Archive for February, 2008
Filed under: Earnings reports, Forecasts, Marketing and advertising, CBS Corp ‘B’ (CBS), News Corp’B’ (NWS), Economic data
 One of the world’s largest ad agency holding companies, WPP, sees its 2008 results being stronger that last year. In the scheme of things, that would seem to make no sense. WPP is a global firm, so perhaps a great deal of this improvement will come from outside the US and Europe.
According to Reuters, “The group, whose agencies include JWT and Young & Rubicam, said it hadn’t felt any impact from global financial crises but warned again that the `real world’ could be affected in 2009.” What happened to the 2008 global economic slowdown?
In many ways the comments echo those from News Corp (NYSE: NWS) and CBS (NYSE: CBS). Both have indicated that they are not seeing any meaningful impact of the economy on their advertising revenue. That could be a sign that any recession is coming in pockets of the economy, but is not hitting it across the board.
WPP might be right. While the airline, auto, retail, and financial sectors are slicing back, there is evidence that consumer goods, energy, and tech companies are still recording strong sales. That might mean that marketing dollars from these areas of the wider economy are fine.
WPP has to be getting the revenue growth from somewhere. Perhaps its results are a sign that concerns about a recession are a bit overblown.
Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com
Share This
Share This
 No Comments »
Toronto-Dominion Profit Rises on Consumer Banking (Update2) - Bloomberg
|
No Comments »
Filed under: Press releases, Products and services, Apple Inc (AAPL), Starbucks (SBUX), Marketing and advertising
Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX)’s Hear Music has signed another veteran artist into its ranks, reports Billboard today. Carly Simon is joining the label to release new album This Kind of Love, her first of original material in eight years. Preceding artists to sign the label have been Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, and James Taylor, and Billboard notes that McCartney and Mitchell both scored hits with Hear Music in 2007.
The trade newspaper also notes that Hear Music “seems to be a natural fit for Simon, who has bounced around labels throughout her nearly 40-year career.” What kind of longevity with the label that leaves for Simon is questionable, but as Billboard noted, Hear Music fits for these artists and makes the new albums hits via in-store promotions and big marketing platforms.
That being said, virtually nothing has been revealed about Starbucks’ plans for any new artists that haven’t seen long careers or recorded for other labels in the past. There was some speak of an artist named Hillary McRae, but no update has been announced since Starbucks gave away free songs for Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) ’s iTunes last fall. In any case, news that another veteran artist has joined with Hear Music is in no way unsatisfactory. It’s clear that the label is marketing these artists in ways that attract new listeners where traditional labels failed. This Kind of Love is released April 29.
Share This
Share This
No Comments »
Filed under: Major movement, Management, Rants and raves, Marketing and advertising, Limited Brands (LTD)
 In a short story in the Wall Street Journal [subscription required], Sharen Turney, chief executive of of Victoria’s Secret, confided during a conference call that the lingerie chain may have gotten off track at some point and might now be just too sexy.
Can there be such a thing as too sexy? There are times you can be too trashy, or too slutty, but can you be too sexy? I think not!
It may be that some of the advertisements on TV are inappropriate for the time-slot. It might be that at times the ads are viewed like soft porn and teenage boys are the first to peruse the monthly mailing. But too sexy? That is a very strange comment coming from a company that has made a reputation for itself and pushed sales growth for years based on a foundation of sex appeal.
The Victoria’s Secret chain is a division of the Limited Brands Inc. (NYSE: LTD) and Turney said she wants to bring a more sophisticated image back to the product line - hmm. I wonder if this is just a smoke screen to avoid criticism by conservatives in an election year.
This just does not seem possible, does it? LTD closed yesterday at $17.82 but is down over 9% in midday trading. Maybe Wall Street traders like more sexy, not less?
UPDATE: LTD closed at $15.85 down $1.87.
Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the principal for design and research at an architecture & planning firm. He writes the columns Chasing Value and Serious Money. Disclosure: I don’t own shares of LTD.
Share This
Share This
No Comments »
Filed under: Rumors, Products and services, Consumer experience, Apple Inc (AAPL), Marketing and advertising, iPhone
 Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) has been on the rise today, as renewed enthusiasm over future iPhone sales has brought buyers into the stock, pushing shares up $7.67 to $130.63, or 6.2% .
The company has stated that its goal for overall iPhone sales by the end of 2008 was 10 million units, and according to Apple’s COO, Tim Cook, the company remains confident in hitting that hefty goal.
Since the highly anticipated release of the iPhone last year, there have been a couple of points that Apple has taken a bit of heat over, the first being that outside programmers were not granted to write programs for the iPhone, and the second being the company’s decision to grant individual carriers rights to sell their phones in their respective countries.
Both of these shortcomings might soon change according to Cook. Speaking to to a Goldman Sachs investor group in Las Vegas, Cook hinted that starting on March 6 the company would give programmers the tools that they need to start creating outside programs for iPhones. This could open untold numbers of new applications for iPhone users, and will definitely spark even more interest in the $400 smartphone.
The second area that has brought criticism to the company is the individual carrier restriction that it chose to adopt. This restriction might be coming to an end sooner than later, as Cook acknowledged that the company was “not married to the single, exclusive-carrier model.”
Many iPhone users have already managed to get around the single carrier restriction, and it has been estimated by Bernstein Research that as many as 25% of all the iPhones in use out there are “unlocked” so that they can utilize non-approved networks. The problem for Apple is that for these users the company does not get its cut of carrier fees.
I don’t have an iPhone (although I’ve played with many of them) but I’ve to state that they really do impress me. Everyone that I have met who has an iPhone, has fallen immediately in love with the unit. I’ve to think then, that by allowing a wider selection of carriers along with a wider selection of programs, Apple will easily be able to hit its 2008 goal, and probably easily surpass it.
How about our BloggingStocks readers out there? How many of you own an iPhone, and what are your thoughts on the product? Will more of you buy one if / when the company starts allowing outside programmers to write programs for the phones? And if so, what applications would you really like to see being offered for the phones?
Share This
Share This
No Comments »
Filed under: Industry, Google (GOOG), Marketing and advertising
A week ago, I had a bad day. I just missed a train, got off at the wrong stop, turned the wrong way out of the station, got caught in a turnstile … You get the picture.
By noon, I realized that this was a bad day and that everything that could go wrong would go wrong. By one in the afternoon, I was enjoying myself. Having accepted that the day was going to be a total wash, I found myself laughing at fate’s pathetic attempts to wreck my mood. Stepping in dog poop? Dealing with aggressive beggars? Getting on the wrong train line and ending up in Parkchester? Not a problem. By the time night rolled around, I was daring fate to do her worst.
Bad days are pretty relative. I’ve had friends for whom the wrong color lip gloss or a tiny frizziness could spell a psyche-twisting descent into total misery. On the other hand, I’ve had friends for whom getting a speeding ticket, having food poisoning, and breaking a bone were merely hiccups, easily overcome.
In the annals of bad days, last Tuesday was a doozy. After consistent drops in value over the course of this year, Google (NASDAQ: GOOG)’s stock fell 5%, to a nine-month low. For Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, this meant a reported personal loss of $8.6 billion dollars. Of course, the misery of this bad day is relative. After all, while their stock loss is much more money than I and everyone I know will make over the course of our entire lives, it only represents a fraction of Brin and Page’s total value. Still, what a killer!
Nobody seems really clear on why Google’s stock has experienced such a precipitous drop in value. The most popular culprit is a report released by comScore, an internet information tracker. According to the report, Google’s “paid click growth,” or the rate at which consumers click on its ads, has reached a plateau. January’s paid-click numbers were approximately the same as those in January 2007. The conventional wisdom seems to be either that Google is beginning to decline in power, or that the plateau represents yet another indicator of an impending recession, as people are apparently less interested in on the internet buying.
Another possibility is that Google has saturated the market and that it has reached some sort of natural limit on world wide web searching and paid clicks. Still, I guess that’s not as exciting. Neither is the assertion by Hitwise, another world wide web information company, that Google’s traffic to retail sites is actually higher than it was last year.
In the case of Google’s stock, which has lost a third of its value in the last couple of months, supposition and conventional wisdom may end up trumping truth. As we listen to dour assertions of a coming economic apocalypse fighting it out with rosy predictions of economic growth, it might be worthwhile to spend a little more time researching the claims that are swirling around. If you’re looking for a good research tool, may I suggest … Google?
Bruce Watson is a freelance writer, blogger, and all-around cheapskate. He used Google to research this post.
Share This
Share This
No Comments »
Filed under: Management, Marketing and advertising, Rich in America, Limited Brands (LTD)
“SEXY.” The capital letters blared at me from the window of Victoria’s Secret in Pioneer Place here in Portland. Next to the clean lovely windows of the Apple store, I felt I nearly had to shield my eyes, to protect me from the glare. The mannequin dressed in a red bustier seemed more Elvira than Rebecca Romijn, the sweet face of Victoria’s Secret when I was a loyal customer in my early 20s.
I’m not the only one turned off by the company’s recent focus on sexy above all else. In rather shocking statements during this morning’s Limited Brands Inc. (NYSE: LTD) analyst call, Victoria’s Secret CEO Sharen Turney said the company has “gotten too much off our heritage” and was “too sexy,” no longer the ideal “ultra-feminine.”
With black lacquer and shocking pink decor, the “s” word thrown around like neon signs in a red-light district, and rather unsubtle displays, this isn’t my mother’s Victoria’s Secret.
Model Heidi Klum during the 12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at the Kodak Theater on November 15, 2007 in Los Angeles..12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show - Show.Kodak Theatre.Hollywood, CA United States.November 15, 2007.Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com.. Germany +49-40-320-05521 / Japan: +81-3-5464-7020.+1 212-686-8901 (fax). www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
Model Adriana Lima during the 12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at the Kodak Theater on November 15, 2007 in Los Angeles..12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show - Show.Kodak Theatre.Hollywood, CA United States.November 15, 2007.Pic by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com..To license this image (15147229), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
Model during the 12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at the Kodak Theater on November 15, 2007 in Los Angeles..12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show - Show.Kodak Theatre.Hollywood, CA United States.November 15, 2007.Pic by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com..To license this image (15147228), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
Model during the 12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at the Kodak Theater on November 15, 2007 in Los Angeles..12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show - Show.Kodak Theatre.Hollywood, CA United States.November 15, 2007.Pic by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com..To license this image (15147227), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
Model during the 12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at the Kodak Theater on November 15, 2007 in Los Angeles..12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show - Show.Kodak Theatre.Hollywood, CA United States.November 15, 2007.Pic by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com..To license this image (15147220), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
Spice Girls perform during the 12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at the Kodak Theater on November 15, 2007 in Los Angeles..12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show - Show.Kodak Theatre.Hollywood, CA United Says.November 15, 2007.Pic by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com..To license this image (15147110), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
Spice Girls perform during the 12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at the Kodak Theater on November 15, 2007 in Los Angeles..12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show - Show.Kodak Theatre.Hollywood, CA United States.November 15, 2007.Pic by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com..To license this image (15147109), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
Musician will.i.am during the 12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at the Kodak Theater on November 15, 2007 in Los Angeles..12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show - Show.Kodak Theatre.Hollywood, CA United Says.November 15, 2007.Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com..To license this image (15147108), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
Singer Seal performs during the 12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at the Kodak Theater on November 15, 2007 in Los Angeles..12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show - Show.Kodak Theatre.Hollywood, CA United Says.November 15, 2007.Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com..To license this image (15147063), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
Model Izabel Goulart during the 12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at the Kodak Theater on November 15, 2007 in Los Angeles..12th Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show - Show.Kodak Theatre.Hollywood, CA United Says.November 15, 2007.Pic by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com..To license this image (15146171), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 16: Singer Mary J. Blige performs at rehearsals for the 2007 American Music Awards at the Nokia Theater on November 16, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 16: Singer Mary J. Blige performs at rehearsals for the 2007 American Music Awards at the Nokia Theater on November 16, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 16: Singer Mary J. Blige performs at rehearsals for the 2007 American Music Awards at the Nokia Theater on November 16, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 16: Singer Daughtry performs at rehearsals for the 2007 American Music Awards at the Nokia Theater on November 16, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 16: Singer Daughtry performs at rehearsals for the 2007 American Music Awards at the Nokia Theater on November 16, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 16: Jonas Brothers singer Joe Jonas performs at rehearsals for the 2007 American Music Awards at the Nokia Theater on November 16, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 16: Singers T-Pain (L) and Chris Brown pose at rehearsals for the 2007 American Music Awards at the Nokia Theater on November 16, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 16: Jonas Brothers singer Joe Jonas performs at rehearsals for the 2007 American Music Awards at the Nokia Theater on November 16, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 16: Jonas Brothers singer Joe Jonas performs at rehearsals for the 2007 American Music Awards at the Nokia Theater on November 16, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 16: Jonas Brothers guitarist Kevin Jonas performs at rehearsals for the 2007 American Music Awards at the Nokia Theater on November 16, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Getty Images
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - NOVEMBER 13: Christina Aguilera and husband Jordan Bratman leave the nationwide launch of Rock The Vote 2008 held at Kitson on November 13, 2007, in Beverly Hills California. (Photo by Toby Canham/Getty Images)
Getty Images
CAROLINE D’AMORE arrives to the Rock the Vote event at Kitson on November 13, 2007 in West Hollywood, California..Rock the Vote Hosted by Christina Aguilera.Los Angeles, CA United Says.November 13, 2007.Pic by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com..To license this image (15134898), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
CAROLINE D’AMORE arrives to the Rock the Vote event at Kitson on November 13, 2007 in West Hollywood, California..Rock the Vote Hosted by Christina Aguilera.Los Angeles, CA United Says.November 13, 2007.Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com..To license this image (15134891), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
CAROLINE D’AMORE arrives to the Rock the Vote event at Kitson on November 13, 2007 in West Hollywood, California..Rock the Vote Hosted by Christina Aguilera.Los Angeles, CA United Says.November 13, 2007.Pic by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com..To license this image (15134890), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
DJ Samantha Ronson arrives to the Rock the Vote event at Kitson on November 13, 2007 in West Hollywood, California..Rock the Vote Hosted by Christina Aguilera.Los Angeles, CA United Says.November 13, 2007.Pic by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com..To license this image (15134823), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
DJ Samantha Ronson arrives to the Rock the Vote event at Kitson on November 13, 2007 in West Hollywood, California..Rock the Vote Hosted by Christina Aguilera.Los Angeles, CA United States.November 13, 2007.Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com..To license this image (15134822), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
DJ Samantha Ronson arrives to the Rock the Vote event at Kitson on November 13, 2007 in West Hollywood, California..Rock the Vote Hosted by Christina Aguilera.Los Angeles, CA United Says.November 13, 2007.Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com..To license this image (15134821), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
Actress Tia Mowry arrives to the Rock the Vote event at Kitson on November 13, 2007 in West Hollywood, California..Rock the Vote Hosted by Christina Aguilera.Los Angeles, CA United States.November 13, 2007.Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com..To license this image (15134804), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
Actress Tia Mowry arrives to the Rock the Vote event at Kitson on November 13, 2007 in West Hollywood, California..Rock the Vote Hosted by Christina Aguilera.Los Angeles, CA United States.November 13, 2007.Pic by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com..To license this image (15134803), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
Actress Tia Mowry arrives to the Rock the Vote event at Kitson on November 13, 2007 in West Hollywood, California..Rock the Vote Hosted by Christina Aguilera.Los Angeles, CA United States.November 13, 2007.Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com..To license this image (15134802), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 14: Ben Affleck speaks to Santa at a Cartier holiday party to benefit The Art of Elysium at the Cartier Mansion on November 14, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 14: Rachel Bilson hosts a Cartier holiday party to benefit The Art of Elysium at the Cartier Mansion on November 14, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 14: Rachel Bilson hosts a Cartier holiday celebration to benefit The Art of Elysium at the Cartier Mansion on November 14, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 14: Ben Affleck hosts a Cartier holiday celebration to benefit The Art of Elysium at the Cartier Mansion on November 14, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 14: Rachel Bilson and Ben Affleck talk to Santa at a Cartier holiday party to benefit The Art of Elysium at the Cartier Mansion on November 14, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 14: Rachel Bilson and Ben Affleck speak to Santa at a Cartier holiday party to benefit The Art of Elysium at the Cartier Mansion on November 14, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 14: Ben Affleck hosts a Cartier holiday celebration to benefit The Art of Elysium at the Cartier Mansion on November 14, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 14: Ben Affleck hosts a Cartier holiday celebration to benefit The Art of Elysium at the Cartier Mansion on November 14, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 8: Screenwriter/actor/director Ben Affleck participates in the Hollywood Reporter Writer’s Roundtable at the Hollywood Reporter’s offices November 8, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images)
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 8: Screenwriter/actor/director Ben Affleck participates in the Hollywood Reporter Writer’s Roundtable at the Hollywood Reporter’s offices November 8, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images)
Getty Images
** FILE ** Actor Matt Damon arrives to the premiere of “The Bourne Ultimatum” in Los Angeles, in this, July 25, 2007, file photo. Damon has been named the “sexiest man alive” by People magazine, an honor that has been bestowed twice on his pals George Clooney and Brad Pitt. The 37-year-old actor is featured on the cover of People’s annual issue, on newsstands Friday, Nov. 16, 2007. Damon, who is married to Luciana Bozan, said the honor came as a surprise. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, file)
AP
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: (L-R) Writer/director Tony Gilroy, actress Tilda Swinton, producer Steve Samuels, producer Jennifer Fox, actor Austin Williams, actor George Clooney and guests attend the “Michael Clayton” premiere at The Ziegfeld on September 24, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: Actor George Clooney attends the “Michael Clayton” premiere at The Ziegfeld on eptember 24, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: (L-R) Writer/director Tony Gilroy, actress Tilda Swinton and actor George Clooney attend the “Michael Clayton” premiere at The Ziegfeld on September 24, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: Actress Tilda Swinton and actor George Clooney attend the “Michael Clayton” premiere at The Ziegfeld on September 24, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: Actress Tilda Swinton and actor George Clooney attend the “Michael Clayton” premiere at The Ziegfeld on September 24, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: Actress Tilda Swinton and actor George Clooney attend the “Michael Clayton” premiere at The Ziegfeld on September 24, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: Actress Tilda Swinton and actor George Clooney attend the “Michael Clayton” premiere at The Ziegfeld on September 24, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: Actress Tilda Swinton and actor George Clooney attend the “Michael Clayton” premiere at The Ziegfeld on September 24, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)
Getty Images
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: Actor George Clooney attends the “Michael Clayton” premiere at The Ziegfeld on eptember 24, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)
Getty Images
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - NOVEMBER 10: Singer Beyonce Knowles greets fans at the Hyundai Department store on November 10, 2007, in Seoul, South Korea. Knowles is scheduled to play her first concerts in Korea on November 9 and 10 as part of her B’Day World Tour. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
Getty Images
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - NOVEMBER 10: Singer Beyonce Knowles greets fans at the Hyundai Department store on November 10, 2007, in Seoul, South Korea. Knowles is scheduled to play her first concerts in Korea on November 9 and 10 as part of her B’Day World Tour. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
Getty Images
U.S. singer Beyonce Knowles performs during her concert in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Nov. 9, 2007.(AP Photo/Yonhap) **KOREA OUT**
AP
U.S. singer Beyonce Knowles performs during her concert in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Nov. 9, 2007.(AP Photo/Yonhap) **KOREA OUT**
AP
U.S. singer Beyonce Knowles smiles upon her arrival at Incheon international airport, west of Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2007. Beyonce will perform Saturday in Seoul.(AP Photo/Yonhap, Hwang Kwang-mo) **KOREA OUT**
AP
U.S. singer Beyonce Knowles waves upon her arrival at Incheon international airport, west of Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2007. Beyonce will perform Saturday in Seoul. (AP Photo/Yonhap, Hwang Kwang-mo) **KOREA OUT**
AP
U.S. singer Beyonce Knowles poses for photographers in front of her picture upon her arrival at Incheon international airport, west of Seoul November 8, 2007. Multi-Grammy award winner Knowles will stage a concert in Seoul on November 9-10. REUTERS/Han Jae-Ho (SOUTH KOREA)
Reuters
U.S. singer Beyonce Knowles smiles in front of her picture upon her arrival at Incheon international airport, west of Seoul November 8, 2007. Multi-Grammy award winner Knowles will stage a concert in Seoul on November 9-10. REUTERS/Han Jae-Ho (SOUTH KOREA)
Reuters
U.S. singer Beyonce Knowles waves as she arrives at Incheon international airport, west of Seoul November 8, 2007. Multi-Grammy award winner Knowles will stage a concert in Seoul on November 9-10. REUTERS/Han Jae-Ho (SOUTH KOREA)
Reuters
U.S. singer Beyonce Knowles is welcomed by a South Korean girl upon her arrival at Incheon international airport, west of Seoul November 8, 2007. Multi-Grammy award winner Knowles will stage a concert in Seoul on November 9-10. REUTERS/Han Jae-Ho (SOUTH KOREA)
Reuters
Actress Jessica Alba (R) and boyfriend Cash Warren watch the Toronto Raptors and Golden Sate Warriors play their NBA basketball game in Toronto, November 18, 2007. REUTERS/Peter Jones (CANADA)
Reuters
British actor Michael Caine poses for photographs with his wife Shakira Caine as they arrive for the UK premiere of his film Sleuth at a West End cinema in London, Sunday Nov. 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
AP
British actor Michael Caine gives a television interview upon his arrival for the UK premiere of his film Sleuth at a West End cinema in London, Sunday Nov. 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
AP
In this pic provided by Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, celebrities meet with Barbra Streisand following her private performance for the grand opening of Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Saturday, Nov. 17, 2007. Pictured, back row left to right, Sylvester Stallone, James Brolin, Tracey Edmonds, Bruce Willis, Eddie Murphy, Kevin Spacey, Ashton Kutcher. Front row left to right, Rhea Perman, Danny DeVito, Barbra Streisand, and Demi Moore. (AP Photo/Albert Ferreira, Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino)
AP
British actor Jude Law gives a television interview as he arrives for the UK premiere of his film Sleuth at a West End cinema in London, Sunday Nov. 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
AP
British actor Jude Law gives a TV interview as he arrives for the UK premiere of his film Sleuth at a West End cinema in London, Sunday Nov. 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
AP
British actor Jude Law gives a television interview as he arrives for the UK premiere of his film Sleuth at a West End cinema in London, Sunday Nov. 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
AP
British actor Jude Law is surrounded by umbrellas as he gives a TV interview upon his arrival for the UK premiere of his film Sleuth at a cinema in the West End of London, Sunday Nov. 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
AP
British actor Jude Law gives a television interview as he arrives for the UK premiere of his film Sleuth at a West End cinema in London, Sunday Nov. 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
AP
British actor Jude Law gives a television interview as he arrives for the UK premiere of his film ‘Sleuth’ in London, Sunday Nov. 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
AP
Paris Hilton unveils her new fragrance “CAN CAN Paris Hilton” inspired by the Wild, wonderful world of Moulin Rouge in Philadelphia, Pa., Wednesday, Nov.14, 2007. (AP Photo/H. Rumph Jr)
AP
Socialite Paris Hilton unveils her new fragrance “CAN CAN Paris Hilton” inspired by the Wild, wonderful world of Moulin Rouge in Philadelphia, Pa., Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007. (AP Photo/H. Rumph Jr)
AP
Paris Hilton unveils her new fragrance “CAN CAN Paris Hilton” inspired by the Wild, wonderful world of Moulin Rouge in Philadelphia, Pa., Wednesday, Nov.14, 2007. (AP Photo/H. Rumph Jr)
AP
Paris Hilton unveils her new fragrance “CAN CAN Paris Hilton” inspired by the Wild, wonderful world of Moulin Rouge in Philadelphia, Pa., Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007. (AP Photo/H. Rumph Jr)
AP
Paris Hilton unveils her new fragrance “CAN CAN Paris Hilton” inspired by the Wild, wonderful world of Moulin Rouge in Philadelphia, Pa., Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007. (AP Photo/H. Rumph Jr)
AP
GARDEN CITY, NY - NOVEMBER 13: Socialite Paris Hilton poses on stage at an event promoting her new fragrance “CAN CAN” at Macy’s Roosevelt Field November 13, 2007 in Garden City, New York. (Photo by Steven Henry/Getty Images)
Getty Images
GARDEN CITY, NY - NOVEMBER 13: Socialite Paris Hilton poses on stage at an event promoting her new fragrance “CAN CAN” at Macy’s Roosevelt Field November 13, 2007 in Garden City, New York. (Photo by Steven Henry/Getty Images)
Getty Images
GARDEN CITY, NY - NOVEMBER 13: Socialite Paris Hilton poses on stage at an event promoting her new fragrance “CAN CAN” at Macy’s Roosevelt Field November 13, 2007 in Garden City, New York. (Photo by Steven Henry/Getty Images)
Getty Images
GARDEN CITY, NY - NOVEMBER 13: Socialite Paris Hilton poses on stage at an event promoting her new fragrance “CAN CAN” at Macy’s Roosevelt Field November 13, 2007 in Garden City, New York. (Photo by Steven Henry/Getty Images)
Getty Images
GARDEN CITY, NY - NOVEMBER 13: Socialite Paris Hilton poses on stage at an event promoting her new fragrance “CAN CAN” at Macy’s Roosevelt Field November 13, 2007 in Garden City, New York. (Photo by Steven Henry/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Actors from NBC TV series (L-R) Melora Hardin of “The Office,” Zachary Levi of “Chuck,” Deidre Hall of “Days of Our Lives,” and Greg Grunberg of “Heroes” pose as they arrive at Paley Center for Media Los Angeles Gala honoring NBC’s Jeff Zucker and Dick Ebersol in Los Angeles November 12, 2007. REUTERS/Fred Prouser (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
REFILE - CORRECTING SPELLING OF LAST NAME….Actress Hayden Panettiere, star of the TV series “Heroes,” poses as she arrives for the Paley Center for Media Los Angeles Gala honoring NBC’s Jeff Zucker and Dick Ebersol in Los Angeles November 12, 2007. REUTERS/Fred Prouser (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
REFILE - CORRECTING SPELLING OF LAST NAME…..Actress Hayden Panettiere, star of the TV series “Heroes,” poses as she arrives for the Paley Center for Media Los Angeles Gala honoring NBC’s Jeff Zucker and Dick Ebersol in Los Angeles November 12, 2007. REUTERS/Fred Prouser (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Actress Hayden Panettiere, star of the Television series “Heroes”, poses as she arrives at the Paley Center for Media Los Angeles Gala honoring NBC’s Jeff Zucker and Dick Ebersol in Los Angeles November 12, 2007. REUTERS/Fred Prouser (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Jeff Zucker (C), president and CEO of NBC Universal, poses with actors Greg Grunberg (L), star of the TV series “Heroes” and Zachary Levi, star of the TV series “Chuck”, at the Paley Center for Media Los Angeles Gala honoring NBC’s Zucker and Dick Ebersol in Los Angeles November 12, 2007. REUTERS/Fred Prouser (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Actors Masi Oka (L) and Noah Gray-Cabey, stars of the Television series “Heroes”, pose as they arrive for the Paley Center for Media Los Angeles Gala honoring NBC’s Jeff Zucker and Dick Ebersol in Los Angeles November 12, 2007. REUTERS/Fred Prouser (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Actor Masi Oka, star of the TV series “Heroes”, poses as he arrives for the Paley Center for Media Los Angeles Gala honoring NBC’s Jeff Zucker and Dick Ebersol in Los Angeles November 12, 2007. REUTERS/Fred Prouser (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Actors Masi Oka (L) and Milo Ventimiglia, stars of the Television series “Heroes”, pose as they arrive for the Paley Center for Media Los Angeles Gala honoring NBC’s Jeff Zucker and Dick Ebersol in Los Angeles November 12, 2007. REUTERS/Fred Prouser (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
This undated handout image provided by FOX shows actor Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer in a scene from “24″ episode “Day 6. Hollywood has made TV shows and movies about suitcase nuclear devices. Even the Federal Emergency Management Bureau has alerted Americans of the threat _ information that the White Home redistributes on its web site. But government experts and intelligence officials state such a threat gets vastly more attention than it deserves. (AP Photo/FOX, Kelsey McNeal)
AP
** FILE ** Actor Kiefer Sutherland, who plays Jack Bauer on Fox TV’s “24″ arrives at the Fox Fall Eco-Casino party in Los Angeles on in this Sept. 24, 2007, file photo. The planned January return of Fox’s “24″ has been postponed indefinitely because of the writers strike. Since only some of the series’ 24 episodes have been shot, Fox didn’t want to risk beginning a new season that might be disturbed. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, file)
AP
* EXCLUSIVE * .Kiefer Sutherland and ACTRA’s Richard Hardacre at a reception honoring actor Kiefer Sutherland with the ACTRA Award of Excellence award at the residence of the Canadian Consulate General in Los Angeles on September 25, 2007 in Los Angeles, California..Kiefer Sutherland receives the ACTRA Award of Excellence.Canadian Consulate residence.Los Angeles, California United States.September 25, 2007.Photo by Eric Charbonneau/WireImage.com..To license this image (14867487), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
* EXCLUSIVE * .Kiefer Sutherland at a reception honoring actor Kiefer Sutherland with the ACTRA Award of Excellence award at the residence of the Canadian Consulate General in Los Angeles on September 25, 2007 in Los Angeles, California..Kiefer Sutherland receives the ACTRA Award of Excellence.Canadian Consulate residence.Los Angeles, California United Says.September 25, 2007.Photo by Eric Charbonneau/WireImage.com..To license this image (14867601), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
* EXCLUSIVE * .Kiefer Sutherland and Leslie Hope at a reception honoring actor Kiefer Sutherland with the ACTRA Award of Excellence award at the residence of the Canadian Consulate General in Los Angeles on September 25, 2007 in Los Angeles, California..Kiefer Sutherland receives the ACTRA Award of Excellence.Canadian Consulate residence.Los Angeles, California United Says.September 25, 2007.Pic by Eric Charbonneau/WireImage.com..To license this image (14867594), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
* EXCLUSIVE * .Kiefer Sutherland at a reception honoring actor Kiefer Sutherland with the ACTRA Award of Excellence award at the residence of the Canadian Consulate General in Los Angeles on September 25, 2007 in Los Angeles, California..Kiefer Sutherland receives the ACTRA Award of Excellence.Canadian Consulate residence.Los Angeles, California United States.September 25, 2007.Photo by Eric Charbonneau/WireImage.com..To license this image (14867497), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
* EXCLUSIVE * .Kiefer Sutherland at a reception honoring actor Kiefer Sutherland with the ACTRA Award of Excellence award at the residence of the Canadian Consulate General in Los Angeles on September 25, 2007 in Los Angeles, California..Kiefer Sutherland receives the ACTRA Award of Excellence.Canadian Consulate residence.Los Angeles, California United Says.September 25, 2007.Photo by Eric Charbonneau/WireImage.com..To license this image (14867493), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
* EXCLUSIVE * .Kiefer Sutherland at a reception honoring actor Kiefer Sutherland with the ACTRA Award of Excellence award at the residence of the Canadian Consulate General in Los Angeles on September 25, 2007 in Los Angeles, California..Kiefer Sutherland receives the ACTRA Award of Excellence.Canadian Consulate residence.Los Angeles, CA USA.September 25, 2007.Photo by Eric Charbonneau/WireImage.com..To license this image (14867314), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
LOS ANGELES - SEPTEMBER 16: (FILE PHOTO) Actor Kiefer Sutherland arrives at the 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium September 16, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. Sutherland was arrested early morning for a misdemeanor drunk driving charge September 25 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Actor Kiefer Sutherland and Actress Ali Larter during the 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on September 16, 2007 in Los Angeles, California.The 59th Primetime EMMY Awards - Show.Shrine Festival.Los Angeles , CA USA.September 16, 2007.Pic by John Shearer/WireImage.com..To license this image (14816255), contact WireImage:.U.S. +1-212-686-8900 www.wireimage.com (web site)
WireImage.com
** FILE ** Singer Miley Cyrus, who stars as “Hannah Montana” performs on stage during ABC’s “Good Morning America” summer concert series in New York, in this June 22, 2007, file photo. Jody Powell, 35, hung on to a 12-foot statue of Hannah Montana for the better part of six days to win tickets to a sold-out concert by the Disney Channel star next week in Tampa. “I’m ecstatic. It’s like a dream come true,” said Powell, holding four tickets to the show and a pic of his fiancee with her 7-year-old daughter, coincidentally named Hannah, who had warned him not to come home without them. (AP Photo/Jeff Christensen, file)
AP
** FILE ** Actress Miley Cyrus arrives at the Us Weekly Hot Hollywood party in Los Angeles in this, Sept, 26 , 2007, file photo. Thousands of “Hannah Montana” fans who couldn’t get concert tickets are suing the teen performer’s fan club over memberships they claim were supposed to give them priority for seats. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a New Jersey woman and anyone else who joined the Miley Cyrus Fan Club based on its promise that joining would make it easier to get concert tickets from the teen star’s Web site. Cyrus, 14, is the daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus and star of the Disney Channel’s “Hannah Montana” TV show. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, file)
AP
Mileyworld Girl Rebecca Mines, bottom right, holds the microphone while fans of Miley Cyrus, star of The Disney Channel’s series “Hannah Montana,” sing karaoke as they participate in the Ultimate Miley Party Bus Tour 2007, on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)
AP
Actress Madison Pettis of The Disney Channel’s series “Cory in the House” waves while singing with the crowd as fans of Miley Cyrus, star of The Disney Channel’s series “Hannah Montana,” participate in the Ultimate Miley Celebration Bus Tour 2007, on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)
AP
Actress Madison Pettis of The Disney Channel’s series “Cory in the House” speaks to the crowd as fans of Miley Cyrus, star of The Disney Channel’s series “Hannah Montana,” participate in the Ultimate Miley Party Bus Tour 2007, on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)
AP
Young fans of Miley Cyrus, star of The Disney Channel’s series “Hannah Montana,” wave to a television news camera as they participate in the Ultimate Miley Party Bus Tour 2007, on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)
AP
Eight year old Samantha Mahurin celebrates after spinning a prize wheel to win a “Hannah Montana” singing toothbrush and a Miley Cyrus autographed pic, as fans of Miley Cyrus, star of The Disney Channel’s series “Hannah Montana,” participate in the Ultimate Miley Celebration Bus Tour 2007, on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)
AP
Fans of Miley Cyrus, star of The Disney Channel’s series “Hannah Montana,” participate in the Ultimate Miley Party Bus Tour 2007, on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)
AP
Lilli Keeve, 11, of Culvery City, Calif, has temporary tattoos applied to her cheeks as fans of Miley Cyrus, star of The Disney Channel’s series “Hannah Montana,” participate in the Ultimate Miley Party Bus Tour 2007, on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)
AP
MileyWorld girls pose for a pic as fans of Miley Cyrus, star of The Disney Channel’s series “Hannah Montana,” participate in the Ultimate Miley Celebration Bus Tour 2007, on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)
AP
It’s not even my Victoria’s Secret — I remember all my friends in high school would save their allowance to afford their girly satin floral underwear and romantic pajamas. Turney plans to change all that, emphasizing seductive over sexy, remodeling and enlarging stores, and “continuing to reinvent” the annual fashion show.
Will the return to girl-next-door and banishment of lady-of-the-night mean a change in Limited Brands’ profitability? I think it has potential, although the cost might be more than I’m comfortable with. Standard & Poor’s is threatening to reduce the company’s debt ratings to “junk” status, and the stock has been on a steady downward trend. It shut this day at $15.85, down $1.97, or 11.05%, within striking distance of its 52-week low of $14.82 on January 11.
Share This
Share This
No Comments »
Filed under: Marketing and advertising, Clear Channel Commun (CCU)
As an American Idol host, American Top 40 radio DJ, and anointed successor to speak show god Larry King, Ryan Seacrest is the 76th best-paid celebrity in America, earning $14 million a year, according to Forbes.
Now, he’s looking to up his income astronomically. Mr. Seacrest has signed a new contract for his five-hour radio show with Clear Channel Communications (NYSE: CCU), and it comes with an interesting twist. According to the Wall Street Journal(subscription required), “Mr. Seacrest will own and control a portion of the advertising time on the show. The goal: bringing in some of the sponsors he already has a relationship with on TV, with the potential fringe benefit of getting them more interested in radio. He will also sell some of his own advertising on the “American Top 40″ radio countdown.”
Mr. Seacrest’s ad selling duties will apply to ads integrated into the show — for instance, saying that a coming song is “brought to you by” a brand. The more ubiquitous between song commercial breaks will still be handled by the networks.
Reading the Journal article, you get a feel for what a savvy entrepreneur Mr. Seacrest is — he’s more than the smirky metrosexual that he comes across as on American Idol.
With traditional radio outlets struggling to say relevant in the face of what are seen as more viable advertising outlets like the internet, the networks are on the lookout for new ways to sell ads. If this works, we could see a lot more of it in the future.
Share This
Share This
No Comments »
Filed under: Competitive strategy, General Electric (GE), Marketing and advertising, China
 General Electric (NYSE: GE) is still trying to convince investors that it can offset slow growth and some weak divisional results by doing well in emerging markets. So far, the stock market has not purchased in.
The market has actually been hostile to the message. GE shares are just above $34, which is not far from their 52-week low and down considerably from their high of $42.15. Over time, earnings from regions like India and China may help the stock, but the company is going to have to push harder to mark its case. It will use the Olympics in Beijing as a spring-board.
“We want to humanize G.E. even as we show worldwide investors that G.E. is a major player in the world,” stated Don Schneider, executive creative director at BBDO New York, the Omnicom (NYSE: OMC) unit that is G.E.’s longtime advertising agency, told the The New York Times
GE is a major player in the world but the politics in countries such as China might not make growth there as simple as investors would hope. A global recession could also slow infrastructure building in Asia and the India sub-continent.
To some extent, the big marketing budget for this Olympics is a waste of money. Wall Street wants to know that GE is willing to deal with its slow-growing medical and industrial units either by selling them or slicing costs. Tickets to the Olympics won’t help.
Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.
Share This
Share This
No Comments »
Posted by: in Productivity
Filed under: Fun, Productivity
 Some linguists say that most of the time people speaking any language only use about 1000 words. If you believe that, then you might also think that if you learned those 1000 common words, you would have a basic degree of fluency. If the idea of rote memorization and vocabulary building in this manner strikes your fancy, LearnItLists is there to help.
LearnItLists is essentially a web gadget that quizzes/flashcards you with 10 words a day in the language you would like to learn. You sign up for an account, pick your language, add it to your Google homepage (optional), and get busy memorizing. In a hundred days, doing 10 a day, you’ll have your 1000 words, and be ready to rock with the best of them. Or close to it. Currently, the gadget supports about 16 languages, with more on the way (such as simplified Chinese).
The interface is clean, easy to use, and is intuitive in the way flash cards and vocab sheets are. So if you’ve been running from building your linguistic skills, give LearnItLists a look.
[via MakeUseOf]
Read
Share This
Share This
No Comments »
|
|
