US newspaper group buys hyperlocal site

NEW YORK – Hyperlocal website WikiCity has been bought by Nebraskan newspaper group The Omaha World-Herald, promising to bring news and community pages closer together.

Omnicom pulled direct agencies out of Post Office pitch in protest over indemnity clause

LONDON – Omnicom pulled its direct agencies out of the Post Office pitch before the short list was unveiled last week, Marketing Direct has learned, in protest over an unlimited liability contactual clause.

Burger King brings augmented reality to the banner

LONDON – Burger King has become one of the first brands to create an augmented reality banner ad, promoting its $1 cheeseburger in the US.

More than 1,000 entries for Peperami crowd-sourcing ad competition

LONDON – Unilever has received 1,185 entries to its crowd-sourcing competition to get the public to create a TV ad for Peperami.

CRITIQUE – WWF and the inconvenient truth

The World Wildlife Fund has a problem: it’s a well-established, famous charity competing with newer, trendier charities.

WPP to buy majority stake in Thai digital agency

LONDON – WPP has agreed to acquire a 51% stake in Minteraction, a digital agency in Thailand, subject to regulatory approval.

Flash mob dances on Bondi Beach for Flip camera campaign

LONDON – A flash mob hit Sydney’s Bondi Beach today, performing a dance routine for unsuspecting beachgoers as part of a promotion for the Flip MinoHD digital video camera.

Media companies bounce back from downturn

LONDON – Media companies bounced back from the downturn during the third quarter of this year with stock market valuations rising by 33.5 per cent.

Foo Fighters follow U2 by streaming gig online

LONDON – Foo Fighters are following U2’s lead by streaming a one-off concert live on Facebook this weekend.

Direct Holidays appoints Rapp to customer journey task

LONDON – Thomas Cook-owned Direct Holidays has appointed Rapp to handle its database management, call centre and fulfilment services.

Cossette urges shareholders to wait after Cosmos makes an improved bid

LONDON – Cossette, the Canadian marketing group which owns Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy and Elvis, has urged its shareholders to hold off tendering their stock until the board has reviewed an increased offer made by a North American private equity group earlier this week.

EC threatens legal action over UK targeted ad laws

LONDON – The European Commission has moved closer to prosecuting Britain for failing to protect consumers’ privacy from targeted ad providers such as Phorm.

WPP’s fortunes improve slightly in third quarter

LONDON – WPP’s third quarter revenues have fallen by 8.7 per cent, marking an improvement on its second quarter performance which saw the advertising giant suffer a 10.5 per cent revenue decline.

Sir Martin Sorrell: ‘economic recovery is LUV-shaped’

LONDON – WPP, parent of direct agencies OgilvyOne and Wunderman, saw with like-for-like revenues dropping almost 9% in the third quarter, but with direct and internet revenues “least affected” by the economic downturn.

Parmalat: Milk

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Advertising Agency: Publicis, Milan, Italy
Creative Directors: Luca Scotto di Carlo, Vincenzo Gasbarro
Art Director: Marco Maccagni, Vincenzo Gasbarro
Copywriter: Renzo Mati, Luca Scotto di Carlo
Director: ACNE

Hasbro Cluedo: Candle, Knife, Blood

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Advertising Agency: DDB, Milan, Italy
Creative Director: Vicky Gitto
Art Director: Salvatore Zanfrisco
Copywriter: Daniela De Seta
Supervisor: Valerio Le Moli
Account Director: Simone Lucarelli
Photography: Manuela Crippa, Alessandra Magister

Google launches price comparison search results

LONDON – Alexandr the Meerkat could be looking nervously over his shoulder after Google launched its first price comparison service.

Lindt hires Roger Federer as first celebrity ambassador

LONDON – Premium chocolate brand Lindt & Sprungli has signed up Wimbledon tennis champion Roger Federer as a global brand ambassador.

Very.co.uk TV ad to star Holly Willoughby and Fearne Cotton

LONDON – Online retailer Very.co.uk has signed up presenters Holly Willoughby and Fearne Cotton to front its TV campaign in the build-up to the Christmas shopping period.

Wal-Mart begins stocking coffins and funeral urns

LONDON – Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, has launched a range of funeral products including coffins and urns to hold ashes for.