A new creative advertising agency, Barrie D'Rozario Murphy (BDM), will handle the United Airlines account. BDM was set up only a month ago. Before the transition, Fallon Worldwide handled United's account; it was Fallon that created United's award-winning "It's Time to Fly" campaign. Two of BDM's three founders, Bob Barrie and Stuart D'Rozario, are former creative directors from Fallon and played key roles in creating the "It's Time to Fly" campaign. Fallon will hand over the airline's account to BDM within 90 days. United Airlines, which offers around 3,600 flights per day, has been appointed the official sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Team.
Multicultural interface to exploit untapped market segments
Global Advertising Strategies has introduced a web interface that can help companies' advertisements reach millions of new immigrants and others in unexploited markets. The Multiplatform Multicultural Programmer Platform (MMPP) allows media planners to research and create media campaigns across channels and media. MMPP is part of Global's Multicultural 2.0, which captures consumers in a complex assortment of different populations. The interface covers a wide range of ethnic groups, targeting consumers with significant buying power. According to Global Advertising Strategies, companies need to use media more effectively in order to deal with growing ethnic segmentation. As a media seller, Global is currently accumulating advertising rights and space for a large number of networks. Its new web interface will enable it to sell advertising to clients interested in niche markets and in running large-scale advertising campaigns targeting dozens of ethnic groups. Multicultural 2.0 marketers can now exploit more than 2,000 media outlets focusing on specific ethnic segments.
Exchange to systematize online advertising
DoubleClick, Inc., has launched an online marketplace exchange that will bring web publishers and advertising buyers together via a website. The site assists sellers and buyers of digital advertising with participating in ad-space auctions. The exchange ensures efficiency, transparency, and control, as well as maximum returns for participants. Using the new platform, sellers can find ad space available for purchase. They can also set minimum bid values for inventory. Additionally, the exchange allows buyers to specify desired ad space and bid prices, and it can control bids, automatically adjusting their prices in accordance with inventory performance. Consolidation of inventory in a single marketplace will enable ad sellers to market inventory that remains unsold or would otherwise be sold at below-market prices. It will also assist buyers with locating ad space. Several U.S. web publishers, advertising networks, agencies, and advertisers are currently testing DoubleClick. The exchange is likely to be available globally by the end of 2007.
Publicis is Oral-B's new agency
Procter & Gamble has named Publicis as the only advertising agency for its Oral-B brand. Publicis will handle the brand's creative advertising, package design, public relations, interactive marketing, shopper relations, and media planning and buying. The transition will be effective July 1. Commenting on the new model, P&G global marketing officer Jim Stengel said that the shift from many separate agencies to one team will increase accountability, simplify decision making, and produce holistic ideas. Previously, Omnicom's BBDO Worldwide handled most of Oral-B's advertising and marketing work. P&G is reported to have spent nearly $65 million on advertising for the Oral-B brand in the U.S. last year.
New Maytag repairman to revitalize brand
After a nationwide search lasting two months, Maytag has finally selected its new "repairman" from among 1,500 candidates. The actor chosen to portray the advertising icon is Clay Jackson of Richmond, VA. The selection process involved union casting calls, open auditions, and mail-in submissions. The ability to characterize the brand's tradition of dependability and quality was one of the criteria for selection of the candidate. Jackson will be the fourth actor to represent the Maytag repairman character, which was created in 1967. To revitalize the brand, Jackson will don a new uniform and display a changed attitude reflecting the evolution of the dependable repairman. The ad campaign featuring Jackson will begin in May.
