Top Story

• Ad agencies stake their claim for strategic services roles
  A number of ad agencies are moving into strategic services, reclaiming the high-level access to clients previously enjoyed by management consultants. The moves come in response to "a new breed of CEO and executive team that's been emerging over the past 10 years. They know the value of a brand as a strategic asset, and that brings us in upstream from communications," said Tracy Lovatt, chief of BBDO's Batten & Co. Adweek (12/3)     

Agency News

• Digital is a bright spot amid global gloom, say ad giants
  The global advertising outlook is getting gloomier, with WPP, Publicis Groupe and Interpublic Group all expected to release downgraded spending forecasts today. About the only bright spot for marketers is the digital sector, with Web spending expected to increase 18.1% to $36.2 billion in 2013. The Wall Street Journal (12/2)     

Creative

• Ford wants its Lincoln brand to stand tall on its own
  Ford is rebranding its moribund Lincoln luxury division as Lincoln Motor Co. and will surround the effort with new customer service initiatives and commercials featuring Abraham Lincoln. Ford is training dealers on how to treat customers better in a Lincoln Academy and drafting off the contemporary Steven Spielberg movie "Lincoln" with the spots, though the automaker says the connection is just lucky timing. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (12/2)     

• Other News

• Subaru teams with DumbDumb and TBS for sponsored comedy videos
  The New York Times (tiered subscription model)/Media Decoder blog (11/30)     

Media

• Univision's second network to be renamed UniMás
  Univision is rebranding the Spanish-language network TeleFutura as UniMás, with a new logo and a new programming focus on young male Latinos with shows such as the boxing-themed "Cloroformo." "There was a huge opportunity for Univision to tell a more relevant contemporary story, not only to their audience but to a new audience and to their advertisers," says Jordan Crane, creative director at Wolff Olins. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (12/2)     

Trends & Research

• Big Data drives the new hunt for data scientists
  Companies such as Unilever, General Mills and others are competing with high-tech firms in adding Big Data talent to their rosters. Unilever is looking to add to its skin-products line a small team led by a data scientist. General Mills is on the hunt for someone to lead Global Consumer Insights, and both Electronic Arts and Sony are bolstering their game divisions with data scientists. The high demand, however, has led to a dearth of talent. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (12/3)     

Sponsored Content

Marketer News

• Spanx arrives at malls where only Victoria's angels tread
  Spanx founder Sara Blakely is expanding the "problem-solving," body-shaping women's undergarment business to dedicated mall stores in Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The move allows for the display of more Spanx items -- including Manx, the company's line for men -- than department-store space permits. Bloomberg Businessweek (11/30)     

Technology

• Nook aims to win over Pinterest users with online video ad
  Barnes & Noble and Nook Media are targeting Pinterest users with a new video ad touting the Nook tablet's potential as a scrapbooking tool. "This is the kind of capability that in the age of Pinterest is perfect for our customers," a spokesman said. ClickZ (11/30)     

Association News

• "Creative Ways Agencies Can Get Paid" Webinar
  Please note that the date of this webinar has been changed from Feb. 1 to March 7.
  
  Most agency executives accept the idea that clients don't really buy their "time," but struggle with how to charge in any other way. This example-packed webinar is designed not only for financial managers, but for all senior client-facing executives who are in a position to quote pricing or negotiate compensation for client projects or relationships. Ignition Consulting Group's Tim Williams will help participants take advantage of the trend toward better ways of pricing that transcend simply counting your time and learn how to apply as much creativity to pricing as to client business. Sign up now.     

• 2013 New York Institute of Advanced Advertising Studies
  For more than 30 years, the 4A's New York Institute of Advanced Advertising Studies (IAAS) has been training the city's best and brightest in the advertising agency business. Many of today's top agency executives are IAAS graduates. IAAS is the perfect vehicle for your next generation of advertising leaders. Students develop their skills by working on an actual client assignment in a team environment. This year's client is Serve from American Express. Visit the 4A’s website to learn more and register today.     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by 4A's SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• The Griswold family returns in spots for Old Navy (Advertising Age (tiered subscription model))

• Massive Santa puppet comes to life in Coke ads (Adweek)

• Crispin Porter + Bogusky's Colo. office wins Fruit of the Loom account (Adweek)

• Wieden+Kennedy to craft Super Bowl spot for Oreo (Advertising Age (tiered subscription model))

• Early peek: Lineup for next year's Super Bowl starts to take shape (Advertising Age (tiered subscription model))

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Legislative & Regulatory

• FCC clarifies SMS rules, clears way for mobile marketers
  The Federal Communications Commission has ruled that marketers can send a one-time mobile text message confirming users' opt-out requests. That should close a legal loophole that had sparked several class-action suits and left many companies wary of using SMS-based marketing strategies. "This isn't spam; it isn't robo-dialing. It's a permission-based marketing model. The FCC's ruling recognized that," said Michael Becker of the Mobile Marketing Association. Adweek (11/30)     

• Other News

• Rep. Ed Markey urges FTC to investigate energy drink ads
  The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (11/30)     

SmartQuote

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone." --Gladys Bronwyn Stern, British writer