Everyone's talking about Microsoft's desire for Yahoo, but there's another powerful company busy courting a playing-hard-to-get bride. LA Times has the story: Electronic Arts Inc. on Sunday launched a $2-billion takeover bid for troubled video game publisher Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., stepping up the industry's torrid pace of consolidation. EA disclosed that Take-Two, the New York-based publisher of the …
The Dan & Dave Show
βIt began as a ship of fools. There was an innocence and a sense of failure inherent in the shop.β -Dan Wieden …
Publicists Run Wild In LAh
According to The New York Times, winning an Oscar isn't just about the quality of a film. It's about the studio's ability to successfully market the film. Even here in Hollywood, recent growth in the public relations machinery is cause for remark. Executives have publicists. Stars have publicists. The tiniest movies will arrive in April at the Tribeca Film Festival with publicity teams, often three or four of them. …
So Sad
A man jumped to his death from the Fairmont Hotel in downtown Chicago yesterday evening. Word is, it was Paul Tilley, Executive Creative Director at DDB/Chicago. That the man's job performance and personality were consistently diminished in the press and on blogs makes this news all the harder to take. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends. [UPDATE] Adweek is now out with the story. Ad Age won't be …
Make A Little Vid, Then Make Some More Vids, And So On, Ad Infinitum
Every brand and her uncle is conducting consumer generated video contests. Here's one that makes sense for the brands involved. Red Bull, Media Lab Studios and Independent Film Channel have joined to create "After Hours Web Series Challenge," a video contest aimed squarely at the aspiring filmmaker set. According to the IFC-hosted promotional microsite: One lucky filmmaker will receive their very own production …
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Mega Marketers Are Betting On Oscar Sunday
This year, the advertisers are better known than the movies. -L.A. Times For brands looking to persuade a mass audience, tomorrow night, "Oscar Sunday," is prime time. General Motors, MasterCard, American Express Co., JC Penney Co. Inc., Coca-Cola Co., Mars Inc.'s M&M candies, McDonald's Corp., L'Oreal and others all ponied up $1.8 million to ABC for a 30-second spot, an increase of nearly 6% from the previous …
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Trade Pubs to Bring Some Cash
Variety, Publishers Weekly and dozens of other trade publications are going up for sale as the publishing company Reed Elsevier looks to get out of the uncertain advertising market. The company's business information unit includes some relatively well-known titles (Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News, New Scientist) along with sector-specific publications (Custom Builder, Microprocessor Report, Home Textiles …
Intro to QR Codes
Random Culture bothers to explain QR Codes and I, for one, am thankful. QR codes are being used extensively in mobile marketing campaigns overseas, and are starting to make a breakthrough in the US. Quite simply, a QR code is a "matrix" bar code that was developed in Japan. The QR stands for "quick response", and is being used in marketing for mobile users to take a picture of the code or read the code with the …