LOOKOUT
"About Taste We Cannot Argue" was the title of a speech given by Keith Reinhard, chairman of DDB Worldwide in New York. At the 83rd annual management meeting of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, Reinhard stated that taste is very much a matter of individual choice and he, therefore, rejects regulations or guidelines "about the kinds of things that cross the line of decency and taste." In particular, he says he turned down a recent request by The Wall Street Journal to participate in formulating such guidelines. "Decency cannot be commissioned," said Reinhard. "We either choose to be decent or we choose not to be." The issue increasingly arises as agencies push the envelope to gain attention for their clients in a cluttered media world.
At least eight major magazines are slugging it out for the attentions of quick-maturing and big-spending teenage girls. The big three that have served this market — Seventeen, Teen and YM — have all adjusted to the fact that girls are growing up more rapidly and are more aware of sex, money and clothes than earlier generations. But other magazines are now weighing in with their own angles. These include Teen Vogue, Elle Girl, CosmoGirl, Teen People, and the Mary-Kate and Ashley Magazine. A sign of the times: Gruner & Jahr's YM was once called Polly Pigtails; a recent cover line declared "The Best and Worst Makeout Movies."
Smokers are spenders, as reflected in the fact that ashtrays are making a comeback on cruise ships. The reason, contends Michael Brown, editor-in-chief of CruiseReports newsletter: nonsmoking ships generally earn less onboard revenue than smoking ships because, it is theorized, nonsmokers go to bed earlier, gamble less and drink less. One example: Renaissance Cruises has dropped its smoke-free rules and after December 1 will feature limited smoking sections.
Interbrand, a division of Omnicom, has introduced Brandchannel.com, described as an online international exchange on the topic of branding. The site includes free content that runs the gamut from how to manage a brand in a recession to job listings to brand profiles to event schedules. There is also a section that encourages discussion and debate. The target audience, says managing editor Robin Rusch, ranges from students to marketing executives to ceos of Fortune 500 companies.
In the ever-expanding effort to find curious places to place marketing messages, Coca-Cola is planning to promote its Dasani bottled water in the tunnel of Atlanta's North line subway. Lighted boxes are being installed along the tunnel and the ad will be strung in a line with each lightbox continuing a portion of the message. The effect is expected to be similar to a kind of flip book as transit riders breeze by. The plan is part of a broader trend by advertisers to find ways to reach captive, and often bored, commuters.
A new restaurant category is making its debut, according to a study sponsored by the King-Casey retail design and branding consultancy. Other sponsors were the Pepsi-Cola Fountain Beverage Division and QSR Magazine. Dubbed "Fast Casual," the new category balances the speed of fast food with the quality and ambiance of casual dining. The top five restaurants visited by survey respondents were TGI Friday's Express, Boston Market, Chili's Express, Schlotzky's Deli and Bennigan's. So-called Fast Casual diners spent an average of $7.07 for lunch and $11.66 for dinner, and expected to be served within ten minutes. Other survey findings: men eat more frequently at this type of restaurant than women and westerners more than people from other regions.
Seven pockets for digital gadgets is the latest design from Sanyo Fashion House in New York. The fall line of men's raincoats features inside pockets to hold the likes of a cellular phone, hand-held devices and more. Each pocket is actually labeled with pictographs to avoid confusion. The company claims that the design is in response to consumer demand. A similar line for women is also on its way.
The beleaguered and bedraggled internet business is trying to promote its more positive aspects through a public relations campaign orchestrated by the Association of Internet Professionals. The association, with membership of more than 11,000 individuals and hundreds of corporations, has invited Alexander Ogilvy, a unit of the WPP Group, to manage the effort. Their basic message: while news coverage tends to focus on bad stuff like layoffs and viruses, the internet is a major employer of more than five million people and it is a technology that benefits people's lives. Says Harriet Held, associate executive director of the group, "...every industry needs its advocates."
The current President Bush -George W., that is -has an unconventional work routine that includes breaks for exercise, naps and other personal time. Not to mention light weekend duty. Is this style influencing private sector workers to change their ways? So far, the answer seems to be no. Indeed, studies show that Americans now spend more time at work than the industrious Japanese and that one-third of adults get less than six-and-a-half hours of sleep at night. Still, the Bush approach seems to be raising a debate among corporate managers as to whether it pays to push people to work longer and harder and whether, in the words of a Marriott International vice president for diversity and workplace initiatives, "presence does not necessarily equal productivity."
Even in a downturn, it is possible to obtain better-than-average pay raises if you can persuade your employer you are worth it. With the economy sluggish, raises and jobs are being slashed at many major companies. But industry experts say that substantial raises are not out of the question if you take the initiative and make a compelling case. First, as workforces shrink, the experienced, qualified worker can be seen as a more important asset than ever to help get the company through tough times. Second, while the average raise for workers has been flat for the past few years, more and more companies are adopting variable pay or performance based pay systems that allow "stars" to shine on payday. Third, even if money is truly tight, companies may be willing to provide special perks such as more vacation time or a more flexible schedule.
The National Basketball Association and The New York Times have settled a lawsuit brought by the sports league that sought to stop the newspaper from selling a series of photos taken of games during the 1999 season by Times staff photographers. The basketballers argue that permission to take the photographs of games and players is explicitly limited to use in "news coverage." This is part of a trend by professional sports leagues to control how news outlets use intellectual property beyond the rights granted on media credentials and press passes. Under the settlement, the two companies will jointly market the photographs, and the Times will show the NBA logo in newspaper advertising and on web site solicitations. Meanwhile, Major League Baseball is said to be in negotiations with news outlets and sports editors concerning roughly the same issues raised in the NBA suit.
The latest "cheap chic." Bowling shoes are said to be walking out the doors of bowling alleys in large numbers as the popularity of the supple, multicolored, retro-glamour shoes soars. The popularity of the shoes is creating a problem for alleys, which are trying all kinds of ways to deter bowlers from absconding with the footwear. At the same time, the popularity is creating an opportunity for retailers. The new fashion fad gives rise to bowling-style shoes by the likes of Prada and Kenneth Cole that now go for more than $100 a pair.
With four bills pending in Congress on the e-mail spamming issue, a late bid by the financial services industry to weaken the legislation through lobbying appears to have failed. The companies oppose most limitations on sending marketing e-mail and fear that the strict enforcement provisions of the bills in Congress are too harsh. One bill with good prospects, for example, would give consumers the option to have their names removed from internet mailing lists. If the companies failed to comply, they would be faced with severe government fines and possible lawsuits by individuals. The consensus in Capitol City is that anti-spamming legislation is so popular that the usual lobbying suspects have hit a dead-end. In a study by Brightmail, which sells spam-blocking applications, 38% of spamming involved products and 32% financial-related services.
And if you are thinking about socks — and who isn't — a hot new trend spotted in New York and Paris is bobby-sox. The above-the-ankle footwear of the 1940s and 50s have come back in whimsical colored patterns worn with flat shoes. Patterns noted include black lace, polka-dots, optical illusions, solid colors and checkerboards.