The childhood obesity issue has apparently led a major film studio to cut its ties with fast-food marketer McDonald's Corp. Walt Disney Co., a longtime marketing with McDonald's, has decided to end its cross-promotional agreement with the restaurant chain and will no longer supply toy figurines of movie characters like Nemo and Mr. Incredible in Happy Meals. The agreement between the two companies will end with this summer's release of the Disney movies ''Cars" and ''Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." Not only that, but another film studio, DreamWorks, is rethinking its relationship with McDonald's and its deal to …

It looks as though retail giant Wal-Mart is intent on changing everything about the way it markets itself. Only a week after announcing it would put its $578 million advertising account into review, word now comes that the multicultural portion of the business is also up for grabs. The largest piece of the multicultural business is the $55 million Hispanic account, which has been handled for the past 11 years by Lopez Negrete Communications of Houston, and the agency is prepared to defend the account, said President-CEO Alex Lopez Negrete. Wal-Mart's other multicultural agencies are independent E. Morris Communications, Chicago, …

The automotive industry is joining forces under the banner of its trade association to push for increased awareness of alternative fuel vehicles. The effort comes in the form of a multimillion dollar ad campaign from the Alliance of Automotive Manufacturers that includes radio, print and Internet spots. It kicks off this week in Washington, D.C., and initially targets lawmakers and consumers in an effort to encourage passage of more generous tax incentives for buyers of vehicles with newer fuel efficiency. "We will start the broadcast spot in Washington and then move it into other states," said Charles Territo, a spokesman …

In a promotion believed to be the first of it kind, alcoholic beverage marketer Crown Royal Crown Royal will name a NASCAR race after one of its customers. It's called the "Your Name Here 400" contest, and the company says it's the first time ever that the name of a major professional sporting event will be awarded to a consumer. The grand-prize winner will be chosen from a pool of 10 finalists during next year's Daytona 500 and will have his or her name included in the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race, to be presented by Crown Royal at …

Amusement Park Six Flags wants to take the company beyond its "theme park" positioning in a new marketing plan--and that means the popular, hyperactive "Mr. Six" character, created by the company's ad agency Doner, is on the way out. For that matter, Doner is also on the way out, having decided not to pitch the business after being told the account would go into review. The move is apparently the handiwork of Mark Shapiro, the chief executive at Six Flags, who was hired last year to turn the company around after a lengthy proxy fight launched by Washington Redskins owner …

If Toronto city fathers get their way, marketers may have fewer outlets in which to utilize outdoor advertising as a marketing tool. Local legislators say they believe the amount of advertising on Toronto streets should be reduced, and have taken steps to further this goal. They are in the process of choosing a company for a 20-year, $400 million contract to supply the city with bus shelters, garbage cans and other "street furniture" items, including city benches, newspaper boxes, poster kiosks, public washrooms and possibly bicycle racks for city streets. The company who gets the contract will then have the …

Porsche, which markets some of the flashiest, fastest, and most expensive sports cars in the world, believes China is ready for its cars. Despite China's huge population, and the fast-growing spirit of capitalism and increasing number of wealthy executives there, Porsche has yet to catch on with Chinese car buyers. Part of the reason is poorly maintained, crowded roads, which has led many wealthy Chinese to hire drivers who cart them around in Mercedes-Benz or BMWs. Nonetheless, Porsche wants to convince wealthy Chinese drivers to buy a second, luxury car and is gearing up for a major marketing campaign to …

The most watched television event in the U.S. is the Super Bowl, with an estimated 95 million viewers, which is why advertisers clamor to pay exorbitant fees for a 30-second spot on the broadcast. But what would it be worth to them if they could get an audience of five billion? That's the estimated size of the audience for the upcoming World Cup soccer tournament, which begins next month in host country Germany. The tournament includes 64 matches played over the course of a month, and will attract a cumulative live television audience of more than five billion, according to …

TiVo, long associated with giving viewers the ability to zip through TV commercials, is apparently hedging its bets. The company today is introducing a new service called Product Watch that allows consumers to actually download, rather than zap out, commercials they really want to see. About 70 major marketers have signed up to participate, all hoping to catch potential customers who are actively interested in their products and services. The list includes Kraft Foods, Ford Motor, General Motors and IAC/InterActive's LendingTree, all of whom will be charged only for viewers who download an ad--an arrangement similar to the pay-per-click model …

Midas Inc. is using the fear factor in its latest round of ads that urge consumers to keep their cars in good shape to avoid embarrassing or potentially dangerous situations. Two new spots exploit two specific concerns: the universal fear of being stranded and the teenage fear of being caught outside after curfew. One spot, called "Waiting," debuts next week. It depicts a young boy hanging around listlessly waiting for his mother to pick him up. When the scene shifts to the mother, she is seen trying to start a stalled car. The other spot broke last week. It's called …