'The O.C.' Star Mischa Barton to Lead Keds Campaign

Mischa Barton, star of the WB's FOX's The O.C. and drool stimulant for all teenage boys, will grace a new Keds campaign set to launch this fall in national print, outdoor, online, POP, direct mail as well as personal appearances. Barton can now add Keds to her growing spokesperson list which already includes Aeropostale and Neutrogena. Barton joins the spokesmodel club with co-star Rachel Bilson who fronts for BONGO, a division of Candie's.

Euro RSCG Surveys Sex Morals. We Wonder Why

Maybe they just won a "sex toy" account or a porn client but Euro RSCG is interested in sex. So interested they conducted a worldwide survey on the number of hook ups each country's citizens tend to make. The British are the most active with 60 percent stating they've had 10 or more lovers during their single years. Britain is followed by the Germany at 52 percent and the U.S. at 49 percent. Additionally, less than half of all surveyed Britons believe staying faithful is natural. The Chinese appear to be the most chaste with only 17 percent reporting 10 or more lovers and 70 percent believing in monogamy. What are you up to, Euro? Thanks to Charley Brough.

Radio Shack Tagline 'Stolen' From Tia Fix

Tia Fix writes about a dreamy morning struggle with her alarm's snooze button and how she heard a Radio Shack tagline she once thought was her own.

"'If you have questions, we have answers?!' That's totally Tia.

What the heck is Radio Shack doing with a Tia Fix slogan?

I've been using that spiel in email and in person for 1.5 yrs!
I bet it's copyrighted and everything!
I'm foiled by my own celebrity!"

Proof positive there are no new ideas anymore.

See comments for how, apparently, wrong I (and Tia) am/are and for the usual hilarity that goes along with commenters who just have to set the record straight.

REAL Magazine Hits Wal-Mart Newsstands

Revue Media, Inc. has launched REAL Magazine, a women's guide to "living with passion, grace and style." REAL Magazine is a newsstand publication initially distributed in Wal-Mart stores, as well as 23,000 other retailer channels nationwide. Time Inc. recently used the same distribution model for its All You Magazine. The first issues was June, 2004, and had a rate base of 210,000. REAL Magazine, written for the value-conscious women, covers a range of topics from finance to home repair to parenting, while providing real-life, practical solutions and encouragement in a high-end glossy editorial & design environment.

FreeiPods Capitalizes on Permission Marketing

FreeiPods, which gives away a free iPod to anyone who signs up to receive online marketing promotions and gets five other people to do so, is moving marketing to the people. Combining the increased control consumers have over media consumption, a shift to permission-based marketing and the power of viral marketing, FreeiPods is, in essence, recruiting consumers to do marketing for its clients. Nothing is more powerful that a friend telling you a product is great and that is exactly what FreeiPods is tapping into. While some thought the company to be a bit sketchy, it's been vetted and many people have joined.

"Of course I was skeptical, but I didn't see any harm in trying," said Collin Grady, 22. They never once asked for a credit card number and I didn't have to pay shipping. I just told them where to send it.... All in all, a very painless process."

FreeiPods is run by Washington, D.C. based Gratis Internet, a marketing firm that is paid by its clients based on how many customers it delivers to its clientele. this is smart marketing.

Is Media More Important Than Creative?

Writing for iMedia Connection, Alan Schulman makes a case for media leading the charge as opposed to creative saying "in this age of hyper-audience fragmentation, the "who" you're speaking to is now as important as the "what" that's being said." With intense media fragmentation and increasing ability to directly address messages to consumers, he may have a point. What do you think?

Britney Spears May Be Next 'Newlywed'

Britney Spears may take over where Jessica Simpson left off. Spears is in talks with MTV to star, along with possible future husband Kevin Federline, in the next season of MTV's Newlyweds. The two would have to actually get married though and that is most certainly not a sure thing.

Cruise Line Launches 'Underground Movie' in Boston

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines is using the "tunnel movie" technology to place a commercial in one of Boston's subway tunnels. Riders of the Red Line between Harvard Square and Central Station will see an animated movie generated from 400 still images placed along the 1,000 foot stretch and illuminated in a way that transforms the still images into a movie. Subway riders will see an ad that features snorkeling, jet-skiing and rock climbing aboard a Royal Caribbean ship. The technology has been around for about three years first debuting in Atlanta, Budapest and Kuala Lampur.

Saudia Arabia Ad Campaign Uses 9/11 Report

To insure the American public is made aware of the 9/11 commission's findings that Saudi Arabia played no part in funding Al-Qaeda or flew Saudis out of the U.S. immediately after the 9/11 attacks, the country has launched a 19 city radio campaign stating its innocence.

Major Networks Now Ad-ID Compliant

Some good news on the television ad tracking front. Today, the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA), announced that four major television networks - ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX - are now fully Ad-ID compliant. This means, TV spots can be tracked UPC code style improving the accuracy and efficiency of many advertising processes from delivery through billing, and will ultimately contribute to measuring advertising effectiveness across campaigns.

S & M Ad Doesn't Fly With Readers

A magazine ad for web hosting company Amen Ltd. which pictures a half naked women wearing a mask and which read, "BOUND TO SERVE. Take control of your very own dedicated server 100% LINUX, 100% DEDICATED" has caused many complaints to Britain's Advertising Standards Authority which said the ad is likely to cause "serious or widespread offense." The ad has been pulled.

Blavod Vodka Ad Incorporates Intimate Grooming

This ad for Blavod Black Vodka leads us to believe we are watching an intimate grooming activity between two lovers when, in fact, someone just needs a hair cut. It's worth a watch or two.