There were reports of sudden sharp slowdowns in the sales of mainstay products like personal computers, automobiles, appliances and apparel.
Yet the push to improve downtown New Haven may come at the expense of mainstay businesses, said Kate Hay, who works at Labyrinth Books.
Tide Pods is indicative of a trend that is gaining traction in the marketing of mainstay household brands, which could be termed Apple envy.
The actor Stephen Dorff began appearing in October in a campaign for Blu eCigs, which was acquired this year by Lorillard, the maker of mainstay cigarette brands like Kent, Old Gold and Newport.
The company has steadily rebuilt its product lineup in recent years, bringing out new versions of mainstay vehicles like the Explorer sport utility vehicle and expanding production of smaller, more fuel-efficient cars like the Focus.
The Ad Bowl that took place on Sunday as the St . LouisRams edged the Tennessee Titans may be as emblematic of a new era for Madison Avenue as the absence of mainstay teams like the Broncos, Cowboys and 49ers was for the National Football League.
