Vast Majority of Online Retailers to Advertise Offline

A new study conducted by BizRate Research has found that 92 percent of pure-play online retailers will advertise offline this year, compared with 93 percent of multi-channel retailers, Internet Retailer reports. According to the 2005 Shop.org/BizRate Research Online Holiday Mood Study, the most popular offline vehicles to drive traffic to websites for both online-only and multi-channel retailers are: catalog, which 63 percent of merchants plan to use; in-store materials (61 percent); direct mail (59 percent); and magazine advertising (54 percent).

Tribune Newspapers Offer Unusual Ad Options

Tribune Media Net - the national advertising sales organization for Tribune Co., publisher of the LA Times, Chicago Tribune, and Newsday, among others - is touting its ability to run watermarked logos, cascading stairs, and other unusual ad options, Editor & Publisher reports. The company will be running ads about its newspapers’ unique advertising capabilities in trade publications in the fourth quarter.

The campaign coincides with increased color printing capacity at several of the Tribune’s newspapers.

Bochco Joins ‘Commander in Chief’

Ten-time Emmy Award-winner Steven Bochco will join ABC’s successful new show, Commander in Chief, as an executive producer as part of his new deal with Disney’s Touchstone Television, Broadcasting & Cable reports. Series creator Rod Lurie, while maintaining an executive producer title on Commander in Chief, will focus on new projects.

Radio Disney Launches in Detroit

Radio Disney kicked off its new station, AM 910 in Detroit, with a party at the Henry Ford Museum on October 5. At the party, Radio Disney awarded “Hometown Hero” certificates to children who have shown “extraordinary kindness and generosity to others.”

WWAV Rapp Collins Gets Capital One

Capital One has awarded its 10 million pound U.K. direct and digital marketing accounts to WWAV Rapp Collins without a pitch, Brand Republic reports. WWAV won the direct portion of the business after Capital One appointed the AAR to conduct a review in July; the review was cancelled when WWAV was appointed after chemistry meetings. WWAV Rapp Collins Digital was then asked to pitch for the digital account.

‘War at Home’ a Blast for Kids

Fox, after struggling to find the perfect follow-up to The Simpsons, seems to have found it in War at Home, according to Media Life. The new show has averaged a 4.6 teen rating, retaining 94 percent of viewers from The Simpsons (at 4.9). Twice in the show’s three weeks, War at Home exceeded The Simpsons in teen ratings.

Hyundai Seeks New Hispanic Agency

Hyundai Motor America has announced a search for an agency to handle its $20 million Hispanic account, Adweek reports. Select Resources International will conduct the search for Hyundai, who split with Omnicom Group’s Dieste Harmel & Partners. DHP, which has held the account since 1999, will remain with Hyundai through the end of the year, and Hyundai officials said they expect to have named a new agency by that time.

Hyundai spent $20 million in measured media in 2004, and had already spent $20 million through August of 2005, according to TNS Media Intelligence.

New HGTV Series Gets Web Premiere

For the first time, Scripps Network is posting a TV show to the web before it is broadcast. HGTV network’s first broadband webisode will launch October 17, on HGTV.com five days before the TV show, My First Place, airs. Viewers can watch anytime that week before the series premieres on Saturday. The series features couples, singles, and families moving into their first homes.

This is the latest of a string of new shows that are premiering online. Recently, the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim property debuted content online prior to its on-air broadcast and the WB network made the entire first episode of Supernatural available on Yahoo seven days before the show aired.

RR Donnelley Acquires Spencer Press

R.R. Donnelley & Sons is acquiring catalog printer Spencer Press. The transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter. Spencer Press produces catalogs, press-pasted booklets, free-standing inserts and self-mailers. According to the company, Spencer Press’s capabilities will complement RR Donnelley’s existing Catalog and Retail Services platform.

DHL Global Mail Teams with Porsche

DHL Global Mail is teaming with Porsche Motorsports in a marketing deal designed to increase its awareness and build customer relationships in the U.S. market throughout the 2006 American Le Mans Series, DMNews reports.