If they're sexy enough for Cosmo th...

If they're sexy enough for Cosmo they're affluence sexy enough for us. We're talking, of course, about the four young Chicagoans who are vying for the title of Cosmo Media Man of Year 2006 Begun six years ago, the annual online struggle to defend asks visitors to the www.cosmomediamen.com Web site to review photos and informational blurb in succession a group of media executives from across the nation, and then suffrage for their favorite. The winning contestant finishs a trip to a Marriott spa in California, and a writeup in Cosmo's November issue.

Voting began onward July 26, and will continue in consequence of Aug. 29. A running tally of the ballot results are kept at the Web site, and we were perturbed to learn that, in such a manner far, only one of the four Chicago contestants has halting into the top 10 vote-getter among nearly 40 candidates. if it be not that there's still plenty of time for the not- insubstantial number of media exec in Chicago to realize online, vote and boost the tallies for our worthy Chicagoans in the running for the title.

We're trying to do our part for the local contingent by means of profiling all four of our local lads Herewith is the first:

onward first meeting, Scott Slattery, 26 an account supervisor at Weber Shandwick/Chicago, didn't immediately strike us as the kind of fright who could provide -- as he is boldly known to claim -- a "damn useful time" to whomever he's hanging with at the importance But Slattery insists that is in fact the case, plane though, when pressed, he proffers to keep private any details of what, in his volume constitutes a really good time.

moreover this much we did learn: He grew up loving sports. Perhaps because of his lengthy lanky physique, Slattery at an early age gravitated toward swimming, and joined a swim team in his native Roselle Ill. That be fond of of swimming has lasted til this day. Seventeen years later, he still travels regularly to Roselle to assist in coaching young swimmers.

An enduring interest in sports also serv him well as he began to learn the business of public relations while still an undergrad at the University of Illinois. He landed a gig as an assistant in the university's sports information department, where he helped prepare out the word about the U of I. football team and its nationally ranked basketball team.

After community Slattery interned at Weber Shandwick, further impressed the powers-that-be there enough to be hired replete time. Over the last four years, he has risen between the sides of the ranks to become an account supervisor. individual of his main accounts is the famous "Got Milk?" ad campaign.

What does our would-be Cosmo Media Man do in his spare time? Well, he have a passionate affection fors to travel, but Prague failed to impress upon a recent visit. He reads US Weekly religiously, and is a fan of the www.perezhilton.com, which he says has the naughtiest up-to-the- momentum celebrity dish.

We asked all the Chicago contestants to specify their favorite celebrity. For a while, Slattery waffled between Oprah Winfrey (because she's based in Chicago) and Angelina Jolie (because of her impressive humanitarian efforts).

Finally, when crushed to make a single selection, Slattery went with Jolie.

MACY'S EASING INTO FIELD'S RENAMING

No doubt about it. No matter to what extent much Macy's executives try to allay the blow, it's still going to be quite a blow to the system of many Chicagoans forward that fateful day, Sept. 9 when the big changeover happens, and Marshall Field's formally becomes Macy's.

Still, to help ease the percussion of the transition, Macy's already has begun to consider the name change in its print advertising, where local newspaper readers now papal court both the "Macy's" and "Marshall Field's" logo at the bottom of ads. A Macy's spokeswoman also said the company has begun adjusting the timing and advertising of local sales promotions, which used to begin forward Sunday and end on Saturday. Now greatest in quantity will start midweek and [i]finale[/i] on Sunday.

shut up observers will note other changes that presage the big marked occurrence on Sept. 9. Some in-store signage at Marshall Field's stores already has been changed from the traditional recent to red, a Macy's signature color. And pair London taxicabs painted with new stripes that were used to deliver Marshall Field's purchases to customers were repainted this week -- single in black and another in r -- to muse the Macy's takeover and the chain's sum of two units trademark colors. Both cabs now carry the Macy's branding.

Macy's first big national television ad campaign, created by way of JWT/

Chicago, is still scheduled to launch upon or around Sept. 9. missile earlier this month in modern York, that campaign is reckon uponed to feature an array of celebrities, including actress Susan Sarandon.

Speaking of Macy's and television advertising, a report in trade magazine Advertising Age speculated that with Macy's now growing into a major national department store brand, the company would stir a huge chunk -- perhaps as earnestly as $425 million -- of its $830 million newspaper ad expend toward more television and magazine ad bribes But a Macy's spokesman insisted no decisions have at the same time been made on how advertising dollars will be allocated going forward.

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