5 Blogs Before Lunch

Marketers are still trying to envision a world where mobile marketing makes sense

Mobile marketing has been a promised (and unfulfilled) reality for over a decade.

Today, marketers are trying out new ways to monetize mobile phones beyond the standard display and text ads, thanks to Google (who spent $750 million to buy AdMob), Apple (who just bought mobile-ad company Quattro Wireless), and several start-ups like FourSquare and Loopt. They're offering small steps towards a mobile future. Small, but strong steps.

Google, for example, is said to be releasing a smartphone-ad format that allows users to search for a business and click to call when they find it. Volkswagen is creating an application to monitor service appointments, and Best Buy has in the works an app to improve the retail experience.

Still, spending on mobile ads in the U.S. remains small. The Wall Street Journal points to an e-Marketer report that says just $416 million was spent in 2009, up from $320 million in 200. Considering the total U.S. advertising market is $22.4 billion, those numbers are still only rounding errors.

From the WSJ:

Growth has been slower than expected as many mobile Web sites have yet to generate significant traffic and marketers have had a tough time creating campaigns. EMarketer predicted last February that mobile-ad spending would be $760 million in 2009, growing to $2.4 billion in 2012. The research firm now estimates that mobile-ad spending will reach just $1.1 billion by 2012.

"The growth has been disappointing," says Mark Read, CEO of WPP Digital, the group within WPP working to develop the ad company's digital offerings. "The only large numbers on the table are the prices of the acquisitions—not the amount of revenue they're generating."

Graphic source: The Wall Street Journal

Comedian Chelsea Handler switches vodka brands after Belvedere ponies-up a sponsorship deal

Comedian Chelsea Handler, who says nearly everything with tongue-in-cheek, has switched her preferred brand of vodka from Grey Goose to Belvedere. Most would assume the switch came after Belvedere agreed to sponsor her latest tour, but the comedian has other reasons:

"I was a Grey Goose girl but I found out Belvedere has no real sugar in it," she told Ad Age of her new vodka preference. "These guys really know what they're talking about. They have a distillery in Poland and that spells serious to me. Plus, if I was going to have someone sponsor me, it would have to be either Belvedere or Kotex. I just like Belvedere better."

Hitler responds to the Apple iPad. And he is not pleased.

Forgive my indulgence, but this video is hilarious. Hat-tip to David Pogue:

"Hitler has been dreaming about the day that Apple's tablet will be announced. That day has come and he is not pleased."

Snickers' Super Bowl Ad: Test marketed, approved by the CEO, and with "...nothing that the gay community would find offensive."

It was three Super Bowl broadcasts ago that Mars brand Snickers raised a firestorm <blogger's overstatement for affect> when it aired an ad featuring two men inadvertently locking lips and then recoiling.

The spot provoked the ire of gay groups, and was pulled from the air within 24 hours.

Snickers is returning to the Super Bowl telecast this year with an ad test marketed with group of more than 1,000 people and approved by the company's CEO (not to mention the folks at CBS).

This year's ad features television icons Betty White and Abe Vigoda (of Barney Miller fame). The fine folks at Mars have leaked few details of the spot other than to release the spot's tagline: "You're not you when you're hungry" and to say that "It has nothing that the gay community would find offensive." 

Source: USA Today

Supreme Court's decision on corporate funding of campaign ads: a $300 million boon for the media business, but a chink to the armor of democracy

“Government run by organized money is the same as government run by the organized mob” said President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in a speech at Madison Square Garden in 1936.

And last night, in President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech before Congress, he condemned last week's Supreme Court decision which said that corporations could spend as much as they wanted to sway voters in federal elections. 

“Last week, the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests -- including foreign companies -- to spend without limit in our elections,” Obama said tonight. “Well, I don’t think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests, and worse, by foreign entities. They should be decided by the American people, and that’s why I’m urging Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that helps to right this wrong.”

Is the decision bad for democracy? Yes.

But is it good for the media business? Well, some say yes.

Reports are (from the Needham & Company estimate) that an additional $300 million could be spent in paid media based on the Court's decision.

But really, is an additional $300 million really worth the decline of democracy and the commercialization of politics?

It all seems like we are going in the wrong direction.

Thank you Mr. President, for trying to set us straight.

Source: The Los Angeles Times

More controversy around CBS' acceptance of one christian group's ad, and a denial of another.

There's more fuel being added to the controversy around CBS' decision to run a christian group's ad during the Super Bowl.

It seems that, in 2004, CBS refused an ad from the United Church of Christ focusing on the church’s commitment to inclusion. CBS rejected ads submitted by the United Church of Christ as “unacceptable for broadcast.”

CBS’ explanation to the UCC stated that, “Because this commercial touches on the exclusion of gay couples and other minority groups by other individuals and organizations, and the fact the Executive Branch [Bush Administration] has recently proposed a Constitutional Amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, this spot is unacceptable for broadcast on the [CBS and UPN] networks."

National Gay and Lesbian (LGBT) media organization GLAAD has joined the United Church of Christ in protesting the mixed message that denial of one groups ad, but acceptance of another delivers.

“CBS’s decision to run a Focus on the Family ad during this year’s Super Bowl can’t and shouldn’t be considered in a vacuum,” said GLAAD Senior Director of Media Programs Rashad Robinson. “CBS spent years denying a platform to an LGBT-inclusive church that wanted to share a message of inclusion with a national audience. Now, when it happens to be financially inconvenient for CBS to hold to the standard it had previously imposed, the network’s expediency benefits a virulently anti-gay organization whose advocacy on these issues is the antithesis of that of the United Church of Christ.”

CBS claims to have recently reversed its position on issue ads: "We have for some time moderated our approach to advocacy submissions after it became apparent that our stance did not reflect public sentiment or industry norms.” CBS told the AP that, under its new policies, the UCC ads would have been accepted for airing.

Toyota's slips on the banana peel of its brand reputation: Quality

Automotive companies live and die by their brand reputation.

And Toyota has a brand reputation problem.

The company, known for its quality, has just announced that it had to stop building 8 of its popular models due to a technical problem with the accelerator pedal. It has already issues 2 recalls of previously made cars for the same issue.

Yes, Toyota built its glass house based on the brand attribute of quality, and now it must defend itself against all those rocks being thrown at it. Based on the company's history of deftly addressing quality problems, we should expect some good PR and actions coming from the company in the following days, weeks and months.

However, Toyota did not have the wind at its back before these accelerator problems arose. Ever since Toyota bested GM as the largest automotive company in the world, rumors began swirling that the company had taken it eye off the ball, and was focusing solely on volume sales, rather than the core tenants of the brand--quality.

And, it appears that Ford is the world's darling in the automotive world right now. With their hybrid models and "world" cars, they seem to be re-thinking themselves in the right direction. If you need proof, Ford just announced it has swung to its first annual profit in four years.

Toyota's response after the recall of the 2.3 million vehicles with gas pedal problems, has been to stop running its "Portfolio" marketing campaign, which touted its "dependability," "safety" and "reliability." It also has hired Robinson Lerer & Montgomery to handle PR for the situation. Meanwhile, General Motors, seeing an opportunity, is offering $1,000 off a new or leased model to Toyota owners who end their lease agreements.

With great strategic leadership, Toyota should be able to regain its footing and build back the trust and reputation it has formed over the years. Perhaps they should steal Ford's former slogan: Quality if job One.

Taco Bell screws-up attempts to pull a transphobic radio ad from the air

I recently posted on how Taco Bell responded to public outcry after it ran what is being called a transphobic radio ad.

Taco Bell's PR spokesman quickly announced that the use of someone’s transgender identity as the punch line of a joke in ad was not something the company wanted to be associated with.

“We sincerely apologize as the ad was not meant to offend anyone and as soon as it was brought to our attention, we immediately stopped airing it.” according to a company statement.

Unfortunately, Taco Bell's statement was not completely accurate. Apparently, radio stations around the country continued to run the ad, prompting Taco Bell to issue another statement:

“We are very concerned to have learned that over the weekend some stations were airing a radio ad that we instructed them to remove on January 14. In the process of replacing the ad, we discovered that some stations inadvertently ran the original commercial. We sincerely apologize that this ad ran again and offended people. We’re in the process of contacting all of our radio partners to ensure that the original ad never airs again. We appreciate that GLAAD brought this to our attention so that we could take immediate action.”

I don't doubt Taco Bell's sincerity in identifying that the ad was in bad taste, but their efforts to ensure the ad was retracted from radio buys apparently fell far short.

All in all, a messy job by Taco Bell PR/marketing.

Source: GLAAD Blog

Women's groups are protesting CBS's decision to run christian group's ad during Super Bowl

A few days ago I posted about how a Super Bowl ad sponsored by a conservative christian group gained approval by CBS.

Now, a coalition of women's groups — the New York-based Women's Media Center, the National Organization for Women, the Feminist Majority and other groups has asked CBS to reject the Super Bowl ad featuring Tim Tebow and his mother placed by the anti-gay, pro-life evangelical group called Focus on the Family.

From the Washington Post:

"An ad that uses sports to divide rather than to unite has no place in the biggest national sports event of the year - an event designed to bring Americans together," said Jehmu Greene, president of the New York-based Women's Media Center.

According to the AP, the ad is expected to recount the story of Pam Tebow's pregnancy in 1987 with a theme of "Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life." After getting sick during a mission trip to the Philippines, she ignored a recommendation by doctors to abort her fifth child and gave birth to Tim, who went on to win the 2007 Heisman Trophy.

So far, CBS is standing by its position to allow the ad to run.

Indianapolis Advertising Executive to be Michelle Obama's Guest During State of the Union

Trevor Yager, co-owner of an Indianapolis advertising agency, will be First Lady Michelle Obama's guest at tomorrow's State of the Union address. Yager co-owns TrendyMinds, an Indianapolis advertising agency celebrating its 15th anniversary this year.

From Huffington Post:

In 2009 the agency grew by more than 200%, doubled the number of employees and gained 15 new accounts. None of this would have been possible had it not been for President Obama's welcoming climate for small businesses, including the many initiatives under the Recovery Act. The business is an National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce certified gay-owned business.

"I'm very honored to be a part of this. It's a groundbreaking time in our country and I'm proud to be part of that," Yager told me. "This is all possible because we some awesome clients who allow us to be successful. It is very honoring and emotional to be chosen."

A Mistress' Supersized Revenge Scheme: Ad in Times Square Designed To Shame Cheating Spouse (and co-President of Oracle)

Right in the middle of New York City's Times Square sat a full-sized billboard directing viewers to a website featuring a corporate-executive husband and the woman with whom he had a lengthy affair before allegedly reconciling with his wife.

In other words, someone spilled the private life of the co-president of software giant Oracle (Charles Phillips) all over Times Square.

The billboards were reportedly removed after only a few days.

"If you're going to put something up there that might be defamatory, the billboard company would also have some vulnerability," says Murray Schwartz, managing partner at Schwartz and Perry in New York City. "You making that available to someone else can make you responsible as well." (from Lemondrop)

The ads directed viewers to a website (now since removed) that featured photos of Charles with YaVaughnie Wilkins, the woman with whom he had a lengthy affair before allegedly reconciling with his wife. The site includes photos of the couple in romantic settings and is set to one of their karaoke performances. The site also features love notes, penned by Phillips.

Phillips admitted having the affair to NBC, but also noted that divorce proceedings with his wife Karen began in 2008. He added that his relationship with Wilkins "has since ended, and we both wish each other well."

It's believed that Wilkins, who has not spoken to news outlets, is behind the ads and the site.

More proof that hell has no fury like a woman scorned.

Sources: Lemondrop, Gawker,

Human "bed-warmers" service at Holiday Inn

In truly one of the oddest promotions I have seen from a major international brand, Holiday Inn is reportedly offering a human bed-warming service at three hotels in Britain this month.

Here's how it will work:

If requested, a hotel staff-member will dress in an all-in-one fleece sleeper suit and slip between your sheets to warm the bed to a cozy 68 degrees. Holiday Inn said the warmer would be fully dressed and leave the bed before the guest occupied it (whew). They could not confirm if the warmer would shower first, but said hair would be covered.

A hotel spokesperson could not explain why the beds were not being warmed by hot water bottles or electric-blankets, but admitted the human method was quirky.

The trial promotion will take place at two of the chain's London hotels and one in the northern English city of Manchester. 

Sources: Reuters with hat tip to John Cronin

Apple Tablet: expanding Apple's influence and revenue as a content middleman to the worlds of magazines, newspapers, textbooks, television and video games.

Apple revolutionized the music business by revamping the way consumers listen and purchase music with iTunes, and the iPod. They've become a powerful gatekeeper between the labels and consumers.

They're now taking aim at the business of textbooks, newspapers, magazines, and even television and video games with the debut of its new tablet device (expected to be introduced to the media on January 27).

Apple has been in discussions with book, magazine and newspaper publishers about how they can work together-- to expand Apple's influence and revenue as a content middleman.

The WSJ reports that the company has talked with New York Times, Condé Nast Publications, HarperCollins Publishers and News Corp. over content for the tablet. Apple is also negotiating with television networks such as CBS, and Walt Disney Company/ABC, for a monthly TV subscription service. Apple is also working with videogame publisher Electronic Arts.

From the Wall Street Journal (paid content)

Mr. Jobs has a longstanding strategy of devising new ways to access and pay for quality content, instead of reinventing the content. Apple's iTunes Store, for instance, became the world's largest music retailer partly by making it easy for people to buy music, most of it from major record labels, by the song instead of by the album. Its digital-media receiver Apple TV was also designed so people can buy and rent movies and television shows.

Mr. Jobs is "supportive of the old guard, and [he] looks to help them by giving them new forms of distribution," says a person who has worked with the CEO. "What drives all of these changes is technology, and Apple has an ability to influence that."

The tablet, which Apple currently plans to ship in March, will have about a 10- to 11-inch touch screen.

Mopping Up NBC's Prime Time Mess

Jay Leno's prime time show every night at 10 pm was supposed to fix NBC's ratings problem with the key demographic of A 18-49. NBC has been on a ratings slide since 2005.

Instead, the "experiment" of putting the Tonight Show host on during prime time turned into a ratings, and PR disaster.

So now NBC has a bigger problem then they had before.

The network is now focusing on a prime time fix that will see it boost spending on new fall shows by 30% and marketing by 20%.

The WSJ (paid content) is reporting that among the possibilities are new versions of 1970s private-eye show "The Rockford Files" and British crime drama "Prime Suspect," and a project from "Lost" creator J.J. Abrams about a husband-and-wife team of CIA agents..

"Fixing it is crucial," said NBC Universal chief executive Jeffrey Zucker. "We haven't been able to succeed in the last five years in doing that. That's become a real problem for us. And that's incredibly disappointing."

Spain Bans "Body Worship" Television Ads Before 10pm

In Spain, television ads for alcohol can only air after 9 pm.

And now, it appears that marketers will have to wait until 10 pm to air commercials for diet products, some beauty treatments and plastic surgery--so-called "body worship" ads.

The goal is to keep ads away from the eyes and ears of those under 18 years of age who might be affected with body-image issues such as anorexia and bulimia.

According to Advertising Age, the new law states: "Broadcasters cannot carry advertisements for things that encourage the cult of the body and have a negative impact on self-image -- such as slimming products, surgical procedures and beauty treatments -- which are based on ideas of social rejection as a result of one's physical image or that success is dependent on factors such as weight or looks."

The beauty and hygiene segment is the third-biggest TV spender in Spain, accounting for $708 million in airtime in 2008.

Chiat/Day's Guy Day passes away

Chiat/Day, one of the TRUE legendary advertising agencies was founded by the well-known Jay Chiat, and the not-so-well-known Guy Day.

Sadly, this marks the passing of the co-founder, Day, at the age of 77.

Chiat/Day is known for a laundry list of some of the world's most iconic advertising--from Apple's "1984" ad to the Energizer Bunny and the Taco Bell Chihuahua.

Guy Day co-founded the agency in 1968 when he merged the agency he was then running, Faust/Day, with Jay Chiat & Associates.

Mr. Day was the new agency's president, and a major force in winning new business.

While Jay Chiat and the agency's longtime creative chief Lee Clow were the public face of Chiat/Day, Guy Day was a lower-profile figure, considered to be a cool, collected counterpoint to Chiat and Clow.

From Advertising Age: "Guy made me sane while Jay made me crazy," said Mr. Clow in a statement. "He taught me a lot of things -- like how to understand Jay. I probably wouldn't be here if it weren't for Guy."

Day left in 1974 after the agency lost the Honda account, returned in 1982, and left again in 1986.

Coca-Cola's "Happiness Machine" viral video

The fine folks at Coke are venturing into the world of ads developed exclusively for viral distribution. Check out Coke's Happiness Machine video (more info at PSFK).

McCann launches "Split" 'cause "We have to start thinking like a software company,"

The large, old-school (not old skool) advertising behemoths continue to struggle to find meaning in today's media-rich, idea-driven and consumer-in-the-driver's seat marketing world.

McCann Worldgroup's latest attempt to stay current is the creation of a digital shop called Split,

Ad Age calls it "an all-in-one intellectual-property incubator, developer and digital creative shop."

Staff will includes developers, animators and digital-focused creatives who will take on digital-production tasks and develop their own applications and products.

"We have to start thinking like a software company," says Greg Smith, chief information officer at McCann.

Supreme Court to Corporations: Go ahead, spend freely on advertising to promote or defeat political candidates

We may see more, and more, and more political campaign ads in our future, as the Supreme Court has ruled that companies may spend freely to support or oppose candidates for president and the U.S. Congress.

This reverses previous rules on corporations (including labor unions), prohibiting them from using money from their general treasuries to pay for campaign advertisements.

Plus, the justices struck down part of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance bill that barred union- and corporate-paid issue ads in the closing days of election campaigns.

Source: The New York Times

Christian Group "Focus on the Family" gets to advertise on the Super Bowl by avoiding a hard-sell of their values

CBS has approved a Super Bowl ad XLIV from Focus on the Family, a Christian organization based in Colorado.

Focus on the Family is known for taking a pro-life stance and promoting the notion that marriage is an institution for opposite-sex couples only.

The running of the spot reminds us that broadcasters do have the right to approve or ban advertisers on their networks (both locally and nationally). Typically, spots can be denied based on language, proof of claims, etc. They particularly don't like ads that are polarizing to their audience, or create un-wanted controversy--two things that many advocacy groups covet.

From Advertising Age:

The buy may come as a surprise to veteran Super Bowl watchers who recall headlines about sexy vegetables cropping up last year after NBC turned down an ad from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that showed women in lingerie placed in suggestive positions with pumpkins and asparagus. CBS earlier turned down a similar ad for its 2004 Super Bowl broadcast as well as one from MoveOn.org that bashed President Bush. The network and its rivals have espoused a policy of not accepting ads that are inflammatory.

Focus on the Family seems to have found a way around a ban by following the rules and being vague in their position--in other words, no "hard sell" of extremist Christian values.

Apparently, its Super Bowl commercial does not take an "anti" stance against any issue. The organization's ad will feature college football star Tim Tebow and his mother, Pam, sharing a personal story centered on the theme of "Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life."

The New York Times To Charge for Frequent Access To Website

The New York Times has announced that it plans to charge a fee to access its website, starting early in 2011.

Access fees for newspaper websites has been a hotly debated issue for some time.

On one side, it is believed that consumers will not pay for something previously offered for free. On the other hand, media outlets need to find a better revenue source than online advertisers who simply don't cover all of the costs of running a newspaper website.

The New York Times plans to charge for "frequent use" of their website, offering a certain number of articles free every month before being asked to pay a flat fee for unlimited access. Subscribers to the newspaper’s print edition will receive full access to the site.

Nike launches Tiger Woods-themed Golf Line without Tiger Woods

Nike is launching a new line of golf clubs called "Victory Red." The clubs get their name from Tiger Wood's habit of wearing a red shirt on the final day of tournaments. Tiger, of course, has been a major Nike spokesperson.

But Tiger is no where to be seen in the launch marketing. Now, this could be attributable to the fact that virtually no one has seen Tiger since his scandoulous blow up last Thanksgiving. Or, it could mean that Nike is pulling back from using Tiger in marketing.

From the Wall Street Journal

Nike declined to discuss the effect of Mr. Woods's problems on its business, where overall revenue grew 3% to $19.2 billion in fiscal 2009. But in a conference call with investors last month, Chief Executive Mark Parker played down the ramifications, even as he acknowledged that larger economic factors were hurting golf sales.

"We feel very good about how we are managing our golf business through this period and our position in the broader golf market," Mr. Parker said, adding, "We'll continue to support Tiger and his family as we, of course, look forward to his return."

Marketing for the new line of golf clubs from Nike will feature golf pro Lucas Glove

Cadbury Board Accepts Takeover Offer From Kraft

The New York Times is reporting that British confectioner Cadbury has agreed to the deal with American food giant Kraft, creating the world's largest confectioner.

Kraft is the maker of such brands as Oreo cookies and Ritz crackers, and Cadbury, the producer of Trident gum and Dairy Milk chocolates.

From the NYT: Irene Rosenfeld, chairwoman and chief executive of Kraft, said that for her company, the deal “transforms the portfolio, accelerates long-term growth and delivers highly attractive returns.”

Coca-Cola's deal with American Idol reaped $12 million in exposure during premiere episode

Placing a value on sponsorships is always tricky business.

Front Row Analytics, is a Philadelphia-based sponsorship evaluation and measurement division of Comcast-Spectacor. Their business is placing value on sponsorships.

In looking at Coca-Cola's deal with American Idol, they say that Coke received exposure valued at nearly $12 million in the premiere episode of "American Idol."

The company is believed to spend up to $60 million on product placements and ads for the season.

Source: Media Post

Taco Bell Pulls Insensitive "Transphobic" Radio Ad

Here's an example of a quick response to the poor thinking of running an insensitive ad.

Apparently, fast food giant Taco Bell produced a radio spot which centers around a thoughtless reference to a transgender character.

Here's how Borderhouse blog describes the "general gist" of the spot:

Some male tells a female (presumably his wife or girlfriend) that it’s a surprise that there is nacho cheese in a layer of the Taco Bell burrito.  The woman responds with “Well, I have a surprise for you.  I was born male, my name was Claudio” and her voice is lowered several octaves.  After which, the male says “Ew.”

A group of bloggers along with the Gay/Lesbian/Transgender/bisexual media organization GLAAD quickly asked Taco Bell to pull the ad, which they did.

Taco Bell quickly began the process of taking the ad off the air and issued a statement:

“We sincerely apologize as the ad was not meant to offend anyone and as soon as it was brought to our attention, we immediately stopped airing it.”.

Source: GLAAD

Kraft and Cadbury in talks to end the Chocolate Wars

It appears that the Chocolate Wars may be approaching an amicable armistice.

The New York Times is reporting that  Kraft and Cadbury are working on a friendly deal that could mark the end of a series of hostile take over bids to win control over the confectionery.

In recent months, Kraft, Hershey, Nestle and Ferrero got caught up in what has been called "The Chocolate Wars."

Kraft started it all by making an unsolicited bid for Cadbury last September--an offer that was turned down by Cadbury’s management. Since then, the management team is reported to have held talks with Hershey, Nestle and Ferrero--the latter two dropping to the wayside in recent weeks.

A deal with Kraft does have its opponents. Warren E. Buffett, whose company, Berkshire Hathaway is Kraft’s largest shareholder, publicly opposed the most recent Kraft offer, and William A. Ackman, who has been amassing a big position in Kraft is also reportedly opposed.

Stay tuned.

Amtrak is Advertising at Airport Security Checkpoints

Amtrak, the nation's train service, has started an advertising campaign using an unusual, and innovative media placement strategy.

They're buying ads at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, lining the bins at the TSA security checkpoints.

It's a brilliant strategy, targeting air travelers during one of the most painful parts of air travel--getting through security, with a message that points out the advantages to trains over air travel.

"Wear mismatched socks -- we'll never know," one ad reads.

"Our goal here is to get a smile from passengers and also get them to think twice about going through the frustration of flying, or driving," Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said. "Amtrak most often is the most comfortable way to travel. Some would say more civilized."

Source: Chicago Tribune

Dodge and VW Join the Super Bowl Line-up. Subaru signs on to the Puppy Bowl

With General Motors deciding not to advertise on the Super Bowl this year, other automakers are taking up the slack.

Dodge has announced that they will run their first national ad on the big bowl game since 2005. The commercial is being created by the new advertising agency for Dodge brand, Wieden & Kennedy. They'll be the sole domestic advertiser during the game (on a national basis).

As for imports, VW has decided to return to the Super Bowl ad line-up after a nine year hiatus. Like Dodge, VW has a new advertising agency (Deutsch L.A.) and has bought time during the third quarter of Super Bowl XLIV. The ad uses the "Das Auto" tagline introduced in 2008.

And then there's Subaru, who hasn't advertised during the Super Bowl since 1993.

And, for 2010, instead advertising on the Big Game, the automaker is the car sponsor of the Puppy Bowl, which airs on cable TV's Animal Planet opposite the Super Bowl on Feb. 7.

Truth in Advertising? Artist Arrested For Relabeling Gatorade Bottles With Images of Tiger Woods and the word: "Unfaithful"

Ah, and there's more Tiger Woods news this morning.

An artist in Colorado has been arrested for allegedly relabeled bottles of Gatorade with pictures of golf star Tiger Woods and his wife Elin Nordegren and the word “unfaithful,” then placing them on store shelves, as part of a pop art stunt.

Apparently it is a Federal offense to misbrand and alter food labels.

Following Gatorade's dropping of Tiger as a spokesperson, it is hard to know if the artist's comment on infidelity is based on the golf legend's marriage woes, or a commentary on the endorser's lack of commitment to Tiger.

“From the onset, our primary concern has been the safety of our consumers and the integrity of our products,” said Karen May, a Gatorade spokesperson.

The artist, Jason Eric Kay, apparently took bottles of Tropical Mango flavor Gatorade and relabeled with handmade labels printed at FedEx Kinkos. The bottles were then put on store shelves in the Denver area.

According to the FDA affidavit, Mr. Kay contacted PepsiCo Inc., which produces Gatorade, to suggest working together. “This is the cheapest marketing campaign you could ever participate in,” Mr. Kay wrote in an email cited in the FDA affidavit. “It is good for Gatorade and good for art.”

Source: WSJ

Accenture Replaces Tiger with an Elephant, a Chameleon, some Frogs and Fish

It was only a month ago that Accenture announced it was ending its six-year relationship with Tiger Woods (insert your own bad relationship joke here). Apparently salacious tabloid headlines do not sit well alongside the Accenture brand.

You'll remember that Accenture was once called Anderson Consulting until it has its own run-in with scandal when it was tainted by the Enron debacle.

So, Accenture acted quickly to eliminate all association with Tiger Woods. It is set to release a new global marketing campaign this week.

Images of Tiger are replaced with a lineup of animals, but keep with the look and feel of Accenture's longstanding campaign: "High Performance. Delivered."The creatures, which include an elephant, a chameleon and some frogs and fish, will star in a series of TV, print and online spots. They also will appear in airport ads in 28 countries.

Source: WSJ

Jay Leno Returning To Late Night...elbowing Conan OBrien and Jimmy Fallon in the Process

A quick follow-up to my post " Where did all of Jay Leno fans go?"

It seems that the disasterous experiment to put the Jay Leno Show at 10 pm every night at NBC is coming to an end.

Rumors had been swirling all day of the impending cancellation of his show. But as the dust settled and stories moved from rumor to "informed sources say" it appears that Jay is not yet ready to leave his audience alone with Conan O'Brien.

The New York Times is reporting that NBC executives have a plan in the works to return Leno to 11:35 p.m. in a half-hour edition, pushing O'Brien to 12:05 a.m., followed by "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" at 1:05 a.m.

The revamped lineup would go into effect after NBC concludes its Olympics coverage, the Times reported.

Morgan Freeman to replace Walter Cronkite as the Voice of CBS News

In 2006 while Katie Couric was struggling to gain credibility (and viewers) to her CBS Evening News broadcast, CBS asked Walter Cronkite to handle the VO announcer duties for her nightly news program.

His job was to elevate Couric's status as a top newsperson by linking her to the legendary (and highly revered) newscaster who was the trusted news source of several generations.

But now that Cronkite has passed away, the voiceover has clearly become a bit creepy--a voice from the dead, and all of that.

So the network has hired Morgan Freeman as the voice of CBS News.

While no one can replace the power of Cronkite's voice to evoke credibility in broadcast news, Freeman's soothing, and seductively human tone should be welcoming to the program's viewers.

Source: UK Guardian

A "Model" President: Image of Obama Used in Weatherproof Garment Ad

The Weatherproof Garment Company hoisted a billboard in New York's Times Square this week featuring President Obama wearing what appears to be one of its coats.

According to The New York Times, the image is licensed by The Associated Press, and was taken during the president’s visit to the Great Wall of China last November.

Weatherproof also put the image on its Web site home page for a time on Wednesday, promoting “The Obama Jacket.”

Apparently, the company had also tried to run ads in The New York Times, The New York Post and Women’s Wear Daily with the image, but had been turned down by the publications.

The Obama administration had not approved the use of the image.

Clearly this is being used as a publicity stunt by Weatherproof to expand awareness of the brand beyond the single billboard by creating controversy. And, guess what, it is working.

Image source: NYT

Announcing the new Chrysler (agency) line-up

Chrysler Group has selected  of a group new agencies that will replace pre-recession firms BBDO Detroit and PHD (media buying).

Publicis Groupe's Fallon will handle Chrysler, Wieden + Kennedy will oversee Dodge advertising, GlobalHue will create for Jeep and Richards Group, will handle the Ram truck business. Universal McCann will handle its media planning and buying activities.

Olivier Francois, Chrysler's head of marketing, is quoted in The Wall Street Journal as saying it is important the brands "retain individual agencies that fit with the brand direction." He added, "Individual agencies also will enable us to deliver unique ideas and broaden our reach to existing and potential customers."

Major League Gaming Links up with Nestle's Hot Pockets

What do Major League Gaming (MLG) and Nestle's Hot Pockets have in common?

A target audience.

And a sponsorship deal.

MLG, the professional videogame organization has inked a deal with Nestle Hot Pockets to sponsor multiple events as well as original content and product integration. The program will be rolled out throughout 2010.

Other MLG sponsors include Electronic Arts, Dr. Pepper and Old Spice.

Like any good sponsorship match-up, the target audience of gamers and frozen munchy eaters seems like a good match.

The MLG website claims 3.5 million registered users. The association hosts multiple online tournaments throughout the year. According to MLG officials, mlgpro.com now reaches over 10 million unique users per month and averages over 6 million video streams per month. Live events draw an average of 550,00 unique streamers—primarily men aged 16 to 34.

Source: Mediaweek

Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Carrie Underwood and Tyra Banks Appear in New PETA Ad, Because they are "Fur-Free and Fabulous"

First Lady Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Carrie Underwood and Tyra Banks are being applauded in the latest ad from PETA (the animal rights group) for not wearing fur.

So how did they get all of these well-known women to give permission to be featured in a PETA ad?

Well, um, they didn't.

"We did not consent to it," Semonti M. Stephens, a spokesman for Mrs. Obama, told Politics Daily.

The ads are posted across Washington, DC at the Dupont Circle and Friendship Heights subway stations and feature the headline "Fur-Free and Fabulous!" There are also two vans driving around Washington with a similar message, and serving hot soy cocoa.

PETA President Ingrid Newkirk told Politics Daily on Wednesday that using Mrs. Obama's image is "fair game" because the organization is "reporting a fact . . . that she is fur-free" -- as any news organization would. The NY Daily News reports that she told the Associated Press her organization wouldn't have sought Mrs. Obama's consent for the anti-fur ad because it knows that she can't make such an endorsement.

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese to Sponsor Demolition of Dallas Cowboy's Texas Stadium in a "Cheddar Explosion"

Texas Stadium (home of the Dallas Cowboys from 1971 to 2008) is schedule for demolition in March 2010.

And Kraft Foods is the official sponsor of the demolition.

I kid you not.

In fact they even have a name for the promotion surrounding the sponsorship. The demolish will be called the "Cheddar Explosion," to promote Kraft's Macaroni & Cheese.

The Irving, Texas City Council unanimously approved the sponsorship which has Kraft paying Irving a $75,000 sponsorship fee prior to the demolition which will be directed to charities selected by the city. The company will also provide $75,000 worth of Kraft products for local charities of its choice.

As if the sponsorship couldn't get any quirkier, as part of the promotion, Kraft will launch a national essay contest for children--yes, an essay contest for children. The winner will get to trigger the detonation at the public demolition.

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese is excited about the possibility of working with the city of Irving, Texas, to be involved in the explosion of Texas Stadium," said Joanne Freed, a vice president with Hunter Public Relations (spokesperson for Kraft).

Only in Texas, my friends. Only in Texas.

Source: The Dallas Morning News, and Irving Blog

Dove's New Men+Care Line to Be Introduced During The Super Bowl

The word is that Dove will advertise on the Super Bowl this year.

No, they won't be running their famous women's "Real Beauty" campaign.

The Super Bowl spots are being reserved for the launch of the male-focused Men+Care line, including body washes, bar soap and an exfoliant. They are adapted from Dove’s existing product range of deodorant, soap and shower gels to incorporate ‘male formulations and fragrances’.

The line was test marketed in Italy last fall to examine the interest level in men's grooming lines.

Now Dove appears to be ready to try it out on American men.

According to a statement from Dove, the new line is aimed at "men who are comfortable in their own skin" but want to tap the proven moisturizing power of Dove products rather than continue to use cleansing products that can dry and irritate skin.

Source: AdAge

Where Did All the Jay Leno Fans Go?

We are beginning to hear what might end up on "The Jay Leno Show" tombstone.

It may read: "One of the biggest mistakes in television programming history."

Ouch.

From the outset, it seemed like a big gamble to launch a talks how to fill the coveted 10PM timeslot of a major network. It was a gamble that appears not to be paying off.

Data is now coming out that shows that fans of Leno at the 11:30 hour have failed to migrate over to the 10 pm time slot, leading to a 45 percent drop in ratings for NBC over last year in the key 18-49 demographic, according to Media Life Magazine.

So where did all those viewers go? CBS and ABC would like to have seen their numbers increase as NBC's dropped, but the two other networks have combined to post only a .1 ratings increase during this same time frame.

It seems that viewers are turning to cable instead of CBS and ABC.

AOL Inside TV is reporting that original programming on cable channels is seeing a corresponding surge, with ratings in the 18-49 demographic up 1.6 rating points over last year. Combined with the loss of viewers from NBC, the website suggests that when viewers leave, they are leaving network programming entirely and turning to increasingly popular and critically acclaimed cable shows instead.

Media Life Magazine suggests that this fall, the 10 p.m. weeknight hour has become the hottest time slot in cable, home to such hits as TNT's “Men of a Certain Age,” FX's “Sons of Anarchy,” Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Atlanta” and “Top Chef,” Lifetime’s “Project Runway,” MTV’s “Teen Mom” and TBS's “House of Payne.”

Apple Acquires Quattro Wireless

Last year, Google spent a reported $750 million to acquire AdMob, placing its bet in the mobile ad market.

Now, Apple has purchased Quattro Wireless for a reported $275 million to become a player in the fast-growing market to advertise on smartphones. Quattro's clients include Ford, Disney and the National Football League, but the real value will be integrating the advertising platform into iPhones.

Domino's Changes Its Core Pizza Recipe. Will Consumers Accept The Change?

Consumers like things that are new. But at the same time, they don't like change.

Give consumers a "new and improved" item, and they'll rush out to the store to buy it. But REPLACE a product they've grown to love, and all hell could break loose.

Don't believe me?

I have one phrase for you: "New Coke."

But despite this marketing truism, the world's largest pizza delivery chain, Domino's, has entirely changed its core pizza recipe.

The pizza chain says it spent 18 months testing dozens of cheeses, 15 sauces and 50 crust-seasoning blends before it finalized its new recipe.

Let's hope they spent an equal amount of time testing the affects of "change" on their core audience.

"The fact is, we love our pizza, but as times change, so do consumer tastes," said Russell Weiner, Domino's chief marketing officer, in a statement. "We've created a pizza to reflect what consumers are looking for. We're not talking about a slightly altered version of our previous pizza. It's a completely new pizza reinvented from the crust up, and we are proud of it."

The new crust will be seasoned with garlic, butter and parsley. While the new tomato sauce will be sweeter, made with a variety of herbs and a kick of red pepper. The cheese is shredded mozzarella, versus diced, with a hint of provolone.

Social Networking for Chinese Parents: Babytree

Chinese parents are flocking to Babytree.com -- a social network aimed at parents -- and Western companies are following suit, in the hope of tapping into the vast Chinese market.

Babytree, a Chinese-based start-up, allows parents to create personal profiles, upload photos and exchange messages. There's a Q&A board, and the ability to link blogs to user profiles. It is all pretty standard stuff. But direct these resources to the huge target audience of an upwardly mobile Chinese population, and you've got a hit on your hands.

Boston-based VC firm Matrix is capitalizing on the opportunity, and invested $10 million in Babytree, owning 40% of the company.

And U.S. marketers see opportunity as well. Forbes reports that since Babytree started selling advertisements nine months ago, they've pulled in $3 million from more than 100 companies, half of them international.

Procter & Gamble (Pampers) and Kimberly-Clark (Huggies) each pay around $50,000 for monthlong contests. They then send free products to the 3,000 to 5,000 moms who upload, say, the best photos of cute diaper-clad babies. Gymboree, a San Francisco clothing and toy company that sells its products online and in retail stores in China, paid the same amount for an essay contest that brought in 60 entries and more than 2,000 comments on the best ways to educate children. Formula makers Wyeth and GlaxoSmithkline buy banner and display ads.

Source: Forbes

Wendy's Goes Out of Business in Japan

No more chili cheese fries and square-cut hamburger patties for Japan--Wendy's has officially closed its doors in the Chrysanthemum Empire.

The stated reason for the closure of the 71 fast food joints in Japan is that the new Wendy's franchise owner, Zensho, needed to focus on its other interests, chiefly the Sukiya beef bowl chain.

Wendy's says it will be looking for new franchise partners or franchisees or joint venture partners in Japan.

More at The New York Times, Daily Finance, Yahoo! News

Out with the Old: Over-Used and Mis-Used Words of 2009

Wordsmiths at Lake Superior State University have issued their 35th annual list of words and phrases commonly used in marketing, media, technology and elsewhere, that they feel have been over- or mis-used, and should be banned from our vocabulary.

Topping the list? "shovel-ready." Others include "stimulus;" Obama-related constructions such as "Obamacare" and "Obamanomics;" Twitter-based words such as "tweeting," "retweeting" and "tweetaholics;" and of course "sexting, "bromance" and "chillaxin".

According to the University, we need to stop having "teachable moments" and stop referring to "in these economic times." And, we don't need to be discussing "toxic assets" or "transparency" any more.

In other words, "Purging our language of 'toxic assets' is a 'stimulus' effort that's 'too big to fail,'" said a university spokesman.

Source: Reuters

Hulu Must Be Doing A Jig Over Their Runaway Success

When NBC Universal, News Corp, and Disney partnered up to create Hulu, it seemed like the right time, and the right formula for success. Audiences were ripe for watching video content over the Internet, and NBC/NewsCorp/Disney brought the right content to the masses.

And the proof of this success is in the numbers. According to Variety, the site's users nearly doubled from 22.4 million in November 2008 to 43.7 million last month, and the number of videos served increased more than 300%, to 923.8 million.

A New Wrinkle in the Fight Against Skin Aging: A Little Red Pill from Nestle and L'Oreal

Inneov Fermete is a little red pill that when taken regularly, allegedly provides the necessary nutrients to prevent wrinkles.
It contains a compound found in tomatoes which, it is claimed, protects old skin cells and promotes the growth of new ones.

Cosmetics firm L'Oreal partnered-up with Nestle to develop the product, and claims to combine nutritional and dermatological science. It is joins other new products in an emerging class of so-called cosmeceuticals - beauty treatments that claim to work from inside the body rather than being applied to the hair or skin. The makes of such products promote them as a lifestyle product--like a vitamin, rather than a medical treatment (e.g. Botox, etc.).

It is on sale in parts of Europe and South America. It has yet to be introduced in the US or UK. and a launch is planned in the UK, although a date has not yet been confirmed.

Source: UK Daily Mail