If negative advertising works so well in the political arena, why don't consumer marketers use the same technique more often? After all, voters and consumers are the same people. Maybe it's because political ad guys get more practice. Much of their work is focused on destroying the opponent, and they spend a lot of time digging up dirt. Consumer marketers, on the other hand, like to entertain us or dazzle us with elaborate productions that sometimes leave what's being sold in question. In a New ...

Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody -- a tune with plenty of mileage in adland -- gets a fresh cover in Fallon Minneapolis' quirky spot for Las Vegas hotel The Cosmopolitan, featuring a sexy and strange cast of characters putting their spin on the lyrics. View the work and see full credits at Creativity-Online.com.

Time Warner Cable and Madison Square Garden reached an agreement on a new contract, ending a seven-week stalemate that kept the operator's 2.8 million local subscribers from watching the New York Knicks and their Jeremy Lin-led winning streak. Alex Dudley, a spokesman for Time Warner Cable, confirmed the agreement, which was first reported by The New York Times. He said MSG will be back on Time Warner Cable in time for Friday night's game against the New Orleans Hornets. He declined to disclose ...

What better way to promote your double-duty pipe cleaner than with a slice of beefcake or two? Liquid-Plumr goes for a daring double entendre in this new spot out of DDB, San Francisco and directed by Biscuit Filmworks' Clay Weiner. See the work and full creative credits, at Creativity-Online.com.

One of the most-closely watched independent shops in adland, Droga5, has won a major vote of confidence -- and several million dollars in backing --from prominent investors who are trying to help the agency expand while retaining its indie status. The investment, which was reported earlier today by one of the Wall Street Journal's blogs , was led by a private group headed by investor Henry Silverman, and included media mogul Bob Pittman. Mr. Silverman is the vice chairman and director at Apollo ...

Conventional wisdom long held that you don't joke about feminine care in ads. But Kimberly-Clark has been laughing all the way to the bank with successful spots for U by Kotex in recent years and is now enlisting female standup comics for a new round of ads behind the base Kotex brand. U by Kotex, launched two years ago with ads that mocked feminine-care ads of yore, helped Kotex reverse a generation of share decline in the U.S. and top $1 billion in global sales for the first time last year. Du...

Cirque du Soleil, the global live-event organization, has bought a "significant minority equity stake" in Montreal-based ad agency Sid Lee, reports Marketing magazine, Ad Age's international partner in Canada. Sid Lee President Jean-Francois Bouchard said the deal will not affect day-to-day operations of the agency, with the existing partners "remaining solidly in control of the company." Someone from Cirque will join the agency's board, but the management team won't change. Sid Lee, an unconven...

In its new campaign, Foxwoods Resort Casino is willing to bet on its services. As it prepares for its 20th anniversary amid an increasingly competitive environment, the Connecticut-based casino wants to sell itself as a destination that offers a little of this or a lot of that -- and much more than gaming. "If you want to be among people, have interaction, we are the place to do that," said newly appointed Chief Marketing Officer Rebecca Carr. "We have the 'what else can you do' here." Ms. Carr,...

Every year, companies around the world spend more than $6 billion conducting market research. Upon receiving the results of these studies, marketers retreat to conference rooms where they pore over the data and attempt to derive value from what is usually a very significant investment. One of the most common outcomes of this process is a fantastic "new" way to segment customers. Staffers congratulate themselves on the brilliant insights the new pie charts yield, and their managers trumpet their ...

In the old days, agencies would pair up a creative person and a copywriter to lead a brand's team advertising and creative efforts. I didn't live or work during these days, but that's what my friends tell me, and I've seen enough "Mad Men" and "thirtysomething" episodes to know that this is true. Since then, agencies have been transforming, growing, expanding into digital and doing their best to figure out how business should be done. Some have married their digital departments with the rest of ...

The weather this winter has been unseasonably warm -- which is definitely not cool for those who rely on the frigid temperatures and snow storms for business. "It's been a challenge, no question about it," said Dave Byrd. Mr. Byrd is the director of risk management for the National Ski Areas Association, based in Lakewood, Colo., and his job title and description has been put to the test this winter. All across the country, warm temperatures have put a damper on traditional winter activities, su...

Some long-term sick and disabled people face being forced to work unpaid for an unlimited amount of time or have their benefits cut under plans being drawn up by the Department for Work and Pensions. Mental health professionals and charities have said they fear those deemed fit to undertake limited amounts of work under a controversial assessment process could suffer further harm to their health if the plans go ahead. The new policy, outlined by DWP officials in meetings with disabilities groups...

Two prominent Western journalists have been killed in the Syrian city of Homs in the latest violence in the besieged city which left 20 people dead. Sunday Times reporter Marie Colvin, an American, and award-winning French photographer Remi Ochlik died when a shell hit a makeshift media centre in the Baba Amr district. Opposition-held areas of Homs have been besieged since 4 February. Thousands have died in unrest against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad. More than 40 people died on Tuesday...

Apple has won a patent dispute against Motorola Mobility regarding a "slide-to-unlock" feature on smartphones. The judgement marks Apple's first patent victory over Motorola in any part of the world. Patent consultant Florian Mueller said the ruling could affect patent disputes involving Android device makers worldwide. Motorola said it planned to appeal and the judgement would have "no impact" on supply or future sales. A spokeswoman for the Motorola said: "Today's ruling in the patent litigati...

Google is currently making a pair of glasses that will be able to stream information to the wearer’s eyes in real time.

Apple has sold 55 million iPads and is expected to launch a new, smaller, version of the device in the first week of March

Former IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn is being questioned by French police as a suspect in a prostitution ring inquiry, a prosecutor says. Mr Strauss-Kahn, once a front-runner for the French presidency, is being held in custody at a police station in Lille, northern France. Police have questioned a number of prostitutes who have admitted having sex with Mr Strauss-Kahn. He insists he did not know that the women were prostitutes. "I challenge you to distinguish a naked prostitute from any other ...

3.05pm: Journalists at the Sun have roundly welcomed the news that their recently-arrested colleagues can return to work. However, some are asking questions about the Sun's former head of features Matt Nixson, who was sacked last summer over an alleged illicit payment to a prison guard and who friends now refer to as "The Wapping One". It is known that Nixson feels "unfairly treated" by his former employer and forgotten about as they prepare to welcome back the 10 who have been arrested – though...

Feb. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Bloomberg's Peter Cook reports on GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum's release of his tax returns for the past four years. Santorum paid more than 27 percent of his adjusted gross income in federal taxes each of the past three years. He speaks on Bloomberg Television's "In The Loop."