client roster that's the envy of both indie shops and holding companies alike. This is particularly notable when small...

McKinney.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 4 stars THE ESSENCE: This Durham, N.C., shop took on a national profile in 2005 with "The Art of the Heist,'' a brilliant interactive campaign for Audi, and by winning a chunk of new business from Sony Electronics. Marketers...

Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 3 stars THE ESSENCE: The WPP Group network continued to position itself as a full-service marketing organization in 2005. It lifted bars to cooperation by combining the North American P&Ls of its various agencies. Work for...

Organic.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 3 stars THE ESSENCE: Organic, a unit of Omnicom Group, has stabilized and is building a reputation as an interactive innovator in the five years that Mark Kingdon has been CEO. The shop has added agency planners and...

AUDI: RS4 MODEL.(The World)
January 9, 2006... Audi U.K.'s new TV spot portrays the RS4 as one of the most sinister creatures on earth, the black widow spider. The Bartle Bogle Hegarty, London, ad conveys the power and iconic nature of the car by showing a spider catching and devouring...

People.(The World)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Adam Smith to futures director from director of knowledge management, ZenithOptimedia, London. He is succeeded at ZenithOptimedia by Jonathan Barnard, deputy director-knowledge management. Penny Reid, 46, to CEO of the Cannes Lions...

Saatchi & Saatchi.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 2 stars THE ESSENCE: New hires Mary Baglivo and Tony Granger began 2005 focused on shaking up the old order at the New York office of Saatchi. But Ms. Baglivo, worldwide chief marketing officer and CEO of Saatchi N.Y., and Mr....

BBDO's retooling pays off with business bonanza; Old-line shop sheds its stodgy, TV-centric image with focus on media without boundaries.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)
January 9, 2006... Byline: MATTHEW CREAMER You can forgive David Lubars-complexion pale, tuft of hair a bit wild, conversation ADD-addled-for being scattered. It has, after all, been a busy year, one in which he's helped BBDO rack up more than $1 billion...

Wieden & Kennedy.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 4 stars THE ESSENCE: 2005 may go down as the year Wieden & Kennedy, Portland, Ore., officially shed its mantle as a one-client shop. Long dominated by Nike, and then sports-related clients such as ESPN, the agency signed up...

Wunderman.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 3 stars THE ESSENCE: Wunderman continues to be a direct-marketing powerhouse, keeping up by adding to its resources through acquisitions or partnerships. While old-fashioned direct-mail pieces are part of its arsenal, the...

Y&R.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Young and Rubicam Advertising)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 1 star THE ESSENCE: Ugly is the word to describe the first half of 2005 for Y&R. Three of its largest clients exited (Computer Associates, Ford Motor Co.'s Jaguar North America, Sony Corp. ); the New York office shrank...

Big agencies: Change. Now.(Viewpoint)(advertising agencies grow)
January 9, 2006... There is a not-so hidden message for the big global ad agencies in this issue: Change in 2006 or face obsolescence. The largest global agencies with their 100-plus outposts around the world will protest that Advertising Age's chosen Global...

Lessons from Madison + Vine; We distill the branded-entertainment hits and misses from the second half of 2005.
January 9, 2006... Byline: Marc Graser and T.L. Stanley It's that time again. After the first six months of 2005, Madison & Vine evaluated the five best and worst branded-entertainment deals. Now that the year's done and over with, it's time to look at what...

#1 Pillsbury; Top Spots.(The Week)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Ad Age/IAG A Pillsbury spot for its Ready to Bake cookies ranked as the best-liked ad among viewers during the past month. Several other ads with the greatest appeal were also holiday-themed, including spots for retailers...

People.(The Week)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... Maria Grasso to senior VP-series development for Lifetime, Los Angeles, from senior VP-drama development, Time Warner's WB. Jeff Bonasia to senior VP-account director, Interpublic Group of Cos.' Hill Holliday, Boston, from senior VP-group...

Kraft shifts $35M to McGarry Bowen.(The Week)
January 9, 2006... Kraft Foods last week moved roughly $35 million worth of creative responsibilities for its salad dressings, mayonnaise and barbecue sauces to McGarry Bowen, New York. The shift from WPP Group's JWT, Chicago, which had handled Kraft Mayonnaise,...

Big Pharma keeps its New Year's resolution; Ads mostly comply with guidelines. We know-we saw enough of them.(News)
January 9, 2006... Byline: RICH THOMASELLI My task: Watch the evening news to see if ads from pharma companies comply with Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America guidelines, which went into effect Jan. 1. The real test: Struggling through a...

Peace breaks out: BK quells franchisee feud; Franchisee board renews relations after fights over chain's marketing tack.(burger king corp)
January 9, 2006... Byline: KATE MACARTHUR Burger King Corp. is trying to mend fences with its franchisees after tensions between the two over marketing and other initiatives came to a boil last month. The top five officers of the National Franchisee...

Ford bangs out edgy movie for Fusion; Online mockumentary follows Norwegian performance art group.(ford motor co)
January 9, 2006... Byline: JEAN HALLIDAY This isn't Spinal Tap. In an edgy new push for its Fusion sedan, Ford Motor Co. is running a viral "mockumentary'' film series about a real band that would give the Maytag man fits-it smashes out cacophonous tunes...

Walking a tightrope; Ringling updates for iPod generation, aims not to alienate grandpa.(ringling brothers and barnum & bailey)
January 9, 2006... Byline: T.L. STANLEY If he were alive today, legendary showman P.T. Barnum might have to amend the infamous quote to "There's a competitor born every minute.'' To appeal to the iPod generation and their parents, Ringling Bros. and...

Taking aim at Southwest.
January 9, 2006... Byline: Rich Thomaselli Southwest is offering limited nonstop service to Denver-a fact rival United Airlines is touting in its advertising. The UAL Corp. unit is running print ads in United's signature illustrated style that show a...

Spike DDB.(Special Report: Agency of the Year)(Brief Article)
January 9, 2006... 2005 Rating: 3 stars THE ESSENCE: Minority-owned by DDB, SpikeDDB is trying to make Doritos and Pepsi-Cola, brands of largest client PepsiCo, relevant to the urban generation. For Doritos, that means becoming the source for everything hot...

Frito-Lay changes the channels; Sponsorships, Internet in as it seeks ways to market healthful snacks.
January 9, 2006... Byline: STEPHANIE THOMPSON You won't find frito-lay on the Super Bowl this year. Instead, the mass marketer of everyman brands is trading in its signature slot on the big game for a more targeted tie-in with the Susan G. Komen...

Erection ejection: NFL bans Levitra and rivals; League refuses to renew $18 million pact, citing increasingly risque ads.(News)(National Football League)
January 9, 2006... Byline: RICH THOMASELLI The National Football League plans to cut its ties with erectile-dysfunction drug ads, highlighting growing concerns about increasingly risque creative in the category and leaving manufacturers with a dearth of...

Coca-Cola gets its ads right-finally; And with a little help from Wieden.(News)
January 9, 2006... Byline: BOB GARFIELD We don't want to buy the world a Coke, but we'd like to buy Wieden & Kennedy a beer. Not because its first full-fledged campaign for Coca-Cola is perfect. It's sure not that. Nor is it some sort of creative...

Crovitz shoulders the burden of Dow Jones; With House gone, exec likely to be chief revenue generator for company.(Gordon Crovitz is appointed as head of electronic publishing in dow jones and company inc)
January 9, 2006... Byline: NAT IVES The new face of Dow Jones & Co. on Madison Avenue looks to be that of L. Gordon Crovitz, now the head of electronic publishing. And that says a lot about the future of the newspaper business. Dow Jones surprised the...