from Adweek: After settling false advertising claims in 47 states, Blockbuster is eliminating 20 percent of its headquarters staff to offset a $70 million increase in spending for its online operation, the company said. The layoffs will affect between 200 and 300 employees, the company said. A $630,000 settlement with 47 states' attorneys general stems from Blockbuster's "No More Late Fees" ad campaign created by …
Take It Down Already
Citizen activist, John Coonrod, made the following comments regarding our earlier post about the desecration of the historic Flatiron Building by clothing retailer H+M. After speaking with the Landmark Preservation Commission, I was informed on 30-March that: The Department of Buildings issued nine violations for the illegal advertising banner recently placed on the apex of the historic Flatiron Building at Madison …
Cuello del Toro Blows Some Smoke
The brave ad men and ad women of Milwaukee and Chicago-based Hoffman York breaks an in-your-face ad campaign for Argentinian cigarette, Cuello del Toro today. Using headlines like, "You just found a brand new way to flip off the rest of the world" and "The smoke for the man that just won't take no for an answer," Hoffman York flies in the face of convention, clearly mocking the anti-smoking efforts so pervasive in …
A Client-Side Perspective
Ad agency people often exist in an echo chamber. So read Deb Owen's insightful take on the agency-client "partner or vendor" conundrum. It might give you a new perspective on things. …
Quote Of The Day
"They've [Goodby] done a great job, but we got to a point where we needed an agency that could handle all of our marketing," said Henry Gomez, an eBay spokesperson. "At the end of the day, Goodby is a boutique in San Francisco, and we got to the point where we need a bit more creative firepower and a bit more executional firepower." That taken from this article on clickz.com. A boutique? Lacking creative firepower? …
Making The Synapses Pop
Adfreak, New York Daily News and The Wall Street Journal are all reporting on the richest man in the world's preference for Diet Orange Crush. While Bil Gates needs no income from an endorsement deal, maybe Cadbury Schweppes could provide the 20,000+ square foot Gates' home with an Orange Crush vending machine. Or not. …
Humiliation Has A Price
eBay is making industry news this week for dumping Goodby Silverstein + Partners and calling them a "vendor" in the process, quite possibly a first for GSP. But Adpulp is more interested in the seedier side of eBay. According to Local6.com, a Knoxville, TN woman has auctioned off her last name on eBay for $15,199. The winning bidder is GoldenPalace.com, an internet gambling site. From now on the woman will be known …
Parsons Parses
GoDaddy's Super Bowl ad, in which a buxom woman assures a panel at a Senate hearing that her top won't fall off during a commercial, received the highest recall rating of all the game's advertisers, according to ACNielson. The day after the game, site visits spiked to 1.1 million, about five times more visits than a typical day. Despite this performance, Adweek is reporting that GoDaddy.com is letting its contract …
