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 Tue, Aug 18 1992 Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 04:30:58 EDT Message-ID: 08-18 0000 DECISIONLINE: Advertising USA TODAY Update Aug. 18, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network BANANA REPUBLIC TARGETS GAYS: Banana Republic is joining a cautious foray by mainstream marketers into the gay market. The clothing company's current "Free Souls" ad campaign, appearing in Vanity Fair, is a series of six two-page spreads showing couples. Five show a man and a woman in romantic poses. The sixth shows two men, arms intertwined. (For more, see special Gay package below.) OIL FIRMS REACH SETTLEMENT: Castrol Inc. said Monday it reached a settlement with rival Quaker State Refining Corp., which agreed to withdraw its opposition to Castrol's motor oil ads. Quaker State filed a lawsuit in April seeking to stop Castrol from running ads saying Castrol GTX 20W-50 is the only leading motor oil in the USA to meet Committee of Common Market Automobile Constructors standards. BLACK NAMED DAILY NEWS OWNER: The New York Daily News finalized a reorganization plan naming Canadian magnate Conrad Black as the troubled newspaper's new owner, even through he has not reached agreement with any of its unions. "There's a lot of work that has to be done," News publisher James Willse said of the deal. The plan was submitted to a U.S. Bankruptcy judge, who must approve any reorganization. BLACK WOULD PAY $75 MILLION: Under the New York Daily News reorganization plan, Conrad Black would pay $75 million for the News, including $22 million for creditors, and would build a $200 million color printing plant to replace the News' outmoded presses. The deal would have to be concluded by Nov. 30 and is contingent on securing union contracts. There are 10 unions at the News, representing about 1,800 workers. `GUN FOR HIRE' RULING UPHELD: An Alabama federal appeals court upheld a $4.37 million verdict against Soldier of Fortune for printing a "gun for hire" ad. Brothers Michael and Ian Braun said their father's contract killing in 1989 was a result of the ad. The decision is the first to uphold a judgment against the magazine for one of its ads. Another federal appeals court overturned a $9.4 million award from a similar ad. PGA, NFL NOT GOOD TO CBS: Lacking a major story like John Daly's 1991 upset win, CBS' overnight ratings for the PGA Championship were down. Saturday's rating was 3.6, compared to a 3.9 showing last year. Sunday, CBS received a 4.6, down from 1991's final-day 6.0. CBS' Saturday night Cleveland Browns-New York Giants NFL preseason game produced a 4.8 rating. BAYER SELECT TO GET BIG LAUNCH: Sterling Winthrop will spend $116 million to market a new line of analagesics called Bayer Select, ADWEEK reports. It is the largest introduction in Bayer brand's history. The non-aspirin five-item product is expected to start shipping in late September, with advertising to begin in mid-December. TAB TO GET NEW LIFE: Lintas of New York will re-launch the diet soft drink Tab for Coca-Cola USA, ADWEEK reports. A new TV ad created by Lintas for the brand is expected to break later this year in 15 markets. It is aimed at diet-conscious females. It would be the most extensive effort for Tab in more than five years. TULSA TRIBUNE TO SHUT DOWN: The Tulsa (Okla.) Tribune says it will cease publication Sept. 30 when its joint operating agreement with the Tulsa World ends. The Tribune, an evening newspaper, had a circulation of 66,647 for the six months ended March 31, down 3.5% from the previous year. POST-GAZETTE TRIES NEW APPROACH: Auditions for a town-crier are scheduled Tuesday by The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which is unable to deliver newspapers because of a drivers' strike that began May 17. The Post-Gazette wants someone with a loud voice to read the news on downtown streets, as town-criers did in colonial times. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON GAY: GAP REFUSES TO COMMENT: A spokesman for Gap, Banana Republic's parent, refused to comment about new ads that target the gay market. But while fashion advertisers such as Calvin Klein have run ads with gay themes, a move to target gay men by Banana Republic is signficant: The company isn't simply a clothing designer, but a mass retailer with 155 stores nationwide. AD OPEN TO INTERPRETATION: Vanity Fair Publisher Ron Galotti says an ad in the magazine by Banana Republic is open to interpretation. "I do not see what you're asking. I just see two guys who are in some way being affectionate. Actually, it looks like something sad. But I don't see gay." But Jeff Vitale, president of Overlooked Opinions, a gay-market-research firm, says it could indeed depict a gay couple. ADS WILL RUN IN GAY MAGAZINE: Banana Republic will run ads in next month's issue of Out, a gay magazine that has also attracted ads from Benetton clothing and Absolut vodka. "This is tremendous. From their point of view, I have a feeling this is a market they wanted to target," says Michael Kaminer, Out spokesman. "For them, it's not a political move - it's a bottom-line decision." MAGS STRUGGLE TO GET ADS: Armed with statistics showing the spending power of the gay and lesbian market, magazines like Out have been struggling to attract mainstream advertisers. Out, for instance, has banned sex ads that run in other gay publications to allay advertisers' fears that their ad will run next to one for phone sex. Banana Republic's ad "marks a change in attitude," Vitale says. (End of package.) Advertising Editor: Ed Kelleher. (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