Advertising Age articles from June 2005

Advertising Age archives from June 2005

Our Online Survey; Carl's Paris ad crosses the line.(Viewpoint)
June 6, 2005... Fifty-four percent of this week's AdAge.com voters think Carl's Jr.'s Paris Hilton commercial is beyond the limits of acceptability for TV. Forty-six percent of our nearly 600 respondents think the commercial is no worse than anything else one...

Adages; Far-out space cats land at Lincoln Center.(News)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Ken Wheaton How's this for a statement to make traditional radio programmers (and the advertisers who feed them) feel a little square: "XM Radio is about the best thing that ever happened because it doesn't have any commercials.''...

New sheriff at GM plans to bring 'bretail' to auto behemoth.(People & Players)(W.W. Brent Dewar)(General Motors Corp.)
June 6, 2005... Byline: JEAN HALLIDAY W.W. Brent Dewar, promoted in March to General Motors Corp.'s VP-marketing and advertising in North America, faces the biggest challenge of his 27-year career at the auto giant. The general marketing manager of...

Cashing in on their good name; Connection: Webisodes, online promos and SpongeBob getaways extend cable brands.(Special Report: Cable TV)(marketing strategies of NBC Universal Inc.)
June 6, 2005... Byline: ABBEY KLAASSEN NBC Universal's Bravo is hoping viewers won't be able to get enough of America's most competitive parents. A week after premiering "Sports Kids Moms & Dads,'' the latest in a franchise that also included...

Key function on Xbox 360: marketing; Microsoft paints world of sponsorships, sports, engagement, community.(News)(marketing strategies of Microsoft Corp. for launching Xbox 360)
June 6, 2005... Byline: MARC GRASER and T.L. STANLEY When Microsoft's next-generation Xbox 360 hits store shelves in the fall, the system will not only kick off another video-game console war with rivals Sony and Nintendo, it will also determine whether...

Broadcast nets' lauded for 'revival,' but schedules still packed with dogs; Ratings plunge for shows that were once hot; buyers hope for stellar midseason.(MediaWorks)
June 6, 2005... Byline: CLAIRE ATKINSON For all the talk around about the revival of the broadcast networks, a relatively large number of shows ended the season with ratings declines, but are nevertheless sticking around for fall. The 2004-2005...

It's unanimous: Made in USA means quality, but not everyone is buying; While the image is good, the young and affluent aren't seeking out label.(American Demographics)
June 6, 2005... Byline: BRADLEY JOHNSON The good news for beleaguered U.S. manufacturers: Americans believe "Made in the USA'' stands for quality and value. The bad news: Consumers-especially young adults entering their prime buying years and richer...

Paris match: de Pouzilhac, Bollore to duel; Execs move furious fight from the press to Havas shareholder vote June 9.(News)
June 6, 2005... Byline: LISA SANDERS On June 9, two days before his 60th birthday, Alain de Pouzilhac, the chairman-CEO of Havas, will face off with one of the most fearsome opponents he's yet encountered during a nearly four-decade career in advertising....

Gillette changes ads following ruling.(The Week)
June 6, 2005... Gillette Co.'s M3Power vibrating razor doesn't really make men's hair stand up straight, a U.S. District Court in Connecticut ruled June 1. That decision could put a scare into the company and its prospective new owners, Procter & Gamble Co....

CreativityAEs AdCritic.com Hot Spot; Mini: Hey Horn.(The Week)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... In an infomercial-inspired spot, Mini pitches a kinder, friendlier car horn. Agency: Crispin Porter & Bogusky, Miami. Executive creative director: Alex Bogusky. Creative director: Andrew Keller. Associate creative director: Steve O'Connell. Art...

Peacock pummeled in upfront; NBC caves on rates even as rivals crow over showings in flat-to-down market.(News)(National Broadcasting Company Inc.)
June 6, 2005... Byline: CLAIRE ATKINSON NBC has swallowed its pride and cut its prices, but it could be too late as the Peacock faces the potential embarrassment of closing its upfront a billion dollars down from last year. In the strongest indication...

Images of the Week; W Hotels: In-house.(Work)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... The "Warmth of Cool,'' a branding campaign for the very chic hotel chain, invites guests into a hip but welcoming, design-driven but comfortable experience. Art director: Naoto Ono. Copywriter: Brian Musich.

Nestle brings the bistro to frozen-food section; New line dresses up TV dinners as fancy feasts, seeks higher price.(News)
June 6, 2005... Byline: STEPHANIE THOMPSON With a raft of new restaurant-inspired frozen entrees, Nestle USA is hoping to inspire consumers to pay more for Stouffer's. Touting adjectives like "fresh'' and "contemporary,'' premium-priced Stouffer's...

Canadian ad exec pleads guilty.(The World)(Executive)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Gail Chiasson [Montreal] Paul Coffin, the first advertising executive to be charged with fraud in Canada's sponsorship scandal, has pleaded guilty to 15 of 18 fraud charges brought against him in connection with overbilling the...

Late News; Costco cuts Pampers in favor of Huggies, Kirkland.("Budget Living" staffers leave magazine)(Fleishman-Hillard staffers indicted)
June 6, 2005... [Cincinnati] Club-store giant Costco has delisted Pampers diapers, Procter & Gamble Co.'s biggest global brand, from 70% of its stores and may follow through with the rest of the country, according to a report June 3 by Deutsche Bank analyst...

Mobile babysitter.(News)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Alice Z. Cuneo San Francisco mom Kristi Mallard knows how to use her cellphone-as an entertainment device tossed into the car's back seat to amuse her two sons. "Everyone I know is letting their kids play with their phones,'' she...

Wireless services get wakeup call from youth; Cingular, Verizon spy spending potential in teens, college-age kids.(News)
June 6, 2005... Byline: ALICE Z. CUNEO The ever-so-lucrative youth market has an increasingly zealous suitor: the wireless-phone industry. Initially, cellular-service providers left much of the college and teen demographic to carriers pitching...

Ad groups, where's the outrage over Morgan Stanley and BP?(Viewpoint)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Rance Crain Where are all the ad trade associations when we really need them? They showed up in force when we editorialized in April that direct-to-consumer drug advertising for new products should be delayed until the industry...

Cable TV nets peddle online in the upfront; Broadband deals hot; carry similar CPM to TV.(News)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: ABBEY KLAASSEN and KRIS OSER Cable networks are jumping on the broadband bandwagon, aggressively expanding their online video presence and selling that inventory in the upfront-often for more than their TV spots. ESPN, Scripps...

People.(The Week)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Steve Weinswig, 40, to senior VP-director of client services for Lindsay, Stone & Briggs, Madison, Wis., from chief operating officer for Publicis Groupe's Arc North America, Chicago. Manuel Wernicky to managing director-promotions and...

Lexus checks into the Four Seasons for ideas; Looking to stay ahead in the luxury game, dealers seek new ways to wow.(News)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: MARK RECHTIN [Los Angeles] Bob Carter realizes that free espresso ain't what it used to be. The new Lexus Division general manager knows that his dealerships' once-special touches now have plenty of imitators. "A free...

Networks thrust into 21st century; From wireless to VOD, broadcast's Big Four place their digital-media bets.(News)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: CLAIRE ATKINSON Soon desperate housewives across America will be able to play "Desperate Housewives'' the video game, unless, that is, they'd rather try their hands at "Lost.'' Yes, the broadcast networks are finally starting...

Has advertising gone the way of Cosa Nostra? The old days are long gone, and the biz is lousy with C-students; what should I tell my daughter?(Viewpoint)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: JONATHAN CRANIN I was told this story by a friend who was there to witness it. Given the subject, you'll understand I can't reveal his identity. Several years ago, at a secret location in Little Italy, the heads of the five...

Garfield's AdReview; Trojan ads will offend only the thin-skinned.(News)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Bob Garfield A condom commercial in prime time? Not too long ago, the very idea of it was unthinkable. Never mind a 25-year AIDS epidemic. God did not wish for the purity of "Dynasty,'' for instance, to be defiled by messages...

Work; DHL: Takes top prize at 'El Sol' Festival.(The World)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... The top print prize at Spain's "El Sol'' festival, which was broadened several years ago to include entries from Latin America, went to Ogilvy & Mather, Mexico, for a campaign celebrating DHL's 25th anniversary there. Using the tagline...

Never heard of su doku? Prepare to be obsessed.(News)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Emma Hall The number puzzles called su doku may have been around since pre-history, but to U.K. consumers they are a red-hot craze. Like guilty smokers counting cigarettes, enthusiasts ask each other, "How many have you done...

Lightning Rod Effect; That one big hit is all it takes to catapult a cable net-and win buyers' favor. Here's a look at what's getting buzz for fall.(Special Report: Cable TV)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: ABBEY KLAASSEN Ad-supported cable has adopted HBO-like ambitions. Once the landing pad for broadcast network also-rans, cable networks are churning out original programming in droves-attracting advertisers and building their...

New net procession never ends; In the mix: Fox Reality, Logo, Gospel Music arriving; and for kids, there's Sprout.(Special Report: Cable TV)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: TRICIA DESPRES As cable media reps parade through agencies proudly touting new programming, personalities and positioning, buyers are also presented with a number of new networks prepared to embark on their first full cable TV...

Hot Product: Crystal Light on the Go.(News)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Stephanie Thompson What it is: Reminiscent of pixie sticks, Kraft has packaged its low-cal drink mixes in single serve tubes that consumers can take along to mix into bottled water. Flavors include Tea, Lemonade and Raspberry Ice...

M&M's gain weight, get new dye job; Mars launches Mega in another attempt to grow brand, reach adult demo.(News)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: STEPHANIE THOMPSON First they went mini, then crispy. Now M&M's are trying bigger, all in an effort to find ways of growing a popular but stalled franchise. With the launch of Mega M&M's in July-a line of bigger-sized versions...

Brady's Bunch; Adler stokes up online 'BW'.(People & Players)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: James Brady Sixty-one years ago today we invaded Normandy. "Let's have lunch one of these days,'' said Bill Kupper, president of the McGraw-Hill powerhouse Business Week. "I want you to meet our new editor, Steve Adler.'' Adler...

TiVo a problem? No, ad solution; Showcase: Programs tailored for marketers gain interested eyeballs, wider VOD options.(Special Report: Cable TV)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: DAISY WHITNEY TiVo is making friends with the very medium it became famous for helping people avoid: the 30-second commercial. And now that TiVo and Comcast are officially paired, it's expected that the two will devise more ways to...

Hot Wired.(Special Report: Cable TV)(Cable television broadcasting industry)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Daisy Whitney Expect a lot more Google and Yahoo flavor in the cable world. The idea that cable needs to improve its often clunky interface and borrow from what works well online permeated the recent National Cable &...

Editorial: GM takes step in right direction.(Viewpoint)(General Motors)
June 6, 2005... Only GM can fix its mess. And General Motors shows tentative signs of doing just that. In recent weeks, the embattled automaker laid out a reasonable brand strategy, took ownership of the word quality and launched a promotion that maybe, just...

Why your desktop is as messy as your desk; PC marketers try to juggle convenience with customization.(News)(Personal Computer)
June 6, 2005... Byline: MYA FRAZIER Browsing the aisles of a computer retailer should be an object lesson on the dangers of the herd mentality. No other purchase seems to thwart consumer choice with such impunity. Preloaded, bundled software is a given...

Drug makers keeping up ED support; Spending likely to stay high despite links to eye damage, negative news.(News)(erectile disfunction)
June 6, 2005... Byline: RICH THOMASELLI You do it in the dark anyway. The reports of links between erectile-dysfunction drug use and eye damage are just the latest obstacle to the drugs' manufacturers-but the pharmaceutical marketers are unbowed. ...

FORGET THE CLINIQUE, PASS ME SOME WATER; Cosmetic drink Borba sweeps salons, celebs to envy of beverage rivals.(News)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: KATE MACARTHUR Scott Vincent Borba thinks he's found an elixir from the fountain of youth. You can buy it at Nordstrom. The 31-year-old entrepreneur's Borba Skin Balanced Water and Aqua-Less Crystalline products, touted as...

Hockey's own goal: ESPN takes a pass on $60 mil NHL rights pact; Cable net says original programs, basketball get similar ratings to sport.(News)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: RICH THOMASELLI The National Hockey League has lost its most visible media partner, casting further doubt on the viability of the league to exist in the future. Having already lost more than $400 million in advertising revenue...

PULLING PARIS' STRINGS; From buzz to brand: Hilton's handlers prove she's no dummy.(News)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: T.L. STANLEY Meet team paris. On the surface, the transformation of the Hilton hotel heiress from bubble-headed nightlife fixture and unwitting porn star to mainstream celebrity and multimillion-dollar brand seems a sad...

Ad Age out in front in China.(Late News)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... [New York] The Ad Age Group this week introduces AdAgeChina, a new electronic newsletter. AdAgeChina will offer news and analysis about major product categories, consumer trends and key decision-makers in China, including top-line data about...

DEEP THROAT, INC.(News)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: MATTHEW CREAMER It wasn't too difficult to follow the money after the identity of uber-anonymous source Deep Throat was revealed last week. Just days after a Vanity Fair article outed W. Mark Felt, the book that made Deep...

Reaching China's youth a balancing act; Marketers find growing individualism, but strong ties to past and respect.(News)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: NORMANDY MADDEN [Shanghai, China] Urban Chinese teens download hip-hop tunes to trendy Nokia cellphones, guzzle icy Cokes after shooting hoops in Nike shoes and munch fries at McDonald's after school. Does that mean they're just...

People.(The World)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Chris Llewellyn, managing director of U.K. publisher Emap International, adds the role of chairman of the International Federation of the Periodical Press (FIPP). He succeeds William T. Kerr, chairman-CEO of Meredith Corp., in the two-year...

Spotlight.(The World)(Li-Ning)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Normandy Madden Marketer: Li-Ning Agency: Leo Burnett, Beijing Chinese sportswear brand flaunts global ambition against African backdrop [Beijing] China's leading sportswear brand Li-Ning is trying to create the...

No Hollywood ending here: The film biz has lost control.(Viewpoint)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Scott Donaton The most important story on the front page of The New York Times on May 27 wasn't the move by Senate Democrats to block a vote on John Bolton or the Gobi desert water shortage. Nope, the piece with the most...

The Buzz; 'Time' plays tag on corner.(MediaWorks)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Abbey Klaassen Tag, you're it. Time goes underground? For the latest iteration of its "Red Border'' campaign from Fallon- remember that clever West Side Highway election pendulum?-it tapped graffiti artist Cope2 to tag his...

CNET takes TV.com live, offers advertising play; Tracking technology targets promotion; the key is attracting eyeballs.(News)
June 6, 2005... Byline: KRIS OSER TV.com has come full circle. Seven years ago, CNET Networks, registered the name for a $15,000 fee as a URL attached to a TV show about computers. Last week CNET launched TV.com as a Web site. Eventually, CNET...

Carlsberg spends $14.2M for `win a private jet' effort.(The World)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Normandy Madden [Singapore] Carlsberg is spending $14.2 million on a "Win a Private Jet'' promotion in 16 countries, building on the beer marketer's "World of Friends'' brand platform. In each country, the grand prize for one...

Publicis Canada wins $70M Rogers business.(The World)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Gail Chiasson [Toronto] The controversial $70 million pitch for Rogers Communications, one of Canada's largest accounts, ended with Publicis Groupe's Publicis Canada winning the business after running a full-page newspaper ad the...

Nestle introduces European `brain shake'.(Hans P. Vriens and David-Jan de Zeeuw.)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Dagmar Mussey [Mondsee, Austria] An Austrian marketing executive who helped introduce energy drink Red Bull to the U.S. market in the 1990s has formed his own company with backing from Nestle to launch Returnity, a functional milk...

FYI...(The World)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Nokia-owned luxury cell phone company Vertu named WPP Group's MediaCom to handle global media strategy, planning and buying in the 24 countries Vertu operates, starting next month. Vertu's previous media agency was Interpublic Group of Cos.'...

Corrections.(Viewpoint)(Correction Notice)
June 6, 2005... * In "Executive helps cable news giant face fresh challenges, out-Fox rivals," (AA, May 30), it should have been reported that CNN beat Fox News in ratings for breaking news events during certain hours those events occurred, not for the full...

People & Players.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... New York: Milestone Food Network's "Emeril Live" tapes its 1,500th episode. (From l.) E.W. Scripps CEO Ken Lowe; Chef Emeril Lagasse; Food Network President Brooke Johnson. New York: Summer kickoff Men's Fitness celebrates its...

Heat Index; Weekly Rating (0-10) of Sizzle & Fizzle.(MediaWorks)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... 10 VP-Dukes of Hazzard The job every college grad was hoping for has gone to temporary executive assistant Christopher Nelson, whose new gig includes a $100,000 annual salary to watch reruns on CMT of the antics of Bo, Luke, Daisy and Boss Hogg...

AdWatch.(News)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... Byline: Bradley Johnson Turn Signals First-quarter U.S. measured ad spending rose 4.4% to $33.5 billion, the smallest gain since the end of 2003, TNS Media Intelligence reported. "It is clear that advertisers were fiscally more...

Weblogs ads allow consumer to critique.(News)(Column)
June 6, 2005... Byline: JON FINE Grumpy consumers anxious to give advertisers a piece of their mind in a public forum are very happy with Weblogs Inc. these days. The blog network, which owns and operates 75 sites, has gone live with ads that allow...

Creativity's AdCritic.com Hot Spot; Mini: Hey Horn.(The Week)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2005... In an infomercial-inspired spot, Mini pitches a kinder, friendlier car horn. Agency: Crispin Porter & Bogusky, Miami. Executive creative director: Alex Bogusky. Creative director: Andrew Keller. Associate creative director: Steve O'Connell. Art...

Corrections.(Viewpoint)(Correction Notice)
June 6, 2005... * In "Executive helps cable news giant face fresh challenges, out-Fox rivals," (AA, May 30), it should have been reported that CNN beat Fox News in ratings for breaking news events during certain hours those events occurred, not for the full...

Garfield's AdReview; Angel Soft hits mark with bathroom humor.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Bob Garfield Angel Soft, the toilet paper, is soft. Mmmm. So soft. The new ad campaign doesn't mention that. Which is odd, but that's the only thing about the TV/Web spots from DDB, New York, to complain about. This is one of...

Coke's nine-month search for 'iconic' ad effort falls flat.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: KATE MACARTHUR Coca-Cola Co.'s quest for an "iconic'' advertising campaign has fizzled. For nine months, the beverage marketer has kept agencies feverishly at work developing transcontinental creative meant to be youthful,...

MAN VS. MAN; Did marketing kill the Great American Alpha Male? Greg Lindsay sifts through the evidence.(News)
June 13, 2005... For an upcoming issue of Maxim, the magazine's editors phoned a who's who of famed "tough guys'' to rate the masculinity of the youngest generation of men. Turns out Merle Haggard, Evel Knievel, G. Gordon Liddy and Jack La Lanne are not...

Windy City buffets WPP shops; JWT, Ogilvy and Y&R outposts seek new business to counteract Sears' fee-cutting and marketer flight.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: JAMES B. ARNDORFER WPP Group's chicago agencies are feeling a client squeeze. Sears, Roebuck & Co. has cut the fee it pays Ogilvy & Mather and Y&R, and its future marketing plans are hazy. JWT, which has watched a steady stream...

Cheerios crushes Tony as Kellogg launch flops; Cereal titan's Tiger Power remains unknown, unsold.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: STEPHANIE THOMPSON You'd think a pouncing tiger could easily crush a Cheerio. But you'd be wrong. The early struggles of Kellogg Co.'s ambitious Tiger Power cereal exposes the hubris behind the company's bid to take on General...

People.(appointments)(Interpublic's Foote Cone and Belding)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2005... Michael Goldstein to VP-account director, Interpublic Group of Cos.' Draft, New York, from VP-management supervisor. Also: Alicia Wolf to VP-management supervisor from management supervisor. Fred Wray to international client media director,...

Bollore in at Havas; now what? No breakup (yet). But de Pouzilhac faces fight.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: LISA SANDERS and ISABELLE MUSNIK What is not clear: Whether Alain de Pouzilhac has a long-term future as chairman-CEO of Havas. What is clear: He was smoothly outmaneuvered by a shrewd gamesman last week, as Vincent Bollore won...

Job No. 1 for Blamer: Prove FCB's relevance; CEO needs plan to define network's identity in era when many struggle.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: LISA SANDERS Steve Blamer needs to figure out-fast-how Foote Cone & Belding is going to stay relevant as a worldwide agency network. His arrival this week as president-CEO at FCB marks a homecoming for the California native. He...

Plugg pulled as jeans ad deemed too raunchy for Times Square.(News)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2005... Byline: STEPHANIE THOMPSON Plugg Jeans Co.'s ad featuring a woman holding a man's leg perilously close to his privates has been rejected for a billboard in New York City's Times Square and in a number of teen titles. The suburban youth...

Brady's Bunch; So much for clear and simple.(People & Players)
June 13, 2005... Byline: James Brady In 1950 Macy's New York goosed up its advertising by raiding Madison Avenue for a top agency copywriter named Jim Breslov as copy chief. Over the next few years Macy's was the place for ad writers to work. Its...

What you need to know about: HDTV.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Beth Snyder Bulik High-definition TV has been available in the U.S. since 1998. But it's now gaining ground for two reasons: the government and flat-panel TVs. A digital-TV broadcast mandate, as legislated by Congress was moved up...

FROM FROG TO PHENOM; Vaguely obscene cartoon amphibian conquers European cellphones, TV screens, pop charts.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: EMMA HALL Looking for the convergence of marketing and popular culture? Start in Europe, where a cartoon frog that started life as an online fad turned into a ringtone and a talked-about TV spot seen nearly four times more...

Pontiac taps into sex appeal for Solstice effort; Interactive campaign being run with Maxim online lures 16,000 to flirt with model and win a car.(Interactive)(Pontiac Solstice Roadster )(Column)
June 13, 2005... Byline: KRIS OSER Two months after an explosively successful brand integration of the Pontiac Solstice Roadster in an episode of NBC's "The Apprentice,'' an innovative online promotion is generating superior results. While "The...

Landor tells Brother Curry's tale, barks up the right tree for brand.(Viewpoint)(Brother Curry's Breads)(Column)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Randall Rothenberg Landor associates is going to the dogs-voluntarily-and therein lies a big, wagging tale about the great benefits branding can bring to the world. The dogs in this story are those whose owners treat them to...

Wal-Mart is the best! No, wait, it's the worst! American Demographics: Opinions diverge on Bentonville behemoth's trustworthiness.(News)(Column)
June 13, 2005... Byline: BRADLEY JOHNSON Pick A or B: A) Wal-Mart has the most believable advertising of any company in America, scores first in retail customer service and ranks as the second-most trustworthy corporation in the nation. B)...

Oh, um, hi. We were hoping to get your machine; Retailers leap through do-not-call loophole with 'voice marketing'.(News)(SmartReply)(Column)
June 13, 2005... Byline: MYA FRAZIER When you answer the phone, a sing-songy, girl-next-door voice chirps, "Hi, it's Katie from Macy's and, um, I wanted to make sure you were the first to know that our new Inc. Spring fashion line has just arrived!'' ...

Personal tech becomes priority for PR; Ketchum focuses units around the world on blogs, mobile marketing.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: MATTHEW CREAMER Thanks to Google, podcasts and mobile phones, consumers now have access to news when they want it and can choose what source to get it from. Many of those who deliver news for a living have already adjusted to this...

P&G and GM slash TV spending; Top 2 advertisers funnel cash to Web, Mad & Vine.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: CLAIRE ATKINSON and ABBEY KLAASSEN P&G and GM have delivered a one-two punch to TV, both slashing upfront spending in favor of new-media experiments and branded entertainment. Procter & Gamble, the country's largest advertiser,...

Noodles & Co. makes a star of asparagus.(Interactive)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Kate MacArthur As the food industry and the government try to get Americans to eat more vegetables, Noodles & Co. has gotten consumers to solve the problem-at least for one green veggie. On May 19, the noodle shop crowned...

Adages; He'll do more than leave the light on for you.(News)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Ken Wheaton Seemed like a good week for broken relationships at ad shows. After the Interpublic 17 scooped up Effies for their work as the Saatchi 17, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners took the grand prize at the Radio Mercury Awards...

Why P&G won't win many Cannes Lions; Pushes for hot creative but succumbs to cold feet.(News)(Column)
June 13, 2005... Byline: JACK NEFF No matter how many trips Procter & Gamble Co. takes to the south of France or what agencies it uses, it's no more likely to bring back a haul of creative awards now than during its maiden Cannes voyage two years ago. ...

Foreplay in aisle seven: Sexcessories get boost; Retailers say yes as lube, condom marketers push products, seek more space.(News)(Column)
June 13, 2005... Byline: JACK NEFF The corner drugstore is fast becoming the corner sex shop as marketers aim to create megabrands with an array of exotic extensions into massage oils, edible body paints and condoms with battery-powered vibrating rings....

Editorial: Effies could be so much more.(Viewpoint)(Effies)
June 13, 2005... The best thing about last week's Effies wasn't the presentation (long-winded). Or the chicken (baked). Or the measures of marketing effectiveness for winning entries (half-baked). No, the best thing about the show was the challenge leveled by...

Eco-efforts rely on authenticity; 'Greenwashing' is out and even Wal-Mart and Ford step up; sustainability becomes key facet of a number of marketing plans.(Feature: Cause Marketing)(Column)
June 13, 2005... Byline: DALE BUSS Earth Day and its attendant hoopla is so last-century, but Americans' concern about environmental preservation remains vibrant. So when marketers hitch their brands to preservation issues nowadays, they must make sure...

Judgment Day is here for print; Marketers now scrutinize medium's measurement, accountability and creative.(Viewpoint)(ANA)(Column)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Robert Liodice and Mark A. Kaline Thursday is judgment day, when the ANA will put print advertising on the witness stand and ask a tough, fundamental question: In this era of extraordinary media fragmentation and increasing...

Fashionistas pick up star scent; Hot Stuff: Trendy is the watchword as litany of lines linked to stars take center stage.(Special Report: Fashion & Beauty)(Brief Article)
June 13, 2005... Byline: Patricia Riedman The modern equivalent of immortalizing one's handprint in a Hollywood Boulevard sidewalk is emblazing your name on a perfume label or a pair of jeans. At least that's the strategy a growing number of...