Chief Marketer Staff

• Sears, Kmart Merge to form $55 Billion Chain

  Kmart Corp. and Sears, Roebuck & Co. will merge to form the third-largest U.S. retail chain with $55 billion in annual sales. The new company will be called Sears Holdings Corp., with 2,350 full-line and off-mall stores, and 1,100 specialty retail …

• Verizon and USA Luge Challenge Winter Sports Fans

  As the USA Luge Team prepares for the upcoming 2004-05 international racing season, Verizon is introducing thousands to the sport this winter through the Verizon Luge Challenge. Families and winter sports enthusiasts can experience the sport at six U.S. …

• ABC Cross Promotion Backfires

  Both ABC-TV and the National Football League are doing damage control after negative response to a cross-promotion for Monday Night Football and Desperate Housewives that aired Monday on ABC. ABC promoted its breakout hit drama in a prerecorded segment …

• TrimSpa Stands By Anna Nicole Smith

  Anna Nicole Smith will not be dropped as a spokesperson for weight-loss supplement TrimSpa despite erratic behavior during Sunday’s American Music Awards. “Smith was a customer first and TrimSpa wouldn’t fire Anna or any of our customers,” said TrimSpa …

• FTC May Allow More Recorded Telemarketing Messages

  (Direct Newsline)—The Federal Trade Commission is considering a proposal to allowed telemarketers to use more prerecorded messages when they call consumers with whom they already have an established business relationship. Current regulations limit the …

• Agencies

  Origins Serves Cocoa Therapy

  Retailer Origins is launching a chocolate-laced line of personal-care products with special displays and sampling in its stores. The five-item Cocoa Therapy Collection puts cocoa in massage cream, soap and moisturizer (complemented by “sensory therapy” …

• ShelfTalk Really Talks Now

  News America Marketing is giving voice to in-store displays with “audible ink.” The company’s SmartSource ShelfTalk and FloorTalk display vehicles have added AudioInk that lets shoppers hear a message when they touch the display. Conductive ink is used …

• News Briefs

  ADIDAS: has officially announced its exclusive 10-year deal as the official athletic sponsor and licensed product supplier for Major League Soccer. (Xtra, Oct. 6) EBAY HITS THE MAIL: (Catalog Age) eBay, Inc. is the latest online-only marketer to expand …

• Observers: Kmart-Sears Merger May Be a Good Thing

  Direct marketing industry observers saw that possible direct marketing good could come out of Kmart’s $11 billion acquisition of Sears Roebuck & Co.

• Live from the Folio: Conference: DMers Await Can-Spam Clarifications

  Can-Spam has been around for over a year, and direct marketers still don’t have answers on some big questions.