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Starcom Lands Discover Card Planning

CHICAGO—Morgan Stanley Dean Witter has awarded media planning duties on its $130 million Discover credit card to Starcom USA, sources said. Starcom already handled all buying for Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. Discover’s media planning incumbent was creative agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners in San Francisco.

Seven Contenders for Six Continents

CHICAGO—Seven agencies are scheduled to make presentations this week in the review for Six Continents Hotels’ Priority Club Worldwide direct and relationship marketing account. Contending for the $20 million business are incumbent Draft in Chicago; Campbell-Ewald, Warren, Mich.; Fallon, Minneapolis; Zimmerman Agency, Tallahassee, Fla.; Wunderman, New York; BBDO South, Atlanta; and Digitas in Boston, sources said. A decision is expected next week.

A-B Changes Billboards, Breaks New Spot

CHICAGO—Anheuser-Busch has converted more than 200 billboards and stadium signs featuring its brands into American flags, a representative for the St. Louis brewer said last week. Absent from the ads will be any logo or mentioning of A-B. In addition, the company will run a new TV spot addressing the recent terrorist attack. The 30-second spot from DDB Chicago encourages people to donate to the American Red Cross. A-B officials would not discuss future campaigns or changes made to existing humorous TV campaigns.

Toyota Taps Magellan for European Launch

CHICAGO—Toyota Motor Europe tapped Bcom3 Group’s Magellan to handle the European launch of the Toyota Corolla. London-based Magellan, a new agency brand headed by Bcom3 vice chairman Reiner Erfert, will work for the company on a project basis. The Corolla is scheduled to launch in Europe early next year. Billings for the launch were not disclosed.

SMZ Breaks New Big Boy Effort

DETROIT—A TV and radio campaign from Simons Michelson Zieve breaks today for Big Boy Restaurants. The Warren, Mich.-based restaurant chain is introducing a new version of its original double-decker hamburger that is 25 percent larger. The TV spot from the Troy, Mich.-based SMZ spoofs the well-known televised football “legends” profiles, chronicling the Big Boy mascot’s “career.” The spot includes images of Big Boy working out on the football field, as well as vintage football footage. Billings were not disclosed.

DaimlerChrysler Teams with Ed McMahon

DETROIT—DaimlerChrysler’s Chrysler Group is teaming with Ed McMahon as the exclusive automotive sponsor of Ed McMahon’s Next Big Star, a new talent-competition program airing Sundays on PAX-TV. The automaker will provide 2002 model vehicles to the winners in five different categories during the season finale on Feb. 24. The Chrysler Group will air two 30-second spots in each episode as part of the sponsorship.

MZD to Handle ICON Transportation

CHICAGO—MZD Advertising was named lead agency for marketing and public-relations work for ICON Transportation without a review. The Indianapolis agency will conduct an ongoing national campaign to build on ICON’s client base. Spending for the Remington, Ind., transportation company was not disclosed.