Advertising Roundup: Aegis Readies Books; Illegal Billboards in LA; BBDO Does Politically Incorrect VW Ad; More ...
BBDO grabs two Pepsi accounts from JWT — In India, agency will now handle 7UP as well as Quaker Oats. [Source: Business Standard]
Australia’s worst ads — a tampon ad featuring a beaver and a Domino’s pizza ad in which a character named Many Toppins uses the made-up term “Supercalafreakinawesome” were the most complained about by the Aussies last year. See more worst ads here. [Source: News.com.au]
Lamar, Clear Channel get first digital billboards in Texas — Despite its name, San Antonio’s pilot program is something of a misnomer. Now that 13 digital billboards are up — 12 from Clear Channel and one from Lamar Advertising — the city can’t have them removed. [Source: San Antonio Express-News]
HR Block Pays $4.85 million for deceptive advertising — The California Attorney General’s office reached a $4.85 million settlement with H&R Block Inc. in a lawsuit that alleged the tax preparer used deceptive advertising of tax refund loans. [Source: WSJ]
M&C Saatchi launches obesity campaign — Animated characters urge kids to get healthy. [Source: Telegraph]
Aegis officially nearly for sale — The chairman of the media-buying firm Aegis is lining up investment bankers to carry out a strategic review of the business that could see it spin off its market-research arm Synovate or forge closer ties with Vincent Bolloré, its largest shareholder. See previous BNET coverage if you want to know where this is going. [Source: The Times]
Saatchi launches Creme Egg campaign — Easter already? That was quick. Saatchi & Saatchi launch their first work for Cadbury Creme Egg since being assigned the account in July 2008. [Source: Brand Republic]
Four Indian ad execs the Economic Times thinks you should know. [Source: Economic Times]
Illegal billboards plague LA — Less than a week after the 90-day sign moratorium went into effect, residents of Westwood, Hancock Park and other neighborhoods say they are seeing a blitzkrieg of new signs without permits. Some of the new signs appear to be the creation of Michael McNeilly, the businessman affiliated with SkyTag, a company that places advertising on buildings in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. [Source: LA Times]
BBDO VW ad makes fun of diversity – Almap BBDO Brazil pokes fun at use of minorities, women, etc in advertising. Ad concludes with no one being shown driving the car. [Source: Intercultural Talk]
Social networks’ ad revenue declines — Bad news for Facebook, MySpace, etc. [Source: eMarketer]
Collett Dickenson Pearce is dead — Legendary British shop finally is no more. [Source: FT]
Jim Edwards, a former managing editor of Adweek, has covered drug marketing at Brandweek for four years, and is a former Knight-Bagehot fellow at Columbia University's business and journalism schools. Follow him on Twitter or send him an email.
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