Business World

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Aug 5, 1999

Elvis in the Oval Office

SAN FRANCISCO (NYT) -- Basking in pride that a portrait of Elvis Presley is hanging in the National Portrait Gallery between Marian Anderson and Leontyne Price, Mill Valley Elvisian Marjorie Wilkinson is preparing to make her way to the Fifth Annual International Conference on Elvis Presley, which begins Friday and ends Sunday. This year's theme: "Elvis in the Oval Office," which refers to Presley's meeting with Richard Nixon on Dec. 21, 1970.

Some of the papers to be presented at the Memphis conference: "Elvis Hasn't Left the Oval Office: An American Odyssey"; "Joined at the Hip: Birth Order, Sibling Loss and Compensation in the Family Romance of Nixon and Elvis"; "Mediawatch: A Comparative Analysis of the Deaths of JFK Jr. and Elvis Presley"; "Teaching Elvis and the American Dream in the Inner City of Miami"; and "George and Elvis Fanzines: Politics in the Age of Fashion Journalism."

Heston and the student

LONDON (AP) -- Charlton Heston mesmerized a packed theater with memories of Jimmy Stewart, Orson Welles and Robert De Niro -- all to help a young drama student pay his college fees. The 75-year-old star of Ben Hur and The Planet of the Apes agreed to appear at the Roses Theater at Tewkesbury after student Nick Wilkes wrote to ask for his help. Heston agreed to be interviewed on stage by Wilkes, 25, who was struggling to find $4,000 to cover tuition at the Bristol Old Vic Theater School.

The capacity audience of 350 welcomed the veteran star onto the stage with a standing ovation. At the end of the 75-minute show, Heston commended Wilkes for having "the common sense to ask for what he wanted, which he did very politely." "I thought, `Where is he going to get a theater from?' but he did, and more importantly, he filled it," Heston said. Wilkes works at the theater as a projectionist. The amount raised was not released.

More your way

NEW YORK (NYT) -- Burger King is making a bold new statement in the burger wars: lighten up. The fast-food giant's old advertising strategy featuring flame-broiled burgers in commercials set to trendy music is being replaced with humorous spots that poke fun at the lengths to which the chain will go to guarantee customer satisfaction.

The commercials, which are scheduled to appear on network television in various time slots beginning Sunday, are meant to extend Burger King's "Have It Your Way" slogan beyond the promise of customized Whoppers to the total fast-food dining experience. And the campaign is just one element of a comprehensive strategy to enhance the overall Burger King brand image.

"If we step back to what our objective to all of this is, it clearly is to establish a stronger emotional bond with our customers," said Rob Calderin, vice president for marketing in the United States. "That took a comprehensive look at our entire system."

What resulted was a plan for a system-wide makeover that included everything from a new corporate logo and product packaging to restaurant renovations and even some tweaking to the chain's cooking system. Those changes are being rolled out over time, but customers will immediately notice the self-deprecating commercials that still focus on taste and custom-made burgers but suggest a broader eagerness to please.

The German Viper?

MUNICH (JR) -- BMW will introduce its new Z8 roadster during September's Frankfurt Auto Show. Designed as a modern update of the `50s BMW 507, of which only 252 were made. The German automaker promises similarly low production results for the Z8, destined to be the next James Bond vehicle in this winter's MGM release, The World Is Not Enough. Specs include an aluminum spaceframe with structural panels, the new M5 V8 engine capable of 0-60 in less than 5 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph, and brakes that allow 60-0 "negative acceleration" in less than 2.5 seconds.

Car of the Cowboys

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (Bloomberg) -- General Motors has reached a five-year contract to become the official automotive sponsor of the Dallas Cowboys. As part of the agreement, Cowboys officials will drive GM cars, and the car company will sell a special edition Cowboys logo vehicle at dealerships in 26 markets throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and New Mexico.

The National Football League, which has a national sponsorship with Ford Motor Co. for the Super Bowl, permits its teams to negotiate automobile sponsorships for the regular season. Teams also can negotiate individual agreements with soft drink, hotel, airline and financial services companies, among others. They aren't allowed to negotiate contracts with telecommunications or credit-card companies. The NFL has leaguewide agreements with Motorola and Visa International for those services.

Fall of the ranch

VIRGINIA CITY, Nev. (AP) -- By this time next week, two of the three brothels in Storey County will be padlocked, the ladies gone and the keys in the hands of federal agents. Area church leaders and others aren't shedding any tears over the closure of the bordellos at the infamous Mustang Ranch, shut down after a jury convicted the owners and a former county official of fraud, racketeering and conspiracy. However, the county commissioners fear they may have to cut services or boost taxes to make up for the lost business.