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, Jun 8 1992 Date: Mon, 8 Jun 92 05:19:51 EDT Message-ID: 06-08 0000 DECISIONLINE: Advertising USA TODAY Update June 8, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network MCI TO USE COUPLE IN ADS: MCI will begin running ads Monday that feature a couple that plans to get married. The two lived in different states, but used MCI's Friends & Family to keep in touch during their engagement. Jim Sloat, 25, and Laura Musser, 21, say they saved so much money using the plan that they decided to invite MCI President Bert Roberts to their wedding Saturday in Bel-Air, Md. (For more, see special MCI package below.) COMPAQ TO UP AD SPENDING: Compaq Computer will enter the cut-rate computer war next week by introducing two computers that cost less than $1,000. Compaq plans to launch its biggest ever advertising campaign, spending as much as $95 million this year. Dell Computer senior vice president Joel Kocher pooh-poohs the Compaq announcement. "It's a relatively simplistic attempt to establish a fighting brand," he says. CABLE GROWTH WILL SLOW: The growth rate of the U.S. cable market will slow down noticeably, predicts cable big shot Ted Turner. His TBS had a record year in 1991 with $1.5 billion in revenues and $86 million in profits. But revenues outside the USA declined to $78 million, compared with $97 million. The drop is being blamed on the recession and lower syndication rates. `L.A. LAW' TO MAKE CHANGES: Some cast member won't be back next season on "L.A. Law." Michael Cumpsty, who this season played that increasingly duplicitous and creepy lawyer, Frank Kittredge, is history. So is Conchata Ferrell, who personally said she'd "get" Kittredge for being such a creep in the season-ender. Susan Dey is gone, off to do a sitcom for CBS, "Love & War." WILLIAMS GETS PRIME-TIME SHOT: Montel Williams, whose talk show had a slow launch but now may be here to stay, gets a chance at prime time in August. Williams hosts and produces a syndicated special, "Mountain! Get Out of My Way," targeted at teens and the obstacles they face growing up today, like sexual promiscuity, alcohol abuse and AIDS. MARY TYLER MAKES RETURN: Two classics return on cable next fall. "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" returns on Nick at Nite in September. On the Arts & Entertainment Channel, James Garner's "Rockford Files" is back with a nightly run starting Sept. 14. A&E is also adding some new series for fall including, "Travelquest" on travel adventures and reality series "American Justice." SEGA SIGNS WITH BOZELL: Sega of America has signed a contract with Bozell Advertising Agency of Los Angeles to handle all of its media and planning, ADWEEK reports. The contract runs through March 1993. Sega says it will up its ad spending from $35 million in 1991 to $65 million this year. Sega's creative account is now under review and is expected to be completed in July. WEIGHT WATCHERS PLANS LAUNCH: Weight Watchers International says it plans to launch a new product line in the fall. Advertising for Smart Ones, frozen low-fat entrees, will be handled by Ally & Gargano of New York. Ally & Gargano also launched Weight Watchers' Ultimate 200 line earlier this year. J. WALTER THOMPSON WINS LOTTERY: J. Walter Thompson West won the battle for the $25 million California state lottery advertising account. Foote, Cone & Belding of San Francisco and McCann-Erickson of San Francisco were also in the running. Incumbent Dailey & Associates of Los Angles says it plans to sue the lottery to enforce its rights under the existing contract that expires in 1994. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON MCI: MCI TO ATTEND WEDDING: An ad about a wedding invitation MCI President Bert Roberts will air Monday, with MCI's RSVP: "We'll be there." The couple used MCI to keep in touch while they were at college and said they saved money by using MCI's Friends & Family calling plan. MCI has done real-life ads before, but the customers were tracked down by the company. INVITATION WAS `SIMPLE, SINCERE': The invitation "reminded us of one of those letters from the "Civil War "documentary ... a very simple, honest and sincere letter," says Tom Messner of ad agency Messner Vetere Carey Berger Schmetterer. "If we had made it up, it would have been forced and corny and potentially silly." A bonus: An ad that strikes a sweet note in the increasingly bitter long-distance wars. WEDDING TO BE PART OF SECOND AD: Roberts will attend the wedding this Saturday and will bring along a video crew to tape the ceremonies. The video tape will be used to make a second television ad. The bridesmaids' dresses will be purple. Roberts' wedding present to the couple will be 100 shares of MCI stock. 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