Q&As

The kids’ do-not-e-mail juggernaut that for the last year has threatened to wipe legal adult content out of electronic communications is grinding to a halt—at least for now.

A bill in Georgia that would have established so-called child protection do-not-e-mail registry died last week. A similar bill in Connecticut was gutted. Similar bills in Iowa, Wisconsin and Hawaii are also either dead or languishing.

Procter & Gamble

Here’s an odd sort of metric for marketers to track: In how many ways can their companies shoot them in the foot?

According to an October 2004 study by Patrick Marketing Group, 8% of marketers surveyed said accountability had increased in their marketing organizations over the last 24 months—and 59% of those said marketing programs must show a return on investment. But that’s a daunting assignment for many business-to-business marketers.

Advertising exists to help companies make money. That’s it. There are no moral victories in marketing.

Looking to increase returns? Go digital. Whether campaigns are sent to outside mailing lists or house files, marketers anticipate—and have seen—higher responses to their e-mail efforts than they have to traditional mailings, according to two studies by Direct magazine.

Procter & Gamble has taken delivery of a new data system that will manage marketing campaigns within North America for more than 60 brands.

McDonald’s is on the hunt for some fresh faces as part of a company-wide campaign to energize consumer ties to the brand.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. breaks a spring ad campaign this week, while sibling Kmart readies for a new CMO.

Lowe’s Cos. Inc. is tapping the fanfare generated from the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) men’s basketball games, which wrapped up last night, to drive home a promotion that sends one winner to watch next year’s game.