USA Today
One consultant says of the airports and airlines making it easier to drink alcohol, "They're trying to mimic what occurs on the ground in terms of consumer promotions." The increased access and options reflect efforts by some airports to boost revenue, as well as a growing marketing savvy by airlines, which now sell everything from meals to day passes to their premium lounges, travel experts say. Of course, some people are afraid that it raises the risk of more drunken travelers, especially when many find the airport travel experience frustrating and stressful.
Ad Age
Big changes at Mazda North America this year. New CMO, new agency, new vehicles. Yet, the decade-old slogan, "Zoom-Zoom," remains. CMO Don Romano says it will continue to be a big part of Mazda's marketing even as the brand's story evolves. "We'll be taking 'Zoom-Zoom' to the next level," Romano said. "Through the jingle we've gotten more recognition than what the brand stands for, so that will be a priority for us in the next 12 to 18 months." Meanwhile, he and his global counterparts will be working with WPP's newly formed Team Mazda to define an integrated communications …
New York Times
Burger King and Nike each won two.
Sky News
An unsuspecting American woman whose Twitter account goes under the name of @theashes has been bombarded with messages from cricket fans. She had no idea about the biennial series between Australia and England and she certainly had no inkling that the Test series had such a big army of fans. Now, "Qantas wants to see @theashes In Australia. We'll fly her from New York To Australia for the Ashes!" the Australian airline tweeted on Monday. And Vodafone, too, has expressed an interest: "We want to #gettheashestotheashes so if @theashes can get over here we'll pony up #theashes tickets & …
Hartford Courant
Reuters
The QSR is trying to end a deal by which the food giant distributes packages of its coffee to grocery stores. In a statement on Monday, Kraft recognized Starbucks' right to take over the business but said the deal is perpetual in nature and calls for Kraft to get sufficient time to prepare for any transition, Reuters reports. Kraft also said that Starbucks must compensate it with the fair market value of the business plus a premium as high as 35%. Kraft accused Starbucks of acting "unilaterally." Starbucks disputes Kraft's assertion that the deal was in effect indefinitely. The coffee …
Wall Street Journal
Ann Lathrop of the Toy Chest, a store in Ridgefield, Conn., says the Black Friday weekend isn't usually bustling for smaller shops, as the rush typically comes during the two weeks leading up to Christmas. But Lathrop, who has experienced a sales slump the past two years, says her store was quite busy Friday, Saturday and Sunday. She attributes part of the boost to American Express's first "Small Business Saturday" promotion, which encouraged holiday shoppers to visit and purchase from local stores. Some business owners in other parts of the country also saw a slight uptick.
New York Times
Pairing a brand's message with, of all things, a food truck has been increasingly employed in recent months, with major advertisers using trucks as rolling sandwich boards while advertising agencies issue the call to independent food truck operators to participate in brand-sponsored events. Food trucks selling things like falafels and waffles have grown in popularity in cities like New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and advertisers now see them as a vehicle for delivering their message directly to consumers. "All the companies that are involved in this understand the power of this guerrilla-type marketing, being on the …
Ad Age
Used to be, Thursday was the best night to reach mass audiences. But Sunday has snuck up as the new mass-reach day for live awards shows and major sporting events, so much so that one major marketer, Audi of America, is aligning its entire 2011 TV marketing calendar around the seventh day. As part of its self-dubbed "Sunday Media Strategy," Audi will concentrate nearly 70% of its media budget for its A8 model on TV during 2011 with its ongoing sponsorship of the National Football League, its upcoming buy on Super XLV and an increased investment in Sunday-morning news …
USA Today
Here's one take on the travel industry's future.