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Polaroid Taps New Ad Director, Goodby BOSTON--Polaroid has hired Paul Alexander as its director of global advertising, a new post. Alexander, who could not be reached, is currently associate director of advertising development at Procter & Gamble. He is expected to join Polaroid March 1 and will oversee all efforts from its lead agencies, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners in San Francisco (in the U.S.) and Bartle Bogle Hegarty, London (in Europe), said his new boss, Polaroid corporate vice president Sandy Lawrence. Separately, Polaroid has assigned worldwide creative and media planning duties for its kids products to Goodby, which beat BBH in a review [Adweek, Oct. 19, 1998]. Havas Sells Debt to Finance Buys PARIS--Havas Advertising has issued $270 million in convertible bonds to help finance its acquisition plans. Havas last month purchased Jordan McGrath Case & Partners in the U.S. through its Euro RSCG unit and Rempen & Partner in D†sseldorf, Germany, via its Campus unit. Other acquisitions are expected. Under the terms of the issue, led by SG Investment Banking, Havas can convert the bonds into new shares or exchange them for existing ones through a buy-back program. GSD&M, Schenck Pair Up DALLAS--GSD&M has hired Boston ad veteran Ernie Schenck for a full-time, freelance "creative partnership." The copywriter, formerly executive vice president/group creative director at Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos, will work exclusively for six months on creative projects with the $750 million shop in Austin, Texas. Ad Groups Issue Gambling Report WASHINGTON, D.C.--Advertising lobby groups are urging the National Gambling Impact Study Commission not to restrict advertisers over social ills caused by gambling. The American Advertising Federation, the American Association of Advertising Agencies, the Association of National Advertisers and others sent a 29-page analysis of case law protecting advertising, including gambling ads, to chairwoman Kay Coles James. The commission is charged with assessing the social and economic effects of gambling, including the role of ads. "We strongly urge the commission not to recommend unconstitutional speech restrictions,'' ad advocates said. A final report is due to Congress in June. List For Las Vegas Hunt Narrows LOS ANGELES--The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has narrowed the list of contenders for its $27-30 million business to Colby Effler & Partners, Santa Monica, Calif.; Dailey & Associates, West Hollywood, Calif.; Young & Rubicam, San Francisco, pitching with The Merica Agency, Las Vegas; and incumbent R&R Advertising, Las Vegas. Presentations are scheduled for early March. Newswire Roundup Jordan McGrath Case & Partners/Euro RSCG has formed a new strategic and account planning unit led by Kathryn Ryan and Ellen Miller, both executive vice presidents/co-directors. The "Customer Insight Group" is the agency's first effort to formalize strategic planning in a separate division McCann-Erickson WorldHealth has acquired MPE Communications and Curry Martin Schiavelli, with combined billings of roughly $65 million. Terms were undisclosed M&C Saatchi is opening a Madrid, Spain office. Carlos Anuncibay, who has been at the London headquarters since 1995, will head the outpost Tinsley Advertising was named lead agency for luxury cruise line Cunard, without a review, in the wake of the client's split with Crispin Porter & Bogusky in Miami. CP&B had landed the more than $8 million account last March. Cunard later merged with Seabourn Cruise Lines and "things [between agency and client] became mutually stagnant," said Bill Leiber, vice president of marketing. CP&B executives said the parting was their choice Ingalls Advertising, Boston, is negotiating with Rural Cellular for a branding campaign, the client confirmed. Spending is estimated at $5-10 million Randall's Food Markets in Houston has selected six finalists for broadcast creative duties on its $10 million account: incumbent Fogarty Klein & Partners, Rives Carlberg and BBDO, all Houston; Temerlin McClain in Irving, Texas; DDB Needham, Dallas; and an undisclosed California agency, sources said Five shops are vying for the broadcast creative portion of Gart Sports' $8-10 million account. They are: Fogarty Klein & Partners; Dallas, Pasadena Advertising, Pasadena, Calif.; Henry Gill Agency, Denver; Leo Burnett, Chicago; and Schupp, St. Louis. A separate review is under way for media buying, now at Reich Communications in Lakewood, Colo., which is participating Messner Vetere Berger McNamee Schmetterer/Euro RSCG broke two spots in a $12-15 million campaign for Volvo Cars North America's 1999 AWD XC cross-country car. The campaign introduces a new global tagline for Volvo: "For life"... The Geppetto Group, the kids marketing arm of WPP Group, has won a global assignment from KFC International Gardner, Geary, Coll & Young, San Francisco, has parted ways with Lyon's Restaurants, Foster City, Calif., one year after picking up the $5-7 million task, sources said. ICH is expected to conduct a review for a new West Coast agency, said sources Bernstein-Rein Advertising, Kansas City, Mo., acquired crosstown shop Impact Direct Marketing. Terms were not disclosed. Impact will be a separate division of Bernstein-Rein Villa Banfi, Old Brookville, N.Y., is seeking shops to participate in a $1 million review for its Riunite wines.

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