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FCB Spreads Baseball Fever for Fox SAN FRANCISCO--Foote, Cone & Belding bowed two TV campaigns last week for Fox Sports Net's Baseball Thursday and regional baseball coverage. The latter effort features "Lou," a fictitious politician who doesn't campaign on typical issues like healthcare; instead, baseball is his platform. The Baseball Thursday effort is aimed at die-hard fans. One spot shows a father serving his children undercooked pork chops because there isn't enough time to cook before the game begins. E*Trade Airs First Campaign Via Goodby SAN FRANCISCO--Goodby, Silverstein & Partners last week broke its first work for online brokerage E*Trade, Palo Alto, Calif., with national TV, print and outdoor ads. Tagline is, "It's time for E*Trade. The No. 1 place to invest online." Ads use humor to position E*Trade as a tool for long-term investing, but not a get-rich-quick scheme. Goodby won the $100 million account last month after a shootout. Incumbent Gotham, New York, used the tag, "Someday we'll all invest this way." Northern Light Ignites Search BOSTON--Northern Light is evaluating six agencies for its $10-15 million ad account, said Skip Pile, president of Pile and Co., the Boston consulting firm guiding the search. In the hunt for the Cambridge, Mass., Web-based service are: Mullen, Wenham, Mass.; CGN Marketing & Communications and Ingalls, both Boston; and Ogilvy & Mather, Gotham and Jordan McGrath Case & Partners/Euro RSCG, all New York. There is no incumbent. A decision is expected in May. Snyder Buys Alternative Media Provider BOSTON--Snyder Communications in Bethesda, Md., last week bought Media Syndication Global in New York and folded it into its Direct Services Group. Terms were not disclosed. Media Syndication, an alternative media provider and one of the largest billing insert suppliers, works for such clients as Bank of America, First USA and Fleet Financial Group. Jeff Giordano remains president. Rapp Collins Names New CEO NEW YORK--Omnicom Group's Rapp Collins Worldwide named Malcolm Speed, a partner at Bronner Slosberg Humphrey in Boston, as chairman and CEO, succeeding G. Steven Dapper, who left in December. Speed, 47, will focus on new business development and report to Tom Harrison, CEO of Omnicom's Diversified Agency Services unit. Speed, who previously held marketing posts at Hertz and TWA, was chosen for his leadership qualities, experience and "keen understanding of the balance between the agency side of direct marketing and the consultative end," Harrison said. TN Snares Bank of America Media NEW YORK--Bank of America has tapped TN Media in New York as media buying agency for its $80-100 million ad account. TN Media bested other undisclosed contenders in the review. The account for the Charlotte, N.C.-based client was previously split between Deutsch in New York, GSD&M in Austin, Texas, and Temerlin McClain, Dallas, before last year's merger of NationsBank and BankAmerica. Creative duties on the account were jointly awarded to TN units Temerlin and Bozell Worldwide, New York, in December. Newswire Roundup The Wolf Group said it purchased Grand Group, a Chicago sales promotion company. Terms were not disclosed. The deal represents the Toronto-based network's first move into the Chicago market CompUSA's direct sales unit named Mullen in Wenham, Mass., for an estimated $10-20 million national branding assignment in a review over finalist Ingalls, Boston. Mullen will promote a new e-commerce site, www.compusanet.com Tempus Group, the owner of London-based CIA Medianetwork, said 1998 billings were up 29 percent, to roughly $1.8 billion, as pre-tax profit rose 45 percent to around $20 million. CIA moved into the U.S. market with last year's acquisition of VSM Media, New York Young & Rubicam last week acquired KnowledgeBase Marketing for $175 million in cash and stock. The Chapel Hill, N.C., firm develops and manages e-commerce and database programs for such clients as Ford Motor Co., Microsoft and United Healthcare. CEO Tim Toben will remain and report to Jay Bingle, CEO of Y&R's Wunderman Cato Johnson Discussion Web site Dejanews.com has selected DiNoto Lee to handle creative duties on its estimated $7-10 million account. The agency bested fellow New York shops DiMassimo and The Romann Group following a month-long review Lowe Fox Pavlika expanded its relationship with The MONY Group and was awarded its national ad account, with no formal review. The shop handled direct assignments for the New York-based financial services provider for four years. Estimated billings from the client now total $7-10 million. The national incumbent was Angotti, Thomas, Hedge, also New York Della Femina/Jeary and Partners picked up a new account from the Ophthalmic Network of Excellence, a new corporation that provides business services and capital to ophthalmologists. The agency's first assignment will be to introduce a new network of Laser Vision centers. Billings were undisclosed ... The Richards Group, Dallas, picked up broadcast creative duties on an estimated $5 million account from Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Supervalu supermarkets. There was no incumbent Garcia/LKS, San Antonio, has been tapped for the inaugural $10-15 million account of Spanish-language Internet portal Quepasa!com.

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