Sears Tower name to change to Willis Tower

Chicago Tribune, March 12, 2009 — Sears Tower will change its name to Willis Tower this summer, under the terms of a lease signed by global insurance broker Willis Group Holdings.

Willis Group plans to consolidate five area offices and move nearly 500 associates into Willis Tower, at 233 S. Wacker Drive, initially occupying more than 140,000 square feet on multiple floors.

London-based Willis said that its move to the new space, at $14.50 per square foot, will reduce its real estate costs significantly and that there is no additional cost associated with renaming the building.

"It was part of our negotiations," said Willis spokesman Will Thoretz. "We are actually not having to pay anything for renaming the building."

Pepsi Goes to Washington†

Brings Its Optimism Message to Capital for Inauguration Events

Advertising Age, January 14, 2009 — Since the roll out of Pepsi-Cola's new smiley-face-type logo and optimistic-themed campaign, plenty have drawn comparisons between it and President-elect Barack Obama's message. The soft-drink giant will solidify that connection with a major presence in Washington during next week's inauguration festivities

Stadium Sponsorship Grows to New Levels

New York Times, December 11, 2008 — ALONG with the usual signs from advertisers, the new Indianapolis Colts stadium features a hallway filled with dishwashers, refrigerators and washing machines, brought to football fans by the retailer Hhgregg, which is based in Indianapolis. It is the latest frontier in stadium sponsorship, showing how far sports teams are willing to go to attract marketing dollars.

GM ends 9-year endorsement relationship with Tiger Woods

USA Today, November 25, 2008 — As cash-strapped General Motors (GM) looks for ways to slice expenses, it's parting ways with long-time pitchman Tiger Woods.

The ailing auto giant said Monday that it will end its nine-year relationship with the world's No. 1 golfer Dec. 31. Woods' contract with GM was set to expire Dec. 31, 2009.

How Subway Nabbed Michael Phelps†

Olympian Is McDonald's Biggest Fan, so Why Is Swimmer Shilling for the Competition?

Advertising Age, November 24, 2008 — If there was one thing Americans learned about Michael Phelps during his history-making eight-gold-medal run at the Beijing Olympics — other than that he can swim really, really fast — it was that he really, really likes McDonald's

Why 'Idol' Works for Coke -- but Not for Ford†

Neuromarketing Study Suggests Carmaker Made a $26M Mistake by Failing to Establish a Purpose for Its Presence

Advertising Age, November 17, 2008 — Season after season, three brands — Coca-Cola, Ford and AT&T (formerly Cingular) — have been the proud sponsors of "American Idol," the biggest TV success in history. The reported $26 million-a-pop sponsorships are arguably some of the most valuable in North America, which explains why the sponsors have been just as loyal as the audience. But when Simon Cowell sips out of his Coca-Cola cup, Randy Jackson comments on the latest Ford and Paula Abdul encourages everyone to cast a vote using AT&T, does it work? Quantitative and qualitative statistics say it does, but does a couch shaped like a Coke bottle really make people consume more cola? We were able to find the answer in only one way: by understanding what really goes on in our subconscious.

As the Economy Worsens, Is There Money for Play?

New York Times, November 16, 2008 — From the “Buick” emblazoned on Tiger Woods’s golf bag to the Chevrolet Camaro that Cole Hamels drove home last month for being named the most valuable player of the World Series, it is hard to be a sports fan without stumbling across some type of advertisement for General Motors. The company consistently ranks first among advertisers of televised sporting events, outspending other automakers by more than two to one.

But as G.M. faces a financial crisis that has executives pleading with Congress for a federal bailout, many are wondering how far the company’s troubles will extend into the sports industry, which is already struggling to attract advertisers and sponsors in a weakened economy.

MasterCard's keys to survival

The credit card underdog is taking on rival Visa with smart technology, memorable marketing, and global ambition. But what happens when consumers put their cards away?

FORTUNE, October 23, 2008 — On the desktop screens at MasterCard Worldwide, you can see the economic pulse of the globe in real time. In the suburban St. Louis control center of MasterCard's global-payments network, rows of analysts keep watch over the flow of nearly 20 billion transactions a year in 210 countries, more than the United Nations has members. When the matrix of green lights flashes a red spot, the money traffic controllers immediately reroute the transactions to keep commerce flowing.

Meanwhile, in suburban New York City, the staff at MasterCard Advisors monitors the payment network, plus surveys and other outside data, to produce bulletins on America's retail health. In early October, days before retailers released their monthly results, Advisors noted sharply... continue reading

McDonald's Reports 4.5% Sales Bump for August†

Olympic Sponsorship Appears to Pay Off, at Least in Short Term

Advertising Age, September 9, 2008 — McDonald's Corp. today reported same-store sales for August were up 4.5% in the U.S. — a result one analyst estimates will be nearly double the industry average. But industry-watchers are doubtful the company can keep up that pace, especially now that the Olympics are over.

UBS analyst David Palmer predicts the Golden Arches' August performance, which also saw global sales jump 8.5% compared to August of last year, will come in "nearly double" that of the fast-food industry as a whole.

Why You Won't See Michael Phelps on the Wheaties Box†

Kellogg Signs Swimmer Before Big G's Traditional Unveiling

Advertising Age, August 28, 2008 — In a PR masterstroke, Kellogg Co. managed to spoil an every-four-year tradition for General Mills — the unveiling of Olympians to grace the Wheaties box. By the time Big G made its big announcement today, Kellogg had already one-upped the news by revealing that it signed the biggest of them all, Michael Phelps