THAT CRAZY NFL: In SI, John Walters writes, "Who took
the heavy starch out of the NFL's shirt? Those Feel the
Power ads are funny, hip and poignant. The bit featuring
decade-by-decade spousal sparring over the pro game's fine
points ('It's complicated') rings true. Moreover, using
alternative rocker Ani DiFranco's '32 Flavors' as a
soundtrack to a montage of memorable NFL number 32s,
including (Di)Franco Harris? Genius!" (SI, 1/17 issue).
ADVERTISING 101: ADWEEK's Joan Voight writes that there
are "signs that an unwelcome consumer backlash is brewing,"
as ad agencies "worry" that "people are so dazed and cynical
about ads they automatically tune them out or turn them
off." Nike execs are "reluctant to discuss such trends." A
Nike spokesperson said, "If we thought there was a marketing
backlash developing, we would not want to tip off our
rivals." But Voight notes that Nike's marketing programs in
schools and in other public places are "undergoing careful
company scrutiny in relation to shifting public sentiment"
(ADWEEK, 1/10 issue)....CBS is offering sponsors of its
"Survivor" series (see THE DAILY, 1/11) exclusive product
placement on the show and 28 spots during the show's 13-week
primetime run. A-B and Reebok are among the show's
sponsors. Advertisers "must commit to buying spots on each"
of the 16 CBS-owned TV stations. "Survivor" Exec Producer
Mark Burnett said that product placement is "done in a
humorous, noncrass way" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/13).
COKE: While Coca-Cola CMO Charles Frenette introduced
the company's new "Cola-Cola. enjoy" campaign yesterday, he
said that the company "is not spending more money on
advertising this year" than the $1.6B it spent worldwide in
'98, but is "allocating the resources differently to
concentrate more on 'experiential'" programs such as
festivals and sporting events "to communicate more directly
with the consumer" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 1/13). In N.Y.,
Elliott & Hayes report that Wieden & Kennedy is "developing
global spots" around "Coca-Cola. enjoy" devoted to the
Summer Olympics, football and soccer (N.Y. TIMES, 1/13).
