Columbia Pictures has found a new way to market one of its films in a tie-in with Netflix, the movie subscriber service that delivers its DVDs via snail mail. In a promotion for Columbia's new film, "Memoirs of a Geisha," the company has arranged for a photo of the movie's main character to be plastered across the familiar red Netflix envelope containing subscribers' DVD's. The character, named Sayuri, is a black-haired beauty with bright red lips and striking blue eyes. In other words, she's hard to miss. The move is a first for Netflix, whose packaging up until now has …

If you think Brad and Jen had problems this year, a new survey says the relationship between marketers and their clients isn't much better. In one indication of the sorry state of affairs, 41 percent of the advertiser respondents said there was more tension in their relationship with their ad agencies this year than last, the highest level since the 19-year-old survey began. The response among the agencies was unchanged from last year, with 46 percent saying there was more tension. Overall, the results suggested that significant differences still prevent advertisers and agencies from working together more productively. "This has …

Here's yet another chapter in the ongoing saga of the Miller Lite vs. Bud Light advertising wars. This one has Miller caving in to Anheuser-Busch's complaints about a new campaign for Miller Lite that claimed Bud Light had "changed" and didn't taste good anymore. After A-B complained to the TV networks about the ads, Miller agreed to create a revised version of the controversial spot. The new ads are still set in a courtroom and still harp on Miller's two-year-old positioning that Miller Lite has more taste than Bud Light. But the revised spots drop references to a "changed" Bud …

Geoffrey Frost, the chief architect behind a reenergized marketing effort at Motorola and one of the most well-known and influential figures in American consumer product marketing, died suddenly Thursday at his home. He was 55. Motorola announced his death in a statement but gave no cause of death. A report Friday in The Wall Street Journal said he died of natural causes. "This is a very sad day for all of us," Motorola chairman and CEO Ed Zander said in the statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Geoffrey's family. Geoffrey was an innovative and charismatic leader, and Motorolans …

If you're having trouble marketing consumer products to design-conscious teenage girls, don't worry. Just give Heidi Dangelmaier a buzz. Dangelmaier is CEO of a company called 3iYing, a name that combines a reference to the third eye on the U.S. dollar bill with "ying," representing feminine potential. Her company consists of 20 young women who help marketers develop new strategies for companies finding it difficult to attract women in the 15 to 25 age group. Their keen instincts on what makes the so-called girl market tick have worked for companies like videogame maker Sega and Virgin Mobile, among many others. …

Olympic sponsorship can be a gold mine for marketers seeking to enhance brand awareness on an international level and generate sales. But it must be done right, and marketers must be prepared to spend money. Visa is a classic example of a major marketer who has gotten the most out of its Olympic sponsorships, and the company is currently gearing up for its 20th Olympic sponsorship deal with the upcoming Winter Games in Torino, Italy. Visa has a rich history of featuring athletes in its marketing efforts who have gone on to capture the nation's imagination and hearts with their …

A federal court case involving proposed restrictions on TV and Internet advertising of children's products is moving ahead despite efforts by marketers and a leading trade organization to have it delayed. The development is a setback for the marketers and the Association of National Advertisers in their efforts to halt the restrictions, which are part of a proposed Federal Communications Commission rule. A decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., to shift the case to Cincinnati effectively means that opponents of the rule have little more than a month to fight it. "We are very concerned," said …

Oldsmobile is long gone, and now it appears the fate of another storied nameplate in the General Motors' pantheon of iconic brands is struggling to maintain its viability. In a sign that Buick might be in trouble, the ad campaign for the brand is changing for the second time in little more than a year--never a good sign in such a competitive category, where identity is key. But even more than that, industry critics and even one of GM's own executives have labeled Buick a troubled entity. Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, a brand and customer-loyalty consultant, called Buick …

Products that come in hard-to-open packages are among the top complaints registered by frustrated consumers, and one marketer is finally addressing this problem. It took nine months of work, but designers at Nestlé SA have developed a new package for the company's new Country Creamery ice cream that promises to be a snap to open. The new plastic container lid is said to be easier to pull off, while the carton's ribbed corners are easier to grip when scooping out the tasty treat. Packaging has long been a major issue for marketers. Containers must be tight enough for shipping purposes …

The marketing brains behind the influential launch of PepsiCo.'s Mountain Dew Code Red brand has been named chief marketing officer of Pepsi-Cola North America. The company named Cie Nicholson to the post only days after promoting her predecessor, Dave Burwick, now president of Pepsi-QTG (Quaker Tropicana Gatorade), Canada. Nicholson joined the company in 1997 and steadily rose through the ranks. Her work on Mountain Dew Code Red led to her being named a Marketer of the Year in 2002 by Brandweek. Nicholson also launched the marketer's Sierra brand and since 2004, she has helped build the company's non-carbonated portfolio as …