Advertising

PR On Drugs

by Diane Farsetta — February 15, 2004 - 11:00pm

"Pharmaceutical makers have already found a major loophole in the Food and Drug Administration's new draft guidelines for direct-to-consumer advertising," reports Advertising Age. The guidelines were meant to clarify risk information and increase "disease awareness" spots, those not touting any particular drug.

Main Source: 
Advertising Age, February 16, 2004

A Hard Sell

by Diane Farsetta — February 5, 2004 - 11:00pm

"You've heard a lot of Halliburton lately. Criticism is okay. We can take it." Thus opens a new television ad, part of the oil and gas services company's first public PR campaign.

Main Source: 
Washington Post, February 6, 2004

Same Money Politics. Less Accountability.

by Diane Farsetta — February 3, 2004 - 11:00pm

"Same Medicare. More Benefits." is the theme of a publicly-funded $12.6 million advertising effort promoting the new Medicare law. Critics of the ad campaign include Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy and the conservative National Taxpayers Union, who called it "an election-year ploy." The Wall Street Journal reports that National Media, a firm already working for the Bush/Cheney campaign, is getting a piece of the new ad campaign pie.

Main Source: 
Wall Street Journal, February 4, 2004

Lobbying Makes DC a PR Capital

by Sheldon Rampton — January 31, 2004 - 11:00pm

Everyone from the highway construction industry to the mining industry, environmental groups and the healthcare and tobacco industry has a stake in Washington politics. As a result, reports the Washington Post, "Pasting ads all over Capitol Hill has become a big business -- so big that Washington is the nation's second-largest public relations market after New York, even though the District is only the 21st-largest city in the country, behind places like Phoenix, Memphis and Milwaukee."

Main Source: 
Washington Post, February 1, 2004

Ogilvy & Mather Charged With Bilking White House

by Laura Miller — January 5, 2004 - 11:00pm

The U.S. has indicted executives from Ogilvy and Mather, a PR and advertising agency, for participating in an "extensive scheme to defraud the U.S. Government by falsely and fraudulently inflating the labor costs that Ogilvy incurred" for its work on a media campaign for the Office of National Drug Control Policy. According to O'Dwyer's PR Daily, O&M's anti-drug media campaign work was part of a five-year $684 million dollar project. The government claims it was overcharged by O&M from May 1999 to April 2000. "The White House, last month, decided not to renew O&M's anti-drug contract.

Main Source: 
O'Dwyer's PR Daily, January 6, 2004

Conservatives Start Dean Attack

by Laura Miller — December 8, 2003 - 11:00pm

"Shirley & Banister Public Affairs is supporting a $100K ad campaign with a PR push for the conservative-backed Club for Growth, which is attacking Democratic presidential front-runner Howard Dean in key primary states," O'Dwyer's PR Daily reports.

Main Source: 
O'Dwyer's PR Daily, December 9, 2003

Industry Hopes to Censor Ads on Hazards of Infant Formula

by John Stauber — December 3, 2003 - 11:00pm

"Federal officials have softened a national advertising
campaign to promote breastfeeding after complaints from two
companies that make infant formula, according to several
doctors and nurses who are helping the government with the
effort.

Main Source: 
New York Times, December 4, 2003

The 9/11 President Launches His First TV Ad

by John Stauber — November 21, 2003 - 9:57am

President Bush's popularity skyrocketed after 9/11 as the country naturally rallied around its leadership. Bush announced that his war on terror would define his presidency and the 2004 Republican convention will be held in New York city as close as possible to the third anniversary of 9/11. Now, the New York Times reports that the Republican Party is launchiing "its first advertisement of the presidential race, portraying Mr. Bush as fighting terrorism while his potential challengers try to undermine him with their
sniping.

Main Source: 
New York Times, November 21, 2003

Fat Slick from KFC

by Sheldon Rampton — October 27, 2003 - 11:00pm

Even Advertising Age can't stomach the latest commercials from KFC, which attempt to position the company's grease-dipped chicken as a healthier fast-food alternative.

Main Source: 
Advertising Age, October 28, 2003

Corporate Damage Control Turns Tough

by John Stauber — October 21, 2003 - 6:12pm

Alicia Mundy writes that "I was about to go live on the
Today show to discuss my book on the fen-phen scandal when the host,
Maria Shriver, leaned forward and very kindly said, 'I'm really sorry
about the way we're doing this interview and the questions I have to
ask. You understand, don't you?' ... It seems that the pharmaceutical company, Wyeth-Ayerst, had been
calling. Wyeth, a major conglomerate, makes Dimetapp and Robitussin, as
well as hormone replacement products and other drugs, and was a huge
advertiser with NBC.

Main Source: 
Columbia Journalism Review, September/October, 2003
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