MediaPost | Marketing Daily

Hasbro Launches Nerf Dog

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:04:00 -0400

Hasbro Inc. is partnering with Gramercy Products, Inc. to launch Nerf Dog, a full range of Nerf-inspired canine retrieving toys. The high-performance, tough and durable line will launch at Walmart stores throughout the U.S. beginning this summer, followed by pet specialty stores in fall 2013.

Affluent Consumers Continue Spending

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:53:00 -0400

"We definitely are seeing a huge increase in what the affluent are spending than [at the beginning of the recession]," Michael Goldberg, senior director of marketing communications for Martini Media, the agency behind the study, tells Marketing Daily.

Taco Bell To Test 'Protein Power' Menu

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:33:00 -0400

Taco Bell is going for a healthier profile by testing a new "Protein Power" menu.

Starbucks To Post Calorie Counts In U.S. Locations

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:15:00 -0400

Starting June 25, Starbucks will post calorie counts for its beverages and pastries in all 11,100 company-owned and licensed U.S. locations.

Campbell Acquiring Danish Snack Company

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:41:00 -0400

Campbell Soup Company has agreed to acquire Danish snack company Kelsen Group A/S from private-equity firm Maj Invest and several other investors, or an undisclosed sum.

Voss Water In Socially Driven Summer Campaign

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:27:00 -0400

The premium artesian water from Norway is sold in restaurants and hotels, as well as retailers, in 47 countries. The "Sumer of Voss" is the brand's first social media-based campaign, and combining social with offline activations is a new strategy set by new CMO Ken Gilbert.

Coke Zero Ad Goes 3D For Theaters

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:25:00 -0400

Coke Zero's "Liquid Dream" ad will appear on movie screens in a 3D version.

Chevy Back With MOFILM For Oscars

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:22:00 -0400

To support its relationship with the award's ceremony, the automaker partnered with global filmmaker community MOFILM, which launched a submission platform to give a chosen few a chance to see their films air in Chevrolet ads during The Oscars broadcast on ABC.

Nissan Opens Door To Versa Launch

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:18:00 -0400

Nissan started taking the message to the Web this month with a new microsite and a presence on Vine that urges people to create video clips about the car for the chance to get the video short into a national Versa spot.

Saks Fifth Avenue Rolling Out New Campaign

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:12:00 -0400

Saks Fifth Avenue is debuting a new marketing campaign themed "Look," which starts this week with the release of its new "The Making of a Look" catalog, a spokesperson tells Marketing Daily. "Our ads, which will reflect 'Look,' won't run until August, and will be featured in 'The New York Times,' 'The Wall Street Journal' and local ads," she says.

Perpetual Motion In Big Data Planning

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:00:04 -0400

According to a recent McKinsey report, "Big data: What's your plan?" the authors note that although "The payoff from joining the big-data and advanced-analytics management revolution is no longer in doubt," most companies don't have a plan for what to do with that data. Do you know what you need to map out your own blueprint?

Mother Knows Best: TV Still Dominates Online In Senior Market

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:00:04 -0400

The senior age group is now, for the first time, the largest in terms of percent of population in the U.S. And this age group continues to grow. And what is the most advantageous way to sell to this large TV-watching audience? Producing ads that motivate, tell a story and prompt a response.

JetBlue, Marriott Top Their Industries

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:23:00 -0400

Just as the summer travel season heats up, the American Customer Satisfaction Index has released its annual travel report that rates customer satisfaction with hotels and airlines. In the airline segment, JetBlue leads for a second year. In hotels, Marriott makes the biggest gain.

Chrysler Goes Kicking And Screaming To Recall

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:44:00 -0400

Chrysler Group LLC and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have resolved their differences with respect to NHTSA's request to recall 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-07 Jeep Liberty vehicles.

Evian Launches Wimbledon 'Wiggle' Social Effort

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:20:00 -0400

Starting June 17, tennis fans across the U.K. can submit videos doing their own versions of the "Wimbledon Wiggle" -- the "cheeky shake" that players make before receiving a serve -- for a chance to win a grand prize of two primo tickets to the tournament on June 29.

GMA/PwC Report: CPGs' Growth Slows Amid 'Rules' Shift

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:56:00 -0400

Net sales growth rates for consumer packaged goods companies slowed last year amid challenges including tepid economic recovery in the U.S. and elsewhere, commodities cost inflation, and U.S. consumers spending more of their food dollars on eating meals out.

Industry Is Expanding In Advertising, Social

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:29:00 -0400

Retailers are planning to spend big on more stores, digital technology and marketing initiatives in the year ahead, according to a new report from KPMG. And for many, the impact of social media on their business has increased sharply.

Chevrolet's Fleck Talks Northeast Strategy

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:23:00 -0400

Bill Fleck, Chevy's Northeast regional marketing manager, has a lot of work to keep him up at night -- the region is GM's second-largest, has a mess of dealerships, and it has its challenges, although these are considerably fewer than what the brand faces on the other coast.

Affluence Not Just For Affluent

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:58:00 -0400

For affluent consumers, traditional media is still the way to go, per the latest monthly study by the Shullman Research Center's Luxury and Affluence Monthly Pulse. Television is still number one, and magazines number three for potential reach.

Private Label Brands Go Premium, Gain Prestige

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:00:04 -0400

The private labels of today are better positioned than ever to become true and legitimate competitors to national brand labels and to transition from copycat products bought by cost-conscious consumers to brands that carry significant value in consumers' minds. Now a true force in the marketplace, private labels continue to increase in popularity due to both their improved quality and relatively lower price.

Does Big Data Require A Big Rethink?

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:00:04 -0400

Is it possible that marketers have gotten Big Data wrong -- or applied its tenets incorrectly? Five years into its use, it's starting to look that way. More data scientists and information analysts are pushing back, giving Big Data a definitional rethink. Maybe marketers should too -- shifting the focus from storing and acting on voluminous data to small details that collectively can make for greater impact.

US Foods Launches 'Next Top Product' Contest

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:36:00 -0400

Restaurant food manufacturer/distributor US Foods is running a contest to find an outstanding new recipe in the baked goods, sauces or hot appetizers segments.

Marriott Modifies Marketing Message

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:47:00 -0400

With a new marketing campaign, the hotel chain -- a division of Marriott International -- is looking to show how it can cater to both business and leisure travelers who are sometimes one and the same at the same time.

Samsung, Jay-Z Team For Album Release

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:22:00 -0400

In what the company is calling a first for the music industry, Samsung will release rapper and mogul (and Beyonce spouse) Jay-Z's upcoming new album, "Magna Carta Holy Grail" to select Samsung Galaxy S users through an app before its official release date.

DeMoulin: Booming Licensing Show = Booming Business

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:05:00 -0400

While entertainment properties -- movies, TV, games -- are the major source of licensed merchandise as well as a destination for brands to get integrated into movies and games, other sectors are catching up fast. Fashion is the fastest-growing segment.

Kia Back To Rock At Vans

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 08:48:00 -0400

At the tour, which hits 39 U.S. cities, the brand gets both main stages (Kia Soul Stage and Kia Forte Stage), has its Soul Lounge on site, and its own show theme, "Rock and Roll. Punk and Soul." People can escape the mosh pit if they have a Kia VIP pass to a branded riser above the crowd.

Let's Get Engaged! A Digital Story About Digital Storytelling

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 08:03:03 -0400

What does it mean to engage socially in 2013 (and beyond)? This was the question a range of panelists -- including startup savants, tech tycoons, big and little-screen buffs, and Facebook fans, agency aces -- attempted to answer at Talk NYC's recent "Engage" digital storytelling conference. One of the most telling insights: The more things change, the more they stay the same (just differently). Here's our take on how.

United Donates Miles To Make-A-Wish

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:17:00 -0400

United Airlines is donating one million MileagePlus miles to Make-A-Wish. The donation, which is being made for the second year in a row, will help children with life-threatening illnesses reach their wish destinations. The airline donated the miles as part of the annual Make-A-Wish "Mileathon" held last week.

Barbasol Writes The Book On Manliness

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 17:22:00 -0400

Barbasol is offering a decidedly old-school twist on masculinity, launching its new Field Guide to Manhood on Amazon. Priced at $19.19 (the year the shaving cream company was founded), the manual is an effort to shore up the brand's macho cred, as well as raise money for the VFW.

Bee Aware: Whole Foods Builds Pollinator Buzz

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 08:58:00 -0400

In a move meant to raise awareness about the importance of honeybees and other pollinators, Whole Foods Markets offered shoppers in University Heights, RI, store a grim reality check: They walk in to see empty shelves, with 52% of products yanked from shelves. The stunt is intended to raise awareness that one out of three bites of food comes from plants that require insect pollination, requiring the team to yank 237 of its 453 produce offerings, including all apples, onions, carrots, cucumbers, lemon and celery. The Austin, Tex.-based retailer is also kicking off a partnership with The Xerces Society, and donating a dime to the group for every pound of organic summer squash it sells though much of June. (Xerces works to preserve many species of pollinators.)