One of the last taboos in theatre could soon be broken with the introduction of live advertisements on stage. Scripted "commercials" will be piloted at the Apollo in Victoria next month. If successful they could change the face of theatre forever.

At last, the National Basketball Association can laugh about something. In anticipation of its annual All-Star Game Feb. 20, the N.B.A. has introduced its largest ad campaign ever for its lucrative licensed apparel lines. The campaign, a joint effort by the N.B.A. and Reebok, is a humorous take on the league's marketing efforts. It features Fred Willard, the comedian who has appeared in films like "This Is Spinal Tap" and "A Mighty Wind."

For years, American corporations and the European companies that do business with them have faced anti-American sentiments from Europeans. But with the war continuing in Iraq and discomfort growing over United States dominance, the companies have been forced to further adjust how they do business in Europe.

There was a time when $2.4 million was a lot of money. You didn't spend that kind of coin without a pretty good reason to believe your advertising was going to create awareness, deliver a message or build your brand into a bond with your consumers.

Verizon Communications agreed Monday to buy MCI in a cash, stock and special dividend deal worth nearly $6.75 billion that could result in as many as 7,000 job cuts.

The efforts to revive Young & Rubicam suffered twin setbacks this week as the agency lost two large accounts from major clients within hours of each other. The loss of the blue-chip Jaguar and Sony brands are renewing speculation about the pace of the lagging agency's turnaround efforts, soon to enter their third year.

Cinema Screen Media, a provider of digital pre-show entertainment, picked Watson Earl & Partners, New York, as its advertising agency of record. The agency will devise marketing strategy and tactics for a new Cinema Screen Media product that customizes pre-show entertainment to the theater level in a 20-minute package. The agency appointment also results from new management at Cinema Screen Media, Atlanta.

Sirius Satellite Radio CEO Mel Karmazin admitted he has spoken to Steven Jobs about adding Sirius technology to Apple's iPod, has Oprah Winfrey on his talent wish list, and announced Sirius will soon ad video to its content.

Two publishers today-Fairchild Publications and Hearst Magazines-are taking radically different approaches to the appearance of a child-porn Web site address that accidentally turned up in a prom-dress ad that is running in both publishers' newsstand prom fashion/beauty specials.

Bowing to pressure from an Asian community group, Newsday is pulling its advertising from the controversial morning show on hip-hop radio station Hot 97.