IHOP today is announcing that kids can eat free at its restaurant seven nights a week for the next month, Bruce Horovitz reports, joining chains such as Fazoli's, El Torito and even Ikea, which wants to drive traffic to its stores. And why not? "Free is magic," says Barry Schwartz, psychology professor at Swarthmore College. "It will seduce people into eating out who shouldn't." Barry Yow, in fact, has a Web site that's keeping an eye on the trend. Drinks usually aren't included in the deal, and Yow says that some parents are …

Ford's online "Fiesta Movement" campaign -- for which 100 young drivers were given use of a Fiesta for six months -- has generated more than 2.8 million YouTube views, more than 365,000 views of photos on Flickr and more than 2.4 million Twitter impressions, Brent Snavely reports. And it still has a couple of months to run. The drivers, who were picked from 4,000 applicants, can say whatever they want about the car, which launches in the U.S. next year. (The cars they're driving were imported from Europe.) They must complete monthly missions and other assignments, …

Red Bull begat a bevy of "energy" drinks. It also inspired the siring of its antithesis: "relaxation" beverages such as Drank, Vacation in a Bottle, Superliminal Purple Stuff Pro-Relaxation Formula and iChill, Ylan Q. Mui reports. Drank's slogan is "Slow your roll." IChill's is "unwind from the grind." Funktional Beverages first thought about launching last year with an energy drink called Red Stuff, according to CMO Tim Lucas, but it found the market saturated. It created Purple Stuff instead, which has herbs and amino acids that it claims calms the mind and body. The target is the same 18- …

As Procter & Gamble's associate marketing director overseeing multicultural marketing for Bounty, Charmin and Pampers, David Miller Gomez-Giron is said by colleagues to have a novel approach to marketing (or at least a good title for a business book). In this Q & A, Elaine Wong asks him what he means, exactly, by "turning the tortilla over." It boils down to this: The Hispanic market has become so critical to mass marketers during the past 15 years that in many cases it is driving strategic priorities. "The Hispanic market is almost like a developing country inside the U.S.," says …

Although General Motors has shed four of its eight brands and is cutting the number of models it sells from 48 to 34 by the end of 2010, three experts consulted by Jean Halliday feel that the automaker still has too many models competing against one another without a distinctive selling proposition. "It just feels like the same old GM," concludes consultant Maryann Keller. GM intends to launch 25 models between now and 2011: 10 for Chevrolet, 5 for Cadillac and 10 for Buick-GMC. But Susan Jacobs, president of Jacobs & Associates, agrees with two other analysts who feel that …

Store officials ascribe the revived interest in Ouija to widespread fascination with the supernatural in pop culture, Sandra M. Jones reports.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America will reportedly spend $150 million on a campaign this summer that will "try and bring health-care reform across the finish line," according to PhRMA svp Ken Johnson. The lobbying group will buy broadcast spots in 12 key states, as well as a national cable buy and radio and print executions. Traditionally PhRMA has been pro-Republican, writes Rich Thomaselli, but drug makers are in favor of reform for two reasons. Coverage for about 45 million additional Americans likely will mean an increase in prescription-drug sales. Also, pharmaceutical companies have a loose agreement to …

Hyundai's marketing has been very convincing in two ways, writes Helen Coster. Long term, it has overcome consumer fears about the quality of its cars. Short term, it has reassured them about buying a new car during a recession. Hyundai was "on the precipice of oblivion," a decade ago, according to Finnbar O'Neill, the former president of Hyundai Motor America. But O'Neill initiated the 100,000-mile, 10-year warranty program that not only garnered attention and respect from consumers, but also proved to be financial boon. The car was so reliable that Hyundai was able to expand with money it had …