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CURRENT ISSUE
New CMO at Aflac QVC Vet Charney Replaces Herbert Aflac, the insurer best known for its onomatopoeic duck spokesman, has appointed a new CMO. Jeff Charney, who will assume the title svp/CMO, previously served under the same title at TV shopping network QVC. Charney replaces former Coca-Cola marketing executive Jeff Herbert, who, according to reports, initially sought to minimize the use of the duck (which quacks "Aflac!") in advertising and marketing. Herbert left in 2007 and the post has remained open since then. » More
Call them grapes with capes. Welch's is touting its purple Concord grape as the original "Superfruit" in its $20 million ad campaign kicking off this month. » More
Once thought to be the sole recession-proof property on television, big-ticket sports are showing signs of vulnerability in the fourth quarter. Ad sales are down as much as 15 percent, according to a number of media buyers and network execs. » More
Reacting to some innovations in the adult mint category, Tic Tac is shaking things up with a sugar-free extension called Chill that sports new packaging. » More
New ads from Sprint Nextel promise nothing less than a "Wireless Revolution" » More
Talk is talk, right? Not really. A new study by Prevention magazine and the Keller Fay Group, a word-of-mouth marketing researcher, shows the quality of conversation is not the same in women ages 43-62 versus those in the 18-39 range. » More
Do you want barbs with that? Below, some sample drive-thru captions suitable for our most recent contest pic, in which The Hills' Heidi and Spencer shill for Taco Bell. » More
Until the advent of the laptop breath-alyzer, here's Google's Mail Goggles, a Gmail program created to curb the tendency to e-mail while under the influence. The program uses the sobering properties of math to make people think twice before sending a Mai Tai-fueled love declaration to a co-worker or passive-aggressive missive to a relative. "Are you sure you want to send this?" a sky blue text box asks possible practitioners of this close cousin of drunk dialing. "Answer some simple math problems to verify." The e-mailer then has 60 seconds to complete five calculations before the letter is zipped to the recipient. The program auto-runs late on weekend nights, but can be tailored to reflect one's personal Happy Hours. » More
I haven't worked in advertising for very long, but I'm confident of a nascent yet keen sense that I've already developed: I can spot a bad, ineffective TV spot faster than an airline gate rep can tell you you've been bumped from your flight to Cleveland. Yes, I know what industry people say: If you're just talking about the ads, they've done their job—a dismal variant of the no-publicity-is-bad-publicity mantra. » More
The challenge: Turning Leaf is one of the most recognized names in wine and its leaf brand icon is one of the most popular, per E.J. Gallo Winery research. However, consumers said the brand's label easily gets lost among the many choices on store shelves. "There seem to be about 8,000 different wine brands. It gets hard to find the one you like," said Blair Owens, senior marketing manager of the Gallo Family Vineyards, Turning Leaf and Redwood Creek. "We know there is true affinity for the brand, we just needed to help them find it." » More
'Generation Benz' will get a lot older next year. » More
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FEATURES & OPINION
What's so special about Ciroc vodka? Come to Diddy's house and find out. » More
Those "I'm a PC" ads for Mac sure were funny. But now that Microsoft has hit back, are viewers still laughing? Guest reviewer David Vinjamuri looks behind the screen. » More
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DEPARTMENTS
Brandweek Calendar 11-17-08 » More
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