PROMO Xtra

Excerpts from our e-newsletter

3/16

DaimlerChrysler AG will replace Joachim Schmidt, its top executive for sales and marketing, at its Mercedes Car Group division within days according The Wall Street Journal. He will be replaced by the European commercial vehicles division head, Klaus Maier.

In light of increasing reports of childhood obesity, McDonald's Corp. has launched a new campaign targeting youngsters to promote healthy eating and exercise. The company taps tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams to promote its active lifestyle campaign. The “it's what I eat and what I do…i'm lovin' it” campaign includes a fresh approach to advertising with new packaging, TV ads, print ads, educational brochures and a refreshed Web site that includes active lifestyle tips.

3/15

Miller Brewing Co. has discontinued its promotions work with Zipatoni and reassigned the business to Chicago agencies Frankel and Upshot. The beer maker also chose GMR Marketing to handle its event marketing. The agencies will be working on the Miller Lite and Miller Genuine Draft brands.

Madison Road Entertainment filed a counter suit last week against affiliates of Mark Burnett Productions, claiming defamation and libel. Burnett had filed suit earlier this month, charging that Madison Road lied about a relationship with Burnett and charged “exorbitant” fees from sponsors of tasks for the hit show, The Apprentice.

3/10

Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board touts Wisconsin cheese with an on-pack/online instant-win game awarding $1.6 million in prizes.

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. will hold casting calls in New York City and Chicago next month to find twins to star in a new version of its historic Doublemint Twins ad campaign.

Winners of separate sweepstakes held by 7 UP and Lincoln Mercury will compete against each other for a chance to win up to $1 Million during the Big East game Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

3/9

Brands are lining up to promote Twentieth Century Fox's film Robots The Movie, in theaters nationwide on Friday. The movie has brought in $150 million in promotional tie-ins so far.

Volvo Cars of North America said that last month's introduction of its new SUV and an online sweeps dangling a flight into outer space is the most successful integrated product launch in its history. During the promotional period, the site generated 18 million hits.

Revlon, Inc. has posted its first quarterly profit in more than six years. However, the company's CEO acknowledged that it still has a lot of work to do.

3/8

Robert Connolly, Wal-Mart's CMO, will retire at year's end. Connolly, 61, joined the retail giant in 1989 as the apparel and merchandise manager.

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