Agency News

NEW YORK
Blum/Herbstreith, New York, broke the first national branding campaign in four years for Royal Crown Cola from Triarc Beverage Group, White Plains, N.Y. The $6-8 million campaign consists of one TV spot, two print executions, three radio commercials and outdoor advertising. The spot depicts all-American images, such as homecoming queens, drive-in theaters and Fourth of July parades. It will run nationally, mostly during telecasts of baseball games and scheduled close to the singing of the national anthem. The universal tagline for all is, “Be free. Drink RC.”
The Gale Group, a SoHo-based advertising and public relations firm specializing in fashion and beauty accounts, last week kicked off a public relations campaign that relaunched client K-Swiss’ Classic signature shoe, which debuted in 1966. The campaign is repositioning the K-Swiss Classic image from strictly a tennis or athletic shoe to one of more general, contemporary footwear.
ºToolbox, New York, last month broke a $2 million TV campaign for New Jersey’s Hackensack University Medical Center, which was developed by co-creative directors Peter Rabot and Jan Zlotnick, producer Alan Eisenberg of Exposure Films and director Merle Worth. Three sentimental spots depict family links strengthened by illness and recovery.
D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles Communications, New York, has launched a Web site at www.dmbb.com. The site provides clients and competitors with an overview of the agency and features creative work from DMB&B offices around the world. The site offers general information on the network, staff members, brand-building techniques, creative work, brands the agency has built, and the newly launched internal initiative, “The DMB&B Way.”
Agfa Photo Imaging Systems tapped Gianettino & Meredith, New York, to handle media and creative duties for all Agfa brand products. Agfa spent $1 million in 1997, according to Competitive Media Reporting.
Posnick & Kolker, New York was tapped to handle creative duties for chicken chain Ranch 1’s $2 million account. Media is handled by TD Advertising and Media, New York.
Earle Palmer Brown has acquired advertising and public relations agency Warner, Bicking, Morris & Partners, New York, with billings of $10 million. The firm’s staff will be merged into EPB’s New York office in May. Terms were not disclosed.
Grey Entertainment has been awarded the advertising for New York’s soon-to-be-revamped Doral Inn hotel.
Cliff Freeman & Partners and DeVito/Verdi, both New York, took top honors in the American Association of Advertising Agencies’ 1998 O’Toole Creative Awards competition. Cliff Freeman took top honors in the category for shops with billings of $30 million or more, while DeVito/Verdi was the winner among shops with billings under $30 million.
BBDO and Lowe & Partners/SMS, both New York, tied for second place in the large-agency category. Borders Perrin & Norrander, Portland, was runner-up among small agencies. The awards were given April 3 at the 4A’s annual meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Direct marketer Lieber, Levett, Koenig, Farese, Babcock, New York, has entered into a joint venture with Behavioral Associates, a New York firm that specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy. Together, they’ll study the rational and emotional factors that drive consumer behavior.
New York media agency MediaCom, a unit of Grey Advertising, has bought the majority stake in EFFCOM, a major media-service company in Sweden. The EFFCOM group includes MediaBroker,EFFCOM Malmo, EFFCOM Nordic, Gester & Co., and EFFCOM Interactive, an Internet agency.
Lou Hammond & Associates, New York, has won three new accounts: Wilsonart International, Terminal One Group Association, and Continental Waterways.
Coulter Pharmaceutical, a Palo Alto, Calif., developer of oncology drugs and therapies, has named GHBM Healthworld, New York, as its agency of record. GHBM’s food-service division, FoodComm, also won the account of Island Poly-FoodHandler, Westbury, N.Y., the nation’s largest maker of food safety products.
A.G. Krakow & Associates Inc./AgitProp, New York, has added Aroma Vƒra and homedelivery.com to its client roster.