Steve's breakdown: Malloy's budget, which takes effect in July, includes $15 million for tourism marketing and $1.5 million for arts and culture grants. I'd make the calls now while their all pumped up with the plan.

MIDDLETOWN: CT: State and local leaders met Thursday in Middletown to laud Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s restoration of cultural, arts and tourism funding and stress its importance to the city's arts and business community.

State Rep. Matt Lesser (D-Durham, Middlefield and Middletown), Middlesex Chamber of Commerce President Larry McHugh and Speaker of the House Christopher Donovan (D-Meriden) joined Matt Pugliese, managing director of Oddfellows Playhouse, and Deborah Moore, executive director of the Wadsworth Mansion and board member of the Central Connecticut Regional Tourism District, to explain this investment will encourage economic growth in Middlesex County.

"For every dollar the state gives out through the Commission on Culture & Tourism, we see $9.30 in returns to the state and local economy," Lesser said at the meeting at Oddfellows Playhouse.

Donovan stressed the importance of culture and tourism to Connecticut. "It's an industry that brings in about $14 billion in our state every year, so it's a big economic boost for our state and we saw in previous administrations that cuts in culture and tourism actually hurt."

Malloy's budget, Lesser says, includes $1.5 million earmarked for tourism marketing, $1.5 million for arts and culture grants and $1.66 million for regional tourism districts.

"We heard earlier this year about how Connecticut literally fell off the map for our tourism marketing; the districts were cut in the original budget, so the budget proposal we have before us" restores that, Lesser said.

Pugliese explained that the youth playhouse's ongoing programs encourage parents to drop off their children and spend time — and money — in the city.

"Oddfellows serves nearly 2,000 children each year and 45 percent of the students come from outside Middletown. We serve 27 different school districts throughout the state. Our programs don't mean that families comes to Middletown once; they come week after week after week; these are families that are coming to see all the different types of benefits that Middletown has — our parks our Main Street, our businesses, our restaurants — while they drop their child off for and hour, an hour and a half, they go shopping ... and dining."

McHugh explained how he has worked to maintain cultural and tourism funding over the years and was part of the original task force in 1992 under Gov. Weicker.

"I made the statement back then that tourism was in the back seat of the economic engine in the state of Connecticut and we had to get it the front seat because of the amount of jobs and taxes it had been creating for the state. Well, we did move that forward, but over the last few years ... we see advertisements all the time: visit New Jersey, visit Maryland, visit South Carolina, but where is Connecticut? All of that funding was cut."

Robert Resnikoff, vice chair of the city's Arts Commission, spoke to the inherent benefit of the arts.

"In addition to those economic benefits and the jobs and the tourism, what the arts really are about are helping make us aware of ourselves and our neighbors and enriching our lives. For example, when parents and their families come to see performances here, one of the things it does is helps turn Middletown from a town into a community ... we need to remember what the arts are really for."

Source: http://easthampton-ct.patch.com

Steve's breakdown: Bestway is a regional player with 87 stores located in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Their biggest competitor in Rent-a-Center who have Troy Aikman & Hulk Hogan as their spokesmen. In other words, Bestway needs an agency to fight this up hill battle.

DALLAS, TX: Industry veteran Kent Clark has joined Bestway Rent To Own as chief marketing officer, a new position at the 87-store RTO chain.

He most recently worked in sales for Ashley Furniture for 13 years, and previously worked at RTO giants Aaron's and Rent-A-Center during his 29 years in the industry.

"I have known and worked with Kent for over 20 years and I'm certain that his addition will strengthen our company and bring a much needed level of expertise that will reinforce our competitive abilities," said David Kraemer, CEO of Dallas-based Bestway.

Clark will be responsible for areas including sales management, product procurement, public relations, marketing communications, market research and analysis, and customer service.

Source: http://www.furnituretoday.com

Steve's breakdown: People asked why we cover countries like India. The answer is simple. If an account is in review, even if it's on Mars, you all are going to know about it. By the way, if you'd like to see the creative on this account, you can bask in its glory here: http://www.ushainternational.com/tvc.html

DELHI, India: Usha International Ltd has invited agencies for a media pitch. Though there is no official confirmation on this yet, industry sources confirmed that the pitch was Delhi based and that the spends were believed to be similar to the previous media spends, which stood at Rs 24-25 crore.

The presentations are slated to begin in a couple of weeks’ time.

ZenithOptimedia is the incumbent media agency, while McCann Erickson and O&M are the creative agencies on the business.

Usha International Ltd, a Siddharth Shriram Group company, is one of India’s leading consumer durable manufacturing and marketing companies. Usha International has a distribution network spread across the length and breadth of the country with 16 location offices, 60 company showrooms and 33 warehouses.

Source: http://www.exchange4media.com

Steve's breakdown: The word "global" is used 5 times in this press release so I guess that's where they are heading. And when did Woolrich consumers start shooting people as seen in the photo I grabbed from their website. I guess that's what they mean by being more "relevant." It's clear these folks are going to need some brand guidance during this global expansion.

WOOLRICH, PA: Woolrich, the Original Outdoor Clothing Company®, announces the hiring of Brent Hollowell as Marketing Vice President.  Hollowell is the latest in a string of hires in the past year and half by Woolrich, as the company has steadily built its management and support teams and laid the groundwork for its global growth plans.

Hollowell will be responsible for all marketing activities related to the brand and will report directly to Brian Mangione, Executive Vice President.

"Brent is a talented marketer with a proven track record for building global brands," said Mangione.  "His experience with retail, online, and wholesale businesses will be invaluable to all of our business units as we continue to grow."

Hollowell has over 20 years of global branding and marketing experience.  He joins Woolrich from BrandRx Marketing, a consulting and branding firm he founded in 2005. Prior to BrandRx, Hollowell held leadership positions inside a number of successful global companies including 180s, Inc., adidas America, and Foot Locker.  

As VP of Global Marketing at Foot Locker, Hollowell helped develop a number of innovative marketing programs and spearheaded the development of the company's global marketing strategy.  At adidas America, Hollowell led both Marketing Communications and Retail Marketing and was instrumental in helping revitalize and reposition adidas as a performance brand in the US.

"The Woolrich brand is an iconic American institution with a heritage that spans over 180 years. The team is tapping in to the brand's authentic roots and making it relevant to the customer of today, positioning the company for strong global growth," said Hollowell.  "It's an exciting time to be joining Woolrich, and I'm pleased to have the opportunity to help this team write the company's next chapter."

Hollowell will be relocating from Havre de Grace, MD, to Woolrich, PA, with his wife Rebecca and two children.

About Woolrich

Woolrich Inc., the Original Outdoor Clothing Company, is an authentic American brand that embraces an outdoor lifestyle. Trusted since 1830 by generations of loyal consumers, Woolrich continues its tradition of providing quality products for today's outdoor enthusiast. A brand recognized worldwide, Woolrich product offerings include functional, comfortable and durable men's and women's sportswear and outerwear using innovative fabrications for the ultimate in performance capabilities, well-designed home and outdoor living products, and licensed accessory products. In 2010, Woolrich celebrated its 180th Anniversary. It is the original and longest continuously-operating outdoor apparel manufacturer and woolen mill in the United States. Find out more at www.woolrich.com.

SOURCE: Woolrich Inc.

Steve's breakdown: I don't want to put Sam Waterston out of a job but come on. These folks need to sex-up their messaging and hopefully Phil will be the guy to do it. And maybe your agency can be the people who produce it.

OMAHA, NE: TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation today named Phillip A. Bowman (Phil) as the Company’s new chief marketing officer. He will join the Company in the next couple of weeks and will lead its marketing strategy and integrated functions.

Bowman comes with nearly 30 years’ experience marketing some of North America’s most recognized brands, including leadership roles covering everything from branding to direct marketing and client analytics. He most recently served as the senior vice president of corporate marketing for TD Bank Group in Toronto, ON, where he was responsible for the corporate brand, marketing communications and advertising, research and analytics, and integrated customer data and marketing technology, as well as marketing support for the bank’s Wealth Management platform.

Prior to joining TD Bank Group, Bowman held marketing leadership roles with several other notable organizations, including H&R Block, Sprint, Circle K Stores and Pizza Hut Group, which at the time was a division of PepsiCo, Inc. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication from Brigham Young University, as well as a Masters of Business Administration, with an emphasis in Marketing, from the University of Virginia, Darden Graduate School of Business Administration.

AMTD-G

About TD Ameritrade Holding CorporationTD Ameritrade Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: AMTD), through its brokerage ¹ and education ² subsidiaries, combines innovative trading technology, easy-to-use-and-understand trading tools, investment services, investor education and superior client service to create a market-leading financial services experience. Home to Kiplinger’s #1 online broker, ³ the powerful thinkorswim trading technology and the respected Investools investor education program, TD Ameritrade provides millions of retail investors, traders and independent registered investment advisors with the tools, service and support they need to help build confidence in today’s rapidly changing market environment. For more information and resources for journalists, please visit the TD Ameritrade newsroom at www.amtd.com.

Source: TD Ameritrade

Steve's breakdown: Modernista! did some amazing work that the entire advertising community can be proud of but it wasn't enough to save them from closing down. New Business is the life blood of an agency and to ignore it is to let the grim reaper right in the front door. Please read and use The Ratti Report and you will not go down like these folks. RIP

By the way: There are never any accounts left laying around after an agency closes so don't even go there. It's weird, disrespectful and unfruitful so let it go.

BOSTON, MA: Modernista!, which created edgy campaigns for the better part of a decade, officially signs off Friday, victim to what executive creative director Gary Koepke calls "a perfect storm" of broad economic factors and business missteps.

The shop has been winding down in the wake of co-founderLance Jensen’s departure for Hill, Holiday, Connors, Cosmopulos late last year. "To be honest, the decision [to close] was made a couple of months ago," says Koepke, who acknowledged in March he was considering shutting its doors but also suggested he might rebrand it instead.

The rise and fall of the shop reads something like a lesson in the dangers of over reliance on one core client.

Modernista!' work, much of it for GM accounts, fueled the agency's growth from just Jensen and Koepke at its founding in 2000 to about 180 staff in 2008. But the shop suffered crippling blows in 2009 and 2010 when GM sold centerpiece Hummer as the auto industry collapsed, then moved its Cadillac business to Bartle Bogle Hegarty. According to Koepke, Modernista! failed to cut staff quickly enough or aggressively pursue new business to remain profitable. "I think we kept believing that we'd bounce back," he says.

Jensen jumped ship in December, and other departures followed. "I didn't have any advance notice of him leaving," says Koepke, who called the move a "bit of a jolt" but says he doesn't fault his former partner in the least. "I knew that he wasn't happy, but it wasn't like we sat around and planned" the exit.

Modernista’s portfolio also included projects for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, BusinessWeek and Sears. Even less successful campaigns had a tendency to draw attention: In 2009, tech blogs branded spots for Palm "creepy." The agency lost the account in 2010.

Koepke said only about 10 staff remain and that he will wrap up the last of its client work in mid-May, calling the 11-year ride "a great time" and praising the talent he oversaw throughout.

As for his future plans, he wouldn't rule out joining a big shop, but emphasized he'll take some time off before making any moves. "I'll be back."

Source: http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/modernista-shutters-131102

Steve's breakdown: MillerCoors has always been a confusing company when it comes to its marketing. Separate but together, competitors but in bed. But anytime a major player in the brew biz gets a new CEO, there's a possibility for marketing budgets to shift so keep an eye on these folks come June.

CHICAGO, IL: MillerCoors LLC said Wednesday that CEO Leo Kiely plans to retire June 1, and will be replaced by Tom Long, the current president and chief commercial officer of the company.

"Tom is a seasoned and thoughtful business leader perfectly suited to take the reins from Leo and lead the next chapter of growth and development at MillerCoors," Molson Coors chairman Peter H. Coors said in a statement. "A veteran of the U.S. and global beverage business, Tom has over two decades of experience in senior sales, marketing and general management roles."

MillerCoors was created in 2008 as a joint venture between SABMiller and Molson Coors. (Molson Coors had been created in 2005, after a merger between the Adolph Coors Company and Molson Inc.)

Kiely served as CEO of Molson Coors after the 2005 merger, and then became CEO of MillerCoors in 2008, with Long's eventual succession at MillerCoors being part of the plan.

The two men have shared the duties of president and CEO since last September.  

"Tom brings extensive experience to the table having served previously as chief executive officer and chief marketing officer of Miller Brewing Company," SABMiller CEO Graham Mackay said in a statement. "He is a savvy operator with a keen intellect and boundless energy. It is gratifying to see his partnership with Leo produce the kind of orderly and smooth management succession that we envisioned during the integration planning process."

Long joined Miller Brewing Company in 2005 after 17 years at Coca-Cola Co. He eventually served as global vice president and director of strategic marketing and vice president of national sales in the U.S.

"I'm excited to take on the challenge of leading MillerCoors in the next phase of our journey to create America's best beer company," Long said. "I want to thank Leo for his leadership and partnership over the past three years."

Kiely joined Coors Brewing Company as chief operating officer in 1993.

"It's been an honor and privilege to lead the winning team at MillerCoors," Kiely said in a statement. "I could not be more proud of the accomplishments we have made together as a team and I am excited that Tom will now have the opportunity to lead the company as our next CEO. It's the right time for a change, we have a great team, and Tom is the right guy for the top job."

Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com

Steve's breakdown: One of our readers turned us on to this lead. Thanks Todd! Proposals are due May 11, 2011 at 4:00pm.   The entire RFP is here: http://www.wrap.org/rfp.pdf

McLEAN, VA: Statement of needs and deliverables:

With grant funding provided by the District of Columbia Department of Transportation, Maryland Highway Safety Office and Virginia Highway Safety Office, WRAP seeks to obtain the contractual services of expert-level creative, media-buying, public / media relations and or research (either individually or collaboratively) and all related administrative and oversight services requested throughout this RFP.

WRAP estimates that it will spend up to $ 1,600,000 ($ 1.6 million) for the entire duration of the contract (calendar year 2011) of which 25-percent is estimated for creative, public / media relations and research activities. Approximately 75-percent of the contract may be for media placement. For this reason, the annual amount is provided only as an estimate, not as a guarantee.

Working with both WRAP staff and agents of the aforementioned funding entities, the Contractor/s is expected to provide the following services and deliverables (predicated on an estimated five-month public awareness campaign from August to December 2011):

 Creative:

 Media-Buying:

 Public / Media Relations:

 Research:

Produce multi-media creative (radio / TV / outdoor / social media / etc.) for five-month media-buy for regional Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign. Key abilities include demonstrated ability to foster measurable behavioral change and or support as well as increased perception of arrest for impaired driving in region.

Purchase multi-media (radio / TV / outdoor / social media / etc.) for five-month media-buy for regional Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign. Key abilities include leveraging media-buy resulting in considerable and measurable additional media value as well as the demonstrated ability to foster measurable behavioral change and or support as well as increased perception of arrest for impaired driving in region.

Secure earned media placement in support of the region- al Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign and its goals both at staged kick-off events as well as throughout campaign length; co-management and oversight of ad production, creative and placement; and monitoring and reporting of overall campaign. Key abilities include maximizing earned media opportunities surrounding Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign’s law enforcement and paid advertising components as well as the demonstrated ability to foster measurable behavioral change and or support as well as increased perception of arrest for impaired driving in region.

Conduct region-wide pre and post-campaign public opin- on and attitude research to measure campaign’s impact, people’s familiarity with campaign and or its messages, public support of sobriety checkpoints, public acceptance of sobriety checkpoints, sobriety checkpoints as a tool to fight drunk driving and or deterrence of drunk driving due to sobriety checkpoints especially by targeted high risk population.

Source: http://www.wrap.org/rfp.pdf

Steve's breakdown: Our friends at O'Dwyer's posted this story but they got it a little mixed up. No worries, The Ratti Report has the real deal on this account review. Interested parties should call the number below for additional details and the RFP document.

MIAMI BEACH, FL: Miami Beach Visitors and Convention Authority seeks destination marketing, PR and communications consulting services.

Pre-RFP submission conference is scheduled for 10:00AM on Friday, April 29, 2011 at: 777 17th Street, Suite 402A, Miami Beach, FL, 33139

Phone: (305) 673‐7050

Proposals are due at the same address no later than Monday, May 16, 2011

The Scope of services sought:

The Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority (MBVCA) is requesting qualifications from responsible vendors to meet its Public Relations/Marketing needs. The MBVCA seeks full‐time representation to execute a comprehensive destination marketing and promotional campaign.

1. Development and implementation of Annual Media Outreach Plan a. Deliverables:

a) Develop media outreach plan for niche markets (core initiatives) identified by the MBVCA (in‐market/out market) each year (2‐3 core/target initiatives each year)

b. Identify key/specific media audiences for each core/target initiative c. Create and use media lists, including local, regional, national and international markets, for

targeted stories/initiatives d. Identify and implement appropriate medium to reach the key/specific audiences and the media

outlets with vile stories 1. Develop media outreach plan to promote MBVCA/City of Miami Beach

stories/events 2. Draft and pitch X creative story ideas, news releases on trends, awards, accolades and event participation

(monthly) 3. Develop and publicize X event success, grant and support opportunities 4. Create and maintain image library for MBVCA and specific MBVCA sponsored events and media 5. Systematize outreach to event and media publications worldwide to publicize event successes and

opportunities 6. Implement and manage Social Media strategy – as appropriate

a) Blog development and blogger relations b)Website management c) Search engine optimization d) Twitter/Facebook/Flickr/Scrbd/YouTube e) Apps

7. Development and implementation of in‐market and out‐market PR/marketing plan for niche markets/core initiatives

a. Conceptualize, develop budget and manage the implementation of initiatives targeting niche markets in‐market

b. Focus on under‐advertised and under marketed experiences that meet standards for marketing

c. Conceptualize, develop budget and manage the implementation of initiatives targeting niche markets out‐market (e.g. South by Southwest, Aspen Food and Wine, LGBT, etc.)

8. Development and implementation of a comprehensive plan geared toward event producers/trade, with the goal of attracting high revenue generating events

a. First, identify potential events; then develop an outreach plan with mechanisms to recruit successful worldwide major events to Miami Beach.

b. Publicize award opportunities broadly and globally c. Develop and reach out to a global contact list d. Identify Award opportunities (for MBVCA/CMB) worldwide

9. Review and coordinate messaging with the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) and CMB

10. The agency shall research, develop and implement a strategic public relations program of work for the fiscal year, with input from the MBVCA Board, MBVCA Executive Director and representatives from the City’s tourism partners. This plan shall be drafted by the agency by the end of the first month of the contract term.

11. Research and develop a target media list that matches the City of Miami Beach’s tourism marketing needs, and apply this target‐list to the development of the media outreach programs during the contract term. A draft of this list shall be due no later than by the end of the first month of the contract term.

12. Consult the MBVCA Executive Director on developing annual public relations strategies, which includes,event planning, cultural initiatives, and ongoing public relations issues/trends

13. Provide the Executive Director with reports each month on activities and programs. (Note:The format for the monthly client reports should mirror the Scope of Services as outlined above.)

Source: City of Miami Beach

Steve's breakdown: Don't you love it when a prospective client tells you exactly what to pitch them!?! These guys did: "internet based advertising, content marketing, traditional and non-traditional public relations, podcasts and cutting edge social-media initiatives." It's anybody's guess what cutting edge social-media is . . . 

HOUSTON, TX: Pura Vida Tequila Company, LLC, announced today that it has hired Christopher Novosad as its Chief Marketing Officer. In this role he will be responsible for enhancing Pura Vida's brand and broadening its reach and awareness.

Novosad, a graduate of the University of Texas, will support the lead generation of the sales team and Pura Vida Tequila branding through internet based advertising, content marketing, traditional and non-traditional public relations, podcasts and cutting edge social-media initiatives.  "I'm pleased to announce Christopher's addition to our team.  He has tremendous experience working for a variety of internationally recognized public and non-profit organizations. He has developed an extremely targeted approach to marketing that will be a huge asset to Pura Vida Tequila Company," explained Stewart Skloss, founder and Chairman of the Mexican-based tequila company.

Previously to this appointment, Christopher worked at the world renowned Houston Grand Opera as the company's Director of Public Relations.  During his tenure he created, managed and executed the organization's highly-successful social media campaign, extended the organization's national and international publicity reach, and created aggressive audience development campaigns.  In San Antonio, Texas he held the position of Talent Promotions and Marketing Director for Sunset Station - a multi-purpose special events space and Live Nation/House of Blues Concert venue - where he oversaw, booked, managed and promoted large national concerts in a 3000 capacity venue.   He has also served as the Event and Marketing Director for the historic Carver Cultural Center, in San Antonio, Texas, more than doubling its annual subscriber base and executing highly-effective fundraising campaigns.

Pura Vida Tequila is currently being introduced in the Texas market for 2011 with a line of ultra-premium tequilas that currently consists of three labels: Silver, Gold and Anejo. An Extra-Anejo label will be released in the 4th Quarter of this year. With the company's sales through the first quarter of 2011 at 396% of projections, Pura Vida will extend its market into California in 2012. The company's aggressive stance in the U.S. market, introducing the only ultra-premium tequila at under $30, is proving to be a great success and a great foundation from which Christopher will build one of the world's most exciting marketing platforms to support the success of Pura Vida.

SOURCE Pura Vida Tequila Company, LLC

Steve's breakdown: The company’s flagship product is a purpose-built database for unstructured information. Sounds like the left side of a giant brain. I suspect they could use some right brain thinking to creatively market their products.

SAN CARLOS, CA: MarkLogic Corporation, the company revolutionizing the way organizations leverage unstructured information, today announced that Joe Dalton has joined the company as Chief Marketing Officer. Dalton will oversee the overall marketing strategy for the company including product strategy, product management, solutions marketing, developer and education programs, as well as corporate and field marketing. Dalton has more than 25 years of sales, marketing, and entrepreneurial expertise at leading technology companies.

“We are excited to have Joe Dalton join MarkLogic as we solidify our lead as the software to solve unstructured information and big data challenges,” said Ken Bado, president and CEO, MarkLogic. “Joe brings a unique perspective to this newly created position at MarkLogic and will be key in driving our strategic marketing initiatives and future growth. Joe has valuable insight, industry expertise, and a proven track record as a marketing leader. We are delighted to have Joe on board and believe that his experience will enable us to build an even stronger connection with our customers, partners, developers, and students who we engage in using MarkLogic.”

Dalton joins MarkLogic from Perception Software, a company he founded in 2005, and successfully led to provide engineering productivity solutions to engineering and manufacturing companies worldwide. Prior to Perception, Dalton was the general manager of the data management group at Mentor Graphics where he managed teams across the US, Germany, and Japan. Previously, Joe was vice president of marketing at Innoveda where he managed corporate, product, and field marketing, as well as led the business development team. Innoveda was acquired by Mentor Graphics in 2002.

“I am excited to be joining the MarkLogic team at a time of tremendous growth for the company,” said Dalton. “If organizations have unstructured information or big data issues, they need to think MarkLogic. My job will be to ensure this happens.”

Dalton holds a BA degree in Economics, a BS degree in Engineering, and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

About MarkLogic Corporation

MarkLogic is revolutionizing the way organizations leverage information. The company’s flagship product is a purpose-built database for unstructured information. Customers in industries including media, government and financial services use MarkLogic to develop and deploy information applications at a fraction of the time and cost as compared to conventional technologies such as relational databases and search engines.

MarkLogic is headquartered in Silicon Valley with field offices in Austin, Boston, Frankfurt, London, New York, and Washington DC. The company is privately held with investors Sequoia Capital and Tenaya Capital. For more information or to download a trial version, please go to www.marklogic.com.

Source: http://www.sys-con.com/

Steve's breakdown: Is it possible VW is trying to grow some balls? First they took what was considered a "Chick Car" with its traditional VW flower vase and turning it into a "200-hp, turbocharged engine with Fender™ Premium Audio System" mobile. Now they want to flex their American marketing muscle around the globe to show people what's what. This could get interesting and if you can get in on the fun, all the better.

AUBURN HILLS, MI: Volkswagen of America has appointed Timothy Mahoney as the new chief product and marketing officer for the Volkswagen brand.

Mahoney will directly report to Jonathan Browning, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America and president of the Volkswagen America brand.

In his new role, Mahoney will be responsible for aligning the strategic direction of the brand's product planning and promotional efforts in the US.

He comes to Volkswagen from Subaru of America where he served as the senior vice president and chief marketing officer for the past five years.

Mahoney also served as vice president of marketing for Porsche Cars North America and as general manager of marketing from 1999 to 2006. From 1984 through 1999, he served in a variety of increasingly responsible marketing positions at Subaru of America, as well.

Rainer Michel, vice president of product marketing and strategy and Tim Ellis, vice president of marketing for VW of America will report to Mahoney.

Browning said Mahoney brings a lot of automotive experience which will help in aligning future product plans with market needs and brand positioning.

"It's a strength that will serve us well as we build the product portfolio to reach our goals here in the US," Browning said.

"As we operate in an increasingly global media environment, Ellis will also be engaged in additional project coordination responsibilities that leverage the strengths of the US marketing organization across our international markets."

Source: http://manufacturing.automotive-business-review.com

Steve's breakdown: Everything is on the table at Ladbrokes. Darts, horses, black jack and poker all are fair game. And they love below-the-line marketing so if that's your bag, get in there.

HARROW, London, UK: Ladbrokes, the bookmaker, is holding a review of its digital and direct marketing activity and has contacted a number of agencies with a request for information as it looks to boost its below-the-line offering.

In the past, Ladbrokes has used a number of agencies to handle its digital and DM activity, including Archibald Ingall Stretton, Gyro International and Play London.

Its incumbent advertising shop, M&C Saatchi, has also created some below-the-line work for the brand.

Ladbrokes is thought to be looking for a retained agency to help it to step up its digital, social media and direct marketing communications, with a major emphasis being put on its use of data and CRM.

Ladbrokes, which has more than 2,500 shops in the UK, has faced increased pressure to its market share in recent years following the emergence of a number of online-only betting companies, such as Bet365 and Betfair.

A number of other bookmakers have also reviewed their marketing activity over the past year, including William Hill, which appointed Beattie McGuinness Bungay to its advertising account in January.

Last year the majority of Ladbrokes’ advertising activity focused on the World Cup. The bookmaker introduced the new slogan "Got the Feeling? Get to Ladbrokes", and rolled-out a £5 million TV and press campaign featuring ex-footballers Ian Wright and Chris Kamara.

Ladbrokes has also recently launched "Sports Bet", a new iPhone app that allows customers to bet safely from their mobile phones.

Source: http://www.campaignlive.co.uk

Steve's breakdown: Gotta love it when an ex-CMO becomes a CEO. Especially when a company needs to find it's brand essence. For example, their website works but it has the style of a Penn Station bathroom. No doubt they will be looking for some creative help so get in there.

GOLDEN, CO: ServiceMagic, an operating business of IAC announced today thatChris Terrill has been appointed CEO of ServiceMagic, Inc. Craig Smith has been named President of ServiceMagic and CEO of ServiceMagic International. ServiceMagic co-founders Rodney Rice and Michael Beaudoin will continue to serve as Co-Chairmen of ServiceMagic.

Mr. Terrill previously served as the Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President of Ecommerce at Nutrisystem.com.  As CEO of ServiceMagic he will be responsible for developing and implementing the company's strategic growth initiatives and overseeing all day-to-day operations for the domestic business.

"As ServiceMagic continues to grow, we are going to increase our focus on building the brand and driving product innovation through an increasingly social and mobile centric lens. Additionally, through the right leadership, we are going to increase our international growth in the coming years," said Rodney Rice, co-founder of ServiceMagic.  "We are very excited to have Chris joining the team. He not only has the strong brand marketing experience we need, but he also has a track record of driving product innovation, which will make him a great asset for ServiceMagic's next phase of development.  With the addition of Chris, we're also excited to gain Craig's leadership over our international growth as it is a perfect fit given the depth and breadth of his knowledge of the ServiceMagic business."

"ServiceMagic has a dominant position in the growing local services space, reaching over 5 million consumers per year and having built a network of over 85,000 local service businesses. The value proposition is incredibly strong for both consumer and service professional," said Terrill.  "I am excited to work with the incredible team at ServiceMagic to propel the business into its next phase of growth and product innovation."

Craig Smith has been with ServiceMagic since 2000, most recently serving as CEO of ServiceMagic's domestic business.  With Mr. Terrill's arrival, Craig will take on the role of CEO of ServiceMagic International and be responsible for driving strategy and operations in ServiceMagic's existing international markets, the UK and France, while seeking out new markets abroad.  Craig will also be assuming the role of President for ServiceMagic domestically and manage ServiceMagic's domestic sales and operations.

While at Nutrisystem.com, Terrill was responsible for all Marketing and Ecommerce for the $500M+  revenue company and leader in the direct to consumer weight management space. Prior to this, Terrill served as the SVP of Ecommerce for Nutrisystem.com.  Before joining Nutrisystem.com Terrill ran the Marketing and Product teams for Blockbuster Inc.'s online unit. Prior to this, Terrill served as a VP at Match.com, also an IAC business, where he developed and launched new online brands, including Chemistry.com.

About IAC

IAC operates more than 50 leading and diversified Internet businesses across 30 countries... our mission is to harness the power of interactivity to make daily life easier and more productive for people all over the world. To view a full list of the companies of IAC please visit our website at www.iac.com.

About ServiceMagic®, Inc

ServiceMagic is the nation's leading website connecting consumers with prescreened, customer-rated service professionals. Headquartered in Golden, Colorado, ServiceMagic was recently named Colorado Technology Company of the Year and draws nearly four million unique visitors to its website each month. ServiceMagic is an operating business of IAC.

SOURCE IAC

Steve's breakdown: We could not believe our eyes but the new AdWeek has moved away from covering New Business News to concentrate on "people who buy media space and people who are trying to sell media space." Their tag line is "The Voice of Media."

It might be a good move for them but not good news for the New Business community. Who's their voice? Who's got their back?

The obvious answer: The Ratti Report. We only cover New Business News and are 100% committed to the people in our community.

Above you can see the inaugural AdWeek issue complete with typo and below is an interview with AdWeek's editor by New York Magazine. See for yourself.

NEW YORK, NY: This morning, the inaugural edition of the new Adweek — which emerged partially from the ashes of the recently shuttered Brandweek and Mediaweek — hit desks all over the city. It is heavier, glossier, more colorful, and packed with ads. Michael Wolff, the trade's editor and the architect of the change, spoke with us about the changes.

My first thought when I was looking at it is, who is your audience for this new print edition? 
It continues to be its core audience, and its core audience is essentially buyers and sellers. So, people who buy media space and people who are trying to sell media space. It's really expanding the idea of who should be concerned with selling media and buying media. So that's the technology community, obviously. In a sense that's the big play — those are the people that I want.

I assume with the new website, that's the same goal? 
The website becomes even a more broad play. There are really three categories: It's the professional audience, it's the chattering class audience ... anybody with an obsessive interest in media, that's in itself a fairly large audience.

Do you think so? The audience obsessively interested in media is big?
I think it's big. I don't think it's a massive market audience. But I think there are lots of people who see media the way a lot of people see politics. There's a crossover even in those two areas. Everybody wants to know a backstory — and the media is the backstory. And then the third category is the search engine audience.

Talk to me about the inception of the idea for this kind of revamp. How much of it came from [Prometheus Global Media boss] Richard Beckman, how much of it was you? 
Clearly, Richard called me up and wanted something new, for a lot of reasons. The trade-magazine model doesn't really work anymore. While Adweek still continues to be remarkably profitable, it is less profitable now than it was five years ago, and five years before that. So the question was: How do you take a trade magazine and how do you position it for growth? My answer was Politico. I thought that was especially congenial to Adweek because, number one, there was already a magazine in place that worked. If you took the magazine and made it more attractive, appealing, better reporting, then you would solidify that base, and then have the opportunity to build out the digital side.

It's funny you say attractive: It was not lost on me that you put a bra on the cover of your first new issue. 
And it should not have been lost on you.

Sexy business is a brand that's been tried before as a brand, not always successfully. Why do you think it will be a winning strategy this time? 
First thing is, it's already a winning one. We are in the luxurious position of having a business that is already very profitable. And now we will give our customers a better product. A better product costs more money. So will you be able to amortize that cost over with some growth? But we think it's a pretty conservative move. In other words, good business, offer a better product, which will then expand the business.

What's going to happen to the content that was in Brandweek and Mediaweek? 
It's going to merge into this business. Over the last number of years that content has been more and more the same. These magazines really had no reason at all to exist separately. Except inertia. It makes more sense to cover them together than it does separately.

Talk to me about the design and the layout. You had Luke Hayman redo it. It's very colorful, obviously, and has a sort of Guardian-type feel to it. What did you want it to look like? 
I think that's it. I wanted it to be highly readable, compelling, and fun. I mean this is a business not inconsiderably about design. So I'm trying to create something in which form has something to do with content.

In your "Editor's Letter" you started out by saying, "Welcome to the new Adweek — not your father’s trade magazine." Is there such a thing as "your children's trade magazine"? You said just before that the trade-magazine model doesn't work. 
Again, I would go back to Politico. Trade magazines are built on the notion of exclusive information. It was usually relatively low-quality information because there was nowhere else you could get it. Nobody really had to try too hard. There are a zillion verticals about the media business now. So, how do you stand out? How do you create an information source which can compete?

A lot of your "Editor's Letter" was looking forward, but there were flares of the old school. You referred to your journalism as Tolstoy-like. And you closed with going to lunch. Is going to lunch at Michael's still the model? 
Well, I don't go to lunch at Michael's because we don't speak. And I don't like them and they don't like me. But! One does still have to have lunch.

Right. But it did seem like a reference to older days of advertising and media. 
Our cover story is about these new kind of shops that are opening outside of Manhattan. That's part of one of our significant themes. At the same time, most of the money is still in Manhattan and most of the money is still going to lunch somewhere. Ultimately, the guys in Brooklyn are going to have to go to lunch — the culture is not overthrown in a day. And aspects of the culture are never overthrown. Do what you will, you have to eat lunch. It's a curious thing and curious metaphor — because the people who don't eat lunch actually are the technology people or they have those crummy little lunches in their horrifying and hermetic cafeterias. One of the things I would suggest is that, if they're going to grow their businesses, if they are going to build advertising businesses and strong revenue streams, which are dependent on the marketing industry, then they better get themselves out to lunch.

I enjoyed the column about Arianna — although taking on Arianna in your first issue ... 
I would say we didn't take her on. I would say it was a celebration of Arianna.

She is described as a courtesan a couple of times. 
That's not necessarily bad, especially if you're a successful courtesan.

The book is pretty heavy with ads. What is the change in terms of ad sales for you guys? Do you have more ads in the book because of this? 
Oh, definitely.

Can you compare? 
I can't. I can tell you this is the biggest Adweek that has ever published.

When I originally heard about this, I heard, "Oh, they're doing an Hollywood Reporter-type change." What do you think of that comparison? 
I don't think it's true. What we are is what I've been calling a business vertical. We're not a consumer book, we're a business publication. You sort of can say that the problem with trade publishing is that it was too niche and the problem with business journalism is that it's too broad. If you're in the media business you don't necessarily want to read about the oil business. So what we've tried to do is to create a business vertical. Our stuff ought to be as smart as the smartest business publications, but it's about the media business.

Source: http://nymag.com

Steve's breakdown: This new CEO does one thing with restaurants, he expands them. And to do that, an expanded advertising plan is always in the mix. Sprinkle in that they are a LA favorite and you've got a recipe for a new client.

LOS ANGELES: The Veggie Grill, an innovative, fast-casual restaurant chain serving delicious, plant-based, comfort food today announced that industry veteran Greg Dollarhyde will be leading the company as Chief Executive Officer and making a substantial equity investment. Dollarhyde will be joining co-founders Kevin Boylan and T.K. Pillan as they continue to build the progressive company towards a rapid-growth future. He will also continue in his role as a member of the board of directors.

“Veggie Grill is one of the best new concepts on the restaurant horizon. Kevin, Pillan and food expert Ray White have done a masterful job reshaping American comfort food with their forward-thinking, wholesome, good-for-the-planet concept,” said Greg Dollarhyde, CEO of Veggie Grill. “It’s a true winner.”

As CEO and/or Chairman of six different restaurant companies over the last 20 years, Dollarhyde has built a reputation as someone who takes restaurant concepts from regional success to national footprint with his experience and drive. As CEO of Baja Fresh from 1998 to 2003, Dollarhyde led the fast-casual, fresh Mexican grill from 30 locations to over 250 before it was snapped up by Wendy’s International for $275 million. Just prior to joining Veggie Grill, Greg was CEO and chairman of Southeast-based Zoes Kitchen, a Mediterranean inspired concept that he took from 19 to 45 locations in two and a half years.

“We’re passionate about the concept of Veggie Grill — indulgent food you can feel good about,” said co-founder Kevin Boylan. “We’re looking forward to Greg bringing his seasoned skills and years of broad restaurant success to our vision.”

Pillan, co-founder and brand architect added, “It’s great to have Greg on board. His leadership, talent and passionate dedication to building strong restaurant management teams will be a dynamic asset to Veggie Grill.”

Veggie Grill was founded in 2006 by Kevin Boylan and T.K. Pillan and now has six restaurants located in Southern California. An innovative, fast-casual restaurant chain serving delicious, plant-based menu items, Veggie Grill is redefining the way people eat, talk, and think about comfort food. By offering a wide selection of hearty and flavorful options served in a modern and upbeat setting, Veggie Grill appeals to a broad consumer base and has plans for rapid expansion.

Source: http://www.restaurantnews.com

Steve's breakdown: Here are two brands that could use some focus. I know that may be a "product" issue but the right media could really help

SARONNO, Italy: The Italian spirits company Illva Saronno is reviewing the $33 million global media planning and buying for its Tia Maria and Disaronno brands.

Both brands are handled in Europe by MEC, which picked up Tia Maria without a pitch in October 2009, shortly after it was sold by Pernod Ricard to Illva Saronno in a debt-reduction process.

Tia Maria was handled by Vizeum, which looks after Pernod Ricard’s consolidated media account in the UK.

Both Tia Maria and Disaronno focus their marketing activity around Christmas or Valentine’s Day. In November 2010, Tia Maria ran a global TV campaign targeting "out-of-home" drinkers. The spot, by Harriman Steel, focused on the mix of Tia Maria and cranberry juice called Tia Breeze. Directed by Zoe Cassavetes, the ad showed a masked woman in a bar ordering a Tia Breeze.

Disaronno, meanwhile, has run experiential events alongside TV campaigns – most notably a spot that featured a barman staring at an ice-cube-licking customer that was subsequently parodied online.

Illva Saronno is owned by the Reina family and the review is being run out of Italy.

MEC did not return calls.

Source: http://www.campaignlive.co.uk

Steve's breakdown: Here's an account that's a hot potato but when business is in review anywhere on the globe, we here at The Ratti Report will pass it along no matter how insane it is. Cheers!

BRUSSELS, Belgium: Former Libyan foreign minister Moussa Koussa is seeking to hire a European PR firm after defecting to the UK. Bahrain authorities already have lots of friends in the EU and US, while Syria's ruling family scored two recent PR coups.

An agent acting for Koussa in recent days approached Lord Bell, the man behind Chime Communications and Bell Pottinger Communications, with an offer of work, Bell told EUobserver from London on Wednesday (6 April).

Bell turned him down but declined to reveal the identity of the agent or the nature of the offer. He said that Koussa "should immediately stand trial" for his alleged involvement in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, adding "there should be no deal with the British government."

The British authorities have refused to give Koussa legal immunity in return for information on Gaddafi.

But the US on Monday unfroze his financial assets to encourage more defections. UK foreign minister William Hague said on Tuesday he will speak with EU contacts about "the merits of removing the [EU] restrictions."

Bell was unapologetic about his well-known work for Bahrain despite its recent sectarian killings.

Bahrain's ruling Sunni Muslim clan, according to human rights groups, last month gunned down 23 Shia protesters and is continuing to arrest opposition activists.

Bell Pottinger Communications has an office in Manama and a contract with the Bahrain Economic Development Board. In 2010 it also helped US firm Qorvis Communications land a deal with the Bahraini government for "public relations advice and consultation in the United States."

"Bahrain has made more reforms toward democracy than any other country in the Middle East. Did you know they have a parliament, and women in parliament? That their ambassador in the US is a Jew?" Bell said.

With France at the forefront of EU intervention in the region, Bahrain also has friends in high places in Paris.

Bahrain's head of intelligence, Khalifa bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa, on 14 July 2009 attended a garden party at the Elysee Palace together with Alain Bauer - the head of the French PR firm AB Associates, a top-level advisor on criminology to the French government and a former grand master of the masonic lodge, the Grand Orient de France.

Bauer told EUobserver that he is currently suing a French publication for reporting that AB Associates works for Bahrain. He also denied making Elysee introductions for the intelligence chief.

"I have numerous friends in the world that I have dinner with," he said of Al-Khalifa. "If I am seen walking down the street with Carla Bruni [the French first lady], it doesn't mean that I am working for her."

For her part, Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad a few weeks before the Syrian death toll began to mount, appeared in fashion magazine Vogue, prompting one MEP to wonder if it was due to the work of a PR firm.

"It's a medieval dictatorship with Western PR firms to portray it in glossy magazines as a modern government," German Liberal deputy Alexander Graf Lambsdorff said in a debate in Strasbourg on Wednesday.

The Vogue journalist noted that Asma al-Assad's "head minder" is a "high-profile American PR." The article showed a picture of her and her husband, President Bashar al-Assad, in jeans playing with their children. It spoke of a lunch with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and quoted the president joking about his security service, the al-Mukhabarat.

"Brad Pitt wanted to send his security guards to come here and get some training," Bashar al-Assad told Vogue.

On 31 January Bashar al-Assad also gave a high-profile interview to the Wall Street Journal in which he portrayed himself as a "reformer."

Senior EU and US officials in off-the-record briefings with EUobserver in both the pre- and post-Syria crackdown period have spoken of Bashar al-Assad as a "reformer" and noted his Western education as a positive quality.

Three NGOs in the European Commission's lobby register have declared links with Syria: the Association of Organisations of Mediterranean Businesswomen, the Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development and the Terres des Hommes.

The US lobbyist register says the last time Syria used a PR firm in Washington was 1994.

Source: http://euobserver.com

Steve's breakdown: These annual reviews usually make me sceptical but since they just made a change last November, there might more account shifting. Go for it!

MUMBAI, India: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) has kicked off the process of its annual advertising review. BPCL empanels a host of three to four creative agencies on its roster. The present set comprises Saatchi & Saatchi, Lowe Lintas, and Euro RSCG. In November last year, BPCL added Scarecrow Communication to the list too.

Industry sources peg BPCL ad spends in the vicinity of Rs 20 crore. Sources close to the development informed that the first round of presentations began on April 15, 2011.

It is understood that the pitch is for creative agencies. The media agency on the business is Lintas Media Group.

The agency re-empanelment happens every year through tender submission following a round of creative presentations.

BPCL is the first refinery to process newly found indigenous crude oil in the country. To give a background, in 1976, the Burmah Shell Group of Companies was taken over by the Government of India to form Bharat Refineries Limited, which was renamed Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited in 1977. Being one of the key players, BPCL has played a substantial role in structuring the petroleum category of the country.

Source: http://www.exchange4media.com