Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.ads From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: ads Mon, Jul 13 1992 Date: Mon, 13 Jul 92 05:08:08 EDT Message-ID: 07-13 0000 DECISIONLINE: Advertising USA TODAY Update July 13, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network MAGAZINE AD PAGES INCREASE: Magazine ad pages rose 6.7% last month vs. June 1991, the third straight monthly increase. But pages were up just 1.6% January through June from a year earlier, says the Publishers Information Bureau. "There hasn't been a higher monthly page gain since" February '88, says James Guthrie of Magazine Publishers of America. "We're still up against double-digit declines from a year ago." MAGIC-PEPSI TIE TICKS OFF COKE: Magic Johnson is back on the air for Pepsi-Cola - and Coke is furious. Pepsi will air an ad starring Johnson Tuesday during baseball's All-Star Game. It's his first national ad for Pepsi since he announced in November that he is HIV-positive. But the ad airs less than two weeks before Johnson plays in the Olympics, and that has the U.S. Olympic Committee and sponsor Coca-Cola upset. (For more, see special Magic package below.) DEAN MARKETING RULING DUE: A ruling is expected this week in a Los Angeles civil court battle over the marketing of the late James Dean's name and face. Warner Bros. claims it owns the rights since it signed the actor in 1954. Defendants in the case, including relatives and licensing agents Curtis Management Group, argue that Dean's contract with the film maker expired when he died in a Sept. 30, 1955 car crash. WARNER SAYS IT'S BEEN DEFRAUDED: In a civil court battle over the marketing of the late James Dean's name and face, Warner Bros. says it has been defrauded of at least $30 million since 1984 from memorabilia sales. Most at risk, says attorney Bill Wegner, is Dean's 86-year-old father, Winton Dean, an Alzheimer's patient whose nursing home bills are paid by memorabilia receipts. WEAK DEBUT COULD STING RATINGS: The new weekend editions of NBC's "Today" show are dropping the Saturday and Sunday in their titles, to the consternation of some at weekday "Today." Weekend and daily editions of "Today" have always been separate operations. Some fear a less-than-successful debut by the new Saturday show Aug. 1 could hurt the ratings of the Katie Couric:Bryant Gumbel "Today." WISK REVAMPED, GETS CAMPAIGN: Lever Bros. is revamping its Wisk liquid detergent for the first time in the detergent's 35 year history, and the renovation comes with an estimated $20 million campaign this summer. J. Walter Thompson USA, New York, will handle the campaign. Lever claims the new Wisk breaks up oil and dirt better than other products, and will use 15- and 30-second commercials to support the claim. NEW SHADES GET AD MONEY: Procter & Gamble's Cover Girl has announced that its range of cosmetics shades for darker skins is being increased under the umbrella name Women of All Color, according to Advertising Age. The expanded shade range will be supported by an incremental $5 million in advertising. Grey Advertising is Cover Girl's agency of record. CARSON SIGNS NBC CONTRACT: Johnny Carson has signed an exclusive, multiyear contract with NBC to star in and or:develop programs despite all those sarcastic references to GE:NBC as "the network with a heart" during his final months as "The Tonight Show" host. NBC Entertainment President Warren Littlefield wouldn't shed light on the pact except to say that it's up to Carson to decide what he wants to do. `L.A. LAW' TO `LIGHTEN UP': John Masius and John Tinker, the "St. Elsewhere" writer-producers taking over the helm of "L.A. Law," pledge "to lighten the tone up" next season while refocusing the action on old-timers. A Martinez joins the cast in the season opener, but no other newcomers will arrive until a female litigator joins the cast in the fifth episode. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON MAGIC: AD SHOWS SUPPORT FOR MAGIC: An ad for Pepsi with Magic Johnson is subtle and upbeat. It cuts between Johnson shooting hoops and scores of supporters - Little Leaguers and the like - shouting, "Go, Magic!" Voice-over: "From all of us at Pepsi to our friend and partner Earvin Johnson: Go get 'em, Magic." The ad doesn't mention the Olympics, in which Johnson will play. But Coca-Cola thinks the timing isn't coincidental. USOC HAS PROTESTED TIMING: Coca-Cola, which spent $33 million to be a worldwide Olympics sponsor, says the ad "is capitalizing on the fact that Magic is playing on the Olympics team," says Coke's Randy Donaldson. "You think the timing, a week before the Games, is coincidental?" USOC marketing chief John Krimsky Jr. says he's protested the timing to Pepsico Chairman Wayne Calloway. AD CAN'T AIR DURING GAMES: "If they play that ad during the Olympic games, they are in violation of IOC rules," says the USOC's John Krimsky Jr. He hints he could become "far more pointed and critical of Pepsi." Pepsi can't buy network ad time on NBC during the Olympics because Coke is the exclusive soft-drink sponsor. But Pepsi could buy time on NBC affiliates or other networks. (End of package.) Advertising Editor: Beth Mann. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM