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Facebook founder, chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg (center) rings the opening bell of the Nasdaq stock market, from Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., to celebrate the company’s initial public offer on May 18, 2012. One year later, much has changed at Facebook, including the addition of mobile advertisements, the launch of a search feature and the unveiling of a branded smartphone. (Associated Press file photo)

Facebook aims to be ad colossus

NEW YORK — It was supposed to be our IPO, the people’s public offering.

Facebook, the brainchild of a young CEO who sauntered into Wall Street meetings in a hoodie, was going to be bigger than Amazon, bigger than McDonald’s, bigger than Coca-Cola. And it was all made possible by our friendships, photos and family ties.

Then came the IPO, and it flopped. Facebook’s stock finished its first day of trading just 23 cents higher than its $38 IPO price. It hasn’t been that high since.

U.S. actress Zoe Saldana, left, director J.J Abrams, second from left, English actress Alice Eve, third from left, and U.S. actor Chris Pine pose for photos at an event promoting the new Star Trek movie "En la Oscuridad" in Mexico City, Tuesday, May 7, 2013. The American action- film directed by J.J. Abrams premiers in the Mexican capital Friday. Pine plays the role of Captain Kirk, Saldana plays the role of Lt. Uhura, and Eve plays the role of Dr. Carol Marcus. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

UofU study shows how advertising affects box office

SALT LAKE CITY -- According to research led by a marketing professor at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business, film studios might be better served with more targeted advertising that takes into account the movie-going habits of different communities, as well as how those communities respond to paid advertising and movie-review blogs.

FILE - This Aug. 28, 2011 file photo shows Tyler the Creator posing backstage with the award for best new artist backstage at the MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles. PepsiCo said it immediately pulled the 60-second Mountain Dew ad after learning that people found it was offensive. The ad was part of a series developed by African-American rapper Tyler, The Creator, and depicted a battered white woman on crutches being urged to identify a suspect out of a lineup of black men.(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, file)

Is Mountain Dew ad racist?

 

NEW YORK -- PepsiCo is once again learning the risks of celebrity partnerships after an ad for Mountain Dew was criticized for portraying racial stereotypes and making light of violence toward women.

Bryce Canyon National Park in southern Utah

Utah launches ad campaign promoting national parks

 

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Office of Tourism launched a $3.1 million spring/summer regional television advertising campaign at the Capitol today to promote Utah’s five national parks known as "The Mighty Five."

The campaign will include TV commercials in Los Angeles, Denver, Phoenix, Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle, as well as digital outdoor, wallscapes, online, and social media.  

Nike’s Tiger Woods ad draws critics

NEW YORK — Maybe winning doesn’t take care of everything.

Nike is causing a social media storm with its latest online ad showing a picture of Tiger Woods overlaid with a quote from him, “Winning takes care of everything.”

The ad, posted on Facebook and Twitter, is supposed to allude to the fact that the golfer recovered from career stumbles to regain his world No. 1 ranking on Monday, which he lost in October 2010. But some say it’s inappropriate in light of Woods’ past marital woes. It’s the latest controversy from the athletic giant who has recently had to cut ties with biker Lance Armstrong and runner Oscar Pistorius due to separate scandals.

In this photo combo, Wayne LaPierre, left, CEO of the National Rifle Association, makes remarks at CPAC 2013, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Friday, March 15, 2013; and at right, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks to the Economic Club of Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012, in Washington. Two of the loudest voices in the gun debate say it's up to voters now to make their position known to Congress. LaPierre and Bloomberg claim their views on guns have the support of the overwhelming number of Americans. (AP Photo, Ron Sachs, Manuel Balce Ceneta)

NRA leader says NYC mayor wants to buy gun control support with ads

WASHINGTON — National Rifle Association head Wayne LaPierre said Sunday that New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, I, is trying to “buy America” by spending millions from his personal fortune to urge key senators to vote for gun control.

Ackerman McQueen logo

Ad agency is the NRA's hired gun

WASHINGTON — “Are the president’s kids more important than yours?” the deep and dramatic-sounding voice intoned. “Then why is he skeptical about putting armed security in our schools when his kids are protected by armed guards at their school?”

When the National Rifle Association aired its 35-second TV spot last month, suggesting that President Barack Obama has a double standard on school security and seemingly using his daughters as props, the White House quickly labeled it “repugnant and cowardly.” But the commercial was another in a long line of bare-knuckled NRA advertisements, many of them controversial but also compelling attacks that have come to define the organization.

This undated publicity image released by Marvel shows Robert Downey Jr., as Tony Stark/Iron Man, in a scene from "Marvel's Iron Man 3." "Marvel's Iron Man 3" was one of several upcoming films to receive spotlight treatment with an ad that aired during Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013. (AP Photo/Marvel, Zade Rosenthal)

The stories behind the Super Bowl ads

NEW YORK — Super Bowl ads this year morphed into mini soap operas.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson shrugged off aliens so he could get more milk for his kids in a Super Bowl spot for the Milk Processor Education Program. Anheuser-Busch’s commercial told the story of a Clydesdale colt growing up and returning to his owner for a heartfelt hug years later. And a Jeep ad portrayed the trials and triumphs of families waiting for their return of family members.

Lights are seen in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome as Beyonce performs during the halftime show of the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Should states, cities sell naming rights for roads?

WASHINGTON — Are you good with FedEx Field and the Verizon Center? Did you watch the NCAA football championship at the Discover Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium? Planning on catching the Super Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome?

Then consider this:

If you sat in traffic on the Burger King Capital Beltway in Northern Virginia would that make you hungry for a Whopper?

Adver-teasers: Super Bowl viewers get peek at ads

NEW YORK — Super Bowl advertisers are learning the art of the tease.

Supermodel Kate Upton appears in an online Mercedes-Benz video in a low-cut top. An unknown man wakes up with his face covered in smeared lipstick and his hands bound in furry handcuffs in a Gildan Activewear clip. And “30 Rock” star Tracy Morgan seemingly curses in a spot for Kraft’s Mio flavored drops.

“Hey, can you say (bleep) on TV?” he asks in the spot titled “Bleep.”

FILE - In this Monday, April 9, 2012, file photo, Instagram is demonstrated on an iPhone, in New York. Instagram, the popular photo-sharing service that Facebook bought this year, is the target of a storm of outrage on Twitter and other sites after the company announced Monday, Dec. 17, 2012 a change in its user agreement that hinted that it might use shared photos in ads. (AP Photo/Karly Domb Sadof, File)

Instagram says users’ photos won’t appear in ads

SAN FRANCISCO — Instagram, the popular mobile photo-sharing service now owned by Facebook, said Tuesday that it will remove language from its new terms of service suggesting that users’ photos could appear in advertisements.

YouTube Obama attack ad.

Polling trend: Are GOP attack ads against Obama backfiring?

Have conservative groups bungled their chance to help defeat Barack Obama?

Fueled with tens of millions of dollars in unlimited contributions, a network of Republican super PACs and nonprofit groups began the year with heady talk of bringing down President Obama with a ceaseless barrage of attack ads.

Pakistani protesters hold a banner depicting U.S. President Barack Obama and pastor Terry Jones during a rally in Peshawar, Pakistan as a part of widespread anger across the Muslim world about a film ridiculing Islam's Prophet Muhammad, on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012. Hundreds of Pakistanis angry at an anti-Islam film that denigrates the religion's prophet clashed with police in the Pakistani capital Thursday, the most violent show of anger in a day that saw smaller demonstrations in Indonesia, Iran and Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

Is U.S. running TV ads in Pakistan to counter anti-Muslim film?

ISLAMABAD — Marked by the U.S. Embassy seal, advertisements condemning an anti-Islam video appeared on Pakistani television on Thursday in an apparent attempt to undercut anger against the United States, where the film was produced. Hundreds of youths, however, clashed with security officials as they tried in vain to reach the embassy in Islamabad amid anger in many countries over the film’s vulgar depiction of the Prophet Muhammad.

Romney's latest TV ad promises tax cuts on first day in office

WASHINGTON -- Mitt Romney's first general-election TV commercial promises he would introduce tax cuts and approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline on the first day of his presidency.

Utah launches tourism push in neighboring states

SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah tourism officials are banking on bringing their western state neighbors to state and national parks this summer.

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