The Prius has been a success for Toyota in more ways than one: Not only has it appealed to the "deep green" demographic-those who place the environment among their top priorities-it's become a favorite among people who simply want to do no harm. How did Toyota accomplish that, and what can marketers learn from it? For one thing, the car itself is stylish and attractive, which means consumers don't have to look like they're driving around in half a car in order to cut pollution. Add to that the celebrity factor-luminaries like Leo and Gwyneth proudly tooling around …

There's no shortage of tie-ins to the upcoming "Sex and the City" film, from custom Manolo Blahnick shoes to customized cocktails in every Manhattan bar without a dartboard. So it should come as no surprise that animal-rights enthusiasts PETA are getting in on the action. What is surprising is how they're doing it. Rather than denouncing the acres of fur and leather fashions featured in the movie, PETA has launched a racy PSA campaign called "Sex and the Kitty." The 30-second spot grabs viewer attention with 30-seconds of simulated feline copulation set to a bumping beat, then delivers the …

Good news is if you're one of the thousands of Hydrox fans who pestered the Kellogg Co. through phone calls, a petition and chat sites to revive their favorite cookie. The company is bringing the Oreo also-ran back starting in August, if only for a limited time. Kellogg quietly retired the Hydrox in 2003, conceding to Kraft Food's larger advertising budget and Oreo's superior name recognition. But fans of the Hydrox-which despite perceptions actually predates the Oreo-wouldn't let it go quietly. Their efforts to bring it back made for a Page 1 Wall Street Journal story in January. …

Looking to get your friends together for a beer after work next week? Or more specifically, a Coors Light? Starting Monday you can log on to Facebook and send them a Code Blue alert, and even a map to the gathering place. The name Code Blue plays off the new Coors Light cans that turn blue when cold enough to drink. Coors Brewing is launching an entire social media campaign centered on the Code Blue content that includes a new presence on MySpace in addition to the Facebook play. These moves come on the heels of several new …

Customer testimonials are a tried-and-true method for promoting your company. Surely potential customers take notice when those you've served in the past are eager to step up and recommend your company, right? Maybe, but there are right and wrong ways to do it. Consumers today are wary of all kind of marketing messages, says Lisa LaMotta, so rather than throw your customer testimonials out there as though they were blurbs on a book jacket, try taking the long-form approach. Full-out case studies are likely to be more effective than a simple quote, no matter how many flattering words …

The earthquake that struck China earlier this month has already had an impact on the marketing of the Olympics. Last week, the games' organizers subtly dropped the tagline for their heretofore controversial torch relay, "Ignite the passion, spread the dream," and replaced it with the more sympathetic "Spread the sacred flame, spread caring love." But that could be just the beginning. Marketers such as Coca-Cola, McDonald's and Samsung have had their Olympic efforts to date tarred by protesters as kowtowing to a regime that already has a poor human-rights record and now is tolerant of the genocide in …

Chuck Fruit, an influential marketer who held top positions at Coca Cola and Anheuser-Busch, died suddenly yesterday morning of an apparent heart attack while swimming laps at home. He was 61. After joining A-B in 1976, he became one of the earliest proponents of moving the company's ads to cable TV and sports programming. He is also regarded as one of the architects of A-B's sport-sponsorship dominance. In 1991, he left A-B for Coke, where he held a variety of sports- and media-related positions, including two stints as chief marketing officer. At Coke, he helped develop the long-running …