Martha Stewart for the Masses

Just when we thought we were safe from the inanities of Martha Stewart, here she comes again with "Everyday Food" a food category book for the masses. And in a well conceived move, her name takes a small place in the tagline.

Ad Age: MARTHA STEWART LAUNCHES NEW MAGAZINE
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Third Annual Weblog Awards

Vote for the best weblogs of the year here:

Third Annual Weblog Awards
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Advertainment Advertising on Tivo

Another long-form advertainment has been launched. "Waiting for Woody", a 30 minute comedy that is a veiled commercial for Best Buy, can be downloaded by Tivo users in California. This is apparently the third Tivo advertising outing for Best Buy following a May Sheryl Crow video sneak preview, and a November promotion for it's James Bond collector edition DVD set.

The urge to merge programming with advertising continues to grow and is obviously in the best interest of Tivo to play along since broadcasters are wary of it's commercial skipping abilities. Even though it may seem like there will be no escape from advertising, perhaps this form will force an improvement in creativity.

IAR: Best Buy Sponsors Film on TiVo
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The Anti-Tivo Product Placement Game

With consumers finding ever increasing ways to avoid advertisements, in-program product placement is becoming more prevalent. Labatt USA takes over the bar on Fox Sports Net and Labatt will also have cameo appearances by the Labatt bear mascot. Home Depot follows next month with a set designed to look like a backyard deck.

The ad game is definitely changing. In fact, it"s a return to the soap opera days when in-show product placements were common. Is this a good thing? If done properly, yes. After all, people use real brand name products in real life situations. The trick will be how well advertisers integrate their placements so the desired commercial message is achieved yet without having it appear staged.

New York Times: Blurring Ads and TV Programs
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Bankrupt United Airlines to Spend $50M on Ad Campaign

You have to love (or hate) a country where a company with absolutely no money can go out and spend $50 million on an ad campaign. Screw the creditors. An advertising campaign is much more important.

Well, in the long run I suppose it is. No advertising...no increase in business. No increase in business....can't pay creditors. So I guess this is $50 M well spent.

Don't you just love advertising?

USA Today: USATODAY.com - Bankrupt United plans $50M ad campaign
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The Death of Telemarketing?

One could only hope. However, there are 140,000 people in Massachusetts that have said enough is enough and have placed their name on the new do not call list.

Boston Globe: Over 140,000 join list to block telemarketers
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