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- GM Invites 8 Shops to Pursue Hummer DALLAS--Eight agencies have received invitations from General Motors to participate in a review for the$20 million advertising account of Hummer, the demilitarized, wide-bodied vehicle that was made available to consumers following the Gulf War. Sources said participants include the incumbent, Pyro Brand Development, which is pitching with The Richards Group, both in Dallas; The Martin Agency in Richmond, Va.; Mullen in Wenham, Mass.; and McCann-Erickson in Detroit. Berlin, Cameron & Partners in New York received an invitation but will not participate. Three other shops remained undisclosed. The increase in the marketing budget for Hummer, which spent less than $1 million on advertising last year, is due to its planned launch of an updated version, the Hummer H2, in 2002. - 1-800 Contacts Calls Off Creative Contest LOS ANGELES--1-800 Contacts has decided to keep its creative in-house following a national review that included finalists Leo Burnett, Chicago; The Richards Group, Dallas; FJCN, Salt Lake City; and Barefoot, Cincinnati. Empower Media Marketing, Cincinnati, handles the $18 million media portion of the account for the client, which bills itself as the world's largest marketer of contact lenses. Creative has been in-house since 1-800 Contacts parted ways with Saatchi & Saatchi, San Francisco, more than one year ago. In launching the review to find an advertising partner that would help the company maximize its growth, it deliberately crafted a diverse shopping list that included a global agency, a midsize independent, a startup and a local shop. The finalists "brought a lot of good ideas," said Keith McCallum, client vice president of marketing, "but we didn't see anything that could help us right now." - Marketing Continuum at The Ballpark DALLAS--The Marketing Continuum has developed a new promotion for AT&T Wireless' corporate sponsorship of the Texas Rangers baseball team. The Dallas shop renamed the client's special seating area at The Ballpark in Arlington, Texas, "AT&T Wireless Party on the Patio." It also created a new logo that is used on a banner and throughout the AT&T area. In addition, The Marketing Continuum has added on-site promotional giveaways, including winning tickets to the patio. "We believe the name . . . reflects the type of attitude we were striving to convey," said Camara Clifton, vice president of client services at The Marketing Continuum. "We hope that when fans see how much fun people are having on the patio, they will be encouraged to visit AT&T Wireless stores to win tickets." - San Antonio Advertising Agencies Merge DALLAS--Advertising and public relations firm Regnier, Valdez & Associates has acquired The Parker Group. Nancy Parker, former president and CEO of Parker, will become director of marketing and business development at RV&A. The agency, which marks its 20th anniversary next year, will add Parker's seven employees to its current 12. Clients include Jefferson State Bank, Southwest General Hospital, Southern Steel and Armortex. Both agencies are located in San Antonio.

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