Sepracor is moving its massive $300 million creative advertising account for Lunesta to Kaplan Thaler Group from McCann Erickson Worldwide, insiders say. Incumbent McCann Humancare -- a health-care marketing arm of Interpublic Group -- tried to keep the business, put into review late last year. No one is talking for the reord but Lunesta looks to join a Kaplan Thaler client list that includes Aflac, Continental Airlines and Outback Steakhouse. Sepracor spent $298 million on U.S. measured media in 2006 on Lunesta -- and $230 million between January and September 2007, according to TNS Media Intelligence. …

Apparently, much of what consumers are now learning about the coming shift to digital broadcasting is wrong -- and could well end up costing them money, according to one survey. New data from Consumers Union suggests that some people think they need to buy new equipment when they don't, while others say they don't plan on taking any steps to deal with the change when they should. "Confusion about the digital television transition will cost consumers a lot of money for equipment they may not want or need," says Joel Kelsey, a policy analyst for the Consumers …

When the economy slips, marketing budgets often get the ax first, although not all in the same way. Among those already cutting back are local retailers and service providers like mom-and-pop stores, attorneys, dentists and others who tend to be more sensitive to changes in the economy. Ad spending by such local businesses has dropped fast, rising just 2.3% in the first nine months of 2007 from an 11% growth pace during the first nine months of 2006, according to TNS Media Intelligence. While TNS sees total U.S. ad expenditures up 4.2% this year on spending on …

Motorola--which has been the largest and most successful cell-phone manufacturer in the U.S. largely on the back of its Razr--says it is considering separating the cell-phone division from the rest of its businesses, possibly through a sale. Motorola has failed to produce a best-selling phone that could match the allure of the Razr, which debuted in 2004. The unit tumbled last year from No. 2 in the world behind Nokia to No. 3 behind Samsung Electronics. It has negative margins; scant toehold in the sizzling market for third-generation phones that download photos, videos, and other data at high speeds; …