Kraft will move the creative portion of its Miracle Whip account to DDB Chicago from JWT. While spending is not much -- Miracle Whip was supported by only $15 million last year -- the move is significant for DDB, which for the first time gets on the roster of the country's largest food company. And there is also the potential for more spending, as Kraft plans to boost advertising across its brand portfolio. Kraft's agency list had long been dominated by JWT, a unit of WPP Group, and Interpublic's DraftFCB. And any piece of its business is a …

Levon Helm, former drummer for The Band, has sued BBDO Worldwide over the use of the band's song "The Weight," in a television commercial. In the lawsuit, filed in New York, Helm wants information about the agency's profits from the Cingular spot. He also wants financial compensation for the use of his performance. Helm's attorney, Michael Pinsky, says state law prohibits the use of a celebrity's voice or likeness for profit without his prior written permission. He adds that Helm got a royalty from the commercial, but doesn't feel it was enough. Helm took home one-fifth of half …

Contrary to perception, most moviegoers don't really mind seeing commercials before the feature -- and some actually enjoy them. At least that's what a new study from Arbitron claims, finding that 63% of folks at the movies have no problems with ads. One reason: Improved quality over the static flip-card ads. Roughly three years ago, theater chains began installing new equipment to screen digitally transmitted animated ads, opening the way for better technical quality and engaging content. Initial reaction was negative; some moviegoers even filing lawsuits claiming they were defrauded because the new commercial formats meant the main …

Even following the repudiation of their philosophy by American voters last fall, right-wing voices still dominate the broadcast networks' Sunday morning newsmaker shows. That's according to a report form watchdog group Media Matters for America, titled "If It's Sunday, It's Still Conservative." Media Matters found that ABC's "This Week With George Stephanapoulos" was the only program to have improved its overall balance since the last report. And even there, the debate still "skewed to the right." In addition, CBS' "Face the Nation With Bob Schieffer," along with NBC's "Meet the Press With Tim Russert" and "Fox News Sunday" …

It could be a rough year for some ad and PR firms as more than half of their clients could switch agencies in 2007, if data from the Chief Marketing Officer Council is correct. In a new study, CMOC found that 54 percent of the 350 top marketers surveyed plan to drop one of their agencies this year. That comes after 2006, when two-thirds of the marketers dumped agencies, which the group says is due to increasing pressure to show results from publicity campaigns. "What we're seeing here is a reflection of the overall pressure that senior marketers …

The Federal Communications Commission has proposed a bevy of hefty fines for TV stations it says violated children's television advertising limits and reporting requirements. The FCC wants to hit six stations for a total of $65,000 and admonish a seventh for violating public filing and commercial limit rules. The decisions come just days before FCC commissioners are slated to appear before the House Telecommunications Subcommittee for an oversight hearing. The biggest single levy is for $17,500, laid on KGWB-TV Burlington, Iowa, for violating limits on commercials in kids TV shows. The station aired an image of a Quack Pack …

The Association of National Advertisers wants the TV industry to offer brand-specific commercial ratings to boost media accountability. "The ANA strongly encourages U.S. advertisers, the media, agencies and research companies to work collaboratively to make brand-specific commercial ratings a reality," says Bob Liodice, president and CEO of ANA. "Brand-specific commercial ratings will not only help marketers make better decisions, they are an invaluable tool for overall campaign management and accountability," Liodice says. He adds that while the industry is moving toward commercial ratings, average commercial minute ratings alone won't cut it. Instead, brand-specific commercial ratings will let marketers …

Google's effort to help small and medium-size advertisers buy media like newspaper space and radio spots appears to be a success. And while that may be no surprise, oddly enough, the newspaper and radio folks aren't the least bit spooked. Indeed, Google may have finally built what years of complaining by media-buying agencies couldn't: a viable, scalable, e-business approach to buying local media. And if early trends hold, Google may yet prove itself in the biggest ad market it hasn't touched: television. TV executives are watching the trials for signs of success before they let Google in for …

Former pro basketball player John Amaechi is the latest member of a small group of openly gay athletes to snare an endorsement deal. The first NBA player to openly acknowledge he is gay, Amaechi was just named a spokesman for HeadBlade, a company that specializes in products for men who shave their heads. "I think it's fantastic that HeadBlade has approached me to endorse the brand," Amaechi says. "Whether you're black, white, straight or gay, a shaved head is a shaved head, and it requires specialized maintenance." HeadBlade does not disclose how long the contract will last or …

While ratings for the NCAA men's basketball tournament--set to tip off Thursday--are apt to be flat to down if recent trends hold, it will still be an ad bonanza for CBS. Spending on the "March Madness" telecast has increased by more than 60 percent since 2001, and is expected to pass $500 million for the first time this year. That makes it the most lucrative post-season televised sporting event--ahead of NFL football, baseball and basketball--and it accounts for three-fourths of all spending on college basketball over a season. Rising demand meets limited supply in the tournament--the supply being young, affluent …