So you haven’t heard about Split Second?
Well, you will shortly, as Amoco Corp. begins rolling out what are combination gas station-convenience stores under the Split Second banner in the Tampa area.
Split Second’s next units are scheduled for the Chicago and Philadelphia markets some time this year, say sources close to the Chicago-based petroleum firm.
Amoco is tight-lipped on expansion, but sources indicate Split Second could eventually be the banner of at least those locations called Amoco Food Shops.
This Split Second venture is independent of Amoco’s recent agreement with McDonald’s Corp. to expand their co-branding concept of developing service stations with a McDonald’s restaurant and a convenience store.
There are 13 such locations currently in the Midwest, and there could be 50 to 100 additional combinations in the next year or so.
Behind these combination ventures, whether they are Split Second or Amoco-Big Mac locations, is one-stop service capitalizing on heavy traffic in many cases.
At one Split Second unit in the Tampa area, a Pizza Hut two weeks ago debuted under the overall umbrella.
Significantly, Amoco is partnering with other retail ventures to strengthen its gas station/convenient-store ventures. For example, in south Florida, dry cleaning units have sprung up at two Amoco convenient-store locations.
Amoco overall has more than 9,000 service stations in 30 states, and perhaps 20 percent are in combination with another retailer.
Big Dog touts Reebok: NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal is clearly Reebok’s big promotional gun, but Gary’s Glenn Robinson, the former Purdue standout now with the Milwaukee Bucks, is getting plenty of showtime hawking for the footwear firm. On behalf of Reebok’s new basketball shoe called “The Rail,” Robinson appears in two TV commercials, one of which has already aired. Robinson, who’s called “Big Dog,” also is in a print ad created by Reebok agency Leo Burnett Co. in the current issue of Sports Illustrated. Robinson also has been pitching NBA-licensed merchandise in an “I Love this Stuff” campaign. No doubt, he’s pocketing more than a few dollars from Reebok, which signed him up two years ago, and from the NBA for pitching its goods. However, he did better than OK when he initially signed a 10-year contract with Milwaukee for $68 million. Robinson isn’t the only member of his family with TV prominence. His mother appeared last year in a Reebok “Moms” campaign.
Another cellular review: The fiercely competitive cellular market has had firms seeking new advertising approaches and picking new agencies. Two Chicago area-based firms, Cellular One and Sprint Cellular (a name being changed to 360 (degrees) Communications, in recent weeks have tapped new agencies; the former with Cramer-Krasselt Chicago and the latter with Martin Agency in Richmond, Va. Now, United States Cellular Corp., another Chicago firm that has been a client of McConnaughy Stein Schmidt Brown, says it will be inviting agencies to compete for an account that’s now in the $10 million to $15 million range, but expected to grow considerably. U.S. Cellular services markets outside Chicago. McConnaughy Stein says it won’t compete in the review, and it’s quite possible that the agency still may hold on to the business, though the odds are against it. Another unidentified cellular firm in the Midwest has enlisted Jones-Lundin Associates, the Chicago-based advertising management consulting firm, to help identify agencies to pitch its account.
Banking on a pitch: The strong possibility that First Chicago NBD Corp. will rename all its banks under the American National banner–a new identity program that might begin as early as 1997–has ad agencies licking their chops at a shot at pitching what could be a huge advertising account. NBD’s advertising now is with Ross Roy Communications in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., just outside the Detroit home base of that banking giant, which recently merged with First Chicago Corp. First Chicago’s First National Bank and American National Bank accounts are now handled by LaRowe & Armstrong and Ogilvy & Mather Chicago, respectively. Presumably, these agencies could be invited into a competition, depending, of course, upon whether the American National name becomes the overall banner. There are other major agencies in Detroit and Chicago already eyeing the combined banking giant as a new-business opportunity, though such an opportunity won’t present itself for some time. A name change is not a priority right now, but it’s on the agenda for later. Meanwhile, the merger already has key marketing staffers at First National Bank of Chicago shuttling back and forth between the Motor City and Chicago. Included is Robin Foote, a senior VP of the Chicago bank who now heads up retail marketing for the merged operation.
On the move: Colleen Collins appointed marketing manager at Fullerton Metals Co., Northbrook. . . . Jim Barker joined John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Elk Grove Village, as director of marketing, succeeding Robert Clark, who was promoted to VP-general manager for the firm’s recently acquired Fisher nut business.
Strictly Personal: Birthday greetings to Tricia A. Keating, Arthur G. Murray (Sunshine Biscuits), James W. Wall, Juliet L. Fitzgerald and Deanna J. Durdov.
Euro RSCG Worldwide, the Paris-based parent of ad agency Tatham Euro RSCG, is going under a new banner, Havas Advertising, lifted from holding company Havas. This doesn’t affect Tatham, which continues to operate under the Euro RSCG network.
Manhattan-based Interpublic Group of Companies acquired Jay Advertising in Rochester, N.Y., a $50 million ad agency with a client roster including 40 Buick dealer associations around the country, some in Wisconsin and Indiana. Jay will remain under its own banner. Interpublic has other agencies, including McCann-Erickson, that work on national and dealer advertising for General Motors Corp.’s Buick division.
