Turkish newspaper, Zaman, brings us this twisted story of two beverage behemoths gone bad: India parliament agreed on ban of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo products following last week’s discovery of toxic chemicals in the Indian manufactured cola products. The New Delhi-based Center for Science and Environment said last week that tests conducted on 57 samples found pesticide residues in Coke and Pepsi products that were 24 …
Rising Gas Prices Precipitate Executive Delusions
General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner, in a foolish moment, told USA Today $4.00/gallon gas will not lead to fewer auto sales. Despite the speculation about how high prices could run after the cutoff this week of BP's Alaskan crude, Wagoner says he thinks vehicle sales are unlikely to nose-dive. "We have actually been a little surprised how the market has held up through ... $3-plus gas that we've had here over the past …
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Bono Plays Steve Forbes’ Fundraiser
Bono is one of six founding partners in Elevation Partners, a private equity group. According to New York Times, Elevation just acquired a stake of more than 40 percent in 89-year-old Forbes magazine and Forbes.com at a cost of $250 million to $300 million. Roger McNamee, a managing director and co-founder of Elevation, helps mere mortals understand why Ireland's King of Rock, wants to play media mogul. Bono was not …
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The Old Embedded Google Search Box Trick
USA Today reports on a lucrative deal between online titans. Google reached a deal Monday with the owner of MySpace.com to share at least $900 million in advertising revenues and become the exclusive search provider for the popular social-networking site. Under the multiyear deal, News Corp.'s Fox Interactive Media unit will add Google search boxes to MySpace and other sites, likely by the end of the year, and Google …
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Ricky Bobby’s White Bread
If this Ad Age report is correct, supermarkets across the land can expect a run on bologna, mustard, peanut butter and jelly. When Interstate Bakeries Corp. agreed to a product-placement deal with Sony Pictures to have its Wonder Bread brand incorporated into a Will Ferrell movie, it did so with a handshake and a prayer. No money was exchanged, and the company -- currently in bankruptcy -- was hoping for some good …
Actors’ Union Strongarms Madison Avenue (Madison Avenue To Make Clients Pay)
The actors unions and representatives of major national advertisers said they have reached a tentative agreement that extends their contract for two more years, according to Adweek. The pact, which is set to run through 2008, is significant because it governs $2 billion worth of advertising in which actors appear. The deal, if approved by the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Screen Actors …
You Don’t Make The Cover Of Magazines By Playing It Safe
According to MyBusiness Magazine, Jason Fried of 37signals built his business with a philosophy he calls "Getting Real," a way of thinking that inspires those with limited budgets and few resources to create successful products. "Big business loves mediocrity: They put process first and product second. As long as you go through this process and all these objectives are met along the way, then what comes out at the …
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Software That People Need…You Can Bank On It
Adobe Systems CEO, Bruce R. Chizen, 50, spoke to New York Times reporter, Juston Jones. Here's some of what he said: "Adobe is everywhere you look.The fonts in daily newspapers may have been created with Adobe Type. The layouts in magazines are likely to have been made with Adobe InDesign. The graphics on soda cans or water bottles are likely to have been made by Adobe Illustrator or Adobe FreeHand. Adobe software is …
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