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December 5, 2008 Sign up Forward Archive Advertise News for the advertising, media, and marcom industries   Top Story  IPG's Brien assesses ad landscape The global financial downturn could cause continued turmoil for the advertising business over the next two years because marketers will be cutting their budgets, expecting more from their investments and seeking lower fees from agencies, Mediabrands CEO Nick Brien said. "We certainly, on a global basis, are going to see a reduction in advertising budgets," he said. "That's a certainty." Reuters (12/4)   Agency News  Massive makes case for in-game segment during upfront Microsoft's in-game ad shop Massive's upfront event, held earlier this week, was more about getting exposure for ad placements in new game titles with media buyers and marketers than closing deals, according to this article. The event was described by one attendee as a "hype event, but it's good." ClickZ (12/5)   Creative  Anheuser-Busch Super Bowl ads to feature Clydesdales Anheuser-Busch's famous Clydesdale horses will be featured in the company's first Super Bowl commercials since it was acquired by Europe's InBev. "The Clydesdales are not going away and Budweiser and Anheuser-Busch are here," said Bob Lachky, the brewer's chief creative officer. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (12/4) GoDaddy signs up for 5th trip to Super Bowl For its fifth trip as a Super Bowl marketer, GoDaddy is planning ads that are typically "edgy, fun and slightly inappropriate," but CEO and founder Bob Parsons doesn't believe the spots will run afoul of network censors as previous editions have. "My dad always told me, 'Try to get it right at least by the fifth time you do it,'" Parsons said jokingly. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (12/4)   Media  GE said to plan return to Super Bowl ad game General Electric, as part of its policy to spend its TV ad dollars on channels owned by its NBC Universal unit, next year reportedly will return as an advertiser for NBC's broadcast of the Super Bowl. A GE spokeswoman would not comment on the company's ad plan for the Super Bowl. New York Post (12/4)   Trends & Research  Luxury marketers use personal touch to retain top customers Luxury marketers, in reaction to the recession, are focusing on wooing their core, affluent customers by holding invitation-only events that are tailored to their interests and feature appearances by celebrities. "We're trying to be much more targeted and give customers a more intimate experience with our brand," said Laurie Patruno, boutique manager for the Damiani jewelry store in Beverly Hills, Calif. "These days, you need to be very efficient with your marketing dollars." Los Angeles Times (12/4) Poll: Marketers try to find advantages amid downturn Many marketers believe their companies will hold steady during the current downturn, with some saying they may even be able to improve their bottom lines because of it, according to a global survey by McKinsey & Co. The report also found that, in response to the downturn, 34% have launched new products to boost market share, 22% are looking into mergers or acquisitions and 16% have recruited new workers who might not otherwise have been available. Adweek (12/4)   Marketer News  Will GM, Chrysler merge as part of bailout? A possible merger between General Motors and Chrysler reportedly is part of the discussions being held around a potential government bailout for Detroit automakers. Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli said he would support such a move as a condition for receiving government help, while GM CEO Rick Wagoner said he could only consider supporting such a merger if it were backed by the United Auto Workers. USA TODAY (12/5)   Technology  Ex-Yahoo! exec to run Microsoft's Internet unit Former Yahoo! executive Qi Lu has been tapped as president of Microsoft's struggling online services group. The hiring of technology expert Lu, over others with marketing and media backgrounds, is part of Microsoft's attempt to match Google on the technology front, according to this article. International Herald Tribune (12/5), The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (12/5) Web being used by automakers to build support for bailout General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler, which have long used the Web to market their vehicles, are tapping a range of online media, including Google, its unit YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, to lobby for public support for federal aid. The strategy is considered a cost-effective means to reach their audience and a way to bypass criticism by mainstream media, according to this article. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (12/5)   Association News  Ramp Up Your Diversity Recruiting With the 4A's Multicultural Advertising Intern Program Looking for assistance in boosting your agency's diversity recruitment efforts? For more than 35 years, the 4A's has helped member agencies identify diverse, entry-level talent with our Multicultural Advertising Intern Program (MAIP). Through MAIP, agencies select undergraduate and graduate students to complete a 10-week summer internship that leaves them prepared to take entry-level assignments within the company. The internship program has helped jumpstart the careers of more than 2,000 African-American, Asian-American, Latino, Native-American, multiracial and multiethnic aspiring advertising professionals. 4A's members can learn more about MAIP and download an agency application for the 2009 program at the 4A's Web site. Learn more about 4A's -> Homepage  |  Upcoming Events  |  4A's Career Center  |  4A's Bookstore   SmartQuote  I don't possess a lot of self-confidence. 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