Listerine, the brand that invented halitosis in 1921, is rolling out a new positioning that refers to emerging scientific evidence that gum disease might be a factor in health problems such as heart disease and diabetes. An ad running in Wednesday editions of USA Today shows a stethoscope-bedecked bottle of Listerine and states: "If you think it's just for your mouth, think bigger." There are no studies definitively proving a connection between oral health and overall health, but the wording that "emerging science suggests" a link was broad enough for the American Dental Association to give its seal of acceptance …

On the toothpaste front, meanwhile, Pro-Crest is rolling out a new campaign that also touts the medical benefits of its product after years of marketing that featured playful ads boasting of new flavors and beauty benefits. New TV spots--part of a $100 million marketing campaign that includes the Web and print--feature a somber spokesman in a lab coat who points to a list of product benefits in the areas Crest says dentists check for the most: gingivitis, plaque, cavities, tartar, sensitivity, stains, and breath. The spots include a shot of the caduceus, the physicians' staff-and-snake insignia. Crest Pro-Health is P&G's …

Hispanics constitute 10 percent of the households in the United States, but marketers who want to effectively reach these consumers need to understand that it's not a homogeneous market. The differences among households are sometimes subtle and sometimes profound. Nielsen Media Research estimates that the buying power of Hispanics will exceed $1 trillion by 2008--a 55 percent increase over 2003 levels. As a group, Hispanics are more likely to focus on family and home, hold traditional values, and be media-friendly. The vast majority of consumer behaviors are determined by current needs and wants, however--not by historical cultural ties. Marketers would …

Saks' fall campaign, which launches Sept. 14, carries the tagline "Want It," and will celebrate 20 fashions trends with collages designed by Michael Roberts, who is the fashion and style director at Vanity Fair. The emphasis on "something for everybody" is an about-face from last year's heavy emphasis on cashmere. A product, like skinny jeans or a flat boot, is the focal point of the collages, which depict scenes that range from fanciful to naughty. One for women's satchel bags, for example, shows a woman, whip in hand, watching over two men chained to the side of a purse. Reproductions …

As young people zip and zap their way through traditional media, advertisers like Pepsi, Nike, Lexus, Burger King and Sheraton are turning to wireless devices to get their message to the mobile, coveted 18-to-34 consumer. U.S. mobile advertising revenue is projected to jump to $150 million this year, from $45 million in 2005. In addition to running text messages and banner ads, some companies have customized 10-second videos as wireless carriers roll out bigger, more colorful screens and faster broadband networks. Ads generally cost $35 to $50 per 1,000 views, versus $10 for online ads, according to one industry insider. …

The wordless "Now What" campaign breaks with three television ads showing not-your-everyday catastrophes befalling young drivers. Without mentioning the State Farm brand name, a text scroll then direct viewers to the website www.Nowwhat.com, where they are find links for agents and price quotes. In "Date," for example, a young man parks in front of his girlfriend's house, opens the door, and pauses to look at himself in the rear-view mirror. An SUV then smashes into the door. State Farm is also sponsoring a Now What iFilm video contest for which consumers send in short videos depicting the last time they …

Citing recent deals with XM Satellite radio, MTV Networks and Fox Interactive Media, Google CEO Eric Schmidt says that his company's business model of selling targeted ads at auction can make the transition to other online and offline media. The recent deals will "give people more ability to target places where their ads can go," Schmidt told attendees at the Search Engine Strategies meeting in San Jose, CA. "These are big expansions of new content that we think are going to be very successful for our advertisers." Schmidt said that Google's master plan is to simplify and unify the user's …

The old saw that a great ad campaign can't sell a troubled product has taken a new twist with an internal marketing effort produced for US Airways Group. "I Make US Fly" tries to unify the 35,000 employees of the merged US Airways and America West with messages like "[Be] helpful and friendly ... all the time." "It's birdcage material," say Mike Flores, spokesman for the US Airways flight attendants union, which is negotiating a contract with the airline. "It paints everything as a rosy picture, and it's not." Coke, which beat out Pepsi to sell its products on the …

An ad promoting the second season of "Weeds," the Showtime series that stars Mary-Louise Parker as a widowed mom who supports her two boys by dealing pot in a fictitious Los Angeles suburb, smells like marijuana, or patchouli oil, or "hippies," or whatever--who cares, what's the difference, man? It appears in the Aug. 24 issue of Rolling Stone. "There was a lot of back and forth about the scent," said George DeBolt, VP-media, Showtime. "We wanted to have the scent be as close as possible to marijuana. It's the buzz factor, if you will." Other promotions for the show include …

A new book about advertising has good news and bad news for marketers. The bad news first: almost 40 percent of all ad budgets are wasted. The good news: there are things you can do to make sure your advertising works. The book, "What Sticks: Why Most Advertising Fails and How to Guarantee Yours Succeeds," was written by Rex Briggs, a veteran market researcher and founder of the firm Marketing Evolution, and Greg Stuart, CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau. "What Sticks" will be released next month, and is the result of five years of research on campaigns from 36 …