In China, Procter & Gamble is giving up the hard sell in its advertising in favor of a more emotional approach, in order to attract the country's new, emerging class of young professional women. For example, an ad for Head & Shoulders shampoo shows a woman spinning out of an animated cocoon and turning into a butterfly in a metamorphosis that creates a "new life for hair," according to a voiceover. The style of the ad is a far cry from past ads demonstrating the effects of dandruff on a black dress. "Brands that offer the message of intimacy and …

Ethnic media, once considered a business backwater by marketing executives, is emerging as a potent force in the U.S. marketplace. That's because minorities--including Hispanics, Asians, and other audience niches--now account for nearly a third of the nation's buying power. As such, targeting these audiences "is no longer the nice thing to do, or the social thing to do. It's about business," says Gwen Kelly, senior ad specialist for American Family Insurance. The Hispanic market alone is particularly huge. The 2000 Census found that 12.5 percent of the U.S. population of more than 280 million was Hispanic--a bigger market than all …

American insurance company AIG has inked a deal worth almost $100 million to have its name appear on a famous British soccer team's jerseys over the next four years. The deal with the team, Manchester United, is believed to be the biggest of its kind in British soccer. "This is a deal that is right for Manchester United and it underlines our position as the world's leading club," the team's chief executive, David Gill, said. "AIG's global operations compl[e]ment our great fan base and we are excited about the global prospects this relationship brings." Manchester United is owned by American …

Help may be on the way for marketers wondering whether their advertising is working. New technology is being developed by established audience-measurement companies, as well as by a handful of newcomers that will help advertisers gauge the connection between media exposure and consumer behavior. One such company is Integrated Media Measurement Inc., a start-up that is using specially adapted cell phones to measure what consumers listen to and see. The firm has developed software that helps the phones take samples of nearby sounds, which are identified by comparing them against a database. The company says the technology can track exposure …

Masterfoods USA is making major changes in its product stable and its marketing spending. The first step is to eliminate several underperforming "hobby" brands such as Aquadrops mints and bite-size Pop'ables candy, among others. The next step is to shift an estimated $300 million in promotional spending to retailers into brand advertising. The moves are being orchestrated by Mars CEO Paul Michaels and Masterfoods USA President Bob Gamgort and are the result of heavy sales declines. Information Resources Inc. reported that the company's sales fell 4.7 percent to $1 billion in food, drug and mass outlets excluding Wal-Mart for the …

The battle over creating an industry standard for high-definition DVDs is about to begin. The fight is not unlike the decades-old one between Betamax and VHS, with the entertainment industry currently split over which one will emerge as the winner. On one side is HD-DVD, which is backed by Toshiba and Microsoft, among others. On the other is Blu-ray, which counts Sony, Samsung and Disney among its proponents. Both camps are preparing advertising campaigns designed to win converts, with Toshiba poised to be first out of the gate. The new devices are said to deliver movies in true high-definition compared …

Most forms of traditional advertising are under siege from the Internet, where ad revenues continue to grow like flowers in the spring. All except one, and ironically enough it's one of the oldest of them all--outdoor advertising. New research from the Outdoor Association of America (OAAA) reveals that ad revenue for the category, which includes billboards as well as ads on bus stops, train stations and other public places, were up more than 8 percent last year. The increase easily outpaced ad growth rates in network TV, newspapers, and radio. "Outdoor represents the only area of established media that is …

Not many people can catch Reggie Bush, the superstar running back for the University of Southern California Trojans who is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the National Football League draft later this month. However, Subway Restaurants has managed to snare the Heisman Trophy winner with a new celebrity endorsement deal. The deal was Bush's first, but many more are sure to follow. Bush's agent, Mike Ornstein of SportsLink, says he's juggling a dozen offers for his client, ranging from soft drinks and cell phones to cars and candy. "He has the looks, the personality, the talent. He …

Mobile marketing, where advertisers reach consumers via their cell phones, is emerging as a more sophisticated marketing tool as companies begin to dabble in text messaging, video, location-based services and mobile-payment schemes. In Las Vegas this week, about 40,000 people gathered for the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association Wireless trade show to unveil all the new methods now available to connect with customers. For example, under a deal between Sprint and the Luxor hotel here, when you land in Las Vegas and turn on your cell phone, the Luxor can check you in before you exit the plane. Also, during …

The advancements in mobile marketing that allow advertisers to connect more easily with consumers' cell phones can come with a price. Just ask giant brewer Anheuser-Busch. The beer marketer is being accused of trying to sell beer to underage drinkers by a watchdog group following a deal AB cut with MobiTV, which provides programming to U.S. Sprint, Cingular and Alltel phones. Tim Murphy, A-B's senior director-creative development, said the campaign will allow the brewer to market Bud Light and Budweiser Select to 21- to 35-year-olds via ads on MobiTV's 30 channels. But a spokesman for the Marin Institute, an alcohol …