Chief Marketer Staff

• Wagner to Leave VP Role at Ford

  After 33 years with Ford Motor Co., A.J. Wagner, will retire from his post as vice president, effective January 1, 2007, the company said.

• DL Ryan Cos. Launches Experience-Marketing Agency

  DL Ryan Companies has created a new agency dedicated to experience-based marketing called Stage-Active Brand Marketing.

• Agencies

  Vanity Blends Music With In-Store Sweeps

  Fergi is coming to a retail store near you. The pop star (not the Duchess of York) is reaching teens across Vanity stores nationwide under a new promotion that dangles a chance for fans to attend a live concert and to meet and greet the artist after the show.

• Russell Athletic Taps Doug Kelly as President

  Russell Athletic has named Doug Kelly the company’s president. He will be responsible for Russell’s retail, team sports, college bookstore and licensed products businesses, as well as the Bike and Discus Athletic Brands, the company said.

• Bushmills Debuts New Packaging and Ads

  Bushmills Irish Whiskey is out with new packaging and a new ad campaign tying to accolades the beverage received from a New York Times article.

• News Briefs

  CATAPULT MARKETING: has named Kevin Hopper as…USM&P: the event management and retail activation agency of The Marketing Arm network, has…

• Agencies

  America Online Hit With Class Action Privacy Lawsuit

  Three consumers filed a class action lawsuit against America Online in San Francisco late Friday, claiming that AOL violated their privacy by posting their search inquiries online without consent.

• Agencies

  Eleventh-Hour Debate Over Parcel Rates Could Kill Postal Reform

  (Multi Channel Merchant) As the House and the Senate mull the merits of enacting postal reform, it appears that 11th-hour lobbying efforts brought by private-sector package delivery firms over parcel rates could threaten postal reform, according to Jerry Cerasale, senior vice president of government affairs for the Direct Marketing Association.

• Autobytel Targets Online Shoppers With Phone Calls

  Autobytel Inc. has launched an automated telemarketing program so car dealerships advertising on Web sites can target prospective customers while they’re perusing information online.

• Digital

  Internet Advertising Soars as Web Sites Frustrate Consumers

  Internet advertising revenues are skyrocketing to new record levels. Paid search generates higher conversion rates than nonpaid search advertising. And almost 40% of consumers who encounter Web problems will abandon transactions, according to various study findings released Monday.