Xtra

2/10

In a partnership with Nickelodeon, Burger King restaurants nationwide will feature characters from the popular cartoon series The Fairly OddParents on promotional toys. The campaign showcases 10 toys featuring characters Timmy, Cosmo and Wanda.

Hershey Foods Corp. plans to introduce a line of nutrition bars in a deal with Dr. Barry Sears. The products will debut during the third quarter of 2004. The bars will have the science-based nutritional benefits of the Zone Diet and will carry the Dr. Sears Zone Approval seal.

2/5

General Mills may face a civil lawsuit by the Securities & Exchange Commission over its sales practices and related accounting. The SEC began investigating General Mills' sales procedures in October 2003.

Sara Lee Corp. named TBWA/Chiat/Day as its agency of record for its Ball Park and Jimmy Dean brands. Billings are estimated at between $40 million and $45 million.

Blimpie International, Inc. entered into an agreement with Wal-Mart to own and operate Blimpie Xpress restaurants in various retail locations across the country. The first two locations open in April.

2/3

General Mills introduced Strawberry Banana Berry Burst Cheerios with a $21 million advertising and promotion campaign.

McDonald's Corp. will begin offering Go Active! Adult Happy Meals later this year. It tested the meals last September at 150 restaurants in Indiana.

Catalina Marketing Corp. plans to cut 70 jobs, or 6% of its workforce over the next two months.

Pixar Animation Studios ended its 13-year film-making and distribution partnership with Walt Disney Co. last week after 10 months of unsuccessful negotiations.

1/29

Kraft Foods will cut 6,000 jobs and close or sell off 20 plants over the next three years.

Masterfoods USA, Regal Entertainment Theatre Operations and Regal CineMedia have entered into a partnership to promote select Masterfoods brands including M&Ms, Skittles, Snickers and Starburst in REG theatres nationwide.

Songstress Beyonce Knowles will act as spokesperson for a new Tommy Hilfiger fragrance to launch in the fall.

L'Oreal has signed an agreement to buy Chinese make-up brand Yue-Sai.

1/27

Nike, Inc. has signed on as an official sponsor of the 2006 and 2008 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams, replacing rival Adidas-Solomon.

The three-year sponsorship agreement between Kobe Bryant and McDonald's will not be renewed.

In an abrupt change, Burger King Corp. named Crispin Porter & Bogusky to replace Young & Rubicam as its lead creative advertising agency.

Publicis Groupe will merge Frankel with Leo Burnett's interactive shop iLeo North America, direct-marketer Semaphore Partners and promo shop Arc (formerly Clarion) to form Arc North America.

1/22

Sara Lee has dumped country crooner Jimmy Dean as the spokesman for the sausage company he founded more than 30 years ago.

Long John Silver's, Inc. will give away a new menu item — free giant shrimp — if water is discovered on Mars.

1/15

Switzerland Cheese has awarded its marketing account to Euro RSCG Worldwide. Billings are estimated at $7.5 million.

Twenty-one attorneys from Hall Dickler will move to law firm Reed Smith.

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