Archives: April 2009

A Swine Flu By Any Other Name...Won't Fly

Posted by: David Kiley on April 30

From the department of "Good Luck With That..." The pork industry is trying to convince media outlets to stop calling the swine flu "swine flu," because of the impact...

Sexist Cookware Ad A Very Clever Viral Ploy

Posted by: Burth Helm on April 29

Over at AdRants, Angela Natividad links to this chauvinist spot for Madison Avenue Pots and Pans, which, according to her, has been upsetting folks in Australia. Find more videos like...

Twitter is a Fad

Posted by: Burth Helm on April 28

Like you really needed me to tell you this? Yes, you can follow me and several of my BusinessWeek colleagues on Twitter. And I'll be the first to say...

Fox's Dis of Obama is Okay This Time

Posted by: David Kiley on April 28

The Fox Network's decision not to run President Obama's April 29 prime-time news conference is being derided in some quarters. It shouldn't be. But is there some meaning we...

IT Took Recession and Looming Bankruptcy for GM To Make Right Brand Moves

Posted by: David Kiley on April 28

This is essentially a transcript of a National Public Radio commentary I recorded for Marketplace on April 27. In the parlance of corporate restructuring, GM is aiming to get “lean...

Swine Flu: One Man's Pandemic is Another Man's Marketing Opportunity

Posted by: Burth Helm on April 27

Mexico has warned against swine flu-related advertising, but here in the U.S. companies big and small are tapping into swine flu fear to sell products. Googling “Swine Flu Pandemic” on...

Gatorade Sales Plummet

Posted by: Burth Helm on April 24

Does this look like Gatorade to you? Gatorade’s volume sales fell by 13.7% in the first quarter, according to a Beverage Digest report out today , and some blame...

Anatomy of a Flash Crisis: The Apple iPhone "Baby Shaker" Fiasco

Posted by: Burth Helm on April 23

Last week it was Dominos. This week Apple is in the crosshairs after it allowed an 3rd-party developed iPhone app called “Baby Shaker” to go on sale online April 20....

Ford CEO Tries Out Twitter and YouTube. But To What Effect?

Posted by: David Kiley on April 23

Anyone who knows or has spent time with Ford CEO Alan Mulally knows that he finds it hard to leave his “Isn’t this neat?” persona. Mulally, who came to Ford...

Musicians Feel the Touch of Cotton, Cold Hard Cash

Posted by: Burth Helm on April 22

Earlier in the year Ron Grover and I wrote a story about the ways in which celebrities are working harder for their endorsement money, thanks in part to the down...

Consumers Blame Mad Men for Recession

Posted by: David Kiley on April 22

A new Harris Interactive poll shows that 66% of Americans believe advertising agencies bear at least some responsibility for the recession because they "caused people to buy things they...

Vitamin Water 10 Ad Goes Too Far

Posted by: David Kiley on April 20

I hate to sound so earnest. But when I saw this ad, I couldn’t help but feel frustrated as a parent, and disgusted as a former ad agency executive. This...

Madden’s Still In The Game

Posted by: Burth Helm on April 16

What does John Madden's retirement mean for Electronic Arts, the maker of the eponymous football video game? Geoff Gloeckler, staff editor here at BusinessWeek, made some calls and passes along...

Domino's Management Responds To Youtube Fiasco

Posted by: David Kiley on April 16

Domino's Pizza USA President Patrick Doyle responds to the Youtube video in which a couple of employees posted a video showing how they doctor food before serving. The Ann Arbor,...

Domino's Pizza Youtube Video Lesson: Focus on Standards, and Pack Your own Lunch.

Posted by: David Kiley on April 15

Domino’s Pizza is taking its turn in any company’s worst nightmare. The video below, made by three Domino’s employees, was climbing to one million views on www.youtube.com. The video shows...

New U.K. Ad For Honda Reprises Garrison Keillor

Posted by: David Kiley on April 14

This new ad for Honda by Wieden & Kennedy, U.K. is a return to using bright graphics and the distinctive voice of Public Radio host Garrison Keillor. This spot is...

NY Anti-Smoke Ad From Australia Lights Up Controversy

Posted by: David Kiley on April 10

There is a firestorm over an anti-smoking ad that has run in the New York market. Some say the ad goes too far, even calling it “emotional terrorism.” Give me...

Tropicana Fiasco From Arnell is Gift That Keeps Giving

Posted by: David Kiley on April 03

Thanks to Ad Age for following up on this: "After its package redesign, sales of the Tropicana Pure Premium line plummeted 20% between Jan. 1 and Feb. 22, costing...

GM May Need To Think About Killing Its Brand

Posted by: David Kiley on April 01

General Motors' sales and marketing chief Mark LaNeve said today that when the company asks consumers about the GM brand these days, the results come back pretty bad. But...