OFFBEAT: Musical about circus wiz Barnum is fascinating fun

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

The Daily Fix

This is my concept of a lottery ad campaign that may not sell as many tickets but would be closer to the truth.

PUC students earn ADDY advertising competition awards

HAMMOND | Purdue University Calumet students and members of the university’s Agency 429 advertising club recently earned five awards in the AAF-NCI Addy competition.

GUEST COMMENTARY: Social media event of the year?

Were you planning to sit back and relax while watching Super Bowl XLVII? Think again. There’s a conspiracy afoot to get you to work during the game.

Twins Marian (left) and Vivian Brown

This Sept. 22, 2008, photo shows identical twins Marian, left, and Vivian Brown at a restaurant in San Francisco sporting their trademark matching high-end outfits, identical hairdos and cheerful smiles. The 85-year-old Vivian died in her sleep on Jan. 9 at an assisted care facility.

OFFBEAT: Passing of famed pairs this month totals three

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

Cow campaign reaches Hobart

HOBART │ Chick-fil-A restaurant’s award-winning marketing campaign has reached Northwest Indiana.

What's shaking fashion? An adult-quake

This season's clothes aren't taking their cues from club kids, college students or teenage rebels. There's something grown-up about some of the most popular looks: They're a little refined and very wearable, but they've avoided being stodgy or, worse, just plain old.

Lakeshore Chamber, 16 others buy into 'Buy Local'

The "Buy Local" campaign of 17 local chambers of commerce and The Times Media Co. got a rousing send up Wednesday at a Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the media company's main location in Munster.

PUC hosts multi-cultural program on advertising

HAMMOND | Exploring how art has helped shaped the advertising industry is the focus of a multicultural program hosted by Purdue University Calumet at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Student Union & Library’s Alumni Hall, near the south end of campus accessible north from the traffic light on 173r…

Dems' Gregg smiles while shredding Pence in folksy campaign ads

INDIANAPOLIS | Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Gregg may be running the folksiest attack ads in the history of political campaigning. And his rival, Republican Mike Pence, is so positive in his ads, a casual observer might not even realize he has an opponent in the Nov. 6 race.

EDITORIAL: Put public notices where public will find them

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management's Office of Air Quality has decided to post notices of public hearings exclusively on its website and no longer in the media. In doing so, the agency has made the public's business much more difficult to follow.

BILL MASTERSON JR.: The price of information is going up

It struck me the other day when I was answering an email from someone questioning why he should be expected to pay more for his subscription while, as a company, The Times is donating $100,000 to help develop a new Boys & Girls Club at the former Tolleston School in Gary. To clarify, we …

Mourdock snubs region in fundraising message

INDIANAPOLIS | Northwest Indiana may belong to the Chicago television market but it is definitely part of the Hoosier state.

NRA will spend $100,000 in next month to support Mourdock for U.S. Senate

INDIANAPOLIS | The National Rifle Association will spend at least $100,000 on advertising and send more than 1 million letters urging Hoosiers to support State Treasurer Richard Mourdock in Indiana's Republican U.S. Senate primary.

McDonald's Happy Meal Box with 1979 "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" Theme

Gerry Jasinksi displays some of the series of cardboard McDonald's Happy Meal boxes he created for a cross-promotion with 1979 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture' theme.

McDonald's Happy Meal Box with 1979 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture' Theme

Some of the series of cardboard McDonald's Happy Meal boxes created by Chicago advertising executive Gerry Jasinski for a cross-promotion with 1979 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture' theme.

McDonald's Promotional Advertising Campaign for 1976 Super Bowl

A selection of posters and contest scratch-off game cards and lobby displays were included in the 1976 Super Bowl cross-promotion campaign created by Chicago advertising executive Gerry Jasinski.

Valpo bus ads could rake in $100K for city

VALPARAISO | Ridership on the city's buses is growing by the month, and now the city could earn almost $100,000 more a year from the buses without adding a single passenger.

VU grad and legendary pitchman JoBe Cerny talks advertising

Cerny, 54, has also spent decades as the voice of the Pillsbury Doughboy. It's his pipes behind that famous giggle, which he's been providing since 1987.