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Arnold Adds Marshall Field’s, Monster.com

BOSTON—Arnold Communications has added some $100 million in combined billings from Target Corp.’s Marshall Field’s department stores and job site Monster.com. The Boston agency picked up a broad branding project for Minneapolis-based Marshall Field’s without a formal review, sources said. The budget is believed to be in the low eight figures (the chain spent about $25 million in 1999, per Competitive Media Reporting). Arnold chairman Ed Eskandarian said earlier this week his agency’s winning presentation for the $75-90 million account of Monster.com sought to “position them as more than just a place to find a job, [but as] important to your life.” Arnold, incumbent Mullen in Wenham, Mass., Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, Ore., and BBDO in New York were finalists.

Chicago Tribune Columnist Lazarus Dies

CHICAGO—Chicago Tribune marketing columnist George Lazarus died Friday while on his commute by train to work. Lazarus, who was 68, had covered advertising and marketing for about 40 years as a columnist for the Tribune, the Chicago Daily News and Chicago Today. He also contributed to Adweek’s Marketing Week and the New York Daily News. The cause of death was unknown.

FTC Report on Marketing Violent Content Released

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Federal Trade Commission finds the entertainment industry guilty of marketing violent media content to children and recommends that the practice be stopped in a new report to Congress released today. The report, titled, “Marketing Violent Entertainment to Children: a Review of Self Regulation and Industry Practices in the Motion Picture, Music Recording and Electronic Game Industry,” calls on the makers of movies, music and videogames to strengthen their own self-regulatory efforts to prevent targeting ads for violent content to kids under 17, an FTC official said. The report slams videogame makers for aggressively marketing adult games to children and criticizes movie studios for advertising violent R-rated films during TV shows aimed at teens. The report, ordered by President Clinton in the wake of the Columbine High School shooting, does not ask Congress to pass legislation, charge the industry with deceptive advertising practices, or recommend a uniform labeling system for movies, music and videogames—issues that were of concern to advertising lobby groups.

Wieden Taps Elms to Run Nike Media

LOS ANGELES—Jim Elms has joined Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, Ore., as media director on the agency’s flagship Nike account. Elms, who arrives from Peter A. Mayer Advertising in New Orleans, La., where he was vp/media director, will be responsible for managing the Nike media assignment for the $220 million account in the U.S.

Leo Burnett/Starcom Wins Showtime Account

CHICAGO—Showtime Networks awarded its ad and media duties on its $35-40 million account to Leo Burnett and Starcom USA after a three-month review. The Chicago-based shops beat out incumbents Young & Rubicam and The Media Edge, as well as DDB Worldwide, TN Media/Bozell Worldwide, Zenith Media/Saatchi & Saatchi, all New York, and GSD&M in Austin, Texas. Frank Veronsky