Chief Marketer Staff

• Kraft Sells U.K. Desserts for $135 Million

  Kraft Foods will sell its U.K. desserts business to Premier Foods for $135 million. The sale includes Bird’s custard, Angel Delight and Dream topping brands, whose 2003 sales totaled $72 million. The deal is expected to close first-quarter 2005. …

• Coke Rumored to be Considering a New Diet Cola

  Will there be a new diet cola in town? Maybe. News reports say that Coca-Cola is pondering the introduction of a new diet cola in the U.S. market next year. Some names have been tossed around, like Coke Zero, Coke Light and Tab, all with no calories and …

• Wendy’s Names Rowden CMO

  Wendy’s International named Ian Rowden as executive VP-chief marketing officer to replace longtime CMO Don Calhoon, who is semi-retiring. Ian Rowden Calhoon will focus on marketing strategies and opportunities for Wendy’s emerging brands Tim Hortons, …

• Sprint-Nextel Merger May Affect Sponsorships

  The rumored merger of telecom providers Sprint and Nextel could affect naming rights deals Nextel has with NASCAR and Sprint has with a proposed new arena in downtown Kansas City, MO. According to published reports, Sprint and Nextel have reached a …

• Adidas Touts Collection with Interactive Store Displays

  Looking to learn more about the David Beckham Predator Pulse collection of athletic footwear? Just pick up the phone. Consumers at approximately 100 Sports Authority and 50 Dick’s Sporting Goods stores nationwide can go to a P-O-P display and call a …

• Oh Boy! Oberto Sponsoring Fishing Series

  Oh Boy! Oberto Beef Jerky has signed as a core sponsor of the new Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series. Through its sponsorship, Oh Boy! Oberto will have the opportunity to connect with more than 52 million anglers in the U.S., FLW Worldwide, Benton, KY said. As …

• Nokia Expands NBA Sponsorship

  Nokia is expanding its existing marketing relationship with the NBA to include Nokia as the presenting sponsor of NBA All-Star Jam Session. The multi-year deal gives Nokia exclusive sponsorship of dedicated areas throughout Jam Session including the …

• Winn-Dixie Taps Albertson’s Veteran as CEO

  Supermarket chain Winn-Dixie last week named Peter Lynch president-CEO, replacing Frank Lazaran. Peter Lynch Lynch had been president-chief operating officer of Albertson’s, overseeing operations, merchandising and marketing for 2,500 stores under the …

• News Briefs

  APPLEBEE’S: Los Angeles, hired EastWest Creative, New York City, to negotiate with kids’ properties for 2005 promotions backing the kids’ menu for the 1,600-unit chain. EastWest has worked on Applebee’s kids promos since 2001, forging partnerships with …

• Agencies

  Mail Stream: A Report on Incoming Direct Mail

  Sporty’s Offers Men’s Collection The Sporty’s family of practical and gadget-y home catalogs recently spun off a new edition called Sporty’s Men’s Collection. Compared to the main title, Sporty’s Preferred Living Collection, the newer, male-named …