Marketing Week
1 May 2008
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3 keeps a low profile as it prepares ground for better times
Thu, 1 May 2008
Mobile phone operator 3 is looking for an agency to "refresh the look and feel" of its high street stores (MW last week) exactly a year after the Hutchison Whampoa-owned brand was reborn with a new chief executive, marketing director and advertising agency. But ...
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A marketing race is on the cards
Thu, 1 May 2008
Mastercard has tended to pip Visa to the post in the race for consumers' wallets, powered ahead by its 'Priceless' ads. But Visa's new campaign could give it a run for its money. By Catherine Turner
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Ad chief quits Tesco after announcement of job cuts
Thu, 1 May 2008
Tesco advertising chief Paula Withell is understood to have left the retailer, weeks after Tesco announced that it is conducting a "head-office review" that may result in hundreds of jobs being axed.
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Aegis Group acquires Brazilian communications agency
Wed, 7 May 2008
Aegis Group has acquired Brazilian agency, Age, for an undisclosed sum. The deal aims to give the marketing services group as "full integrated offer" in the South American country.
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AMV scoops 13m Pizza Hut ad business
Tue, 6 May 2008
Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO has scooped the 13m Pizza Hut advertising business following a pitch against RKCR/Y&R, Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy and M&C Saatchi.
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ASA complaints reach a record high
Thu, 1 May 2008
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received a record number of complaints about more ads than ever last year, according to its annual report.
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BA remains bullish despite Eos failure
Thu, 1 May 2008
British Airways and Silverjet remain confident that the business-only airline model is still viable despite the grounding of premium carrier Eos last week.
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BBC and ITV launch Freesat
Tue, 6 May 2008
The BBC and ITV have today (May 6) launched their joint venture free-to-air digital satellite service, Freesat. The venture will rival BSkyB's existing 'Freesat from Sky' service, which is ramping up its retail marketing to compete.
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BBC apologises for Humphrey Lyttelton email campaign
Thu, 1 May 2008
BBC Worldwide has been forced to apologise and has pledged to review its email marketing practises over an email promoting products starring the late musician and presenter Humphrey Lyttelton. Complainants accused BBC Shop, part of the BBC's commercial operations, of trying to profit from his death.
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British Gas plots reward scheme for green schools
Thu, 1 May 2008
British Gas is launching a major green initiative targeting schools, teachers and local communities.
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Cadbury starts review of £25m UK media business
Wed, 7 May 2008
Cadbury Schweppes is reviewing its £25m UK media planning and buying business, which is handled by Starcom. It is understood the confectionery giant has already started talking to agencies, although it is at an early stage.
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Capital One hands 50m UK ad account to AMV without a pitch
Wed, 7 May 2008
Capital One, the US credit card giant, has handed its 50m UK advertising account to Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO without a pitch. It was previously handled by DDB London.
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CBS Outdoor launches green poster material
Thu, 1 May 2008
Outdoor advertising giant CBS Outdoor is launching a “green” material that could replace traditional bus posters. The material, which allows ads to be recycled at the end of a campaign, will be trialled on buses from the end of this month.
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Channel 4 appoints head of new media for radio
Wed, 7 May 2008
Channel 4 has appointed Daniel Heaf as head of new media for 4 Radio and Multi-Media Entertainment. He joins from BBC Worldwide, where he was worked on the Lonely Planet and Top Gear websites.
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Confectionery market sees sweet results
Fri, 2 May 2008
The confectionery market is back in growth for the first time in two years, according to the 2008 Mars Confectionery Report. The market grew by 5.2% year-on-year in 2007, and is now worth £4.7bn.
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Danone to axe energy drink after flagging performance
Wed, 7 May 2008
Danone Waters is thought to be scrapping its V energy drink after failing to make a dent in the share of market leader Red Bull.
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Digital radio reaches record numbers
Thu, 1 May 2008
The BBC and commercial radio reported positive figures for digital listening in the latest Rajar figures despite recent concerns about the short-term viability of the DAB platform.
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Esure drops Michael Winner to focus on product benefits
Thu, 1 May 2008
Michael Winner has been dropped as the face of insurance brand Esure for the second time in three years, this time to be replaced by aliens.
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Euro RSCG gains Jaguar.com brief
Thu, 1 May 2008
Jaguar has awarded Euro RSCG Luxe the Jaguar.com account following a competitive pitch, charging the agency with overhauling its global website.
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Eurostar and Google map out European travel
Fri, 2 May 2008
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Five director Opie resigns
Tue, 6 May 2008
Five managing director of content Lisa Opie has resigned from the broadcaster. Her resignation follows that of chief executive Jane Lighting, who was ousted after the appointment earlier this week of Dawn Airey as chief executive and chairman.
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Fox's places Echo biscuit bar in luxury category
Thu, 1 May 2008
Fox's Biscuits is relaunching its Echo chocolate biscuit bar as an indulgent treat aimed at women, with "sensual" new packaging and branding inspired by inkblot tests.
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Galaxy aims for a wider audience
Thu, 1 May 2008
Global Radio has unveiled its new branding and logo for the Galaxy network, which aims to appeal to a wider audience
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GfK-TNS merger may face EU opposition
Thu, 1 May 2008
The proposed "merger of equals" between market research giants Taylor Nelson Sofres and GfK may run into trouble with European Union competition authorities.
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Google lures FT.com chief
Fri, 2 May 2008
Ien Cheng, publisher and managing editor of the Financial Times website FT.com is leaving the company to join Google. He will take on the position of director of product management for advertising, joining the search giant's European team.
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Gremlins join Jones in BT Business ads
Thu, 1 May 2008
BT's new advertising campaign will feature 1980s film characters the Gremlins alongside Dragons' Den star Peter Jones.
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Halifax report confirms house price fall
Fri, 2 May 2008
Halifax, the UK's biggest mortgage lender, says house prices saw an annual fall of 0.9% in April, and dropped by 1.3% compared with March, according to data released today. The news, which follows rival Nationwide's report of a 1% fall in year-on-year prices, is expected to add to the economic uncertainty already being felt on the high street.
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HarperCollins to launch parenting books for Mothercare
Thu, 1 May 2008
HarperCollins has signed a deal with a social networking site backed by retailer Mothercare to launch a series of books on parenting over the coming year.
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Havas reveals AIS global expansion plans
Tue, 6 May 2008
Havas Media is set to expand the Archibald Ingall Stretton brand internationally. The group, which currently has a minority stake in AIS, is also planning to bolster the digital resources of the integrated agency.
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Have the courage to say 'no', because less is definitely more
Thu, 1 May 2008
New evidence shows that firms which reduce marketing spend relative to sales are booming while those hiking budgets are just breaking even
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Hornby completes 8.3m Corgi deal
Thu, 1 May 2008
Hornby has bought miniature vehicle maker Corgi for 8.3m. The toymaker is paying 7.5m to Corgi International Limited for its brand, tools and licensing rights and an additional 800,000 for its stock of cars, lorries, buses and aeroplanes.
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Hornby looks within for rail brand chief
Thu, 1 May 2008
Toy company Hornby has appointed long-serving marketer Simon Kohler to the role of group marketing manager for its model railway brands.
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How the digital revolution is changing the advertising industry
Wed, 7 May 2008
Business readily acknowledges that the digital revolution of the last decade has transformed trading practices and commercial models. In many cases, it has revolutionised the buyer-seller relationship – especially when putting the end consumer (buyer) directly ...
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Iconic covers promote Smooth
Thu, 1 May 2008
Dye Holloway Murray has created a campaign for Smooth Radio Network, highlighting the “variety” of music on its six stations. It is the agency’s first work for the station.
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Iris pays 5m for management consultancy
Thu, 1 May 2008
Independent marketing agency Iris has bought management consultancy Concise for £5m. The agency says it hopes the deal will broaden its remit beyond "traditional" marketing services.
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Is brand personality a fraud?
Thu, 1 May 2008
Many brands promote their specific identities, but this will only help if the products and services they offer live up to their exterior displays, says Jim Prior
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ITV hatches Crime Thriller Award plan
Fri, 2 May 2008
ITV is launching Crime Thriller Awards in a bid to boost the profile of the ITV3 brand. The event, which will be supported by a major advertising push, will be held in London and will focus on UK and international crime fiction from film, TV and books.
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John Brown international chief heads Kids division
Thu, 1 May 2008
John Brown Group has promoted international development director Alex Silcox to the new role of managing director of its Kids business.
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Johnson slashes ad spend to pay for community cops
Wed, 7 May 2008
New London mayor Boris Johnson is to slice advertising budgets for the Greater London Authority, including the Metropolitan Police and the Transport for London (TfL), to fund the extra community police officers he promised in his election manifesto.
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JWT in 'last chance saloon' as Kraft reviews 7m Kenco brief
Thu, 1 May 2008
JWT has been put on alert after Kraft Foods invited Euro RSCG and Beattie McGuinness Bungay to pitchagainst the incumbent forits estimated £7m Kenco coffee brand.
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Kiss leapfrogs Capital to take top three spot - but can it stay there?
Fri, 2 May 2008
Kiss 100, the Bauer Radio-owned station, has risen to third place in terms of weekly reach in London, according to the latest Rajar figures. It is the first time the station has broken into London's top three, and it has overtaken 95.8 Capital Radio, the one-time market leader, to get there.
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Kiss overtakes Capital as Magic retains top radio spot
Fri, 2 May 2008
Kiss, the Bauer Radio-owned dance station, has overtaken 95.8 Capital for the first time, attracting 1.58 million weekly listeners in London compared to Capital's 1.56 million. The latest radio audience figures, published today (May 1), also saw the BBC take its biggest ever lead over commercial radio.
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Mars deal is start of consolidation season
Thu, 1 May 2008
One way of looking at the Mars/Wrigley deal is that it is a back-handed compliment to Cadbury's strategy under the leadership of Todd Stitzer.
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McCann Erickson agrees on £6m fraud settlement
Fri, 2 May 2008
McCann Erickson Worldwide has agreed to pay $12m (£6m) to settle an investigation by the US securities regulator into accounting fraud. However, in spite of the settlement, the Interpublic-owned advertising company has neither admitted nor denied the allegations brought by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
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Microsoft drops Yahoo! bid
Tue, 6 May 2008
Microsoft has dropped its bid for Yahoo! after the search engine company snubbed an improved $46.5bn (£23.6bn) offer. It is understood that a group of Yahoo! investors are trying to build support to oust the board over the rejection.
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Microsoft overhauls Live Search offering
Thu, 1 May 2008
Microsoft is overhauling its search portal in an attempt to encourage more advertisers to use the site. It will launch a new range of functions on its Live Search from May 1.
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Models for future prosperity
Thu, 1 May 2008
To meet increasing demands to deliver more for less, MR agencies must develop cost-reflective, streamlined products if they are to maintain their long-term profitability. Alicia Clegg reports
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MTV reveals new logo for 2008 Europe Music Awards
Tue, 6 May 2008
MTV, the Viacom-owned music and entertainment network, has kicked off its marketing for the MTV Europe Music Awards 2008, with a refreshed logo. MTV has increased its marketing spend in the UK with this year's event being held in Liverpool in November.
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New campaign
Thu, 1 May 2008
Feel Good Drinks takes on TV
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NHS seeks ad agency to raise NHS Choices profile
Thu, 1 May 2008
The National Health Service is seeking an advertising agency to help raise the profile of the NHS Choices programme. The scheme allows patients in England to choose which hospital they receive treatment in.
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Norwich Union rebrand must be handled with care
Fri, 2 May 2008
So its goodbye Norwich Union after 200 years. The UKs biggest insurance brand and a major pensions provider is being phased out in favour of a name with no values, zero appeal and limited awareness.
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Ofcom to clamp down on 08 numbers
Fri, 2 May 2008
Media regulator Ofcom has announced plans to tighten the rules on 08 telephone numbers. The regulator wants to provide greater clarity over the price of calls to 0870 numbers. It is also looking to clarify the cost of calls to 0871 numbers.
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Porsche wins support in battle against CC increase
Thu, 1 May 2008
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has come out in support of Porsche in its fight against the congestion charge increase. The German car marque has applied for a judicial review into plans to increase the charge to £25-a-day for the highest polluting vehicles and the borough has registered as an ...
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Rank "encouraged" by results despite revenue decline
Wed, 7 May 2008
Rank Group says it is "encouraged" by its performance over the first four months of the year despite seeing an 8% dip in revenue. The drop has been attributed to the smoking ban and tax changes.
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Reckitt Benckiser marketers reveal the secrets of their success
Wed, 7 May 2008
Reckitt Benckiser (RB) has only one small request prior to its top UK marketers embarking on their first-ever interview: could we please not use the headline “Reckitt Benckiser Cleans Up”?
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Regulator reviews mobile premium offerings
Thu, 1 May 2008
PhonepayPlus, the premium rate services regulator, is launching a review of the UK's £350m mobile premium services market. The review, which will be published in July, will also include digital phone content such as ringtones and downloads.
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Renewed threat against bookmakers over funding
Thu, 1 May 2008
Secretary of state for culture, media and sport Andy Burnham has renewed his threat against the gambling industry seeking a statutory levy to fund the Responsibility in Gambling Trust.
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Report censures alcohol retailing by supermarkets
Wed, 7 May 2008
The Government is set to turn its attention to supermarkets in its attempt to address concerns over underage and binge drinking.
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Rik Mayall and Tony Robinson voice germs for Domestos campaign
Tue, 6 May 2008
Comedians Rik Mayall and Tony Robinson star as animated germs in battle with Domestos in the latest campaign for its Zero Limescale toilet cleaner.
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Secrets, lies and broadcasting
Thu, 1 May 2008
While television broadcasters attempt to put recent scandals behind them, research shows that viewers have lost faith in the integrity of the medium and are not yet ready to forgive and forget
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Sky hits out at ITV HD launch
Wed, 7 May 2008
BSkyB chief operating officer Mike Darcey has hit back at rival broadcaster ITV for "championing" high definition television for all. Darcey's comments come on as ITV and the BBC launch free-to-air digital satellite service Freesat. Darcey says the broadcaster's ...
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Smell of success for fabric conditioners
Thu, 1 May 2008
The washing detergent category of the laundry sector is so saturated that it is nigh on impossible to generate volume growth. But that is not the case in the fabric conditioner market, where a battle is raging between Procter & Gamble's Lenor and Unilever's Comfort. Both these brands are jostling ...
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Stripping the eBay mall of its community spirit?
Thu, 1 May 2008
New eBay president and chief executive John Donahoe's transformation of the site from an "unruly flea market" to a "strip mall" has angered some users, leading them to call for a global boycott of eBay tomorrow (May 1).
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Sunglass Hut launches global campaign in luxury market
Thu, 1 May 2008
Sunglass Hut is set to launch its first global ad campaign. The company, which has almost 2,000 stores worldwide, is seeking to position itself as the "ultimate destination for luxury, designer sunglasses".
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Tesco spring cleans its online offering
Wed, 7 May 2008
Failure is not something that comes easily to Tesco. For a supermarket giant that accounts for £1 of every £8 spent by UK shoppers, succeeding online should have been a matter of course. However, the past few weeks have revealed a few glitches, ...
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The Home Office launches sex trafficking awareness posters
Tue, 6 May 2008
The Home Office is launching a poster campaign to raise awareness of the exploitation and trafficking of women among men who pay for sex. The campaign was launched yesterday (Monday) by Home Office minister Vernon Coaker.
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Ultra low-rise jeans from brazil are the bottom line in economic theory
Thu, 1 May 2008
It has long been recognised that as the good times roll, women's hem lines shoot skywards, but a new fashion looks set to lay that trend to waste
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US BMW boss moves over to Rolls-Royce
Thu, 1 May 2008
BMW's US boss Tom Purves has been appointed chief executive of Rolls-Royce as part of a major shake-up at the German automotive group.
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Virgin Atlantic moots making T5 advertising compensation claim
Thu, 1 May 2008
Virgin Atlantic is considering asking for compensation following the botched opening of British Airways' Terminal 5 (T5).
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Waitrose to roll out smaller shop format
Fri, 2 May 2008
Waitrose is hoping to extend its reach into rural areas and market towns with plans to roll out a new small-shop format. It will trial the concept, which emphasises local produce and fresh foods, in Cambridgeshire later this month.
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Warner Brothers to supply film trailers to phones via bluetooth
Tue, 6 May 2008
Warner Brothers, the film company, has signed a deal to offer cinema goers trailers and film content via bluetooth. The year-long deal with Bluepod Media will launch with activity around the remake of Japanese thriller, One Missed Call (pictured).
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WCRS beats M&C to 5m Holland & Barrett account
Thu, 1 May 2008
Holland & Barrett has appointed WCRS to handle its 5m advertising business following a competitive pitch. The final contest was against M&C Saatchi.
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White takes over from Lighting at Five
Thu, 1 May 2008
Five executive director of sales Mark White has been named interim chief executive at the broadcaster, following the resignation of Jane Lighting. He will lead the broadcaster until new chairman and chief executive joins, which could be up to a year.
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Will airports demonstrate decline of six-sheets is far from terminal?
Thu, 1 May 2008
Outdoor company JC Decaux has added 250 six-sheet poster sites to its airport portfolio (MW last week) at a time when some industry experts are raising doubts about the future of six-sheets.
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WPP "surprised and disappointed" by TNS rejection
Tue, 6 May 2008
WPP Group chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell says he is "surprised and disappointed" that market research group Taylor Nelson Sofres rejected his £950m offer after just 24 hours. Sorrell says he is reviewing his position and is encouraging TNS shareholders to "engage" with WPP.
