5 Blogs Before Lunch

Domino's Wants Nothing to do with MTV's Jersey Shore

2009-12-05T15:08:18-08:00

MTV recently introduced its own version of "The Real Housewives" series--but instead of five or six boob-jobbed social climbers, MTV's house has eight Italian-American 20-somethings living together in Seaside Heights, N.J., for the summer. Let the beer bongs, big hair,...

Jolt Cola Demise Seems Imminent and is Getting Nasty

2009-12-05T14:19:30-08:00

Jolt Cola is known as the Mother of Energy Drinks. Now, the end of Jolt Cola may be upon us. Before there was Redbull, Rockstar or Monster, there was Jolt--offering twice the caffeine with all of the taste of regular...

KFC Pricing Meals By-The-Calorie

2009-12-05T08:01:32-08:00

The fine folks at KFC have a new promotion: Kentucky Grilled Chicken at 1 cent per calorie. The 395-calorie Kentucky Grilled Chicken meal comes with a drumstick and thigh, green beans, mashed potatoes, and gravy.--all for only $3.95. We think...

Lord & Taylor and Racoon Dog Fur

2009-12-05T07:46:05-08:00

The fight over (faux) fur continues. Thanks to PETA and the Human Society, many consumers have stopped wearing real-fur coats, and have converted to faux fur. But it seems there is a problem with what certain companies consider "faux." It...

Porsche Suing Crocs Over Cayman Brand

2009-12-05T07:32:06-08:00

Crocs, the rubber shoe company, has had its share of troubles lately, with sales tumbling. Now it has another bit of trouble to deal with: a trademark infringement lawsuit from Porsche. Porsche? Yep, it seems that the fine folks at...

Chrysler and Pizza Hut Leave BBDO for Fallon and Martin Agency

2009-12-05T07:19:16-08:00

Advertising agency BBDO officially lost two big accounts this week, as Chrysler and Pizza Hut awarded their business to two new agencies. Chrysler went to Fallon of Minneapolis and Pizza Hut is headed to the Martin Agency of Richmond, VA....

Ogilvy Brings Back Ad from 1954 to Promote Puerto Rico Tourism

2009-12-04T06:05:00-08:00

I am really excited to see the new tourist campaign for Puerto Rico. Huh, you say? You see, the folks at Ogilvy & Mather have come up with an innovative approach to bring back a classic ad campaign, produced over...

PETA's Latest Celebrity Ad Features A Playboy Model, A Crucifix, and not much else.

2009-12-04T05:41:00-08:00

PETA loves to get noticed. The latest provocative ad to support their cause features Joanna Krupa. For those not familiar with Krupa, she has appeared on magazine covers including ENVY, FHM, Personal, Inside Sport, Stuff, Steppin' Out, Teeze, and Maxim....

Did the Sun-Maid Raisin Gal Get A Boob Job?

2009-12-04T05:34:00-08:00

Is something afoot at the Sun-Maid factory? Apparently, even though the Sun Maid Raisin maiden on the box hasn't changed in decades, the latest television spots show a more full-figured gal meandering through the fields. Leave it to the folks...

Sean "Diddy" Combs is a Sell Out on HSN

2009-12-04T05:28:00-08:00

Earlier this week, HSN had a sales bonanza. Twenty six hundred units of the I Am King Classic Gift Set sold out in 16 minutes, 2000 units of the Unforgivable Gift Set for Women disappeared in 14 minutes, and 1,000...

A Target Gift Card That Doubles as a Santa Mouse Remote Control

2009-12-04T05:17:00-08:00

You've got to hand it to Target. They make mass merchandise cool for everyone--whether you're from Barstow or Manhattan. This holiday season, they're offering up a rather unique gift card. It acts on remote control. Yes, you heard me, Target...

Muscle Milk's "Sexy Pilgrim" viral video hits #1 with 3 million views during Thanksgiving

2009-12-03T08:16:47-08:00

Muscle Milk's "Sexy Pilgrim" viral video, released the week before Thanksgiving, ranked number one in Ad Age's Viral Video Chart. The video, created by Pereira & O'Dell, was the second-largest No. 1 debut to date, after the June debut of...

Kraft Food's iFood Assistant is a Mobile Success

2009-12-03T08:00:52-08:00

Mobile phone applications are ubiquitous. Costing nothing, or next to nothing, to download, developers and users have been in an application frenzy. But, long-term usage of mobile applications has not been as much of a success. According to apps analytics...

Gap Is "Going Rogue" With A Plaid Bus And Some Cheerleaders This Holiday Season

2009-12-03T07:28:00-08:00

Gap is "going rogue" with a bus tour this holiday season. In an extension to their holiday focus on "plaid," they're taking all the pep of their holiday TV ads on the road with a touring "Cheer squad" of drummers...

An Unlikely Couple: Saks Fifth Avenue and Microsoft

2009-12-03T07:12:45-08:00

In the last few years, Saks Fifth Avenue has been doing everything to keep its customer base shopping at its stores. Even at the risk of destroying their brand reputation, the swanky retail store has been slashing prices and offering...

Comcast Buys NBC. Time for Change our Perception of Cable Companies

2009-12-03T06:58:33-08:00

In an amazing power shift, cable company Comcast will be acquiring television network NBC Universal. The $30 Billion deal was announced today. What's so amazing about this deal that had been widely discussed for nearly eight months? It is the...

AAAA's Issues List of Marketer's Mistakes When Selecting An Agency

2009-12-02T09:56:38-08:00

There's a lot written about how an agency can succeed (or fail) in a review. They're lessons for agencies. But what about a few lessons for marketers on how to run a review? Searching for a new agency is an...

Memorex is Returning to Its Roots: Sharing and Experiencing Music. This Time, With an IPod

2009-12-02T07:09:21-08:00

I'll admit it. I didn't know that the brand Memorex still existed. I had forgotten about the brand known--twenty years ago--as THEY brand for cassette tapes. But this holiday season, Memorex would like to refresh our memories (sorry for the...

Levis' Dockers Brand Is Targeting "Generation Recession"

2009-12-02T06:45:59-08:00

The Dockers brand is introducing a new advertising campaign, with the hopes of reclaiming some of its former glory. It may be hard to remember a time when Dockers = Khakis, just as Levis (Dockers's parent) used to = Jeans....

GM Replaces another Chief. Fritz Henderson Leaves and Edward Whitacre Jr. Steps In

2009-12-02T06:30:44-08:00

Ford seems to be on a good path to recovery. And, it is to early to tell whether the Fiat-Chrysler relationship will have better results than its time spent with Daimler-Benz. But GM appears to still be struggling. They failed...

Big Name Advertisers Continue to Stay Away From Glenn Beck

2009-12-02T06:15:20-08:00

Last July, conservative Fox News commentator Glenn Beck made one of his famously dramatic statements--this time about President Obama: "I'm not saying he doesn't like white people, I'm saying he has a problem. This guy is, I believe, a racist."...

Twitter" has been named the top word in the English language for 2009.

2009-12-01T10:16:28-08:00

According to the Global Language Monitor, which examines language usage across the world, "Twitter" beat out "Obama," "H1N1," "stimulus," and "vampire." To compile its data, the Global Language Monitor uses a proprietary algorithm to track words and phrases in the...

The Federal Reserve is Running Ads on Credit Card Use

2009-12-01T09:54:24-08:00

In an ad only the federal government could produce (yes that is a dig on the lack of governmental creativity), the Federal Reserve has created a 45-second spot to inform viewers on how to get the most out of their...

Abercrombie & Fitch And Other Youth-Oriented Brands Feeling The Pinch of "Generation Recession"

2009-12-01T07:03:18-08:00

We are clearing experiencing an "only if it is on sale" buying public this holiday season. Everyone from Walmart to Saks Fifth Avenue is pushing sale items to move merchandise. Even Abercrombie & Fitch is getting into the act. Wait,...

Gillette, Nike and Gatorade Are Sticking By Tiger Woods

2009-12-01T06:13:00-08:00

Nike, Gillette and Gatorade have issued statements in support of their celebrity spokesperson: Tiger Woods in the light of day after his 2 am one-car accident over the Thanksgiving weekend. Woods is currently the face of some of the world's...

Salvation Army Sidewalk Santas Now Accepting Visa, Mastercard...

2009-12-01T06:04:00-08:00

It seems that dropping a bit of extra change in Santa's red bucket in front of the mall is not enough. Eying another tough fundraising season, the Salvation Army has decided to equip its Sidewalk Santas with kettles that accept...

New FTC Rules on Blogger-Advertiser Relationships To Go Into Affect Today

2009-12-01T05:25:00-08:00

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is about to implement a set of new rules which call for bloggers to openly disclose any "material connection" they have to an advertiser, such as receiving payment or a free product for an endorsement....

Good Times Ahead for the Television Advertising Market

2009-11-30T08:33:14-08:00

The market for network and cable TV ads appears to be improving, with marketers agreeing to much higher rates than they did last spring. David Levy, president of sales for Turner Entertainment says: "It is a little too early to...

Tiger Woods: Keeping Corporate Sponsors On Edge

2009-11-30T08:25:16-08:00

Tiger Woods' 2am car crash and media drama this weekend undoubtedly kept (and is keeping) a lot of corporate marketers on edge. Was he OK? How badly was he hurt? Were alcohol or drugs involved? Was it tied to a...

PETA Thanksgiving ad runs afowl of NBC

2009-11-30T07:59:44-08:00

An ad promoting a vegan diet from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that was to air during Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was rejected by four NBC affiliates. The stations who turned down the ad are in Raleigh, N.C.,...

L’Oréal Elvive Full Restore 5 Seen As Deceptive By Consumers

2009-11-30T07:47:07-08:00

An ad in the UK for L’Oréal Elvive Full Restore 5 shampoo and conditioner is coming under fire for deceptive claims. The ads promise to tackle weak, limp, lifeless, dull or straw-like hair, by making it feel stronger, weightless and...

Black Friday: A Good Day to Shop with your Mobile Phone

2009-11-30T07:00:00-08:00

More consumers are comparison-shopping and making purchases via their mobile phones this year, based on Black Friday numbers. PayPal reportedly saw a roughly 650% increase on mobile payments, while mobile product searches also increased. Could it be the tipping point...

Networks Are Serving-Up Cause-Related Programming to Entice Advertisers

2009-10-19T17:59:39-07:00

NBC Universal, CBS and Discovery Communications have begun creating TV and online content and programs around social causes such as health and the environment, and presenting the content to advertisers as opportunities to associate their brands with important social causes....

An Adults-only Version of Disney's Snow White Featured in an Australian Beer Ad

2009-10-19T17:07:27-07:00

Doesn't everyone know not to mess with the Mouse? Disney who has not yet made a public statement is reportedly ticked off that an Australian beer ad for Jamieson Brewery's Raspberry Ale depicts Disney's beloved and wholesome Snow White in...

Coca-Cola Encourages Portion-Control with New 90-Calorie Mini-Cans.

2009-10-19T16:27:00-07:00

The soda giants have been under attack lately for contributing to a nation of obese soda drinkers. Yes, Diet Coke has been around for years, but many do not like the taste, and some suggest that diet sodas can make...

Bloomberg Acquires Businessweek...for the Price of a NYC Apartment

2009-10-14T07:52:57-07:00

For a price tag of a New York City apartment, news service Bloomberg will acquire BusinessWeek from publisher McGraw-Hill Companies. The price tag is reportedly somewhere between $2 million and $5 million, along with the assumption of the magazine's liabilities....

Does Cleavage Belong in Automotive Advertising?

2009-10-11T06:02:47-07:00

There was a time when beautiful women were used to sell cars. Whether scantily-clad and draped across the hood of a Pontiac, or part of the "Toyota Dancers" at the auto show, women were objectified in the marketing of automobiles...

The Pistachio Industry is Using Sex, and Levi Johnston, to Repair Its Salmonella-Damaged Reputation

2009-10-06T13:25:03-07:00

The $800 million U.S. pistachio industry has a brand reputation problem. The recall of 2 million pounds of pistachios after last April's salmonella contamination scare cut sales (year over year) by 20%. To help fix the problem, they've turned to...

Goodbye Gourmet, Cookie, Modern Bride and Elegant Bride. Conde Nast Makes Some Tough Cuts.

2009-10-06T11:08:36-07:00

Gourmet, Cookie, Modern Bride and Elegant Bride are all being shuttered. All are were Conde Nast publications. They employed about 180 people. It is hard to imagine the world without these publications, but it seems like a sign of the...

Does "Made in Florida" Have Meaning To Consumers? Florida's Natural Hopes So

2009-10-04T17:26:37-07:00

Florida's Natural is up against PepsiCo's Tropicana and Coca-Cola's Simply Orange--to venerable competitors. So, the juice company is trying to put the squeeze (sorry, I'm feeling punny this afternoon) on the big corporate competitors with a "Made in Florida" campaign....

The Washington Post breaks-up with the L.A. Times, then partners-up with Bloomberg

2009-10-04T16:27:00-07:00

The Washington Post and Bloomberg are teaming up to launch the Washington Post News Service With Bloomberg News, in January. The partnership will supply publishers with economic and political coverage. The news comes as The Post announced just this week...

Chili's "I want my baby back, baby back, baby back..." Jingle Is Back

2009-10-01T09:01:05-07:00

There is something undeniably magical about a commercial jingle. The ability for a tune that's associated with your brand to stick in consumer's brains is worth its weight in gold. Clorox's "Mama's got the magic," Band-aid's "I am stuck on...

Clorox "Hasn't Got The Magic" With New Ad Running on "Mad Men"

2009-10-01T08:40:40-07:00

There is something missing from Clorox recent ad campaign. And, it might be the right message for their audience. If you watch the 1960's advertising-themed show Mad Men on AMC, chances are you've seen a commercial for Clorox featuring a...

Starbucks Launches Via Ready Brew on SNL and YouTube

2009-09-28T09:29:34-07:00

I'm not sure if you saw Saturday Night Live this week. Megan Fox hosted the season premiere, which showcased her lack of talent and was by most accounts a dud of a show. SNL was remarkable for one reason, however,...

Text Mining Allows Marketers to Listen More Carefully to Web Chatter

2009-09-28T09:09:34-07:00

Text mining is a tool used to track web chatter. Marketers like Domino's, Cisco, Hormel and Microsoft are using software to automatically search the web to track virtual buzz, to see who's talking about their brands, and their competitors. With...

HSN Turns To Product Integration To Enhance Revenue

2009-09-28T08:19:36-07:00

HSN (Home Shopping Network) is looking towards product integration as a new revenue. While they make most of their money from revenue-sharing in sales of products touted on the shopping network, they've decided to start incorporating brand mentions in demonstrations...

Yahoo! Set To Launch $100 Million Marketing Campaign

2009-09-25T10:14:43-07:00

Yahoo is reportedly going to spend more that $100 million dollars on a new direct-to-consumer marketing campaign. The ads will run on TV and online and in other media in the U.S. and nine other countries. The campaign is an...

CEO of Blurb explains why she launched the self-publishing platform and how you can create your own book.

2009-09-25T10:03:55-07:00

Embedded video from CNNMoney.com Video

Hot Milk Lingerie Makes Pregnancy Sexy

2009-09-25T07:15:00-07:00

Protect Insurance Companies PSA

2009-09-24T15:18:30-07:00

"Hollywood speaks out to help insurance companies." Sometimes a little sarcasm is needed to understand the absurdity of a debate. via MoveOn.org Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell