Hasta La Creative!

Steve Stoute is is an American record executive, most famous for being rapper Nas’s off-and-on manager since 1995. Stoute is also the founder of Translation Marketing, a company that matches pop-star spokespersons with corporations that want to promote their brands. He has worked to pair Gwen Stefani with Hewlett-Packard, Justin Timberlake with McDonald’s, Beyoncé Knowles with Tommy Hilfiger, and Jay-Z with Reebok.

According to today’s New York Times, Stoute–who sold Translation last October for an estimated $10 million to $15 million to the Interpublic Group of Companies in New York–is launching a new entity, Translation Advertising. Interpublic will own 49 percent of the new ad shop, while he and Jay-Z (a.k.a. Shawn Carter), will own the majority share.

“If we sit in a room,” Mr. Carter said, “and offer our ideas of how to reach consumers, how to speak to them — and this is not a cocky statement — put us up against anything, and we’ll win our fair share of battles.”

The article notes that Jay-Z is not the only urban entertainment figure to become involved in advertising.

Spike Lee leads an agency, Spike DDB, that is part of the DDB Worldwide division of Omnicom. And Damon Dash has announced the start-up of BlockSavvy.com, an interactive ad agency and social-networking Web site.

LONDON – BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, has followed up the launch of a series of online projects by joining trade body the Association of Online Publishers (AOP).

Irrespective of how well it ranked in this week’s multitude of Super Bowl commercial lists, Nielsen found the Victoria’s Secret ad to be the most viewed spot in the game reaching 103.7 million viewers when it ran at 9:44PM.

TRAINED PROFESSIONALS ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP YOU PRACTICE YOUR SEXY TXTING SKILLS.

McKinney’s new Valentine’s Day campaign for Virgin Mobile encourages one to talk dirty to real live human beings posing as sexy secretaries, housewives, cowboys, firemen, etc. They’re positioning it as a “sexy alternative to the real thing.” And as a precursor to one’s own naughty but nice messages that might go out on 2/14.

LONDON – Nissan has appointed Stephane Cottin as vice president of marketing for Europe, replacing Paul Willcox, who has moved to become managing director for the marque in the UK.

The city of love is … surprise! San Antonio, Texas! I always thought it was Paris. And not Paris, Texas, either. Scorpions and ZZ Top (the band in one case, but not the other) spring to mind on those rare occasions when I ponder the Lone Star State. But a press release from Bromley Associates set me straight. There’s a new campaign about all the things there are to love in San Antonio, but it will remain largely under wraps until Feb. 14. “We’ve already begun running teasers in the media and via direct mail, so it’s the campaign name and logo that are embargoed.” Fair enough. We won’t print the logo or divulge the slogan, though if some clever reader figures it out, well, that’s just the luck of the draw. Think Texas … love … Valentine’s Day. Man, this campaign will break Nicolas Sarkozy’s —. I also think of chili when I think of Texas. But it gives me —burn. OK, I’ll stop now, I’m in way too deep. What, what’d I say? I’m just —less.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

LONDON – Bauer Consumer Media, formerly Emap Consumer Media, has suspended publication of NW, previously New Woman, and First.

LONDON – After a poor month in December, national newspapers have bounced back in January, with The Independent, The Sun and The Guardian all reporting impressive circulation rises, according to the latest ABCs.

LONDON – Tourism Australia is reviewing its global creative and media advertising account, currently held by M&C Saatchi and Carat.