Hotlines

Credit Card Debt Is a ‘Killer’ In Capital One Ads

NEW YORK Killer whales replace plundering Visigoths in new Capital One ads, which continue to personify the dangers of credit-card debt. The estimated $60 million effort breaks next week and is McCann-Erickson’s first work for the client. The ads retain the 4-year-old tagline, “What’s in your wallet?” In one spot, a guy on vacation tries to impress an attractive woman by buying her drinks with his credit card. When he find out that the woman gets a better deal from Capital One, a killer whale swims over to the poolside bar and throws him in the air. Another ad, touting Capital One’s Miles One rewards card, plays on the frustration with blackout dates during the holiday travel season, showing a family that hijacks Santa’s sleigh. The McLean, Va.-based client awarded its estimated $170 million account to the New York shop in April after its former shop, Publicis Groupe’s D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, was dissolved.



New Line Cinema, AOL to Tout ‘Elf’ via Instant Messenger

LOS ANGELES New Line Cinema and AOL will break new ground in interactive marketing for the movie Elf, a comedy starring Will Ferrell that opens Nov. 7. Exploiting the popularity of AOL Instant Messaging among youths, clips from the film will appear in place of what is typically a banner ad at the top of the “Buddy List.” Users can click on the trailer to play it, enlarge it or e-mail it to others; the trailer’s link can also be sent to wireless devices. The innovation was developed by New Line, a subsidiary of AOL parent Time Warner, under the helm of Gordon Paddison, evp of integrated marketing, and Ron Bernstein, AOL’s vp of advertising and commerce in New York. The first ads will appear after Oct. 13.



Campbell Soup Seeks to Energize Younger Generations

NEW YORK Campbell Soup Co. is targeting active Gen X and Gen Y-ers with a line of energy juices called Invigor8, marking the brand’s first entry into the $1 billion energy-drink segment. The single-serve juices, Invigor8 Energy Boost and Invigor8 Nutrition Boost, will be backed by an estimated $15 million outdoor and radio campaign breaking in the first quarter of 2004. The work will bear the tagline, “Positively charged.” WPP’s Young & Rubicam in New York, handles the account.



$35 Mil. Champion Mortgage in Review

CHICAGO Champion Mortgage will issue RFPs to agencies during the next two weeks, the consultant confirmed. Jones Lundin Beals in Chicago is overseeing the review. The Parsippany, N.J., client, a unit of Keybank in Cleveland, spent about $20 million last year, according to TNS Media Intelligence/CMR. The account includes a large direct component as well as public relations. Champion split with IPG’s The Martin Agency in Richmond, Va., in January. Martin’s work was tagged, “Champion says yes.” A decision is due by the end of the year, the consultant said.



Coughlin Woos Former Colleague to IPG

NEW YORK Interpublic Group CFO and COO Chris Coughlin is poised to bring in a colleague from his former company, Pharmacia, in a top financial role, sources said. Last week, IPG svp of financial operations Ramesh Rajan moved to IPG’s McCann-Erickson WorldGroup as CFO, replacing Art D’Angelo [Adweek Online, Oct. 2]. Rajan, 48, worked closely with WorldGroup CEO John Dooner when the latter was head of the holding company. D’Angelo, who joined WorldGroup in January from Cordiant Communications Group, will manage Rajan’s transition through December and then leave the company, sources said. McCann and IPG reps declined comment.



Staffen Ends His Third Tour of Duty at DDB

NEW YORK John Staffen, co-executive creative director of DDB’s office here, left the shop for the third time Friday, the agency said. Staffen, 43, has spent a total of 18 years at the Omnicom Group agency. He first arrived in 1984 but left five years later, returning in 1990. He left the agency again in February 1994, only to return four months later. He was not immediately available for comment. Lee Garfinkel, chairman and chief creative officer, is interviewing potential replacements, a rep said, but declined further comment. Staffen shared the co-ecd title with John Russo.