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Most Clicked AAF SmartBrief Stories


1. Cartoons weep in cable-dispute ads

AAF SmartBrief | Dec 31, 2008

Viacom is seeking more in the way of compensation from Time Warner Cable systems for its stations Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV and others, and if a deal isn't reached by midnight tonight, the channels will go dark. In a move to pressure Time Warner Cable, Viacom is running print, online and TV ads featuring signature toons Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob in tears over the dispute. Wall Street Journal, The (subscription required) (12/31) New York Times, The (12/30)


2. Coke debuts wind-powered digital billboards

AAF SmartBrief | Dec 30, 2008

The Coca-Cola Co. has introduced wind-powered digital billboards to New York City's Times Square. The company also has a new environmentally focused ad campaign touting its green efforts, called "Refresh. Recycle. Repeat." Mediaweek (12/29)


3. Are automakers spending their ad dollars wisely?

AAF SmartBrief | Dec 30, 2008

Automakers should be allocating a greater portion of their media budgets to the radio and outdoor segments, and much less on TV, according to this analysis by Prosper Technologies of BIGresearch's SIMM survey of ad effectiveness for car-buying decisions. MediaPost Communications (12/29)


4. 10 reasons to build an ownership culture

AAF SmartBrief | Dec 30, 2008

Ritz-Carlton, ING Direct and Build-A-Bear Workshop are among the companies that have gained competitive edge by creating an internal culture of ownership. Leaders have to walk the talk and sometimes, they say, you have to fire the customer. Harvard Business School (12/22)


5. Pepsi brings "Optimism" to Times Square

AAF SmartBrief | Dec 30, 2008

Words from Pepsi-Cola's new "Optimism" campaign will be featured on eight Times Square billboards on New Year's Eve, and balloons with the new Pepsi logo will be released just before midnight. The campaign, which includes a TV ad that debuted Dec. 28, is based on research showing that the Millennial generation is particularly optimistic about the future. Brandweek (12/29) Advertising Age (12/29)


6. Conde Nast offers A-list allure with in-house shop

AAF SmartBrief | Jan 02, 2009

A four-page magazine insert for LG Electronics featuring film director Edward Zwick is the latest effort by Conde Nast Media Group, which in 2008 sold nearly $100 million worth of celebrity-driven ad packages for marketers including Grey Goose and Lexus. Although Conde Nast's in-house approach reportedly offers some savings on production costs, its main appeal is the access it promises to A-list stars and a range of print and online avenues for the ads. New York Times, The (01/01)


7. 2008: The year of the shrinking food package

AAF SmartBrief | Jan 02, 2009

About 30% of all packaged goods were sold in smaller packages last year, according to Nielsen Co., with many companies striving to make the changes nearly invisible to consumers. "It's become a game," one observer said. "How far can you go in reducing the size of a package while flying under the consumers' radar screen." Chicago Sun-Times (12/31)


8. Major ad effort, new CEO in store for Dunkin' Donuts

AAF SmartBrief | Jan 02, 2009

Dunkin' Donuts is scheduled Monday to launch a $100 million multiplatform ad campaign to better position itself against competitors including Starbucks and McDonald's. The coffee and food chain also plans to open stores in Indiana, Arizona and Nevada and add more Dunkin' Deals value items -- all under new CEO Nigel Travis, the ex-head of Papa John's, who starts on Tuesday. USA TODAY (01/02)


9. Survey: TV remains most influential medium when it comes to ads

AAF SmartBrief | Jan 02, 2009

Television remains king when it comes to advertising influencing viewers, according to a Deloitte survey. The Internet is a hot medium, however, with nearly 60% of American consumers saying they would like to be able to integrate their televisions with their computers with minimal fuss in order to download or watch online content. InformationWeek (12/31)


10. Hyundai scores Super Bowl spots for luxe coupe

AAF SmartBrief | Dec 30, 2008

Hyundai Motor America, for the second straight year, will use the Super Bowl to promote its Genesis luxury-performance model. Two 30-second spots for the new 2010 Genesis coupe starring Formula-D champion Rhys Millen will air during the game; creative is by Goodby, Silverstein and Partners. Mediaweek (12/29)




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