Advertising Agencies

Commercials for Michael Jordan cologne have arrived, and there's nary a basketball in sight. Instead, there's an action shot of Jordan chatting with school kids, and another of Jordan shaving his head. According to Jim Smith of Ground Zero, the Venice-based advertising agency that produced the commercials, the spots go beyond the athlete and "get inside the real life of Michael." Well, sort of. Jordan in real life isn't learning Italian, as he is in one of the spots.

Film director Spike Lee's deal to create TV commercials for advertising agency DDB Needham is the latest partnership between Hollywood and Madison Avenue. The deal, announced earlier this week, gives the director of the acclaimed 1989 film "Do the Right Thing" half-ownership of an agency to be called Spike/DDB. Needham gets a marquee name that can help it attract and retain clients. Needham said that Lee, as creative director of the new agency, would develop commercials aimed at urban markets.

The fall of 1996 could go down in the advertising business as the season of the Big Breakup. An expanding roster of companies commanding more than $400 million in advertising spending have dumped their longtime agencies in response to competitive pressures. The latest to do so is Miller Brewing Co., which on Thursday fired Bates USA, its agency of 16 years, amid slumping sales and the perception that its ads were no match for the Budweiser frogs. More changes could be on the way.

Del Taco Inc. and its advertising agency parted company Thursday, just months after the Mexican-style restaurant chain initiated a new television advertising campaign. The split with Los Angeles-based Saatchi & Saatchi Pacific was driven by what Del Taco Vice President Lou Franson described as "the classic case of creative differences so common in this business." The first part of the new campaign aired just over a month ago.

Yamaha Motor Corp. USA said it has awarded the bulk of its advertising account to Marshall Design Associates in Newport Beach after a three-month search that reviewed 11 agencies. Diana Marshall, owner and president of Marshall Design, said she plans to add two or three employees to her staff of nine to handle the $11-million annual account.

Del Taco Inc. said Wednesday that it has reappointed Itali/Gal of Los Angeles to handle its advertising business. The company had been dismissed after four years of working with Del Taco when the Mexican fast-food chain decided several months ago to retain Saatchi & Saatchi Pacific. Del Taco and Saatchi & Saatchi recently agreed to dissolve their three-month advertising relationship.

El Pollo Loco has hired a large national advertising agency to help promote the Mexican-style fast-food chain and its expansion plans. The chain, known for its flame-broiled chicken, said the Los Angeles office of Foote, Cone & Belding will take over its $10-million advertising account. El Pollo Loco needs a "deeper pool of talent" to help it expand across the country and outside the United States, said Lou Franson, vice president of marketing.