Chief Marketer Staff

• Sony Signs $305 Million International Soccer Deal

  Sony Corp. has signed a deal worth $305 million to be the official “Digital Life” partner of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The contract, which runs from 2007 to 2014, includes more than 40 events such as the FIFA World …

• Lipton Forms TEAm for Triathalons

  Lipton Tea strengthened its commitment to health and vitality today with the title sponsorship of the 2005 TEAm Lipton Pro Cycling and Triathlon team for a race schedule spanning more than 150 events in 28 states through October. In addition to the …

• Miller Names Coke Exec to Top Marketing Post

  Miller Brewing Co. has named Tom Long, a long-time veteran of Coca-Cola, as its executive VP and chief marketing officer. The position takes effect July 1. Long replaces Bob Mikulay, who is retiring after 30 years with Miller and its former corporate …

• Hershey Taps Kraft Veteran Michele Buck

  Hershey Foods Corp. has named Kraft veteran Michele Buck as president of its new U.S. Snacks Group. Buck had been senior VP-general manager of Kraft’s confections division, overseeing LifeSavers, Altoids Crèmesavers and Toblerone. She previously served …

• DIC Entertainment Promotes New VP-Marketing

  DIC Entertainment has promoted Jedd Gold as VP-Marketing to oversee the company’s marketing and promotional initiatives. Gold, who started his new position on April 4, reports to Brad Brooks, president of DIC Entertainment. In the new position, Gold is …

• TracyLocke Wins AOR for Rolling Rock Beer

  InBev USA has named TracyLocke, Wilton, CT, its agency of record for flagship Rolling Rock beer and low-cal Rock Green Light. InBev (formerly Labatt USA) assigned a number of projects to TracyLocke following an agency review. Campaigns will break third …

• Agencies

  Taco Bell’s $1 Million Pesos Promo Touts Mountain Dew Drink

  Taco Bell is out with a national beverage promotion dangling 1 million pesos for customers who drink its exclusive Mountain Dew Baja Blast. The sweeps is the first major promotion since the new beverage, created with Pepsi, the maker of Mountain Dew …

• Agencies

  House of Blues, McDonald’s Big Mac Team Up for Sweepstakes

  Blues music is the latest offering under a new sweepstakes at McDonald’s Corp., which gives consumers a chance to win tickets to the House of Blues concerts. McDonald’s is teaming up for its first-ever partnership with live music brand House of Blues to …

• Reform Still Urgent Despite Modest Rate Proposal: Postal Watchers

  (Direct Newsline)—Mailer groups welcomed the relatively small proposed postage increase recommended by the U.S. Postal Service but are girding for higher rates in as little as two years if Congress doesn’t enact postal reform legislation this year. The …

• A Love Affair: Consumers and Their Cell Phones

  Consumers love their cell phones—sometimes more than their own lovers. BBDO Europe and its direct-marketing network, Proximity, surveyed 3,000 cell phone owners (ages 15-35) in 15 countries. They found that 53% of respondents have used their cell phones …