Article: Beverly Hills hires marketing expert to restore appeal

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Can a former marketing czar for Snackwell's cookies lure tourists back to this stylish, storied city without cheapening its cachet? His efforts thus far have some Rodeo Drive shopkeepers up in arms.

Michael Kent was hired in February to help Beverly Hills polish an image tarnished by dwindling tourism, competition from other Los Angeles shopping districts and a general downturn triggered by the Sept. 11 attacks. Among his marketing ideas: an advertising campaign, celebrity-driven events and discount deals to draw a broader variety of visitors.

Owners of the high-end shops concede they need help. But many sniff at such marketing tactics, which they consider too ...

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