But all that empowerment comes at a price. While ticket prices
are not yet available, all signs point to a significant sum:
American Girl dolls currently cost around $115, more than 10 times
the price of a Barbie, and a service at the brand's doll salon on
Fifth Avenue in New York, which includes doll hair braiding, can be
as much as $20.
Cuckoo for voiceovers
Actor Chuck McCann, who died April 8, had roles including being
the first person to utter the line "I'm cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs" in
spots for the General Mills cereal.
"We are saddened by the loss of Chuck McCann. He was the first
voice of our favorite bird, Sonny, and from 1963-1978 we all knew
he was 'Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs,'" General Mills said in a
statement. "Our thoughts are with Chuck's family during this
difficult time." McCann, who died at the age of 83, was also in
Right Guard commercials in the '70s and '80s
Formica back on TV for first time in 40
years
It's been 40 years since Formica had a TV commercial. Now it's
back with a campaign from Empower, Cincinnati, featuring Leanne
Ford, star of the new home show "Restored by the Fords" on
HGTV. It's part of a two-year creative
partnership between Ford and Formica, which will include her
creating future collections using the laminate brand in home
remodels. The initial TV ad in the campaign shows Formica used for
the expected countertop, but also for unexpected uses such as a
sliding door with a writable surface, a coffee table and a bed
platform. Empower is a media agency, but has built a creative team
to do ads that spring from the media work. This is the first
national TV ad Empower has done; it was shot near its headquarters
in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Formica and its PR
shop Carmichael Lynch Relate coordinated the
partnership with Ford.
Sharpie goes beyond autographs with
athletes
Athletes have used Sharpies to autograph a lot of gear over the
years. Now the Newell Brands writing product is going a little
deeper in the relationship, joining The Players' Tribune, an
athlete-developed media company, to create an "Uncap the
Possibilities" content series where athletes tell their
first-person stories. The series and special-edition packs of
Sharpies will showcase athletes and the charities they support,
including Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Wounded
Warrior Project; the Houston Rockets' Chris Paul and his Family
Foundation; Olympic Gold-medalist soccer player Alex Morgan and
UNICEF Kid Power; and Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and #ICan
Help. It's wrapped up with a promotion in which people can win, of
course, autographed items among 50,000 prizes, which also include a
trip to New York to meet Judge.
What's for breakfast?
Restaurant industry tracker Technomic says that based on sales
and unit growth, chains that could soon crack into its Top 500
ranking include Keke's Breakfast Cafe (No. 508) and Jimmy's Egg
(No. 530). Keke's has been opening across Florida. Jimmy's Egg,
which started in Oklahoma City, has recently expanded to states
including Iowa, Missouri and Texas. The latest Top 500 report, out
Thursday, shows McDonald's maintaining its massive lead over every
other chain based on 2017 sales figures. Starbucks remains in
second place.
Go Gothic. American Gothic, that is
