| Business in the Burbs: Reader's Digest enters print partnership with ...
Reader's Digest Association, based in Chappaqua, said yesterday that it has entered into a multiyear partnership with Williams Lea, a London-based company that provides printing and direct-marketing services worldwide. Williams Lea will take over the promotional printing operations of Reader's Digest's direct-mail business in 19 countries throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, the Asian Pacific region and Latin America, RDA said. RDA estimates that the outsourcing will reduce its costs by $130 million over the first three years by improving business processes and allowing RDA to get better prices on print products. "Williams Lea is one of the largest global players in the printing field, and as such we will use their resources, skills and contacts to get better prices on everything to do with printing - paper, ink, printing itself," said William Adler, vice president of global communications, in an e-mail.
A look back at the divisional round
This is the game I covered. I came away with two impressions about the Patriots: Wow and Watch Out. The "wow," of course, was Tom Brady, who completed 26 of 28 passes. In the press elevator after the game, I asked Cannizzaro from the Post, "Could Kellen Clemens complete that many in a 7-on-7 drill with no pass rush?" Cannizzaro didn't think so, either. To be fair, there may not be another quarterback on this planet who could do what Brady did. I ran into Phil Simms after the game, and asked him about seeing his post-season completion record (22-for-25 in Super Bowl XXI) go by the wayside. Phil wasn't upset at all, and he had this to say about Brady & Co.: "The Patriots are having a historical season. It's not just that they're winning; it's the numbers they're putting up.
Masks to help Team GB breathe easy in Beijing
On the advice of sports scientists and doctors, Team GB members competing in outdoor events including athletics, rowing and cycling, will be offered the high-tech anti-pollution masks to avoid respiratory problems during final preparations for the Games in August. Runners, including Paula Radcliffe, the marathon world record-holder, tested a prototype at a training camp in South Africa last week. Under Olympic rules, athletes must remove their masks to compete but, if air quality is poor, they will be encouraged to wear them while warming up until just before their events begin. Graham Newsom, the British Olympic Association spokesman, told The Sunday Telegraph: "We just want to make sure our athletes get to their competitions in the best possible health and physical shape.
Guthy-Renker Wins 'Infomercial of the Year' for Sheer Cover
LAS VEGAS, Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's largest direct response television company, Guthy-Renker celebrated several wins at the 17th Annual Electronic Retailing Association Awards Gala in Las Vegas this week. Recognizing the best in the electronic retailing industry, the ERA honored Sheer Cover with "Best Long Form" Infomercial of the Year and Proactiv Solution with "Best Short Form," "Best Short Form Health & Beauty" and "Best Live Shopping On-Air Guest" for Proactiv co-creator Dr. Kathy Fields. This marks the eighth consecutive year that Proactiv Solution has been nominated at the award ceremony and the third year for Sheer Cover. "We're honored to be recognized for delivering top-quality productions as this further solidifies our status as the most successful and most awarded infomercial company," said Alex Kushner, veteran marketing executive with Guthy-Renker.
Civil Affairs in Israel, Public Relations Image Challenge
Politicians started following the leads of marketing firms and hiring PR consultants to help them dress, speak and convey their message - or image - and reach their target audiences. Politicians in Israel have only begun to take such strategies seriously in recent years, holding on strongly to traditional, informal ways. Golda Meir used to smoke cigarettes while being interviewed on TV. And years later in 1993, When Teddy Kollek ran for mayoral reelection in Jerusalem, he hired a very young and recent army press-corps graduate as his PR director, and a lay art staff to design his posters, many of which were made by hand. He also smoked cigars publicly. Israeli candidates for prime minister started hiring American consultants as far back as 1977, but it wasn't until the 1999 elections, when Binyamin Netanyahu hired Arthur Finkelstein and Ehud Barak brought in James Carville, Stanley Greenberg and Bob Shrum, that top American consultants totally revamped the Israeli electioneering process to follow American marketing strategies.
First Business calendar
Beaches Business Association, noon, Jacksonville Beach Public Golf Club, Penman Road. $7, lunch. (904) 241-0838 or www.jaxbba.com. Green Cove Springs Rotary Club, 12:15 p.m., VIA Woman's Club, 17 Palmetto Ave. Ron Robertson, (904) 284-3641 or ronrobertson@bellsouth.net. Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce's Small Business Center orientation, from 5 to 6 p.m., SBC, 5000-3 Norwood Ave. Reservations required: (904) 924-1100, ext. 221, or www.jaxsbc.com. Women's Business Center Jump Start, from 1 to 2 p.m., SBC, 5000-3 Norwood Ave. Reservations required: (904) 924-1100, ext. 252. North Jax Toastmasters Club, from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m., North Jacksonville Church of God, 7600 Kenya St. (904) 768-4896. Beaches Area Toastmasters Club, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Watson Realty Corp., 1117 Atlantic Blvd.
Digital media to see speediest growth for ad investment: report
Advertising spending in Canada is expected to jump at a compound annual growth rate of 5.3 per cent over the next four years, according to new data from the Canadian Marketing Association. The report said that advertising investment will rise to more than $23.3 billion in 2011, from $19 billion this year, with every dollar spent on advertising expected to directly result in nearly $9 of economic activity in the country. Overall direct sales from advertising campaigns are forecasted to increase from this year's levels by roughly 33 per cent, to $203 billion by 2011, the report added. "Digital media is expected to lead all other marketing channels in 2011 in terms of direct sales, with purchases resulting from marketing offers received over the Internet and through commercial e-mail forecast to top $46.6 billion by 2011," the report read.
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