Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.ads,americast.usa-today.ads From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: ads Mon, Nov 2 1992 Date: Mon, 2 Nov 92 04:47:35 EST Message-ID: Lines: 122 11-02 0000 DECISIONLINE: Advertising USA TODAY Update Nov. 2, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network SEARS TRIES TO REGAIN STATUS: Sears is battling to win back its status as the place where America shops. Arthur Martinez, head of Sears stores, says current advertising tends to focus on specific items and prices. A new television campaign will be more image-oriented. "We need to communicate the whole story of what Sears has to offer," says Martinez. In short, they will try to lose the old-fashioned image. (For more, see special Sears package below.) ANTI-ABORTION AD REJECTED: A U.S. Supreme Court justice Sunday allowed an Atlanta TV station to reject airing on Sunday afternoon a graphic ad by an abortion opponent who is running for Congress. The half-hour ad for Republican Daniel Becker depicts abortions being performed, including crushing of a fetus' skull. Atlanta federal Judge Robert Hall granted a request Friday from WAGA-TV to delay broadcasting. JUSTICE GOES AGAINST FCC: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy rejected an emergency appeal from Georgia congressional candidate Daniel Becker Sunday. Becker was appealing the rejection of a graphic anti-abortion ad. The Federal Communications Commission, citing federal election laws, has said broadcast stations may not reject political ads - even ones that are gruesome or offensive. NIELSEN SIGNS UP WITH MARS: Nielsen Marketing Research said Friday it will provide Mars Inc. with all outlet marketing information, decision support services and analysis for all Mars units. The Mars contract comes on the heels of major recent agreements Nielsen has reached with such packaged goods leaders as Kraft General Foods, Nestle USA and Quaker Oats. LETTERMAN OPEN TO BIDDERS: News flash from the home office: Bidding for David Letterman's services begins Monday. The star of "Late Night With David Letterman" agreed to extend his NBC contract from early April to late June 1993 in exchange for NBC granting him the right to talk to others who want to hire him. CBS has openly pined for Letterman and has what he wants: An 11:30 p.m. time slot. MICROSOFT HITS BROADWAY: Microsoft Chairman-CEO Bill Gates made his Broadway debut Friday in a variety show-style event to introduce Windows for Workgroups, expected to become the top seller in the hot-selling Windows line. In its splashiest launch promotion ever, the software marketer spent $2 million to produce the show and send it by satellite to nearly 300 sites nationally, reaching 30,000 customers. USA STRIVES FOR COMEDY LINEUP: Reruns of CBS' hit comedy "Major Dad" will start airing on cable's USA Network next fall in either the early evening or the late fringe period at 11 p.m. It may be the first major network comedy to go straight to cable. USA spokesman Dan Martinsen says this is the first of a number of comedy series USA hopes to acquire in creating a comedy block. SOAPS GO FOR SAPPY SWEEP: From the Gothic beauty of Budapest to whodunit murder mysteries and a fairy tale wedding in a crystal chapel, daytime soaps are in their frothiest lather for November sweeps. ABC's "One Life to Live" features a life being saved; CBS' "Guiding Light" lets a character discover her parentage; and a 2-year-old murder is solved on CBS' "As the World Turns." ABC HAS A BIG SHARE: ABC has received nearly half of the ad money going to the Big 3 networks from presidential campaigns. President Bush, Bill Clinton and Ross Perot spent a total of $45.8 million on the networks, through Oct. 23. ABC accounted for $21.8 million, CBS had $11.1 million and NBC had $12.9 million. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON SEARS: SEARS NEEDS A NEW IMAGE: Surrounded by younger, sleeker, more cutting-edge retailers, Sears has a reputation for being bureaucratic and unresponsive. Its advertising and marketing hasn't helped. "Sears needs a more upscale, more contemporary image," says Daniel J. Howard, Center for Marketing Studies, Southern Methodist University. Howard says the everything-for-everybody theme no longer connects. TV ADS COULD PROVIDE NICHE: Howard says Sears needs a niche. His advice: Work the magic of television. Competitors J.C. Penney and Kmart have been in similar binds, but came back with high-profile ad campaigns. Quick cutting, MTV-style TV commercials show lively Penney shoppers with a jingle admitting, "We've changed." Kmart's TV commercials took a creative slice-of-life approach. SEARS WILL TARGET WOMEN: "Targeting Middle America only works when Middle America is a homogenous group. It is not homogenous anymore," says Howard. So Sears has decided to focus on women, a group that entered the workplace without Sears knowing it. In addition to TV, Sears customers can also watch mailboxes for changes. Arthur Martinez, head of Sears stores, plans to boost direct-mail efforts. (End of package.) CORRECTION: Coupons for a $50 rebate Sears is offering to settle auto repair fraud charges must be picked up at Sears' stores. The coupons are not part of ads Sears ran in Sunday papers announcing the rebate. An item in Friday's Advertising Decisionline was incorrect. Advertising Editor: Martin Baucom. (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