More Consumers Make the Switch to Macs

Analysts Say Apple’s Disciplined Marketing Is Behind Trend, not Just Vista ‘Debacle’ YORK, Pa. (AdAge.com) — Sales figures back up indications that more consumers are saying goodbye to Windows and hello to Macs. Analysts agree that while the Vista operating system’s poor public reception — deserved or not — has done little to spur PC sales, they also caution that it’s not the only factor driving Mac’s increasing market share. FULL ARTICLE

Stimulus Checks Boost Retail Many Stores See a Welcome Bump in June Sales Figures NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — After months of getting hammered by negative same-store sales results, retailers were provided a temporary reprieve in June as consumers spent those stimulus checks. FULL ARTICLE

Execs Admit Competition to Blame for Flat Corona Sales Predicted Summer Surge Never Happened, but No Change in Ads Planned CHICAGO (AdAge.com) — When Corona Extra last year suffered its first sales decline in 16 years, executives at the brand’s U.S. importer said a price increase, not stronger competition, was to blame. If history was any guide, the executives said, sales would surge back to their usual robust pace as soon as the competition’s pricing caught up to Corona’s. That’s not exactly happened this time around. FULL ARTICLE

ConAgra’s Linne: Keeping Iconic Brands From Languishing Senior VP-Advertising Has a Stable of Cupboard Staples That He Wants to Be More Top of Mind CHICAGO (AdAge.com) — ConAgra has already established a stable of iconic brands — but it has also let them languish. Dave Linne, who took over as senior VP-advertising, said his job will be to make them more top of mind, with advertising that reinvigorates the likes of Pam cooking spray, Reddi-Wip, Egg Beaters, Chef Boyardee, Hunt’s tomato products and Orville Redenbacher. FULL ARTICLE

Why SAG, AFTRA Fight Will Spill Over Into Ad Negotiations Nerves Still Frayed Over Actors Unions’ Conflicting Negotiations With Broadcasters LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) — In a joint interview with Advertising Age, Screen Actors Guild President Alan Rosenberg and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists National President Roberta Reardon traded barbs and accusations, while nonetheless expressing a desire for “peace” and “joint negotiations.” FULL ARTICLE

Patron’s Death Puts Ruby Tuesday in Hot Seat Restaurant Chain Suggests Allergic Customer Made Bad Choice CHICAGO (AdAge.com) — Ruby Tuesday is taking heat over what’s interpreted by some as a mishandled response to a patron’s death. Rodney Hawkins, a rapper in Lovejoy, Ga., with a severe shellfish allergy, died from anaphylactic shock after consuming the restaurant’s Chicken Oscar — a dish that comes topped with crab meat. FULL ARTICLE

Why Unilever Is Quite Unexcited About Using HDTV Ads A 3 Minute Ad Age Video Report NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — Although hyping the advertising potential of HDTV is all the rage across the sales side of televisiondom, more than a few big marketers have yet to be convinced. In fact, one of the biggest, Unilever, is quite unexcited about the whole thing. And that’s no small issue, given that the package goods giant buys $2.2 billion worth of U.S. advertising each year. In other news, ABC’s sales chief is not happy with talk about programming commercials according to their performance. And some big rock stars have launched their own lines of coffee, which we put to the taste test. FULL ARTICLE

It’s a Chungle Out There Retire These All-American Business Phrases The Big Tent After six months, I have already logged more than 100,000 miles on one airline. Criss-crossing the country on planes with no internet or cellphone access has been a blessing. I read. I relax. I skip bad airplane food. I write my blog for Ad Age. And I have a chance to meet some of the most interesting people on the planet. Well, not always. FULL ARTICLE