noncarbonated beverages and strength in key overseas growth markets helped Coca-Cola Co. post a 10% gain in first-quarter profit on flat revenue. The beverage concern saw global volume grow 11% in noncarbonated drinks led by double digit gains in Powerade and Dasani, and 3% in carbonated drinks with Sprite, Coca-Cola and Fanta leading gains. North American volume grew 2% mainly on the strength of fountain sales and noncarbonated drinks. Volume of noncarbonated drinks in North America grew 7% on Powerade and Dasani, while diets and lights grew 2%. Coke touted its results to shareholders during its annual meeting where Chairman-CEO E. Neville Isdell proclaimed, "We're well on our way to becoming the company you expect us to be."
BBC World News hires BBDO for U.S. launch
bbc world limited has tapped BBDO New York to help launch its iconic 24-hour international news channel in the U.S. market. BBC World News, seen in about 280 million homes globally, will be available to Cablevision's digital subscribers in the New York metropolitan area at the end of the month. The Cablevision agreement is the first carriage deal for the network. In January, Discovery Communications agreed to distribute the network. The efforts will initially involve out-of-home ads, with work expected to break in the New York area in early June. BBC World has also hired Weber Shandwick, part of the Interpublic Group of Cos., for PR and WPP Group's Mediaedge:cia for media planning and buying.
Cricket Cola aims legal slingshot at Coke
cricket cola has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Coke demanding the soft-drink giant refrain from using the phrase "happiness in a bottle" and asked for yet-to-be-negotiated compensation for harming Cricket.
"It's uncanny. The coincidences were a little too much for us," said Mary Heron, co-founder and CEO of Cricket, which makes a gourmet cola made with green tea, kola nut and cane sugar, and claims ownership of the tagline. "It's really diluting our marketing. I just don't think it's fair."
While the company hasn't trademarked the line, Ms. Heron claims her lawyer said Cricket's use of the line is now common law because it has been on bottles for two of its three years in existence. "Every bottle of Cricket Cola that people can take in their hands says that drinking [it] can make you happy and that it is happiness in a bottle," Ms. Heron said.
"Coca-Cola Co. does not use the phrase 'Happiness in a Bottle' in its advertising for brand Coca-Cola. The tagline for our new campaign is 'The Coke Side of Life,' which focuses on optimism, choosing a positive outlook and why people love to drink Coca-Cola," Coke said in a statement. "We do not believe there is any basis to Cricket Cola's claims that we have infringed its rights."
Nokia names Coffey as VP-marketing
nokia corp. has hired a veteran Pepsi marketer, Craig Coffey, as VP-marketing for North America to help stop its sliding market share. Nokia, which spent $49 million in measured media in 2005, according to TNS Media Intelligence, is the dominant mobile-phone maker in most parts of the world but dropped from a 28% share in 2003 to 27% in 2004 to 17% in 2005 and was edged out for the first time by LG's 17.5% share, according to Strategy Analytics. Motorola continued to increase its share, going from 27% in 2004 to 33% in 2005. Analysts credit Motorola's success to its popular slim design phones and marketing sizzle.
Discover taps Martin Agency for $80M account
discover financial moved its $80 million advertising account to Interpublic Group of Cos.' Martin Agency, Richmond, Va., following a lengthy review involving Interpublic's TM Advertising, Irving, Texas, and FCB, Chicago, as well as WPP Group's Y&R, Chicago. Martin will be charged with launching a new debit card offering and helping the credit-card company recover from years of market-share declines.
Top editor out at 'Marie Claire'
lesley jane seymour was replaced as editor in chief at Marie Claire by Joanna Coles, who has been executive editor at Meredith Corp.'s More magazine since September 2004. Though newsstand sales had slipped in recent years, Marie Claire under Ms. Seymour was also nominated for a 2006 National Magazine Award in general excellence. The title is owned by Hearst Magazines and Marie Claire Album in Paris. Ms. Seymour, who had been at the helm of Marie Claire since coming over from Redbook in June 2001, is leaving Hearst. Ms. Coles, 43, starts her new job May 15.