Chief Marketer Staff

• First Person: Bathrobes Expose Marketing Reality of “The Apprentice”

  There they were in Times Square, in terrycloth bathrobes and matching slippers, brandishing fliers. Six Apprentices, each trying desperately to help their team win at the task at hand.

• Agencies

  InfoUSA Letter Adds Fuel to Proxy Fight

  The proxy fight between infoUSA and stockholder Dolphin Limited Partnership I, L.P., escalated on Wednesday, when infoUSA CEO Vinod Gupta issued a letter alleging that Donald T. Netter, who is leading Dolphin

• Internet Penetration 73%: Pew

  Internet penetration hit an all-time high in April of 73% or about 147 million adults, up from 66% or 133 million adults in January 2005, according to a survey conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

• Reader’s Digest Reports $1 Million in Income

  The Reader’s Digest Association Inc. reported net income of $1 million for the third quarter, compared to a net loss of $129.6 million last year.

• Johnny’s Selected Seeds to Be Sold to Employees

  Johnny’s Selected Seeds, a mail order company founded in 1973, is being sold to its employees, according to the Boston Globe.

• Johnny’s Selected Seeds to Be Sold to Employees

   

• Yankee Candle Direct Sales Rise 53%

  The Yankee Candle Co. Inc. reported net income of $12.5 million for the first quarter, up 9.3% from net income of $10.8 million last year.

• Harte-Hanks Net Income Dips

  Harte-Hanks Inc. reported net income of $23.8 million for the first quarter, off 5.1% from net income of $25.1 million last year.

• DMA Taps Hacker Group for Member Acquisition

  The Direct Marketing Association has hired the Hacker Group to launch

• Publicis Opens DM Agency in India

  Publicis, the French advertising giant, has opened an office in India for its Publicis Dialog direct and interactive marketing operation.