Breaking News

• Flower children make a comeback in ads
  General Mills, Geico, AmericanLife TV and Ameriprise Financial are among the major marketers using music from the 1960s, peace signs and other imagery of the era to forge a brand connection with baby boomers and their children. "There are a lot of good things that came out of the '60s," said Larry Meli, president and COO of AmericanLife TV Network in Washington. "It's time to point them out." NYTimes.com (12/10)

Company News

• WPP chief's "commitment" key to landing Dell
  The WPP Group's successful pitch for Dell's $4.5 billion account was largely thanks to CEO Martin Sorrell's hands-on style, according to this article. Casey Jones, VP-global marketing at Dell, said Sorrell's "commitment" was a major reason the computer maker went with WPP. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (12/10)

• Caterpillar takes the wheel in Chinese road show
  Caterpillar is taking some of its industrial earthmoving equipment on a tour of towns and villages across China in a bid to create buzz about its wheel tractor-scrapers. The company is looking to increase its market share amid China's building boom. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (12/10)

• NASCAR, Coke rev up new 10-year marketing pact
  Under a new 10-year deal, NASCAR has named Coca-Cola North America as its sole nonalcoholic beverage sponsor, and will provide an even more prominent platform within the sport for the soft drink giant's brands, including Coke Zero and its latest offering, Glaceau vitaminwater. Brandweek (12/10)

• Reuters, IHT strike content, revenue-sharing deal
  Reuters and the International Herald Tribune have agreed to a deal under which Reuters will provide content for IHT's business news section, and IHT will share ad revenue with Reuters rather than pay a subscription fee for the stories. The IHT will rename its business section to feature the Reuters name. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (12/10)

Market Trends

• ComScore: CPG marketers drive Web traffic through display ads
  Packaged-goods marketers' display ad efforts are showing a direct payoff in Web site traffic, with unique visitors to their sites up 10% versus a year ago in the third quarter to 66.4 million, according to comScore data. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (12/10)

• Commercials go on, despite WGA strike
  Movie and television production have stalled because of the Writers Guild of America strike, but actors, technicians and even studios are finding that TV commercial production is taking some of the economic sting out of the ongoing labor action. The Washington Post/Reuters (12/9)

Interactive

• TiVo turns from media industry foe to friend
  Popular DVR maker TiVo recently partnered with NBC Universal and media-buying agency Carat to provide audience metrics and DVR advertising services as part of the company's new emphasis on providing media and informational services along with equipment. TiVo CEO Tom Rogers said: "We are very much a technology company. At the same time ... we've substantially moved in the direction of becoming a media company." NYTimes.com (12/10)

• Other News

• Weather.com interactive maps chart place-specific ads
  Mediaweek (12/10)

• Facebook users think business
  CNET/The New York Times (12/8)

Multicultural Marketing

• Latina remakes itself to appeal to upscale readers, marketers
  In a bid to attract upscale advertisers, Latina magazine, starting in March, will get an editorial makeover that will emphasize fashion, beauty and luxury bling over service stories and entertainment and food news. Mediaweek (12/10)

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by AAF SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Facebook CEO apologizes for handling of ad-tracking program (NYTimes.com)

• Consumers want in on viral campaigns (Adweek)

• Dr Pepper sees instant results with viral video clip (Adweek)

• Crispin runs with new concept for Nike account (The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model))

• GM hands keys to $500M in agency billings back to local dealers (Advertising Age (tiered subscription model))

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

AAF Spotlight

• AAF Announces 2008 Mosaic Career Fairs
  Interested in a marketing, public relations or advertising career? The American Advertising Federation (AAF) invites you to attend the 2008 Mosaic Career Fairs, in Chicago, Anaheim, Calif., and McLean, Va. In 2007, nearly 450 college students from across the country and representatives from 75 top advertising, marketing and media companies participated in the Mosaic Career Fairs, sponsored by Gannett, USA TODAY, Leo Burnett USA and The Walt Disney Company. The Mosaic Career Fairs feature career development workshops, panel discussions with industry professionals, one-on-one resume and portfolio critiques, a recruiters expo with some of the country's top advertising, marketing and media companies and on-site interviewing.

  For more information, go to www.aaf.org/mosaicfair or contact Tricia Ward at tward@aaf.org.

  

Government Update

• Are rules really needed for product integration?
  With the FCC mulling whether to examine the need for regulations that would require marketers to disclose product placements on TV shows, writer Louise Story wonders whether the blurring of ads and content is as much of an issue as consumer groups claim. "But does the average Joe at home really care? Or does the tactic work so well that he doesn't notice the pitch?" Story writes. NYTimes.com (12/9)

SmartQuote

The value of an ad is in inverse ratio to the number of times it has been used." --Raymond Rubicam, member, Advertising Hall of Fame