Product placement is gaining popularity among markers, but it also has its downside. Just ask beer marketer Coors. Months ago the Colorado-based brewer indicated it would be involved in "Scary Movie 4," which was recently released. The plan was later dropped, Coors says, because an agreement the brewer had with Miramax, the studio that made the movie, expired. However, an alcohol industry watchdog group says otherwise. The group, known as the Marin Institute, says the brewer reversed gears because of pressure it placed on the company. The group put out a press release that claimed a victory in what it …

In its continuing effort to incorporate new technology into its advertising messages, General Electric is introducing a new ad campaign that includes one-second spots designed specifically for new media like DVRs and social networking Web sites. The campaign plays off an old idea--decades ago the company sponsored the half-hour General Electric Theatre." The new effort has been dubbed the "G.E. One Second Theater," and the spots will also be accessible on MP3 players. "We're harkening back to an old idea, in combination with new technology," said David Lubars, chairman and chief creative officer for BBDO, GE's ad agency. The spots …

Like so many other marketers, BMW of North America's motorcycle division wants to try new marketing methods in the world of emerging media. The company announced this week that it has hired a new ad agency, Concept Farm, to handle its $2 million account because of the shop's expertise in the areas of guerilla, interactive and Web marketing. The brand plans to boost its online presence, because word-of-mouth among riders is more effective and more efficient than advertising, said Laurence Kuykendall, the marketing communications manager at BMW Motorrad USA. "Not that we are anti-advertising," he said, because he plans to …

Pharmaceutical marketer Pfizer is at it again. After moving away from risqué ads for its erectile dysfunction drug Viagra, the company has introduced a new campaign that offers up yet another vignette involving a man and his partner. This one features a couple watching a baseball game on TV, but the woman heads upstairs and her body language makes it clear she'd welcome her companion's company. A voiceover observes, "They say in life there's only room for one great passion ... unless you're really clever." The man then grabs a videotape, starts recording the game he was watching, and then …

Holiday Inn has hit a homerun with a three-year deal with Major League Baseball in which the company becomes the league's official hotel. The agreement includes benefits for members of Holiday Inn parent InterContinental Hotels Group's rewards program, Priority Club Rewards that extends to IHG brands like InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites and Hotel Indigo. Benefits for member include on-field access to watch batting practice at an All-Star Game, or throwing out a ceremonial first pitch prior to a World Series game. In addition, members will be able to gain …

In some industries, competitors can put away their differences temporarily in order to more effectively combat a common enemy. Automakers, for example, have presented a common front when negotiating with unions, and rival newspapers sometimes forge joint operating agreements in which they share printing presses and delivery systems in order to cut expenses. Not so in the beer business. Market leader Anheuser-Busch recently launched a national TV ad campaign dubbed “Here’s To Beer” that was designed to benefit the entire industry by promoting beer drinking over other alcoholic beverages The company sent a representative around the country to drum …

In a move that will no doubt help their public relations efforts, major soft drink marketers have joined with health organizations to institute a ban on soda sales in schools in an effort to combat childhood obesity. Cadbury Schweppes, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and the American Beverage Association, along with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, established new guidelines that have been officially adopted nationwide to limit portion sizes of all beverages and reduce the number of calories available to children during the school day. Under the guidelines, soft drinks are banned and only lower-calorie and nutritious beverages will be sold to …

Verizon Wireless is making its sponsorship of music artist Shakira's North American tour this summer the cornerstone of a promotional campaign to promote its V Cast music service and other technologies. The target group is the Latino market, and the plan calls for customers in each city to receive a personal video invitation on their cell phones from the star to attend the shows. "We wanted to market V Cast music and products and services by showcasing our network and technology so people can see how to incorporate technology into their lifestyle," said Brenda Raney, spokesperson, Verizon Wireless. "By choosing …

Snack food marketer Frito-Lay North America is changing the way it makes its flagship Lay's potato chips, but it wants to make sure consumers know the product will still taste the same. To that end, the snack food marketer will launch a major marketing push to support the reformulated chips, which henceforth will be made with sunflower oil rather than cottonseed oil. The move will reduce the saturated fat in Lay's and Ruffles by more than 50 percent, and boost the level of mono- and polyunsaturated fats, which help lower bad cholesterol and offer other health benefits, the company said. …

Everyone has heard of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut because all are well marketed, famous American brands. But the parent company that owns all three is practically invisible. All that is about to change however, as the company, Yum Brands, is set to embark on its first-ever corporate branding effort. It kicks off Saturday with a series of television commercials airing during the Kentucky Derby telecast. The campaign, for now limited to Derby Day, is aimed at attracting more investors to a fast-food giant with worldwide sales of nearly $30 billion last year from more than 34,000 restaurants in …