Super Bowl ads stick to classic themes, wiener dogs
There’s a fine line between standing out and risking offense, and this year the Super Bowl advertisers are going for the safety: movie and rock stars, anthemic songs and cute animals.
Advertising
Articles
Gun shop owner, pitchman Don Davis dies at 82
Don Davis, one of the nation's most prolific gun dealers and a late-night TV commercial icon in Indianapolis, died Thursday
Television executive joins marketing firm to accelerate growth of new technology
It took former WISH-TV Channel 8 General Manager Jeff White only one trip to VisionThree’s studio to convince him to take an ownership stake in the company and spearhead sales and product development for the firm full time.
Young & Laramore fetches national retail ad account
Pet Supplies Plus has hired Indianapolis-based ad agency Young & Laramore to help it take a bite out of competitors Petco and PetSmart.
New tourism strategy generates $35M for Hamilton County
An autumn campaign targeting the Chicago area sparked $156 in visitor spending for every marketing dollar spent, tourism officials said.
Angie’s List hires ad firm that created Progressive’s Flo
Angie’s List Inc. is rejiggering its marketing strategy, a move that includes hiring a new branding agency to help get the home-services giant growing rapidly again.
Indy’s newest country radio station off to slow start
Low ratings for WUBG-FM 98.3 could change with a planned onslaught of billboard and TV promotion. And its value to its owner is being part of a larger local and national advertising strategy.
Radio One launches old-school hip-hop station to battle The Beat
Boom 102.9 FM likely will have a different vibe from the throwback station launched by Cumulus Media last December that briefly skyrocketed to the top of ratings.
Hoosier Lottery taking bids for ad buyer and planner
Eight firms are bidding to be the media-buying and planning-services agency for the Hoosier Lottery. Though the Lottery's ad contract isn't as lucrative as it once was, the winner could score an annual six-figure payoff.
Sport Graphics expanding, moving creative division downtown
Sport Graphics Inc. is expanding its creative division, re-naming it Section 127 and moving it downtown into more than 11,000 square feet near Lucas Oil Stadium.
City billboard suit spooks Montage on Mass developers
A federal suit filed by a local billboard firm claiming a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision makes the city’s sign ordinance unconstitutional has pushed discussion of another project’s electronic-mesh art display to next year.
Hamilton County overhauls strategy, targets Chicago visitors
Hamilton County Tourism is in the process of testing a marketing campaign aimed at attracting weekend visitors in the fall months. And it’s targeting only one out-of-state area—Chicago—instead of several.
Billboard company suing city over digital sign ban
The federal suit filed by GEFT Outdoor LLC challenges the constitutionality of the ordinance. It comes in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding regulations for different kinds of sign content.
New publisher combines The Word, Up Downtown
D.J. Doran has promised to increase and diversify content in the revamped tabloid while keeping The Word’s LGBT perspective. Next year, he’ll start publishing The Word twice a month.
Indiana Fever among league leaders in sponsorship sales, profitability
For a third consecutive year, the Fever have led the WNBA in sponsorships sales and, more important, have been profitable. Team officials said the margin isn’t huge, but league sources confirmed the Fever is one of only six franchises in the 12-team league to be profitable this year at all.
Senate candidate Young hopes to leverage GOP debate
U.S. Rep. Todd Young, is attempting to take advantage of his early fundraising lead and the spectacle that is Donald Trump to gain an early advantage over rivals U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman and former state GOP chairman Eric Holcomb.
SmarterHQ gobbles up venture funds
SmarterHQ, an Indianapolis software firm, is quietly becoming one of the area’s top destinations for venture capital, fueled by surging sales for its personalized marketing software.
Ex-Subway exec says he didn’t know of Fogle’s sex crimes
A former executive who was in charge of Subway's advertising says he wasn't aware of pitchman Jared Fogle's criminal sexual conduct with minors in 2008, contradicting the statement of a former franchisee.
Lawyer: Former franchisee alerted Subway executive about Fogle
Former franchisee Cindy Mills said she expressed her concerns to a regional Subway contact in Florida in 2008 after Subway pitchman Jared Fogle began talking to her about paying for sex with minors.
Florida woman says she secretly recorded Jared Fogle
A woman says former Subway pitchman Jared Fogle told her years ago about his interest in having sex with minors and that she went to authorities who told her to record the conversations.