‘Mad Thad and 'Demon Rum’

摘要

10 YEARS AGO. More than 1,000 people auditioned across the country in February hoping to take on the role of "01' Lonely," the Maytag Repairman. New parent company Whirlpool Corp. launched the talent search as part of a push to revitalize the 100-year-old-brand. "The response to the 'Next Maytag Repairman' search has been fantastic," says a VP for brand marketing and communications for Maytag. "More than 500 in-person auditions were conducted." ... The coldest February in more than a decade discouraged consumer spending, the Commerce Department says, with a scant 0.1% gain in retail purchases. Economists forecast retail sales to grow 0.3%, but gas and auto purchases slipped unexpectedly; clothing sales shrank, too.