The Hut

Pizza Hut Adopts an Alias to Market Diversified Menu
Category Leader Going by ‘The Hut’ Amid Increased Competition From Freezer Aisle and Elsewhere

Another surprising victim of the recession: delivery pizza. Improved frozen fare, more grocery-made pies and a profusion of high-quality mom-and-pop shops have led the billion-dollar pizza chains to expand their menus to include wings, pasta and sandwiches. But the larger selection seems to have created a bit of an identity crisis for industry leader Pizza Hut, which will begin calling itself “The Hut” in some of its marketing efforts.

Even as overall pizza consumption increases, “the large chains have been losing share of the pizza market for years,” said Technomic President Ron Paul. As a result, he said, major companies are leaning on their next-best asset: massive delivery infrastructures that can bring a variety of fare to consumers’ doorsteps in 30 minutes or less.

The Ad Campaign for a ‘New’ G.M.

Can General Motors make up for decades of mistakes and misfires in a minute?

That is the ambitious goal of a 60-second commercial to begin running on television on Wednesday. The spot is already available on a Web site (gmreinvention.com) and on YouTube.

The commercial is part mea culpa, part gauzy paean to the concept of a “new” General Motors. Although portions seem self-serving, there are moments when a viewer may think, “Hey, maybe G.M. deserves another chance.”

Budweiser’s New Ale Strategy

A 3 Minute Ad Age Video Report

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — In all of its 130 years of operation as a beer giant, the Budweiser brand has never nationally marketed an ale. That changed this week as it rolled out its new Budweiser American Ale brand. Anheuser-Busch VP-Brand Management Keith Levy explains why the brewer believes now is the time to move into a market niche it has long ignored.

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Diversity Hearing to Be Held Second Day of Advertising Week Seabrook’s Committee on Civil Rights Back in Action

Campaign Trail

The New York City Committee on Civil Rights is holding a hearing Sept. 23, the second day of Advertising Week, on the topic of diversity and the advertising industry. Advertising Age obtained a memo, issued by the office of Gary Altman, the legislative counsel for the City Council, to participants. It was dated Sept. 10.

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Microsoft’s New Spot From Crispin Is an Ad About Nothing (So Far)

Bill Gates Steals the Show From Jerry Seinfeld in 90-Second Windows ‘Teaser Ad’

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — You could be forgiven for not knowing what that the heck Microsoft’s new TV ad from Crispin Porter & Bogusky, which made its debut during last night’s National Football League opener, was about.

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HBO’s ‘Entourage’ Plays Wingman for Virgin America As Part of Partnership, Airline Customers Will Get Sneak Peek of Series’ New Season

Madison & Vine

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — Only a year after getting off the ground, Virgin America already has its own “Entourage.” HBO has teamed up with Richard Branson’s airline to promote the fifth season of its hit comedy “Entourage,” premiering Sept. 7.

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Month’s Top 10 Most-Liked, Most-Recalled New TV Spots

Nielsen IAG Research Ad Ratings: Consumers Like Coca-Cola’s ‘Ceremony’ Ad

Watch the Spot

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — Coca-Cola’s “Ceremony” spot was the commercial most liked by viewers during the last month. See the full Nielsen IAG lists of top-liked and top-recalled spots.

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Hillsman Gives Mixed Review to Republican Efforts But Adman Says Obama Won’t Convince Independents That McCain Is Just Like Bush

Campaign Trail

MINNEAPOLIS (AdAge.com) — As Republicans offer their message in the Twin Cities during the Republican National Convention, a local ad executive most experienced in crafting political messages is giving them mixed marks.

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Nike Hires Don King to Trumpet Tennis Showdown

New Campaign Portrays Nadal and Federer as Boxing Rivals

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — Tennis has always had its share of loudmouths, some of the more memorable being Ilie Nastase, Jimmy Connors and, of course, John McEnroe. But for its most “significant” tennis campaign in years, Nike is bringing out the most loquacious and vociferous loudmouth of them all — Don King. Tennis will never be the same.

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P&G Taps Bloggers, Moms for Unconventional Product Launch Word-of-Mouth, Buzz Push for Crest Weekly

BATAVIA, Ohio (AdAge.com) — Procter & Gamble Co. is trying something decidedly new with toothpaste: launching a product designed to be used once a week. And Crest, long one of P&G’s biggest-spending media brands, is also taking a different tack in its marketing approach for the brand.

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New Website Aims to Speed Up Legal Action

CEO Says Whocanisue.com Fills a Need in Attorneys’ Marketing

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — A new website that matches consumers and attorneys is launching in September with a multimillion-dollar marketing push. Whocanisue.com allows users to peruse content about their legal interests and potential claims and fill out a short questionnaire, during which time they’ll receive ads for local attorneys who bid on those ad placements in real time.

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Tresemme Says Auf Wiedersehn to ‘Project Runway’ Hair-Care Brand Joins Elle Magazine for CW’s ‘Stylista’ in Fall

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — Elle magazine isn’t the only sponsor departing “Project Runway” after the show moves from Bravo to Lifetime in November. Tresemme, the exclusive hair-care sponsor for the past four seasons of “Runway,” will join its magazine partner in moving to the CW as the hair-care partner for “Stylista,” a reality series that makes its debut Oct. 29.

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What to Expect from P&G’s New Marketing Chief

The big question mark? How he’ll treat the company’s forays into digital.

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New Generation of Phones Is Game-Changer for Radio

Music service Pandora said one of its iPhone apps is downloaded every one to two seconds. Steve Rubel has more on how phones are good for radio.

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