:: adgruntie :: Newsy bits

+ The NYPost says "the beer war between Miller Lite and Bud is getting ugly. Getting? It has been for most of 2004. (See Catfight between Miller and AB, Miller and Bud are at it again, and Taste and Flavor vs. Freshness. So what's this latest hub-bub all about? Apparently Miller Lite's latest spots. They show actors as former Bud Light fans talking thorough a bullhorn at an AB building- claiming that they liked the Miller taste better. AB filed a complaint with the 4 major networks. Both CBS and NBC have pulled the Miller Lite ads, "saying the spots were unfair to Bud Light. NBC said that commercial "unfairly disparaged Anheuser-Busch by claiming that the Bud delivery man was 'hiding something.' ""

The thing with these ads is that they remind me of the Truth anti-smoking ads. I wonder if they purposefully were hinting at them with this concept...
Either way, it will be interesting to see what goes on between these two companies in 2005.

+ Times Online interviews Stuart Fogarty, the boss of AFA O’Meara, one of Dublin’s best-known agencies. "Fogarty bristles at suggestions that ad men are the parasites of the commercial world. “I don’t know any company that wants to sell you something just once. The idea that we’re involved in some mass deception is flawed.”"

+ Will you be on the General Mills diet? After trying this program with its employees (500 workers who took part lost a combined 2,990 pounds) General Mills decided to bring the weight-loss program to its customers. The plan is designed to "help consumers who buy its food products trim their waistlines while eating a variety of the company's food products ranging from Green Giant vegetables to Totino's Pizza Rolls. The "Brand New You" program aims to help people lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks through customized meal and exercise plans for those who sign up at a special Web site, www.brandnewyou.com. Participants also get recipes and, if they desire, coupons for General Mills products that are part of the program."

+ Revolution Magazine reports that Audi will be using a plug-in memory stick as a marketing tool to promote its new A4 model. The USB stick includes five minutes of video and interactive content. "Mark Hawkins, chief operating officer of twofourtv, the agency that designed the content, said: "Branded with Audi, the USB stick extends brand values over a new platform, re-enforcing Audi's reputation as the UK's most innovative car brand." The USB sticks will be sent in a box, with a connection lead, instructions and a CD of software drivers by direct mail to a selected database of customers." This is an interesting combination of direct marketing and interactive. I guess the question is why the USB instead of just sending out a CD, since they will be sending them ones with the software. My guess is that the USB will hold more information than a CD and as they are becoming much cheaper now, it's probably just as easy to do. Neat idea.