Jan. 26 at 1:04 p.m.
Filed under:
Advertising/Marketing,
Sports
By Associated Press
Isaiah Mustafa in and Old Spice You Tube ad. (Old Spice)
Old Spice’s suave, shirtless advertising star is taking a ride around the world in new commercials for the Procter & Gamble Co. brand.
In an indicator of the campaign’s popularity, there first is a 30-second “coming attractions”-type trailer going online Wednesday which takes you beyond former football player Isaiah Mustafa’s muscular torso — to his “striking brown eyes,” if he does say so himself.
In another effort to keep the buzz going for the YouTube hit, a yet-to-be-named “superfan” will get to debut the commercial on his or her own social network page or feed, sometime before Super Bowl Sunday. Get the full story>>
Jan. 25 at 5:55 a.m.
Filed under:
Advertising/Marketing,
Taxes
By Associated Press
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in ad targeting Illinois businesses.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s administration thinks there’s business to be had — from Illinois.
The governor is launching an ad campaign encouraging businesses in Illinois to relocate to the Garden State. An official announcement from the Christie administration is planned for Tuesday, when ads will start appearing in newspapers and on radio stations in major Illinois cities like Chicago and Springfield. Get the full story »
By Emily Bryson York
Nutrition labeling is coming to the front of packaged foods. (AP)
A coalition of food and beverage manufacturers and retailers announced a plan to help consumers identify healthier choices in the grocery aisle.
Called “Nutrition Keys,” the program led by the Grocery Manufacturers Association will place pertinent calorie, fat, sodium and sugar information on the front of packages.
Developed in response to a request from First Lady Michelle Obama nearly a year ago, it also will call out products that contain under-consumed nutrients including potassium, fiber or vitamin C.
The Nutrition Keys logo will appear on products deemed to fit within a “balanced and healthy diet as part of the federal government’s daily dietary advice.
“Front-of-pack labels have become important in recent years, as experts acknowledge that few shoppers read the information panels on the back of foods.
Get the full story »
Jan. 24 at 4:43 p.m.
Filed under:
Advertising/Marketing,
Media,
TV
By Reuters
Sandwich chain Subway Monday became the fifth company to distance itself from MTV’s controversial new series “Skins,” pulling its advertising from the teen show after a campaign by a parents TV watchdog.
A representative for Subway told The Hollywood Reporter the company would not be running its ads on Monday’s second episode of the drama series about misfit teens who dabble in drink, drugs and sex. Get the full story »
By Gregory Karp
Taco Bell's lineup of beef tacos. (Taco Bell)
“Where’s the beef?” Wendy’s restaurants once famously asked through its advertising as a swipe at its small-burger competitors.
The same question is now being asked by a California woman regarding Taco Bell’s beef products, which she claims contain very little meat. So little in fact, she’s brought a false-advertising lawsuit against the huge fast-food Mexican restaurant chain. Get the full story »
By Dow Jones Newswires
Google has introduced browser software that lets Internet users opt out permanently from ad-tracking cookies.
Google previously introduced an opt-out tool but that software can be lost when users clear their browser cookies.
In a blog post, Google says its newest tool, the Keep My Opt-Outs extension for the company’s Chrome browser, lets people permanently opt out of ad tracking from all companies that offer opt-outs — without compromising ad revenue.
By CNN
Anheuser-Busch said Friday it will feature five commercials in the broadcast of the 2011 Super Bowl.
The brewer also announced that it will be the exclusive beer advertiser for the Super Bowl for the 23rd consecutive year. Get the full story »
Jan. 20 at 4:30 p.m.
Filed under:
Advertising/Marketing,
Airports
By Michael Oneal
Is no place sacred?
Just when you thought it was safe to wash your hands and check for things between your teeth in peace, an offshoot of Clear Channel Communications Inc. has found a way to serve up advertising in the bathroom mirror.
The mirrors in your home are still off limits (for now anyway) but a unit of Clear Channel Outdoor said Thursday that had teamed up with a North Carolina company called Mirrus to turn select bathroom mirrors at O’Hare International Airport into interactive billboards. Get the full story »
Jan. 20 at 4:07 p.m.
Filed under:
Advertising/Marketing,
Food,
Restaurants
By Reuters
McDonald’s Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets are served the world over, but only in Vermont can diners at the fast-food giant now get pure maple syrup with their oatmeal.
Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin announced Thursday that McDonald’s USA has agreed to offer pure Vermont maple syrup or sugar with its Fruit and Maple Oatmeal menu item, beginning in February. Get the full story »
Jan. 19 at 1:21 p.m.
Filed under:
Advertising/Marketing,
Autos,
Sports
By Reuters
The National Football League prodded Toyota Motor Corp. to edit a television commercial, removing an image of a helmet-to-helmet tackle at a time when the effects of concussions have come under heavy scrutiny, representatives of both sides said.
The Japanese automaker, one of the largest corporate advertisers, changed the TV ad after the U.S. sports league complained and warned that the spot would not be allowed to air during its highly watched games. Get the full story »
Jan. 19 at 6:56 a.m.
Filed under:
Advertising/Marketing,
Beverages,
Food
By Associated Press
Vitaminwater has too much sugar to be accurately described as nutritious, Britain’s ad regulator ruled Wednesday, ordering brand owner Coca-Cola to stop running publicity carrying the claim. Get the full story »
By Reuters
GlaxoSmithKline will record a legal charge of 2.2 billion pounds ($3.4 billion) for the fourth quarter, effectively wiping out its profit, as it settles further claims related to Avandia and sales practices.
The charge equates to an after-tax cost of 1.8 billion pounds, more than the 1.45 billion the drugmaker had been expected to make in net income in the three months to December, according to Thomson Reuters consensus forecasts. Get the full story »
By Dow Jones Newswires
Groupon is in talks with Chinese Internet giant Tencent to form a partnership to accelerate its effort in the critical Asian arena, said several sources with knowledge of the situation.
Terms of the deal are unclear, but sources said that it is likely to involve some sort of co-branded joint venture effort between the two–a key strategic move for Groupon given the hard-to-penetrate-if-you’re-not-Chinese Chinese market. Get the full story »
Jan. 17 at 6:03 a.m.
Filed under:
Advertising/Marketing,
International
By Associated Press
Groupon CEO Andrew Mason in a video to Japanaese customers. (YouTube)
The chief executive of Groupon, the rapidly growing online coupon provider, apologized to Japanese customers Monday for a New Year’s deal gone wrong that highlighted the difficulties the company faces in managing its global expansion.
In a subtitled video message uploaded onto YouTube, the company’s founder and CEO Andrew Mason acknowledged that the company had “really messed up” and outlined steps it was taking to rebuild its tarnished image in Japan. Get the full story »
