Shoptalk

"Web surfing is like channel surfing. Women don't do it." - Kirk Citron of Citron Haligman BedecarrÚ Euro RSCG, on consumer Web habits. Puff Daddy Meets Donny Rapper Sean "Puffy" Combs Is Talking Shop Rapper Sean "Puffy" Combs and his Bad Boy Entertainment empire are looking to bust a move into the ad agency business. Executives from "Puff Daddy's" in-house creative and promotional boutique - Bad Boy Marketing - are leading the charge. "We're exploring our opportunities," says Josh Taekman, vp of special marketing who tells ShopTalk his group is interested in a "joint venture" deal with traditional ad agencies to create a youth marketing shop. The division has handled marketing assignments for clients like Pepsi and Foot Locker. "We live the life of today's youth culture," says Taekman. Bad Boy does does not want to be typecast as a minority marketing specialist, he warns. "It's about youth - white, black, purple and yellow," he adds. Bad Boy has held informal meetings with Deutsch CEO Donny Deutsch and business development chief Peter Drakoulias. Naturally, those sessions included a Donny/Puffy field trip to a New York Knicks game. "I was impressed by Puffy as a person and a businessman," says Deutsch. "We just decided to take a pass." Meanwhile, Deutsch is putting pool and ping-pong tables on the empty loading dock at its 90,000-square-foot New York office after the shop's women protested a proposed basketball court. "They said, 'If you build a basketball court, we want a manicure stand,'" laughs Deutsch. ¡ We Love You, Too There is no love lost between America's newest political sensation, Minnesota Gov. Jesse "The Body" Ventura, and the working press. But the former-wrestler-and-actor politician says advertising will be critical to his new career. ShopTalk caught up with Ventura during his recent trip to Washington, D.C., to promote his new book, I Ain't Got Time to Bleed (a line from the Arnold Schwarzenegger flick Predator)."Naturally, I will invest in advertising as governor," says Ventura. "I come from a world where you have to spend money to make money." Since Ventura took office, Minnesota's state's tourism marketing budget has increased 30 percent to $10 million. That's good news for Minneapolis shop Carmichael Lynch, which hasn't seen a budget increase in a dozen years. "We have a proven weapon, and now he is giving us some bullets to fire," said Carmichael's John Karlson. Ventura's warm and fuzzy attitude toward advertising might also be due to his experience with Minneapolis' North Woods Advertising. It helped propel his victory with a campaign that included a spot spoofing Rodin's sculpture, "The Thinker." The governor is also appearing in a North Woods PSA (above), directed by his son Tyrel, which mocks the press. "Get into college," Ventura says in the spot. "Who knows, you could end up sitting here, or you could become one of them" - gesturing toward a pack of reporters pushing and shoving to get closer. ¡ A Highbrow Event for a Hairy Guy David Suissa Roasted By L.A. Ad Women There was a lot of love in the room when Los Angeles Advertising Women feted David Suissa, executive creative director of Suissa Miller, as outstanding businessman of the year. The 53rd annual LULU Awards were held at the swanky Beverly Hills Hotel. Rather than focusing on his business accomplishments, like the winning pitch for Acura, various colleagues, friends and clients of the Moroccan-born adman chose to roast him for his boisterous personality - and hirsute appearance. "David reminds me of a very furry Teletubby," commented Dick Colliver, evp of automobile sales at Acura parent American Honda. Western International founder Dennis Holt - whose own personal image has shifted from fearsome media baron to a more lovable "Uncle Dennis" in recent years - chose his words carefully. "When people think of David Suissa, they think family man, an involved member of the community ... a very hairy man." The always acerbic Bruce Miller tells ShopTalk that Suissa is "all I can ever wish for in a partner" - except when the duo hits an airport for a business trip. "I told him the way you look, we have to allow an extra 20 minutes for the strip search." The last word goes to Suissa himself, who tackled the issue head-on in true Oprah-style. "It's not easy being born with one eyebrow," he confessed in a self-deprecating speech. ¡

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