• Puppy Powers Bud's Sober Spot
    Budweiser's new ad against driving intoxicated has gotten 13 million views since it launched a few days ago. The time-lapse ad shows the dog growing up along with his owner, from puppy to full-grown pooch. At which point his owner in college. Off he goes to a party. The dog patiently waits. All day, all night. Luckily, the guy didn't drive home, but spent the night at a friend's.
  • MGM Lawyers Up Versus...A Free 'Rocky' Run?
    Last year was the first annual Rocky 50k Fat Ass Run, tracing the famous fictive boxer's job to the Art Museum and organized by a Philadelphia woman as a free event with a charitable component. No awards, road closures, barely organized, with 100 participants. Movie studio MGM, which produced Rocky and Rocky II is up in arms, with lawyers firing off cease-and-desist letters because she wants to do the run again. But now MGM (who co-opted her idea maybe?) wants to do their own, too, but with cash money involved and organized by Cerulean Sports Group in Chicago. She has …
  • Brands Do In-Game Incentivized Ads, But Don't Like It
    Incentivized ads in digital games, where viewers get points for watching ads that pop up after a play, is not something major brands want to do, according to Beachfront Media chief executive officer Frank Sinton "They don't want the perception that they are paying people to watch their ads." Both Beachfront and Tapjoy are working on alternative kinds of in-game video-ad integration.
  • Audi, Chevrolet, Lincoln Will Boost Budgets In 2015
    Audi, Chevrolet, and Lincoln are boosting their marketing budgets next year to support busy model launch schedules, the companies' executives said at the Automotive News Marketing Seminar Tuesday. Audi's 2015 marketing spend will grow by about 10% compared to 2014 levels, per Audi's director of marketing Loren Angelo. The Super Bowl and the Emmy Awards.
  • FTC Sends Warning Letters To Major Advertisers
    The Federal Trade Commission says it has sent warning letters to 60 national advertisers, including 20 of the 100 largest advertisers in the U.S., informing them that their ads have failed to make adequate disclosures to the buying public. FTC ad guidance says disclosures should not be hidden or "buried" in fine print. TV disclosures must appear on screen long enough for viewers to read them and shouldn't be obstructed. But the agency identified a number of "problematic" ads.
  • Can New NFL CMO Hudson Placate Rift With Marketers?
    The NFL, looking to fill its vacant CMO office, has not strayed too far from the family by signing Dawn Hudson, who spent more than a decade with league partner PepsiCo as top marketing executive and then president/CEO for Pepsi-Cola North America. That gave her first-hand experiences in the pros and cons of working with the NFL. Which will be a put to the test during a volatile time as a result of domestic violence and child abuse cases pulling the league and its partners apart.
  • Ad Council Gets A New Leader In Lisa Sherman
    Lisa Sherman will become the president and chief executive of the council as of Nov. 1, succeeding Peggy Conlon, who said in late April that she would retire after 15 years at the helm. Sherman had most recently been executive vice president and general manager of the Logo cable channel, which is owned by Viacom. Before that, she held senior posts at the agency now known as Hill Holliday and the telecommunications company now known as Verizon. She also helped found a marketing company, the Women's Sports Network.
  • Pan Am Experience Takes You Pseudo Flying, 1970's Style
    The Pan Am Experience takes guests back to the 1970's. It starts on the main deck of a re-created Pan Am 747 with cocktails proferred by polyester-clad flight attendants. Video and audio selections enjoyed in classic Pan Am Sleeperette seats. Dinner is up the 747 spiral stairs. First class: $297. Economy: $197. But you don't actually go anywhere.
  • Cal Ripken Jr. Talks MLB, Playoffs, Marketing
    Cal Ripken, Jr., baseball great, is CEO for Ripken Baseball, owner of Minor League's Aberdeen IronBirds. He has been in Kellogg's and Under Armour campaigns and an analyst and commentator for Turner Sports. Ripken talks about challenges MLB faces in attracting new fans, the pitfalls players need to avoid on social media, and the ups and downs of being a marketing spokesman.
  • Kroger Powers Growth With Private Label
    Kroger predicts its Simple Truth natural brand will become a $1 billion-a-year business, partly from private label, appealing to the thrifty. This summer, Kroger rolled out three new lower-priced house brands. Company executives say private label accounts for one quarter of all of Kroger's sales, nearing $20 billion annually.
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