Grey Global Group, the agency network owned since March by WPP Group, run by the famously litigious Martin Sorrell, today sued Grey's former CEO of North America, Steve Blamer, rival holding company Interpublic Group of Cos. and one of its advertising networks, FCB Worldwide. The suit, filed in the New York state Supreme Court, charges Mr. Blamer with breaching stock option agreements, his employment agreement with Grey and fiduciary duties owed to the agency. Interpublic and FCB are charged with wrongfully interfering with those agreements and with aiding and abetting Mr. Blamer's alleged "wrongful conduct."

Media agency executives expressed concern today that the impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on oil prices could force some advertisers to cut or consider cutting their marketing budgets in the coming months. In the wake of Katrina, which devastated New Orleans and environs three weeks ago, oil prices shot up, boosting the price of a gallon of gasoline above $3 per gallon. The current belief is that Rita, now in the Gulf of Mexico and bearing down on the Texas coast, will wreak further havoc on oil production, forcing prices even higher.

As the ANA's Annual Conference: Masters of Marketing approaches, I would like to share Joe Tripodi's (CMO, Allstate) thoughts with you on strategic marketing.

It is not yet clear how well Martha Stewart's new television shows will do, but one thing has become apparent: since the shows began to air, a lot of investors in Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia have been selling.

From the time "60 Minutes" began in 1968, the first face viewers saw after the ticking stopwatch has been Mike Wallace's - until now. Ed Bradley will replace Wallace in that prominent position when "60 Minutes" begins its new season on Sunday, a further indication of a changing of the guard at television's first and still most popular newsmagazine.

A little-known company, Cemusa, has beaten outdoor advertising giants JC Deceaux and Van Wagner for New York City's 20-year contract to sell ad space on bus shelters and newspaper kiosks, according to the city's Department of Transportation.

The first episode of her new show reveals great potential but misses a vital ingredient: A Stewart who bares some nails.

The Publicis Groupe has approached a competitor, the Aegis Group, to discuss a possible takeover bid valued at around £1.56 billion, or about $2.8 billion, people close to the companies said yesterday. It could turn Publicis, based in Paris, into a formidable rival to the three biggest advertising companies: the Omnicom Group and the Interpublic Group of Companies, both based in New York, and the WPP Group, which, like Aegis, is based in London.

Two global luxury brands became the latest companies to sever ties with the model Kate Moss over concerns that her reported involvement with illegal drugs would tarnish their appeal to consumers. The two companies, Chanel and Burberry, issued statements yesterday that they would drop Ms. Moss from ad campaigns after photographs of the model, reportedly showing her using cocaine, ran on the cover of a London newspaper.

Telephone company Verizon Communications, which plans to start selling video services, said on Wednesday it signed a long-term agreement for use of programming from Disney Corp.