Advertising Age - Complete Feed

You Are Watching 'Big Brother'

jrash@cmithun.com(John Rash) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:33 EDT

MINNEAPOLIS (AdAge.com) -- CBS "Early Morning" anchor and journalist Julie Chen's hosting of "Big Brother" isn't done under the guise of journalism. And apparently, it's fine with CBS, especially since the season 11 premiere of "Big Brother" matched last year's broadcast bow. But whatever Julie Chen brings to "Big Brother," her involvement takes away from the retinue of requisite respectability needed for any journalist, let alone one anchoring a major network newscast.

Broadcasters: What Business Are You Really in?

adageeditor@adage.com(Tod Sacerdoti) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:00 EDT

A common adage in business schools today is that the railroad companies failed because they didn't realize they were in the transportation business, not the railroad business. I would suggest that today, broadcasters are similarly confused. National broadcasters are in the video-advertising business.

Summer Series Set Bronze Standard at Best

jrash@cmithun.com(John Rash) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:13 EDT

MINNEAPOLIS (AdAge.com) -- For the past few summers, NBC, Fox and ABC have tried to bill "America's Got Talent," "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Wipeout" as hot summer hits. And while all three are quite successful summer series, none looks like it would be overly successful in the fall or spring, up against first-run fare.

Crain Communications Promotes Christopher Crain

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:15 EDT

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Christopher Crain, 33, has been appointed group publisher of several Crain publications including Pensions & Investments, Business Insurance, Workforce Magazine and the recently acquired Staffing Industry Analysts group.

A Wondrous Orb of Light, Warmth and Unconditional Love -- Not!

ldobrow@adage.com(Larry Dobrow) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:03 EDT

Like many of you, I've had a big problem with the mainstream media's coverage of the defining story of the past two weeks. The cruel speculation, the invasive badgering of family members and friends, the unseemly fascination with autopsies and coffins and interments: Why, I ask you, can't or won't the media stop dwelling on the tragic deaths of those seven U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan? Fortunately, one brave soul refuses to go along with the herd.

Where Social Media and Shopper Marketing Merge to Reach Moms

jneff@adage.com(Jack Neff) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:22 EDT

BATAVIA, Ohio (AdAge.com) -- Social media and shopper marketing are probably the two hottest areas in the marketing industry. Now Mars Advertising has combined them by snagging John Andrews, a former senior manager of emerging media for Walmart and organizer of its ElevenMoms mommy-blogger network to lead a new unit, Collective Bias.

Google's AdSense for iPhone Trips up Advertisers

rchang@adage.com(Rita Chang) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:58 EDT

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- In the two weeks since Google announced it would open up AdSense for mobile, serving up text and display ads inside apps, there are signs the online-ad giant -- and marketers -- are still figuring out how to create good experiences for mobile users.

John Ross: Retailers Must Embrace Emerging Media Like Consumers Have

mbush@adage.com(Michael Bush) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:09 EDT

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- New Emerging Media Lab President John Ross recently spoke with Ad Age about the impact emerging technologies are having and will continue to have in the retail space.

What Your Favorite Social Network Says About You

bbulik@adage.com(Beth Snyder Bulik) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:37 EDT

YORK, Pa. (AdAge.com) -- Which social network you favor says a lot about you -- and you might be surprised just what it says. A new study by Anderson Analytics is helping identify for marketers your likely interests, buying habits, media consumption and more.

Google Launching Operating System, Firing Torpedo Into Microsoft

hblodget@alleyinsider.com(Henry Blodget) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:26 EDT

Google will launch its own operating system in the second half of next year, finally launching a direct assault on Microsoft's crown jewel.

100 Leading Media Companies

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 00:00 EDT

100 Leading Media Companies: Main index to a signature Ad Age ranking since 1981.

Megabrands Index

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00 EDT

Megabrands Top 200 Brands ranked by measured U.S. media spending. Top 200 Megabrands By measured media spending in 2007

Marketing Services Agency Rankings Index

Mon, 05 May 2008 12:00 EDT

Rankings of Marketing Services agencies, including top Direct Marketing, Sales Promotion and Interactive agencies.

Media Agency Rankings Index

Mon, 05 May 2008 12:00 EDT

Media Specialist Cos. Rankings of the largest media buying and planning companies; latest edition: 2008. Top media specialist cos. in 2007

Updates to Ad Age's Annual 2008

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 16:57 EST

An index to updates made to Ad Age's Annual 2008 (Dec. 31).

Will Dan Wieden's Musical Ruler Sell? W&K London Plans to Find Out

ehall@adage.com(Emma Hall) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:31 EDT

LONDON (AdAge.com) -- Wieden & Kennedy, London, the latest agency to get involved in the product-design game, is launching a range of co-branded products to be sold globally via traditional retailers and online.

Burger King's MO: Offend, Earn Media, Apologize, Repeat

eyork@adage.com(Emily Bryson York) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:28 EDT

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- How's this for a global marketing strategy? Each month target a different international market with an ad that offends some segment of the population, then, after earning a lot of media attention, apologize and pull the ad. That's the pattern of offense Burger King has established in the past few months.

Pepsi Makes $1 Billion Investment in Russia

nzmuda@adage.com(Natalie Zmuda) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:59 EDT

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- PepsiCo announced a $1 billion investment in Russia, making it the latest beverage battleground. The beverage marketer plans to expand its presence in the country over the next three years through a variety of manufacturing and distribution investments.

Online Ad Spending Overseas to Hit $25 Billion by 2013

ehall@adage.com(Emma Hall) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:20 EDT

LONDON (AdAge.com) -- Internet ad spending is forecast to keep growing despite the recession, but the mix of online spending is changing as display falls further out of favor with marketers, leaving online alternatives to fight for the marketing dollar.

L'Oreal Found Guilty of Discrimination in France

jneff@adage.com(Jack Neff) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:20 EDT

L'Oreal has been taking a beating on blogs and Twitter worldwide today after a ruling by the French Supreme Court upheld a previous ruling finding the marketer guilty of race discrimination in seeking to hire only white women to represent its Garnier Fructis brand.

Toyota and Telemundo Team to Embed Texts in Telenovela Opening

lwentz@adage.com(Laurel Wentz) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00 EDT

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Every night in the opening credits of NBC Universal-owned Telemundo's new Spanish-language telenovela, shot in New York, the heroine Manuela zips through Times Square in her Toyota Venza past the landmark giant electronic billboard. Thanks to Toyota, the Jumbotron flashes a different message texted in by a Telemundo viewer.

Dr Pepper Learns How to Speak a Third Language

lwentz@adage.com(Laurel Wentz) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00 EDT

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Marketers are trying to appeal to the bicultural lifestyle of a growing number of young Hispanics with programs such as Dr Pepper's Vida23, which taps into Hispanic culture's music and mix of languages.

Bicultural Programming for Bicultural People

lwentz@adage.com(Laurel Wentz) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00 EDT

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Time Warner Cable picked Interpublic Group of Cos.' Gotham to handle the New York launch of the cable company's Latino-entertainment package after a five-agency pitch that included at least two Hispanic shops.

Alfonseca Signs on to Chair Jury for Ad Age's Awards

lwentz@adage.com(Laurel Wentz) — Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00 EDT

Mike Alfonseca, 38, founder and chief creative officer of Kraneo, an independent agency in the Dominican Republic and a veteran of JWT, Leo Burnett and Young & Rubicam, will chair the jury for Advertising Age's 11th annual Hispanic Creative Advertising Awards.

Tecate Stays True to its Mexican Roots in U.S. Marketing Efforts

lwentz@adage.com(Laurel Wentz) — Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00 EDT

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Tecate, which focuses all its U.S. marketing efforts and ad dollars on Hispanics, is the beer for Mexican immigrants. Segmenting that group further, the company launched a beer for the next generation, Tecate Light.

True Efficiency Requires More Than Cutting Costs

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:36 EDT

The pressure to cut costs is stronger than ever, as advertisers and agencies talk about how to reconfigure their marketing processes. But instead of cutting the marketing/media budget, headcount and nonessential expenses by a certain percentage, companies and agencies need to take a close look at how their marketing organizations are structured as well as their processes for getting things done.

Haier America Aims to Mirror Success of Samsung, LG

bbulik@adage.com(Beth Snyder Bulik) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:10 EDT

YORK, Pa. (AdAge.com) -- Richard Block's goal as head of marketing is to guide Haier America down the path of other foreign electronics brands such as Samsung and LG, which entered the U.S. market with little recognition and few products but have grown into household names.

Millennials Are Evolving; Are You Keeping Up?

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:12 EDT

I'm a changed person, thanks to this recession. I eat more meals at home and actually pay attention to the price of groceries. Living on my own for the first time, I find myself buying and using more household products, from dishwasher soap to stain remover. As a result, I'm newly receptive to advertising in those categories. But what surprises me is how few marketers of such products actually pursue my age group.

Why Spending, Sales Are Up for Dietary Supplement Emergen-C

rparekh@adage.com(Rupal Parekh) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:38 EDT

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Ken Vargha has quite a marketing resume: In the past 15 years, he has helped promote everything from Pantene shampoo and Maybelline makeup to hair-loss treatment Rogaine and Invisalign braces. Mr. Vargha, now VP-sales and marketing at Alacer Corp., maker of Emergen-C dietary supplements, talked to Ad Age about his personal marketing style, working with a small agency and more.

Six Rules for Brand Revitalization

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:38 EDT

Brands do not die natural deaths. However, brands can be murdered through mismanagement. Some brands are beyond hope -- but others can be revitalized.

Former Relay Worldwide Chief Hayward Sues Agency

jmullman@adage.com(Jeremy Mullman) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:18 EDT

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- Former Relay Worldwide Chairman-CEO Wally Hayward is suing his former employer, a unit of Publicis' Starcom Mediavest Group, over an alleged breach of contract.

TracyLocke Brings in Gier as Adviser

rparekh@adage.com(Rupal Parekh) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:00 EDT

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Longtime food and beverage marketer Randy Gier has made the leap to the agency side. He has been hired by Omnicom Group's TracyLocke to serve in a newly created role as adviser to the office of the CEO.

Euro Named Agency of Record for Flagship Heineken Brands

jmullman@adage.com(Jeremy Mullman) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:34 EDT

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- Heineken USA has named Euro RSCG, New York, its agency of record for its flagship lager brands.

Beam Hands Cruzan Rum Account to Fallon

jmullman@adage.com(Jeremy Mullman) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:32 EDT

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- Beam Global has tapped Publicis' Fallon Worldwide to work on its Cruzan Rum brand. A Beam spokeswoman confirmed that Fallon is doing what she described as "preliminary" work on Cruzan, which has received about $2 million per year in media support during the past two years. There was no previous agency of record.

Digitas Bolsters Ranks With Two Top Execs From Tribal DDB

mcreamer@adage.com(Matthew Creamer) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:05 EDT

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Publicis Groupe's Digitas has bolstered its management team, snatching Tribal DDB's Stephan Beringer to run its operations outside the U.S. and hiring former Tribal executive Liz Ross as its chief growth officer in the U.S.

JUST A NIGHT ON THE TOWN

Mon, 26 Nov 2001 00:00 EST

Bubbalu's, a Tejano bar, is built bad-ass: windowless, cinderblock walls, poor lighting. Beach-turquoise blue walls, dogs playing poker on the men's room wall, a Bubbalu's banner lording over the dance floor featuring a beach bum hammocking near some spen...

How to Position Yourself as a Financial Asset

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:29 EDT

In recent conversations with executives in the technology and marketing spheres, I've found that most everyone agrees on certain key points that help resumes stand out. Whether you're unemployed, underemployed, or simply looking for an opportunity to grow and prove your professional worth, this is a climate you can and should take advantage of.

Not in Advertising? No Problem, Says Wieden

ehall@adage.com(Emma Hall) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:06 EDT

LONDON (AdAge.com) -- Wieden & Kennedy, London, is trawling the globe in search of the best undiscovered creative minds to take part in the launch of a new talent hub in September. The project, called Platform, will offer 12 people with backgrounds in the arts, science and technology the opportunity to work in a dedicated department, solving Wieden client business problems as well as taking on clients of its own.

Why This Isn't the Seller's Job Market Agencies Think It Is

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:46 EDT

Sure, there are still more job seekers than there are jobs. But the danger for agencies is to neglect the very best talent they have on staff, even in these torrid economic times.

Bad News Could Be the Best Thing for Millennials

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:36 EDT

Do you remember when, not long ago, volumes of articles, books and even conferences were springing up attempting to teach the "old-school" business community how to best manage our fragile self-esteem and fickle career decisions? I don't know about you, but it had me more than a little embarrassed. That's why I hope the current economy and accompanying hardships will do more than scare us. I hope they will knock a little sense into us too.

Ten Things You Didn't Know About Your Resume

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:51 EDT

If you understand how your resume will be used when it is received, you will be able to create one which works well for you -- in any market.

Remembering My Days as a Hotdogger

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:45 EDT

Unlike most students in my college class, I was lucky enough to secure a job that started three weeks after my graduation day -- it was driving a Wienermobile.

In Today's Climate, All Financial Firms Are Challenger Brands

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00 EDT

Research reveals that when all companies within an industry are being tarred with the same brush, people tune out. For the financial-services industry, this can be a hidden opportunity because every brand has become, of sorts, a challenger brand. Everyone is equal.

No Real Recession in India, but Consumers Are Changing Behavior

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00 EDT

While there has been no recession in India, Indians seem to have been affected by the recession psyche.

Ad Age's Global History Shows We Have Little Fear of Failure

dklein@crain.com(David Klein) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00 EDT

Over the past 30 years, as advertising has grown into a global business, Advertising Age has pushed beyond its U.S. base as well -- sometimes successfully, and sometimes not.

Customer Loyalty Is Easy, Yet Some Brands Just Don't Get It

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00 EDT

When the marketplace changes, and it always does, it's critical to remain relevant and customer-focused. Innovation is essential, particularly these days.

Marketing Must Take Its Share of Blame for the Economic Crisis

rcrain@crain.com(Rance Crain) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00 EDT

Why are so many of our major industries in trouble, beyond the current economic meltdown? Al Ries and I recently wondered why marketing wasn't being blamed for its share of the problem.

FDA Cheerios Challenge Shows Rise of Third World Mentality

rcrain@crain.com(Rance Crain) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00 EDT

Barack Obama won the election based on his promise of meaningful change, yet his own regulatory agencies are stuck in the Dark Ages. And we'll continue to spend billions on drugs that promise more than they deliver, are based on often shoddy research and have unknown side effects that could be worse than what they're supposed to cure. I fear that this resistance to change has infiltrated our whole society. Everywhere you look you see a relentless rallying around the status quo.

Parade's Walter Anderson Reveals the Secret of His Success

rcrain@crain.com(Rance Crain) — Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00 EDT

Walter Anderson just retired as chairman-CEO of Parade Publications, and he's already accepted a new job.

Deceitful Financial Infomercial Tars Entire Advertising Industry

rcrain@crain.com(Rance Crain) — Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00 EDT

The good news is that cable TV shows like "Mad Men" have raised the profile of ad agencies among the general public. The bad news is that such programs have made ad agencies easier to blame for some of the sins of the world.

E-Trade's Utton on Relevance, Ad Intuition and Talking Babies

rcrain@crain.com(Rance Crain) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00 EDT

E-Trade has booked thousands of new accounts since it began running its talking-baby TV commercials, starting with the 2008 Super Bowl. But back then, the baby spots had a whole different tenor than they do now.

Agencies and Media Brands Turning Into Commodities

jbloom@adage.com(Jonah Bloom) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00 EDT

Commoditization may be the biggest threat facing agencies and media companies today -- yet we hear precious little about it, and few can articulate a strategy to combat it.

Dedicated Social-Media Silos? That's the Last Thing We Need

jbloom@adage.com(Jonah Bloom) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00 EDT

You know that social-media department you just built? Go and dismantle it right now, because this stuff is too important to be left to the experts.

Before Marketers Ask for Trust, Perhaps They Should Apologize

jbloom@adage.com(Jonah Bloom) — Mon, 25 May 2009 00:00 EDT

There are many ads today from our imperiled banks, insurance companies and automakers telling us that we can still trust them and should still buy their products. But there's one word consumers haven't heard much that might serve these companies better than their current dirges: sorry.

With PR on the Rise, Here's a Refresher Course in the Basics

jbloom@adage.com(Jonah Bloom) — Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00 EDT

Based on much of what we see and hear, there are a lot of marketers out there who don't seem to understand the principles or ethics of PR. So here's a refresher on the rudiments of PR. Even if you don't need them, I know you know someone who does.

Mr. Sorrell, Big Agencies Are Not Outpacing Smaller Rivals

jbloom@adage.com(Jonah Bloom) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00 EDT

Despite an assertion by Martin Sorrell, most marketers we speak to want a single, full-service marketing agency with strong ideas that can improve its business and an ability to execute regardless of discipline.

Advertising Could Do With More of Bernbach's Genius

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:53 EDT

"Nobody's Perfect" is the title of Doris Willens' new book on Bill Bernbach and the golden age of advertising. And just to make sure you get the point of the title, the book explores every imperfection she could find in the career of perhaps the most famous person in the history of advertising. Fair enough. Nobody's perfect. But I think she failed to stress the essence of Bernbach's genius which, in my opinion, was his incredible ability to recognize a good idea.

Variable Pricing Is Ultimate Brand-Destruction Machine

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00 EDT

Why do otherwise intelligent people borrow concepts from failing industries and think they will succeed in a different setting?

Metric Madness: The Answer to Mathematical Failure Seems to Be More Math

Mon, 04 May 2009 11:00 EDT

March Madness lasts only three weeks, but Metric Madness goes on all year long. What is Metric Madness? It's the notion you can run anything by the numbers, and it's become the hottest concept in business today. The marketing community eats this stuff up. Nobody generates more data than they do. Hallelujah!

Don't Damage Your Brand for Short-Term Gains in a Recession

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:00 EDT

Marketing is a long-term proposition. A company can get in trouble if it changes its marketing strategy to cope with a short-term problem.

What's Love Got to Do With It?

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:52 EST

"Love" has become a key ingredient in many marketing programs, and as a matter of fact, falling in love is a good analogy for the branding process.

Inside the Collapse of CNN's 'The Sarah Palin Power Hour'

sdumenco@adage.com(Simon Dumenco) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:00 EDT

WASILLA, ALASKA (Feb. 18, 2010) -- Once again shocking the media establishment, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin announced that she was leaving her CNN talk show, "The Sarah Palin Power Hour," after just four months on the air and well short of the terms of her two-year contract.

So You're an Obsessive-Compulsive Stats-aholic? There's an App for That

sdumenco@adage.com(Simon Dumenco) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00 EDT

To be a media person these days it to constantly struggle with not only knowing too much but knowing what to do once you know too much -- because there's no putting the genie back in the bottle.

Introducing Twitter Monthly, the Lifestyle Mag for Twitterers

sdumenco@adage.com(Simon Dumenco) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:37 EDT

Sometimes a little gallows humor goes a long way. Last fall, Aaron Gell, the newly unemployed executive editor of Radar magazine -- Radar had just folded a third and final time -- started up a tongue-in-cheek alternative to ASME, the American Society of Magazine Editors. Gell called his group ASSME -- the American Society of Shitcanned Media Elites -- and immediately hit a nerve. Media Guy Simon Dumenco talked to Gell about the group on the eve of its June 24 Swag-a-Thon, a benefit for Housing Works, a New York charitable organization, about how a joke could grow into a real group.

Trashy Parasitism as a Get-Rich-Quick Scheme? Hi, HuffPo

sdumenco@adage.com(Simon Dumenco) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00 EDT

I'm revisiting HuffPo not only because the response to my outrage has been so interesting but because last week HuffPo CEO Betsy Morgan was forced out.

The 'YouTube Is Doomed' Guy Has More to Say

sdumenco@adage.com(Simon Dumenco) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:56 EDT

I started up a conversation with Benjamin Wayne, CEO of Fliqz -- a white-label video-streaming-solutions provider based in Emeryville, Calif., that counts Major League Baseball, VH1 and WebMD among its major clients -- after I quoted his rather provocative views in my column. In a post titled "YouTube Is Doomed" at Silicon Alley Insider, Wayne wrote that "Google's massive video folly is on life support, and the prognosis is grave." Here's more on why he doesn't believe advertising is the answer to monetizing web video, and what marketers are doing with web video that's working.

Tyler Perry's 'Madea' Offers Lessons for Media, Marketers

lskenazy@adage.com(Lenore Skenazy) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:00 EDT

I just got back from a wildly popular place I've never been to before. If you're white, chances are you haven't either: Madea Land.

Want to Successfully Target Boomers? Aim for the Head

lskenazy@adage.com(Lenore Skenazy) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00 EST

"Health from the neck up" is the new catchphrase, and the minute you stop to think about it you realize: Of course! Why did we spend so much time worrying about our thighs instead of our eyes?

Smartphone Apps Great for Marketing, Bad for Social Skills

lskenazy@adage.com(Lenore Skenazy) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:00 EST

Is it just my kid, or is every child over the age of 8 carrying around a smartphone that's making him dumb?

Future Food Items Might Be a Challenge for Copywriters

lskenazy@adage.com(Lenore Skenazy) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:00 EST

Upcoming food trends will bring us delightful new tastes in clever new packaging, along with confusing, contradictory claims as to why we should eat them and not all the other stuff coming soon.

Extinction, Innovation and the Sad Future of Iceberg Lettuce

lskenazy@adage.com(Lenore Skenazy) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:00 EST

Usually when you think about the future, you imagine all the cool new stuff we'll be using (or at least trying to use, before we go hunting for a low-tech, highly efficient sledgehammer). But as futurist Richard Watson likes to point out: The future is also about things becoming extinct.

Lack of Film Standout at Cannes Shows That Creativity Is Evolving

tiezzi@creativity-online.com(Teressa Iezzi) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00 EDT

The fact is, for now, Cannes still matters; awards still matter. Simply, awards are a marketing tool, for individuals and for companies. Especially now that clients are taking more of an interest in what goes on at Cannes, winning a Lion is business.

Dell's Della Debacle an Example of Wrong Way to Target Women

tiezzi@creativity-online.com(Teressa Iezzi) — Mon, 25 May 2009 00:00 EDT

Della is worth revisiting for what it represents as a marketing (and social) phenomenon and as an example of what not to do as a brand when you feel you need to speak exclusively to women.

With Virtue, Media Brand Vice Helps Marketers Tap Its Genius

tiezzi@creativity-online.com(Teressa Iezzi) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:00 EDT

Vice, chronicler of youth culture, purveyor of the profane, is one of the more unlikely yet most convincing cases of a media brand (a real media brand, and that's an important distinction) turned brand partner.

The Effects of 'Benjamin Button' Will Be Coming to Ads Near You

tiezzi@creativity-online.com(Teressa Iezzi) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00 EST

Here's what didn't suck about the Oscars: seeing the wizards from Digital Domain accept the visual-effects award for "Benjamin Button." DD's work here provides a glimpse of what's next in feature and commercials image making.

Gone Daddy Gone: Heinous Ads May Cost Go Daddy Customers

tiezzi@creativity-online.com(Teressa Iezzi) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:00 EST

After Go Daddy's execrable ad efforts around this year's Super Bowl, I found that I just couldn't stomach contributing anything to this organization any longer. I'm transferring my domains and my insignificant little piece of business elsewhere.

Google Starting to Believe Its Own Political Hype?

mlearmonth@adage.com(Michael Learmonth) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:12 EDT

R. Creigh Deeds pulled out a shocking win in Virginia's gubernatorial Democratic primary. Could Google have put him over the top?

Liberal Bloggers to Dems: Advertise With Us. Or Else

kwheaton@adage.com(Ken Wheaton) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:20 EDT

Liberal bloggers are demanding that liberal groups start taking out ads on their sites. Of course, this will strike many -- those poor souls who dwell too much on theory -- as borderline stupid on a number of levels. But progressive groups shouldn't view advertising on these blogs in the traditional sense of advertising.

Is President Obama Putting Too Much Too Soon on the Brand?

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 11:09 EST

Could President Obama be stretching his personal brand too thin? In the last few weeks, rather than delegate, he's served as the point person, with campaign-style events on the stimulus package, state bailouts, the mortgage and housing crisis, the Iraq War, and the fate of Guantanamo Bay.

Obama Can't Sell Stimulus Without TV Ads

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:14 EST

Since the start of the general election, Barack Obama spent $11 million per week communicating with voters through TV. This unfiltered messaging proved to be one of candidate Obama's biggest strengths last fall. Since he took office in January, however, Obama has relied on a series of press conferences and the usual presidential forums to get his message to the American public.

Political Advertising: The Gift that Keeps On Giving

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:05 EST

Issue ad spending on federal and state policies has topped $42 million since Nov. 4. This, combined with the additional $5 million in runoff ad spending, makes the 2008 election the gift that keeps on giving.

United Is Happy to Answer Your Complaints After You Humiliate Them

kwheaton@adage.com(Ken Wheaton) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:16 EDT

If companies did what was right in the first place, they wouldn't have to be publicly humiliated.

More Great Moments in Real Estate Advertising

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:54 EDT

When did Hugh Laurie get into real estate?

Stay Classy, Burger King. Stay Classy

kwheaton@adage.com(Ken Wheaton) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:16 EDT

Not content to let its international ad campaigns make fun of Mexicans or degrade women, Burger King is now offending members of one of the world's oldest religions and its third largest

Ad Claim: Dope Smokers Can Cure California Budget Ills

kwheaton@adage.com(Ken Wheaton) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:51 EDT

California isn't having budget woes because it spends money like a Deadhead at a bong store. No, it's because it's not letting marijuana consumers pay their fair share of taxes.

'Twitter for Dummies': A Review

kwheaton@adage.com(Ken Wheaton) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:16 EDT

"Twitter for Dummies" may be 266 pages long and contain an index, but it would probably help quite a few people to give it a read. Thorough.

The Three Hardest Words to Say

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:35 EDT

Why is it that we always have to feel as though we know everything all the time? When we let go and just realize that we really don't know everything, new opportunity presents itself.

Cattle Fetch Higher Prices and Suffer Less Humiliation

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:35 EDT

We recently were invited to participate in an online RFP issued by one of our longest-standing clients. We weren't offended by the RFP -- we've been through the cycle before. But this time it was different. This time it was fully automated -- no personal contact, just data into a machine. And this time it wasn't an RFP for creative production. This time, they needed strategic web consulting and design services -- not exactly a commodity.

Brilliance Doesn't Have to Cost a Fortune

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:50 EDT

One of the chief complaints of small agencies is that we don't have budgets big enough to do great work. We look to the winners in our award shows as proof. And that is usually where we are slapped in the face for our lack of commitment to be brilliant.

Tweeting Your Way to New Prospects

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:00 EDT

In the old days, we waited for the work to slow down before kicking into high gear to promote ourselves. It was an intermittent and isolated activity. Over time, we made two changes to the process: First, we hired a kick-ass director of new business. The second change was to make social media the foundation of our marketing strategy.

What Ad Agencies Can Learn From Hookers and Virgins

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:30 EDT

A few weeks ago, this tweet crossed my path: "agency advising on digital branding that isn't active in the digital space is like a virgin showing a hooker the ropes."

Mainstream Media Companies' Biggest Content Crisis

hlevins@adage.com(Hoag Levins) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 07:08 EDT

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Advertisers have largely abandoned the sponsorship of objective journalism, and the country's most powerful newsrooms are increasingly unable to fund the basic gathering and reporting of real, original news. That bleak picture was the subject of a Gotham Media seminar earlier this week. The former president of CBS News, president of the Newspaper National Network and CEO of Air America Media explored what the panel characterized as the mainstream media business' biggest content crisis.

Can an Ad Campaign Make Millennials Love Plastics?

hlevins@adage.com(Hoag Levins) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:50 EDT

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- In an effort to improve the public's perceptions of its products, the plastics industry will launch a $10 million social-media blitz aimed at millennials. Created by the Apco Worldwide agency for SPI, the industry trade group, the four-year effort is designed to spark viral conversations among millennials about the many benefits of plastic. This interview with SPI President-CEO William Carteaux took place at last week's NPE2009 conference in Chicago.

Big Returns From Very Small Products

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:00 EDT

Recession Accelerates Rising Tide of Brand Fakes

hlevins@adage.com(Hoag Levins) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:01 EDT

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Along with all the other ways it's wounded marketers, the global recession is greatly exacerbating the problem of counterfeit products. Citing data from its latest study of the issue, the CMO Council warns that global rings of brand pirates have moved far beyond luxury goods into even the most mundane sort of branded items. Council VP-Operations Liz Miller estimates that U.S. marketers are losing from 5% to 8% of their profits to brand fakers.

TiVo's Ongoing Battle With Ad Agencies

hlevins@adage.com(Hoag Levins) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:09 EDT

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Things have never been smooth between TiVo and advertising agencies since that company rose to fame by popularizing ad-zapping DVRs. But now TiVo has changed into a home-entertainment utility with video content from more than a hundred sources and an ad-sales department. But, as VP for Ad Sales and Content Services Tara Maitra explained at the recent Advertising 2.0 conference, the company still gets no respect in ad agency land.

Levi's Waxes Whitman-esque, The Economist Walks the Talk, Barclays Gets Real and Other Work

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:52 EDT

This week's episode of Creativity's Top 5, a new campaign by Levi's and Wieden & Kennedy uses the winning combo of Walt Whitman and prancing nubiles to sell jeans; AMV BBDO and director Tom Carty show how balanced The Economist can be with a new high-wire spot; Venables Bell & Partners and director Nicolai Fuglsig give us a different kind of fake landscape for Barclays; Penguin Books encourages kids to tell their own stories online; and the BBC brings poetry to the Glastonbury music festival via Twitter.

The Cannes Edition: Grand Prix Winners From Press, Design, Outdoor -- and Tourism Queensland's 'Best Job in the World'

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:35 EDT

In this week's episode of Creativity's Top 5, we take a look at some of the big winners from the 2009 Cannes Lions. A Wrangler campaign by Fred & Farid, Paris, won the Press Grand Prix. Nike's silk-screened posters nabbed the Design Grand Prix. A partnership between Nestle and Japan Post called "Kit Kat Mail" picked up the top Media prize. A billboard made of worthless currency made a statement for The Zimbabwean newspaper and TBWA/Hunt/Lascaris, South Africa, when it won the Outdoor Grand Prix. And then there's the Grand Prix magnet itself, Tourism Queensland's "Best Job in the World," which picked up the hardware hat-trick of PR, Direct and Cyber Grand Prix.

Creativity's Cannes Picks: BMW's Kinetic Sculpture, 'The Great Schlep,' Whopper Sacrifice, Fiat's Eco Drive and the Obama Campaign

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:52 EDT

In this week's episode of Creativity's Top 5, we turn our gaze to the French Riviera and make our Cannes picks for top prizes, categories be damned! Among our favorites are BMW's Kinetic Sculpture; Droga5 and Sarah Silverman's pitch to young Jewish Americans to make "The Great Schlep"; Crispin Porter and Burger King's bribing Facebook users to trade in "friends" for free Whoppers; AKQA's innovative Eco Drive system for Fiat drivers; and, for many reasons, the campaign to elect President Barack Obama.

The Beatles Meet 'Rock Band,' VDJ Act Eclectic Method, Making Artist Olivier Otten Move With Your Mouse and Other Work

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:57 EDT

In this week's episode of Creativity's Top 5, director Ray Tintori brings nightmares alive for MGMT's "Kids"; digital artist Olivier Otten puts you in charge of his movements with a click of a mouse; VDJ act Eclectic Method balances the void between DJs and creative film editing; Logan takes the Date Farmers' art and creates a dark world for the NASA music project; and director Pete Candeland introduces the Beatles to "Rock Band."

Boone Oakley's New 'Home Page,' Uniqlo's Tokyo Fashion Map, Grizzly Bear's New Music Video and Other Work

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:43 EDT

This week's episode of Creativity's Top 5 features Boone Oakley's new agency home page created entirely on YouTube; Deutsch and director Nieto bring a graphic novel to life for the new PS3 game "Infamous"; director Patrick Daughters continues his music-video magic with Grizzly Bear; Uniqlo maps out some of its latest offerings online; and flash-audio artist Andre Michelle allows you to unleash your inner composer with a simple flash synthesizer.

Budweiser loses share while its siblings grow

Mon, 22 Nov 1999 00:00 EST

Brewer's dilemma: While Anheuser-Busch's superpremium Michelob Light is growing toward record sales, sister brew Budweiser is on the verge of losing its crown as King of Beers in supermarket aisles. the coup in st. louis is almost a fait accompli. With...

Power 150 FAQ

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:16 EDT

All Your Questions Answered

About Power 150

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 13:46 EDT

The Power 150 is a ranking of the top English-language media and marketing blogs in the world, as developed by PR executive and blogger, Todd Andrlik. It's really as simple as that, except that the name isn't strictly accurate: It currently ranks more than 360 blogs written about all types of media and pretty much every imaginable marketing discipline. To get your blog listed, just submit it through our web form.

What Is Your Multicultural Agency Doing for the Communities It Targets?

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:58 EDT

Most multicultural agencies stress to their clients the importance of giving back. But the shops should be giving back as well.

How Coke Is Targeting Black Consumers

nzmuda@adage.com(Natalie Zmuda) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:53 EDT

Coca-Cola re-established a dedicated African-American marketing group in 2006 and has spent the past few years testing programs and conducting market research. In the first half of this year, those efforts have come to fruition, with four new campaigns for the Dasani and Coca-Cola brands.

Do African-Americans Need a Separate Search Engine?

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:26 EDT

RushmoreDrive.com, the first black search engine, recently shut down only a year after its launch. This raised the question about whether there is a market for a black version of Google.

Hispanics Face Discrimination Even Among Their Own

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:38 EDT

I'm asked questions that have no business being asked in this day and age. At a time when jobs are hard to find, it pains me to believe that there are worthy candidates being passed over because of skin color, social status or accent.

NBC Just Can't Quit Same Old Hispanics

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:04 EDT

This week the Hispanic blogosphere was abuzz with one topic in particular: NBC's "We the People," a week-long series on Hispanics in America which kicked off Monday and looks to address several topics facing the Hispanic community in the U.S.

A Taylor-Made Complaint for United Airlines

cmoran@adage.com(Charlie Moran) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:06 EDT

Halifax musician Dave Carroll has created a viral hit with a video decrying the behavior of United Airlines and its treatment of his Taylor guitar.

Build Your Band and the Brands Will Come

j_daniel@rockrivermusic.com(Jeff Daniel) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:37 EDT

There is no music-branding silver bullet that will skyrocket a developing artist to stardom and riches. Take your time and focus on your own career and we will find you. It's often not the answer these artists want to hear, but it's the truth.

Brands Should Be Wired Into Music Discovery

ko@brandsplusmusic.com(Ko Kawashima) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:53 EDT

Music fans care about discovery. Connecting people with what they want and what they don't even know they want yet is the name of the game.

Thank You for Killing Auto-Tune, Wendy's!

cmoran@adage.com(Charlie Moran) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:21 EDT

Somehow it took a fast-food restaurant to do for hip-hop what Jay-Z couldn't: kill Auto-Tune. He recently told a Chicago radio station that his latest song, "Death of Auto-Tune," was, in part, a reaction to a Wendy's spot that parodied the ubiquitous pitch-correction technology.

Spin the Red Circle

cmoran@adage.com(Charlie Moran) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:41 EDT

That retracted fan account of a Pearl Jam show shot by director Cameron Crowe for a Target ad? Confirmed.

Bing vs. Google: 'Judy Consumer' Can't Tell a Difference

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:31 EDT

When I read the plethora of opinions the experts are spinning about whether Bing is better than Google, I wonder what "Judy Consumer" thinks. I suspect the subtleties of the technology are probably lost on her.

Facebook Launches Fan Box, Its First Official Widget

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:39 EDT

Yesterday Facebook launched the Fan Box, yet another way to extend what you're doing on Facebook to elsewhere on the web.

Why Google Voice Reminds Me of AT&T

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:40 EDT

I'm an ex-AT&T "Bell head," so anything telecom always gets my special attention. When I saw the Google Voice re-announcement recently, I couldn't help wondering, "Huh, what's up with that? How does this fit into Google's core business?" Mostly, though, I was interested in understanding why this and why now.

Video Cameras in iPods: Bad News for YouTube?

aklaassen@adage.com(Abbey Klaassen) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:15 EDT

More uploads will increase YouTube's market dominance, but the user-generated video market has little if any advertising dollars pursuing it.

Earned Media: Is No Chatter Worse Than Negative Chatter?

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:30 EDT

While we discuss how earned media is an output of the combination of paid media and owned media, I think the simplification of the three terms has made a mess out of the expectations of clients everywhere.

Not Everyone Can Afford to Work for Free

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:43 EDT

Although many agencies are cutting their internship programs in misguided attempts to remain solvent, some of the recent graduates and college upperclassmen have still managed to land that plum gig. For the rest of the Millennials who may be forced to find a job that is completely unrelated to advertising, there is still hope. After all, not everyone can afford to work for free.

Beyond the Big Three

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:24 EDT

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are not the be-all and end-all of online interaction. Some of my best relationships and opportunities have come from small, topic-specific social networks. Here are five things I like about niche communities.

Prep Your Portfolio Now

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:09 EDT

The best portfolios take you one step above the rest of the applicant pool. Not only do they showcase your best work, they also give you a personality. But when an interview is looming, stressing to get your portfolio together isn't the way to get your game face on.

Tweetable Career Advice From Nine Under 30

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:38 EDT

This time of year, on college campuses across the country, graduates are listening to speeches about success. But I think now is also a good time to listen to the advice of pioneering 20-somethings who decided to take roads less traveled and produce disruptive ideas.

Want to Stand Out? Start a Professional Blog

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:04 EDT

The launch of my freelance career can be definitively marked by the publishing of my first blog post. Literally days after that first post, I started getting e-mails and phone calls from people who wanted more. In addition to being a great tool for getting noticed in the saturated world of freelance marketing, a professional blog is a very useful addition to a job application. Here's why.

Getty Images Names First Grants for Good Winners

kegolf@adage.com(Karen Egolf) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:17 EDT

Photographers Stephen Ferry and Karen Kasmauski are the winners of Getty Images' first Grants for Good. Getty introduced Grants for Good in February as an expansion of its photographer grant program to promote positive change in the world.

Providing Water for the Masses

kegolf@adage.com(Karen Egolf) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:34 EDT

Back Alley Films Director Pete Meyer has teamed up with Sullivan Higdon & Sink, Kansas City, Mo., to create a pro bono spot for the nonprofit Water Partners International. Spoofing the marketing of bottled water in the U.S., the 55-second spot for the fake brand L'Desh Fresh is designed to raise awareness about unsanitary drinking water in developing nations.

Publicis New York Gets Involved in Ad Council Effort

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:31 EDT

When Publicis New York created the BoostUp program with the Ad Council, it decided to get its own employees involved in the effort to encourage high-school students to stay in school. Rob Feakins, president-chief creative officer of Publicis, New York, explains what the agency did and why.

Are Multicultural Agencies Helping Their Communities?

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:18 EDT

I was recently at a dinner party with several other couples and after dinner, we were engaged in some healthy conversation which ended up on the topic of challenges in Black America and particularly black youth. Although we were discussing Black America, the issues discussed weren't just focused on black Americans, as some of the members of the group were Jamaican and Haitian. The dialogue pretty much revolved around the plight of many impoverished black communities in this country and why some individuals overcome those circumstances and others don't. (Read More)

Women@NBCU Organizes First Mentors Walk

mmiley@adage.com(Marissa Miley) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:40 EDT

It was all about walking the walk and talking the talk last month at Women@NBCU's inaugural Mentors Walk. For the event, Women@NBCU teamed up with the Step Up Women's Network, a national nonprofit group focused on empowering girls and women.