Hard to figure why Rolling Stone would fill four of its color glossy pages on a topic as vague as "Life in the Indie Cities." Not to be confused as an article on independent rock, the piece offers very little in the way of information, spewing forth vacant quotes from various label personnel. Only Vicky Wheeler of AutoTonic (NYC-based promoters of K, Teen Beat, Flying Nun, other good stuff) has the good sense not to pretend she has anything interesting to say. When asked how she got into the business, Wheeler "shrugs and says, ' It's just this thing that happened when I was out of work.'"

Things must be going well for Vicky considering she's pictured wearing a $146 black cropped linen sweater and $140 black matte jersey shirt, both by Calvin Klein. Though she may not be doing as well as Jill McLean of Twin Tone, who sports a $605 silk and linen shirt, it's Vicky that gets the dominant photo. We'd like to believe this has something to do with AutoTonic's fine management style. However, it's more likely the decision to make Vicky bigger than fellow models from Nasty Little Man Promotions, Twin Tone and Skene! had to do with something far more arcane . . . like, that she's cute . . . although, apparently, not as cute as Curtis Pitts of Sub Pop, who gets a full page on which to display his $115 Ralph Lauren sweater.

"Life In the Indie Cities" only makes sense as a fashion spread, a fact Rolling Stone tries to play down by giving it more text than the usual fashion spread. A technique becoming more and more popular in the pages of "Gen X"-targeted magazines is taken to the extreme in Interview's February feature on pop singer Sophie B. Hawkins. Four of six pages are shots of Hawkins who, although entirely nude (don't worry, no genitalia), is nonetheless identified by the bed sheets, shoes, even the stuffed animal she touches. Unlike Tonya Donally and other Gap poseurs, these artists aren't getting paid for what are essentially product endorsements. Although I love Lois (who modeled Benetton clothes last fall in Interview) as much as the next rocker, her point that "no money changed hands" (see our interview) is short-sighted. Money is changing hands -- only, not hers. That her "interview" is not a flat-out advertisement is part of the Gen X Marketing Strategy -- selling style, but keeping it subtle, accommodates the faux-rebellious, indie spirit "we" so embrace. Is it any wonder Seinfeld is so popular with young adults, despite his shameless plugs for American Express, Apple, Nike, etc. As a friend pointed out, Seinfeld's so cool/funny, he makes you like even his advertisements (which aren't always paid advertisements). Via product placements, promotional tie-ins, and endorsements, entertainers shed some of their coolness on the products and, supposedly, everyone wins. (McLaren)

Top 10 cover stories of February 1994, based on Cover Story's monthly survey of leading national magazines:

1. The Winter Olympics Drama
2. Oprah Winfrey
3. Geena Davis
4, 5. Jacqueline Onassis (being treated for lip cancer) & Michael Jackson
6, 7. Roseanne Arnold & Heather Locklear
8. The crisis in Bosnia
9. Winona Ryder
10. (tie) Drew Barrymore, Mary Hart, the Lemonheads, U2

Network television has worked out an answer to the world music crisis. In May, ABC will air "The World Music Awards," a program designed to be an annual special. In fact, it's an extra-special special considering it's the first produced by Television Program Partners, a band of top network TV advertisers (AT&T, Clorox, General Motors, McDonald's and Sony). Basically, TPP acts as a new "studio" to develop its own TV programming, which is then aired by the network. TPP members not only end up with reduced ad rates, but equity options in the program, merchandising and licensing related to the show and "creative control." Upcoming plans from TPP include "American's Brands Theater" and another vehicle for Nancy Kerrigan, "Women of the Year Awards." (Advertising Age, 3/7/94)

"Flush Rush. Drink prune juice." is the National Organization for Women's (NOW) call for a boycott on Florida orange juice since Rush Limbaugh was hired to do commercials. But when NOW President Patricia Ireland led a demonstration at a Kash 'n' Karry in Tampa, the local radio station carrying Rush's show urged listeners to buy all the store's orange juice. And according to Rush's producer Stuart Krane, they nearly did.

Platinum-selling has-been Vanilla Ice has abandoned his trademark red, white and blue suit, pompadour hairstyle and fresh-scrubbed look. The rapper now sports dreadlocks and a goatee. (Billboard, 2/94) Fellow rapper MC Hammer has also been cited with a goatee.

The Wonderbra, hailed as a phenomenon of modern marketing, hits the U.S. in May. An overseas hit, U.K. sales of the cleavage-enhancing push-up bra have quadrupled since 1991 to $28 million. Though Wonderbra hasn't been available in the States until now, its reputation as a $23 alternative to breast implants preceeds it. As Advertising Age reports, "Already, push-up padded bikinis from Darling Rio and Catalina have become best sellers as a new generation of women discovers cleavage enhancers.

"A pricier alternative has already arrived . . . The Super-Uplift Push-Up bra sells for $39.50, a price that covers an intricate system of 46 wired and padded parts concealed behind lace confections and other frothy designs."

If you're searching for what may or may not be called a real job, here's heartening news. The Nation magazine recently contrasted two tales of employment from IBM. On March 11 of this year the Glens Falls, New York, Post-Star reported that IBM laid off 800 workers in Glendale, New York, as part of its goal to trim 30,000 excess workers this year. That same day The New York Times reported that IBM's new chairman and CEO Louis V. Gerstner Jr., hired just this March, has already "earned" $7.71 million in salary, bonuses, etc. He'll get about $8.5 million for his first 12 months with the big blue behemoth. He also received stock options worth up to $38.2 million.

The following items come from AdVice, an excellent quarterly newsletter published by the non-profit Center for the Study of Commercialism. AdVice is available by making a $20 donation to CSC, 1875 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009.

Undercover pitchmen and pitchwomen have been infiltrating bars to promote martinis made with Hennessy Cognac -- unbeknownst to bar patrons and owners. For three months last year, the shills worked the bar scene during busy weekend hours in New York City. Hennessy paid the actors $10,000 to act chic and spread the word about its great new drink; if the bartender hadn't heard of it, they were instructed to make an indignant scene. (New York Times, 1/14/94)

Booze companies are increasingly invading the world of sports to buy a little good will and visibility. But Coors has gone and invented its own women's baseball team as a pure promotional vehicle. In partnership with none other than Whittle Communications (of "Channel One" notoriety). Coors launched the Colorado Silver Bullets, named after the beer's own nickname. The team is under contract to play 30 games, but only in cities with a big Coors market. "We don't do anything without it selling some beer," explained a Coors exec. (IEG Sponsorship Report, 1/17/94)

In 1993's futuristic movie Demolition Man, Taco Bell was featured as the only restaurant to survive the "franchise wars" of the 20th Century. Such a prophetic endorsement was hardly arbitrary. Taco Bell agreed to pay to promote the film in exchange for the plug. But the plot thickens: Taco Bell has only a handful of outlets in Europe, so for the movie's European release, the studio dropped Taco Bell for Pizza Hut (both owned by Pepsico), which could promote the film more widely. How is that technically possible? The studio called back the actors to re-records scenes mentioning the restaurant and digitally altered the film's negative so that Taco Bell signs changed to Pizza Hut (Wall Street Journal, 12/2/94)

Viewers of NBC's "Treasure Island" thought they were watching a cheesy, poorly produced movie of the week. In reality, they were watching a cheesy, poorly produced advertisement. In a disturbing precedent, NBC sold an hour of prime-time to Mirage Resorts, which produced a mini adventure-movie expressly to promote its new Las Vegas casino, "Treasure Island." The network promos made no mention of the sponsorship, nor did the opening credits. Instead, NBC called it an "extravaganza," and, appropriately, a "special that turns fantasy into reality!" Even Mirage's CEO Steve Wynn made a cameo appearance. Fortunately, the show -- about a yuppie family vacationing at the hotel -- bombed in the ratings. (Wall Street Journal, 1/21/94)

American Express, the founder of "cause-related marketing," promised to donate a portion of every holiday purchase made on its credit card to Share Our Strength, an anti-hunger group. By the season's end AmEx had donated $5 million. The only problem with its generosity, however, is that AmEx spent more than the total contribution on advertising its good deed, including a series of lavish TV commercials featuring Stevie Wonder. AmEx named the campaign after a twisted consumerist theme: "Charge Against Hunger." (Washington Post, 12/24/94)