Most Clicked 4A's SmartBrief Stories
1. Kotex pokes fun at typical tampon ads
4A's SmartBrief | Mar 16, 2010
A new commercial from WPP Group's JWT, New York, for U by Kotex makes fun of the typical ads for Kotex and other feminine-hygiene products that include footage of women running along the beach or dancing joyfully during their periods. The campaign, which is aimed at girls and women ages 14 to 21, poses the question "Why are tampon ads so ridiculous?" and uses the tagline "Break the cycle." New York Times (free registration), The (03/15)
2. Client survey: Agencies must be more proactive
4A's SmartBrief | Mar 16, 2010
Agencies aren't doing enough to understand clients' businesses and must act as proactive partners to better serve clients, a survey of marketing executives by Ad-ology found. Half of the respondents expected to increase marketing spending while one-third said spending would be flat. Adweek (03/15)
3. Havas chief: "Digitally empowered consumers" are scary
4A's SmartBrief | Mar 19, 2010
Marketers who tout the socially responsible aspects of their brand have more to fear from the backlash of "young digitally empowered consumers" than they do from regulators, said Havas Worldwide chief executive David Jones. Recently, British regulators warned advertisers that dubious eco-friendly claims would be subject to crackdown, but Jones noted that a brand could experience a more devastating loss of credibility at the hands of social-media users. "Social media has given people real power to act," Jones said. "Old leaders don't understand the impact of social media. It is a medium the young people of the world control." Guardian (London), The (03/19)
4. Job listings pick up at large agencies
4A's SmartBrief | Mar 15, 2010
Recruiting is increasing across a number of large agencies such as Edelman and OMD that made cuts in 2009. LinkedIn lists 1,300 agency jobs, according to this article. "And it's even stronger in the first quarter of 2010 than it was in the last quarter of 2009," said Pat Mastandrea of the Cheyenne Group. Advertising Age (03/15)
5. Throngs line up when free food is on the menu
4A's SmartBrief | Mar 17, 2010
Free-food promotions are turning out to be a low-cost, high-reward proposition for quickservice chains. Denny's lured 600,000 entrants for its "Grand Slam for a Year" promotion -- and 450,000 reportedly signed up for the restaurant's rewards program. Subway added 400,000 names to its marketing rolls with its "Five Dollar Footlong" promotion that rewarded 71 winners with a year's worth of free sandwiches. Wall Street Journal, The (03/17)
6. Hyatt clips try to mine laughs, meeting business
4A's SmartBrief | Mar 18, 2010
Hyatt has commissioned the comedy Web site Funny or Die to create a series of humorous clips depicting meetings gone awry to help stimulate the hotel chain's meeting business. The deal for the branded clips was brokered by Hyatt media shop PHD, which also uses Funny or Die's services for HBO, Starbucks and other clients. New York Times (free registration), The (03/17)
7. Vanguard wants its name to be an ad verb
4A's SmartBrief | Mar 15, 2010
The Vanguard Group, in its first campaign from MDC Partners' Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal & Partners, New York, is trying to turn its brand name into a verb, a la Google and Googling. The effort includes banner ads such as: "Vanguarding is getting the financial picture you want with less distraction." New York Times (free registration), The (03/14)
8. Southwest's newest spots keep focus on employees
4A's SmartBrief | Mar 16, 2010
Southwest Airlines is rolling out seven new TV commercials -- as well as print, online and in-airport ads -- that showcase employees. One ad shows cheering airport staffers with their stomachs painted with the "Bags Fly Free" slogan. MediaPost Communications (03/15)
9. Brands quietly cut out the corn syrup
4A's SmartBrief | Mar 15, 2010
Pepsi Throwback and Mountain Dew are only temporary switches from corn syrup to sugar, while Gatorade, Wheat Thins and Hunt's ketchup are making the change permanent. But marketers aren't broadcasting the move for fear of drawing attention to the corn syrup still contained in the brands' other products. Advertising Age (03/15)
10. Ogilvy to assemble new creative for IKEA
4A's SmartBrief | Mar 15, 2010
IKEA has awarded its creative business for the general and Hispanic markets to WPP Group's Ogilvy & Mather, New York. Spending on the account is pegged at between $85 million and $90 million. Adweek (03/12)
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