Another agency behemoth: BSMG Worldwide (part of True North) acquires GJW, a UK-based public affairs firm, creating Britain's seventh largest PR firm.
Tobacco takes a hit. A study conducted by the American Cancer Society, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and American Heart Association indicates that tobacco companies
increased ad spending in magazines with kid readers last year (from $90 million to $120 million) despite a 1998 court settlement that required cigarette makers to stop running ads
targeting children.
Renegade Web content is losing its appeal, according to a recent poll from The Standard.com. Only 41% of 7,500 Web surfers think the Internet should remain unregulated.
Forty-nine percent support some form of online content regulation and half of those supporters favor ratings like those used for TV and the movies.
Dr. Laura viewed as detriment to corporate reputation: United Airlines drops ads for the talk radio show from its inflight mag for fear of being associated with its host's
controversial views on homosexuality. The move follows a P&G decision last week to reneg its plans to sponsor the radio show.
SunAmerica corporate comm VP Don Spetner leaves to form his own L.A-based consultancy.
Bell takes over the Y&R ad business after his return to BM less than four years ago. He had served as COO of BM in the early 1990s.
