Chief Marketer Staff

• Beckham Bends to Boot MSL

  David Beckham, who was supposed to bring marketing buzz to Major League Soccer in the U.S., made a distinctly ungracious exit last week on his way to play for A.C. Milan for three months, saying he was looking forward to getting back to playing “real football” again.

• Pizza Hut Punks the Wrong Folks: Pro Shop

  Pizza Hut is getting YouTube views with a video that shows a guy ordering takeout from the chain—while sitting inside a small independent pizza shop.

• News Brief

  UNIVERSAL POWER GROUP: has inked a licensing agreement with Eveready Battery Co., a division of Energizer Holdings, to develop a line of consumer products under the Energizer brand for distribution through mass, specialty and automotive stores

• Richter-Led Media Breakaway Agrees to Pay $1 Million

  Mobile content firm Media Breakaway has reached a settlement with Florida

• Communisis Acquires Intuistic for $18.6 Million

  Communisis, a British printer, has acquired Absolute Intuistic Ltd, a database marketing services firm for 12.6 million pounds ($18.6 million).

• Cornerstone Awards Donnelley $100M Catalog Print Contract

  Cornerstone Brands, an operating unit of HSN Inc., has awarded R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co. a multi-year $100 million contract for printing catalogs and providing logistics services.

• Grolier to Shutter U.K. Operation, Axing 100

  Grolier, the direct marketer of children

• McHugh, Davis Want USPS Pension Relief in Stimulus Bill

  Reps. Danny Davis and John McHugh want the forthcoming economic stimulus bill to include relieving the U.S. Postal Service of its crushing obligation to pay the pensions of former postal employees.

• Listline e-Newsletter 12/24

  HomeOwner Data Services Inc. has chosen the LH Management Division, Leon Henry Inc. to manage its database of new homeowners. Some 2.4 million
  names are available.

• Agencies

  Campbell Soup Embarks on First Major Movie Tie In

  Campbell Soup has millions of soup cans in circulation with on-pack codes that can entice people to buy the product to enter a sweepstakes.