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Monday • May 12, 2008 | READ ALL NEWS AT ADAGE.COM

Hyping Joker -- Without Exploiting Heath's Death

Warner Will Walk a Fine Line as It Markets Batman Flick 'The Dark Knight'

LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- Heath Ledger's death left studio executives in charge of "Batman: The Dark Knight" with a conundrum not experienced since James Dean died before the release of 1955's "Giant": How to market around Mr. Ledger's death without sacrificing the $200 million picture or appearing crassly exploitative. FULL ARTICLE

John Wren Tops the List of Ad World's Big Earners

Head of Omnicom Group Brings Home $10.4 Million

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- John Wren, head of Omnicom Group, the largest marketing-services conglomerate, was again the top earner among the masters of the ad universe, bringing home $10.4 million in total compensation for 2007. FULL ARTICLE

Ogilvy, Dove Miss Chance to Turn Bad Press Into 'Debate'

If They Wanted to Be Word-of-Mouth Marketers They Should Have Been Listening

Commentary by Jonah Bloom
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- The latest Dove controversy epitomizes the ad industry's struggle to reinvent itself as a participant in an ongoing conversation rather than an old guy with a megaphone barking orders to people who no longer follow them. FULL ARTICLE

Richards Takes Doner's Spot as Top Indie Shop

U.S. Numbers Are Up Despite Hyundai Loss; Credits Digital Expansion

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- Here's an interesting fact that might have escaped notice in Ad Age's Agency Report last week: Doner has been unseated as the independent agency with the most U.S. revenue. FULL ARTICLE

Taco Bell Tops Yum Portfolio After Tough Year

'Value-Oriented' Chain Rises Through Recession as More Seek Cheap Eats

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- It was only a year ago that Taco Bell's same-store sales fell sharply following an E. coli outbreak in the Northeast and a rat infestation in a New York City unit. But now, analysts are citing Taco Bell as the star in the Yum Brands portfolio, and this month David Novak, CEO of the parent company, called the chain the "best-positioned U.S. brand" to navigate the current macroeconomic environment. FULL ARTICLE

Recession Got You Down? Marketers Want to Help

With Headlines Mired in Gloom and Doom, Flurry of Ad Messages Tries to Tap Into Consumers' Need for Hope

DETROIT (AdAge.com) -- In the midst of an economic downturn, some messaging appears to be taking the Bobby McFerrin approach, with ads from Harley-Davidson, Best Buy, Chevrolet and JetBlue among them. Even presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama touts change and hope in his messaging. FULL ARTICLE

How Howard Will Help Agencies Diversify

4A's Pledges Money and Manpower to New Center at Historically Black School

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- The 4A's has established a partnership with the historically black Howard University that aims to end the shortage of African-American executives in the ad business with a professional-development and research center. FULL ARTICLE

Coke, GE, J&J Fire Concurrent Shots at Critics

Experts: It's Unlikely Games Sponsors Planned Joint Response to Activists

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- Olympic sponsors are finally speaking out -- but not in the way activists initially planned. Groups that targeted sponsors over host country China's support of the ruling regime in Sudan now charge that the marketers are spending more time and energy coordinating against them than against genocide. FULL ARTICLE