Features

Spring Breakaway

Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Amy Johannes

BRACE YOURSELF. Spring Break, that annual college rite, is about to start. But it will be more than the beer-soaked party of legend. For one thing, more...

Hello, Old Friend

Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Patricia Odell

Looking for the Next Big Thing? Here's something you might not have thought of. Direct mail. Yes, old-fashioned snail mail. It is the only targeted medium...

Front-Wheel Drive

Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Amy Johannes

Maybe singing in a Volkswagen Beetle isn't your idea of a good time. But thousands of people have tried it, and more are likely to when the auto show...

Smoke-Free Zone

Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Betsy Spethmann

Thano Chaltas has done some daring things during his first year as vice president of marketing at U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. For one, he handed the firm's...

PROMO Players

How Would You Do?

Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Betsy Spethmann

Starting this month, Wal-Mart is keeping score. And yes, size and shape matter. ...

Free Beer

Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Patricia Odell

California beer drinkers are in for a treat. A new state law, allowing beer sampling in restaurants, took effect on Jan. 1. And brewers are rushing to...

Play Money

Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Patricia Odell

Forget cash. Gift cards are fast replacing dollars in rebate promotions. For starters, they must be used in the store, whereas cash can be spent anywhere....

Pet Friendly

Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Betsy Spethmann

Pet owners love their pets and the retail stores know it. But PetSmart and Petco have two very different strategies for building customer loyalty and...

Star Power

Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Amy Johannes

McDonald's likes to make stars out of ordinary people. On its bags and cups, it will soon feature a school bus driver and a kid who loves swimming. It...

Super Bowl Wannabes

Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Amy Johannes

Don't have the millions it takes to buy a Super Bowl spot or a tie-in to the Big Game? No worries. A little creative copywriting can do the trick. Non-sponsors...

Fantasy Basketball

Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Patricia Odell

Here's a marketing challenge for you: Get cell phones, basketball and college into a single promotion. Alltel Wireless has found a way with a sweepstakes...

Direct Mail Buffoonery

Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Lois K. Geller

Many things can go wrong in a direct mailing. Here are some tips for making sure yours goes smoothly. Avoid Holidays Don't launch your program on a big...

BOOK EXCERPT: What Saturn Did Right

Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Charles Hughes And William Jeanes

A different kind of company, a different kind of car, was Saturn's original advertising slogan. And Saturn was a resounding success. Why? Because as the...

Opinions

Media Mash

Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Tom Hansen

For years, promotions and branding were separate nations. Promotional campaigns were developed by agencies working separately from those responsible for...

From Gas to Gasbags

Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Betsy Spethmann

It seems pretty obvious now that YouTube got its start at the gas pump. What were marketers thinking? They should have realized that the minute they pressed...

Editor's Note

Spring is in the Air

Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Patricia Odell

The consumer is in control. We've all heard that saying hundreds of times by now, but no place is that more obvious than Spring Break. Marketers have...

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