News Wire

Winn-Dixie Puts $40 Mil. Account in Review
ATLANTA–Southern grocery chain Winn-Dixie Stores has sent out requests for proposals for its estimated $40 million account and will begin the review process “within the next few weeks.” The news came as a surprise to hometown incumbent Cook Marketing Communications, which has held the account for 30 years. Client ad planning manager John Harden confirmed a review is under way.
Arnold Wins Alcatel, Mirror Image
BOSTON–Arnold Communications last week gained a pair of technology accounts, adding assignments from telecommunications firm Alcatel and Mirror Image Internet, a provider of online-content delivery services. Executives with Mirror Image, a Woburn, Mass.-based startup, did not return calls, and Arnold officials declined to comment. Mirror Image’s budget will likely be at least $15-20 million, sources said. Alcatel, Paris, hired Arnold for domestic ad chores initially worth $40-50 million. Zenith Media, New York, retains global media-buying chores.
Court TV Cuts Field to 5 Contenders
NEW YORK–Five agencies here have advanced in the review for Court TV’s estimated $15 million ad account, a client representative confirmed. Finalists include incumbent Griffin Bacal, which has handled the business since 1997, as well as J. Walter Thompson, Della Femina, Rothschild, Jeary & Partners, DeVito/Verdi and Hampel/Stefanides. New York consultancy The Abelson Co. is running the review.
Martin Agency Hires Goodby Creative for S.F. Office
ATLANTA–The Martin Agency has named Todd Grant creative leader for its new San Francisco office. Formerly an associate creative director at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, Grant is best known for his long-running Budweiser Lizards campaign, his “Got Milk?” TV spots, and his award-winning print work for Porsche and Umbro. Alda Abbracciamento, a partner and executive vice president of Martin, will be moving to San Francisco from Richmond, Va., to head the office there.
FTC Asks Congress to Regulate Online Marketing
WASHINGTON, D.C.–The Federal Trade Commission has asked Congress to pass legislation to protect Internet users from online marketing practices that link people’s Web-browsing habits with personally identifiable data. In a report released today, the FTC applauded self-regulatory efforts developed by the Network Advertising Initiative–a group of online ad servers that include DoubleClick and Engage–but said legislation was still necessary. “NAI constitutes over 90 percent of the network advertising industry,” said Jodie Bernstein, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Legislative action is necessary to ensure the remaining 10 percent will comply.” Advertising lobby groups said they were disappointed, but not surprised. “We would hope that Congress would be guided by the industry’s leadership and earnest efforts at self-regulation, and take these factors into account before proceeding with any sweeping legislation,” said Adonis Hoffman, a senior vice president with the American Association of Advertising Agencies.
IPG, TN Report 2nd-Quarter Earnings
CHICAGO–The Interpublic Group of Cos. reported a net income for the second quarter of 2000 of $170 million, a 15 percent increase from a year ago. Net income for the first six months was $230 million, a 16 percent gain from last year. Separately, True North Communications reported a gain in revenue of 10 percent to $375 million for the quarter ending June 30, compared to the same period a year ago. Net income for the quarter was up 29 percent to $27 million.
Mullen Ad Disqualified From Emmys
NEW YORK–The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has disqualified Mullen’s “When I Grow Up” spot for Monster.com for the prime-time Emmy Award recognizing commercials. The move came after it was determined that the spot premiered prior to the eligibility period (June 1, 1999 to May 31, 2000). “When I Grow Up” broke in January 1999 during the Super Bowl. Replacing the spot is Ameritrade’s “Let’s Light This Candle” by OgilvyOne, New York. Other nominated spots: Federal Express’s “Action Figures,” by BBDO, New York; Electronic Data Systems’ “Cat Herders,” by Fallon, Minneapolis; Nike’s “The Morning After,” by Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.; and Budweiser’s “Whassup True,” by DDB, Chicago.
Newswire Roundup
New York’s InStyle’s search for an agency to handle creative duties for the magazine and a planned Web site is down to four finalists: New York shops Fallon, Frierson Mee + Kraft, Mad Dogs & Englishmen and Bartle Bogle Hegarty, sources said. Strategic pitches are scheduled for the week of Aug. 21. New York consultancy ADvice & ADvisors, which also handled the recent Bertelsmann Direct review, is managing the process. Kohl’s Department Stores in Chicago awarded its broadcast-advertising account to McCann-Erickson Worldwide in New York, a Kohl’s official said. The business had been at J. Walter Thompson in Detroit since March 1996. Kohl’s did not undertake a formal review, but contacted a “select group of agencies,” which a representative declined to identify. Kohl’s spent $45 million on advertising last year, per Competitive Media Reporting; the budget at JWT had been estimated as high as $90 million. Effective today, co-director of brand strategy Mia von Sadovszky–a five-year veteran of TBWA\Chiat\Day in Marina del Rey, Calif.–will be the new business account director at Siltanen/Keehn. Von Sadovszky, 33, joins former TBWA\C\D talents Rob Siltanen and Pam Keehn, who formed their namesake agency in January of this year