• Facebook Looks To Internet.org To Grow
    Facebook's big global push may be in developing countries under the aegis of the Internet.org cause. People in tech-compromised countries would use Facebook to access email, Wikipedia pages, weather information, and food prices. If they wanted additional services like the ability to stream video, they could buy it with a simple click-through Facebook. Mark Zuckerberg revealed his vision at the Mobile World Congress.
  • First-Ever UK Campaign For Jagermeister
    The multimillion-pound TV campaign will break on ITV1 during England's friendly football match against Denmark on March 5, and will be supported with digital and cinema advertising, showcasing the brand's ethos, "It Runs Deep," and the Jgermeister perfect serve - an ice cold shot. Cinema runs during "300: The Rise of an Empire" across all cinema sites.
  • Olive Garden Rolling Out Pastas, Salads
    Olive Garden is rolling out artisanal pastas and new toppings for its signature salads. The unit of Orlando, Fla.-based Darden Restaurants has sent emails to some customers in the Orlando area urging them to try the items before anyone else. Customers can choose toppings ranging from antipasti Italian meats and cheeses to roasted tomato and capers.
  • 'Only Organic' Launches Video Campaign
    A trade group of organic food manufacturers has launched an advertising campaign aimed at helping consumers understand the difference between foods with "organic" and "natural" labels. The campaign debuted with a "mockumentary" video showing how easy it is for companies to label their food products as "natural" - noting there in no official definition and little enforcement of misleading claims.
  • Ford May Ditch Microsoft For BlackBerry? Who's That?
    Ford plans to jettison Microsoft for BlackBerry for future upgrades to its Sync voice-activated system, according to a source. The automaker for years has been plagued with software problems on Sync and its MyFord Touch infotainment system that have stained the company's vehicle quality ratings. Ford could make the switch from Microsoft to BlackBerry and its QNX operating system this year or next.
  • Tata-Singapore Airlines Seeks Brand Name
    A new full-service carrier that is a joint venture of Tata Sons Ltd and Singapore Airlines has reportedly reached out to two ad agencies for a brand name. It will employ neither the Tata nor Singapore Airlines brands.
  • Papa John's Taps Grey As AOR
    After a three-month review, pizza chain Papa John's has tapped Grey to be its lead agency. The shootout included BBDO, Arnold and Doner. The brand's annual media spending totals about $120 million. The incumbent was Zimmerman Advertising in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., which did not defend. The agency will keep the media and franchisee and co-operative advertising accounts.
  • Honda Forms Acura Planning Arm
    Honda Motor Co., which saw a 10% drop in U.S. Acura sedan sales last year, is creating a new group to plan business development for the brand. Erik Berkman, president of Honda R&D Americas, will become executive vice president for the North American unit and division manager of the newly created Acura Business Planning Office, Honda said.
  • Pandora Matches Music To Politics
    Pandora Media, which is trying to boost its ad revenue, is aiming to predict whether a listener will favor ads for or against hot-button political topics. Last week, it began serving political ads tailored to musical tastes of its 73.4 million monthly users. The Internet radio service found a way to to get pretty accurate about a listener's political leanings by analyzing a combination of music genres and geographic voting patterns.
  • Microsoft Unveils $500 'Titanfall' Xbox One
    Microsoft's Xbox One has been selling well, but not as well as Sony's PS4, even though the latter has a $100 higher price tag. Microsoft has just announced a limited-edition $500 Titanfall console bundle, where the One will come with a free download of the game starting March 11. The news first broke in Australia via a PR slip, then it was confirmed for the UK, and now the US.
« Previous EntriesNext Entries »