Unless your last name is Steinbrenner, it’s not easy being the owner of a New York-area professional sports franchise.

Islanders owner Charles Wang has been unable to find the breakaway success he enjoyed at Computer Associates (now CA), the software company he co-founded. The owners of the Mets have been forced to cuts costs while being sued for profits they allegedly earned from Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme.

And now, thanks to a $100 million missed loan payment on September 1st, the New Jersey Devils are going bankrupt, if a report in the New York Post is to believed. Unsurprisingly, the Devils shot back: Don’t believe it.Continue reading...

New York City aimed to disgust New Yorkers on the notion of imbibing sugary beverages with a graphic campaign that launched last fall (all that was missing were street signs warning, "Don't even think about drinking that soda.")

Now it's Boston's turn to crack down on sweetened soda brands. Beantown officials have launched a public health media blitz including spots that state: "Don’t get smacked by fat. Calories from sugary beverages like soda, sweet tea, and sports drinks can cause obesity and type 2 diabetes."

As you'll see below, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino is on a mission to rid the streets of the public health scourges.Continue reading...

“Can Progressive's perky Flo make mincemeat out of the Jolly Green Giant? For that matter, can the Old Spice dude clean Mr. Clean's clock?” That’s the question being crowdsourced via social media to determine winners in the eighth annual online competition for the top two U.S. ad icons and slogans. 

Voting kicks off this week on event sponsor Buzzfeed.com, and runs through September 30.

The winners will be permanently installed on New York's Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame, located between 42nd and 50th Streets and already adorned with the likes of Juan Valdez, Orville Redenbacher, Mr. Peanut, the M&Ms, Tony the Tiger and the Budweiser Clydesdales. 

Leveraging Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, 20 icons are in the running, but only two will be immortalized during Advertising Week 2011 in New York, October 3-7.

2011 icon contenders include General Mills' Jolly Green Giant, the Kia Hamsters, P&G's Mr. Clean, the Energizer Bunny, Old Spice Man (aka The Man Your Man Could Smell Like, or Isaiah Mustafa), and Flo, Progressive’s perky/pesky insurance clerk.

"It's the ultimate seal of approval from consumers," comments Matt Scheckner, executive director of sponsor Advertising Week, to USA Today. "This will become viral," he says, fully (and ambitiously) expecting at least one million consumers to vote.Continue reading...

Over the weekend, all of those 9/11 commemorative campaigns we anticipated a couple of weeks ago came to pass.

One of the ads we noted was State Farm's. As it turns out, State Farm's moody, tear-jerking ad fired on all cylinders and ruled the day. Other brands' tributes? We'll let you decide who won and who lost.Continue reading...

Mashable announced in July that it was bringing back its Social Good Summit — and now it's just a week away. Taking place Sept. 19-22 in New York, the conference organizers gave a sneak peek at SGS 2011 on a preview call today.

Pete Cashmore, the ubiquitous founder and face of Mashable, says the goal of the SGS “to make the conversation more accessible to a wider world. Digital media and social media along with new technology can solve issues in the charity and non-profit worlds. The trend started a few years ago with start-ups for social good, but it spreads so quickly via social media and those in the charity activist space are using technology to spread the message.”

Henry Timms, Director, 92Y Charles Simon Center for Adult Life and Learning, announced that Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of Tanzania will be participating at the summit on Wednesday 9/21, speaking about the impact of social media on government in Africa.

“Holding the summit during UN week is the natural time to create civic and civil dialogue, new conversations with new audiences… about the sheer possibilities ahead from entrepreneurial minds for world solutions," Timms observed.Continue reading...

What do actor Susan Sarandon, jazz musician Esperanza Spalding, Tumblr founder David Karp, Momofuku chef David Chang, and Gregg Breinberg, the music director of NYC's P.S. 22’s kids chorus, the Oscars-performing YouTube sensation, have in common?

They are all – along with Laura Linney, John Leguizamo, and Glee star Darren Criss, and 23 other big name (and should-be-known) New Yorkers – being featured in the latest Japan-based Uniqlo advertising campaign, “Voices of New York,” released in time for New York Fashion Week.Continue reading...

One of the more interesting collaborations at New York's Fashion Week tweaks the fact that it's the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week: a red-and-green-stripped Gucci version of the Fiat 500.

According to Fiat USA, "The exclusive FIAT 500 by Gucci limited-edition models represent the perfect combination of craftsmanship and style, and bring together two of Italy's most respected brands. These special editions of the FIAT 500 and 500 Cabrio have been customized by Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini in partnership with FIAT Centro Stile."

But read the fine print on the web teaser: "European version shown. North American model available in limited quantities late 2011." See, the Gucci-wrapped 500 actually debuted at Milan Fashion Week earlier this year. Yes, you've got to give Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne credit for having ... boldness.Continue reading...

Fashion's Night Out revellers can tag along with two dolls with social moxie as they navigate the FNO mayhem tomorrow night. (Who said fashion-lovers are plastic?)

Shoppers/partiers in NYC may catch the Mattel-sponsored Barbie double-decker bus between the stores of five brands (Alexis Bittar, Alice and Olivia, Loomstate Organic, Rogan, and Tracy Reese) as part of a virtual and in-person game dubbed Barbie Loves FNO. (Fans can also play along on Twitter @BarbieStyle.)

Barbie's not the only doll working FNO on September 8th — meet Marina.Continue reading...