THE ILLINOIS TOURISM ACCOUNT ad account is up for review, as required by state law every two years. BBDO has had the $12 million businss for four years during which it also did a modicum of film office advertising. To be eligible to bid, an agency must have a minimum of 50 full-time employees and a significant presence in the Chicago area (whatever that means). Entry deadline is Sept. 22, decision on Sept. 24. What makes this more of a horse race is that agencies will pitch to a Democratic client, and who knows who has clout with the new decision-makers.
REBA MESHULAM’S Suite 100 Video & Communications is producing a national training program called “The Law and You,” teaching teenagers how to interact with police in a productive way. Allstate Foundation and the National Crime Prevention Council are sponsors. Frank Haney directs. Phone, 847/715-1070.
SETMEISTER LARRY LUNDY was tapped to create the sets for the new Walgreen’s “Health Corner” show that shoots in December for January airing. “The concept design is called the ?living set,’ which features organic motion, exterior tree branches in motion, dappled sunlight and waterfall,” Lundy said. Tom Engel and Michael Rafayko are the “Corner’s” executive producers.
NEW TO THE IFO’S staff of eight is Lauren Jasculca, a paid Public Administration Intern. She’s the daughter of Rick Jasculca (Jasculca/Terman), a very well-known public affairs and public relations expert who’d worked on the Clinton campaign. Jasculca replaces another PAI, George Coutresis, who was let go last month. Coutresis’ job was to input the IFO’s 25,000 location photos into a database, a chore that was expected to take at least 18 months.
MADTOWN MEDIA, the three-year old, full-service video house, produced the American Bar Association Pro Bono Publico Awards video of the five honored attorneys. Local Winston & Strawn attorney Kimball Anderson was one of the honorees and W&S chairman Jim Thompson provided the accolades. Madtown shot on DVcam over a month, edited on its Final Cut Pro; John Hultman narrated. Madtown co-owners are producer Matt Russell, director/DP/editor Paul Bieschke and editor/producer Mark Price. Phone, 312/930-0993.
LARRY KING hosts the Nov. 8 Radio Hall of Fame dinner and broadcast, where 450 guests are expected. WGN’s Orion Samuelson, “the voice of agriculture” since 1960; Viacom’s top executive, Mel Karmazin, former head of Infinity Broadcasting; talk show hosts Jim Bohannon of Westwood One and KABC-L.A.’s Michael Jackson and the late yodeling cowboy Gene Autry will be inducted into the Radio Hall Hall. Tickets are $500 at www.radiohof.org.
IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE. A federal judge ruled Taco Bell must pay an extra $11.8 million to two Grand Rapids men who claim the chain stole their idea for ads featuring a talking Chihuahua. The ruling brings the total award to a whopping $41.9 million for Thomas Rinks and Joseph Shields. They sued Taco Bell in 1998, charging they had an oral agreement with Taco Bell executives to use their idea, but then the chain used it without compensating the two idea men. Tsk.
