Chief Marketer Staff

• Possible Reclassification of Malternatives Could Hurt Marketing

  The Treasury Department could take some of the fizz out of the “malternatives” segment by seeking to reclassify the beverages as spirits rather than beer,

• Short Cuts

  Millard Group Inc. has hired one employee and promoted another one. Mary Ellen McGarry has been appointed as an account director in list management .

• Loss Grows as Expenses Fall for Hanover

  Cataloger Hanover Direct generated $457.6 million in revenue during 2002, down from $532.2 million a year earlier. Its net loss rose to $24.7 million

• FTC Hits Laser Eye Surgery Advertisers

  Two firms have have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they misstated the benefits of laser eye surgery in their advertising. The

• Promotion Agencies Grapple with New Connecticut Tax

  Promotion agencies are preparing to deal with a new Connecticut sales tax to be imposed on advertising services beginning April 1. Advertising services

• H&R Block Accused of Using Taxpayer Info

  Consumers Union and several other consumer groups have accused H&R Block of using taxpayer information gathered in the IRS Free File program to market

• Promotion Spending Tops Ad Expenditures: Study

  Promotion spending exceeded advertising spending last year with $233.7 billion spent on consumer promotion compared to $211.7 billion on ad expenditures,

• Toys R Us Breaks With UPromise

  Loyalty marketing program UPromise lost one of its cornerstone members when Toys R Us let its contract run out last month. Two-year-old UPromise channels

• Judge Nixes Delay of FTC Phone Rule

  Direct marketers were dealt a setback today when a federal judge refused to delay enforcement of key provisions in the Federal Trade Commission

• Serena Williams Touts Close-up and Wrigley

  Serena Williams is finding money where her mouth is. The tennis pro stars in two separate promos for Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.’s Doublemint gum and for Unilever’s