They Need a Study for This?

This week’s issue of Advertising Age includes an analysis of the O.J. Simpson murder case in the media.

The not-so-startling conclusion?

“According to the magazine’s research, the electronic and print media have been saturated with stories on the case . . ,” an announcement touting the project says.

Among the other findings:

* Simpson house guest Brian (Kato) Kaelin has received nearly as much attention as gloves found by police.

* Only the Susan Smith child murder case in South Carolina and the Oklahoma City bombing dislodged the Simpson trial as the main case being covered in the media.

Looking for Any Sign

Seagram Co.’s meeting last week at Montreal’s Le Centre Sheraton wasn’t so much noteworthy for who was there as it was for who wasn’t there.

A good number of shareholders and members of the press expected a dramatic entrance from Creative Artists Agency Chairman Michael S. Ovitz, the man Seagram Chief Executive Edgar Bronfman Jr. has wanted to hire to run entertainment conglomerate MCA.

One photographer even approached two Seagram executives before the meeting to ask, “Where will Mr. Ovitz be sitting?” only to find out the CAA chief, then thousands of miles away, was nowhere to be found.

Even still, there was one visible CAA presence. Directly across the street from the meeting was an office with a bright neon “CAA”’ sign hanging in the window.

Turns out it marked an office of the Canadian Automobile Assn., that nation’s counterpart to the American Automobile Assn., or AAA.

Latest in Cyberhype

An announcement that came late last week from Hollywood publicity firm Clein & White touting a sneak preview on the Internet this past weekend of a film called “Party Girl” didn’t spare any hyperbole.

“Like Marconi’s first transatlantic broadcast or Bell’s first telephone call, the broadcast is an early experiment intended to jump-start further exploration into a new way of reaching audiences,” the announcement says.

In the interactive hype category comes an announcement from Firesign Theater founder Peter Bergman and producer Ted Bonnitt about their upcoming CD-ROM comedy game on the frustrations of trying to make it in Hollywood.

According to the two, “many of the game’s twists and turns are based on their own true-life experiences in the business, which promises to be both outrageous and hilarious.”

Briefly . . .

Latest Virtual Cliche: A new television program called “Today’s Health” with Kathleen Sullivan is advertised as being taped on a “virtual set.” . . . The latest exploitation of the Simpson murder case comes from a company in Paramount selling an “O.J. Sidebar” candy bar it says is “guilt free.” . . . A bankruptcy law firm’s radio ads say, “If Orange County can file for bankruptcy, so can you.”