Hungry bargain hunters take notice. McDonald's is giving away free food. According to USA Today, McDonald's expects to hand out 4 million free samples of its Chicken Selects strips this weekend. "People still think of us as a burger place," says Wade Thoma, vice president of U.S. menu management. "It will take a long time to convince people we're a great chicken place, too." …
I Would’ve Gladly Volunteered For Jury Duty
It appears the fraud and conspiracy trial against former Ogilvy executives Shona Seifert and Thomas Early will go to the jury for deliberation on Friday. Adweek's coverage of the summations is an excellent overview of the big points both sides are making. From what I can tell, the government has done its homework here, and through a series of witnesses, e-mail exchanges, scribbled timesheets, and datebook entries, …
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Muckrakers In The Making
I'm pleased to announce the presence of two new highly accomplished contributing writers, Danny G. and Wade Sturdivant. Danny G. is perhaps best known for his sometimes biting coverage on Talent Zoo. Wade is an Associate Creative Director at DDB Chicago. I'm excited by this development for several reasons. For one, advertising, like any news room, is a totally collaborative environment. And four minds/voices are …
Starbucks Creates More Buzz
According to the New York Times, Starbucks in partnership with Jim Beam Brands is introducing Starbucks Coffee Liquer today. The liqueur will be sold in bars, liquor stores and restaurants in 750-milliliter bottles for $22.99. It will not be available at Starbucks coffee outlets. The liqueur is not the first stand-alone product the company has introduced. Starbucks joined with PepsiCo to bottle and distribute its …
Vodka May Lead To Armed Insurgency
Last December we reported on the growing popularity of Kalashnikov vodka …
The Chi-Town Get Together For Ad Folks
Before you go home to Cabrini Green or Naperville or wherever, stop by the Talent Zoo After Hours party tonight at the Cactus Bar and Grill. …
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Shutters
from Lewis Lazare: In another hard blow to the Chicago advertising industry, Grant/Jacoby, one of the city's oldest ad agencies, is believed to be on the verge of closing its doors for good, another apparent victim of the plague of bad management that has cast a pall over more than one shop in this city in recent years. News of the agency's likely demise saddened those familiar with its long history. Over the …
Hot New Geekwear From NeoNerd
from Tim Nudd of Adweek: After getting canned on The Apprentice, Danny Kastner wrote a song called "15 Minutes of Fame." "Who is that knockin' at your door?/Oh my lord, it must be them, the paparazzi/Who else could it possibly be?" he sings. It's pure Kastner: a clueless yet charming mix of self-love and self-promotion, tempered by hippyish earnestness. It's almost worth visiting Kastner.com just to hear it. This …
There’s News, And Then There’s Yesterday’s News.
In the beginning, there was Sega …
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Deep Discounts Create Mayhem Outside London
from The Telegraph: Britain's biggest Ikea store opened at midnight yesterday - but closed just 40 minutes later as 6,000 frenzied shoppers stampeded for bargains, leaving 20 in need of hospital treatment. One woman was said to have been threatened by a man with a mallet, and another waiting in the checkout queue was "mugged" for her cut-price sofa. Security guards were reported to have fled the scene. Police were …
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