Chief Marketer Staff

• Managing Marketing Past Lives

  Consumers want more, especially when what was once “delight” turns to current-day “expectation,” as it eventually does in most categories.

• Miller Purchases Caffeinated Alcoholic Beverages for $215 Million

  Miller Brewing Co. is moving into the caffeinated alcoholic beverage market after its parent, SABMiller plc, purchased two brands from McKenzie River Corp. for $215 million.

• Agencies

  Steve & Barry’s Inks Partnership with Universal Movie

  Casual apparel chain Steve’s & Barry’s University Sportswear has launched a new marketing campaign built around Universal Pictures’ upcoming release of You, Me and Dupree. The program dangles an in-store sweepstakes that will send the grand-prize winner on a trip to Hollywood.

• Omnicom Buys Stake in Digital Marketing Firm EVB

  Omnicom Group has bought a majority stake in digital-marketing shop EVB, San Francisco.

• Agencies

  Hooters Bikini Contest Draws Anger from Politicians

  The Hooters Restaurant chain, best known for waitresses who serve piles of buffalo wings wearing skimpy, tight-fitting uniforms, has found itself in hot water over a Los Angeles bikini contest to raise funds for charity.

• Agencies

  Ahold to Sell 46 Tops Stores

  Grocery giant Ahold has put 46 Tops supermarkets on the block in order to concentrate on the 73 Tops stores in its core markets.

• News Brief

  EDY’S ICE CREAM: will host 1,500 block parties across the U.S. as part of its

• Spam Meets Spim, Gets More Targeted: Report

   

• European Database Firm Looks to Get U.S. Foothold

  Business interest shifting to emerging markets in Eastern Europe is one factor a European database firm hopes will help them build an American customer base.

• Verizon Readies Spin-off of Directory Publishing

  Verizon Communications filed papers Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission that would enable it to spin off its domestic phone book and Web directory business. But the company says that doesn