Marketing Week
15 January 2009

  • Albion smells victory after 2m pitch for coffee brand

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Albion has been tipped to scoop the 2m advertising account for Caf?rect, the fairtrade hot drinks company, following a pitch against Brooklyn Brothers and Inferno.

  • Alfa Romeo promotes head of marketing

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Sergio Cravero, Alfa Romeo's head of marketing, has been promoted to chief executive of the car marque. The position became available when Luca De Meo, who was also chief marketing officer for the Fiat Group, left the company last Tuesday.

  • Andrew Harrison: On Lord Carters digital vision

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    Given that communications is supposed to be one of our most creative sectors, it is often one of the most conservative sectors when it comes to looking at future solutions. So said broadcasting minister Lord Carter last week at one of the media industrys first public outings of 2009.

  • ASA clears atheist bus ad

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    The Advertising Standards Authority has ruled that the British Humanist Association's "There's probably no god" campaign is not in breach of the advertising code.

  • ASOS sales jump 118%

    Mon, 19 Jan 2009

    ASOS, the online fashion retailer, is expected to meet full-year expectations despite increased promotional activity before Christmas. It comes as the company reveals a 118% leap in like-for-like sales over the nine weeks to January 16.

  • AVG plans 4m marketing push

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    AVG Technologies, the internet security and anti-virus company, is planning to appoint its first advertising and media agencies as part of wider plans to boost its marketing budget to £4m.

  • Beat the gloom by focusing on ideas

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    New spirit of creativity waits in the wings

  • BMI campaign to restore its position as a business brand

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    BMI is seeking to restore its position as a business airline over the next year. The move is supported by the launch of a business class lounge at London Heathrow in June, which will be backed by a major ad campaign.

  • Britannia and Co-Op announce merger

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    Britannia, the UK's second largest building society is to merge with Co-operative Financial  Services (CFS) in a partnership that will create one of the largest financial groups in the country.

  • British Gas to cut charges by 10%

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    British Gas is planning to reduce its gas prices by 10% in a move that is expected to reduce the average household bill by £84 a year. The rest of the “Big Six” are expected to follow suit over the coming months.

  • BT provides celebrity climb sponsorship

    Fri, 16 Jan 2009

    BT is to sponsor nine celebrities taking part in an expedition to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for Comic Relief. The BT Red Nose Climb will see celebrities including Gary Barlow (pictured), Chris Moyles and Cheryl Cole climbing the South African mountain for charity.

  • Bupa appoints new directors

    Fri, 16 Jan 2009

    Bupa, the private healthcare company, has appointed Sue Moore as marketing director of UK Membership, its UK health insurance business. The organisation has also appointed Fiona McAnena as overall group brand director.

  • C4 chairman held talks with rivals

    Mon, 19 Jan 2009

    Channel 4 chairman Luke Johnson has held secret merger talks with Five owner RTL about merging the two UK broadcasters. The talks between Johnson and RTL chief executive Gerhard Zeiler took place around Christmas.

  • Cancer Research seeks new runners for Race for Life

    Tue, 20 Jan 2009

    Cancer Research is aiming to recruit up to 80,000 female runners to take-part in its annual national fundraiser, Race for Life. It has appointed integrated agency Brave to develop a shopping centre and railway station campaign.

  • Car marques to unite under green banner at US motor show in Detroit

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Car manufacturers are planning to put on a "united front" at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which launches later this week. It is thought there will be a big "green" focus to deflect attention from the industry's wider troubles.

  • CNN looks to Barack to boost Freeview launch

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    CNN International will be hoping to benefit from the “Barack Bounce” when it launches on Freeview. The global news channel launches on the free-to-air digital terrestrial platform tomorrow (Thursday) ahead of US President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration next week. But it faces a tough challenge from existing Freeview news outlets ...

  • Coke GB promotes two heads of brand

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    Coca-Cola Great Britain has promoted two key brand directors, Paul Woodward and Bobby Brittain. The pair will move to senior roles at international divisions of the company.

  • Comet reports "strong post Christmas sales performance"

    Tue, 20 Jan 2009

    Electricals retail group Kesa, owner of high street chain Comet in the UK, posted a smaller than expected drop in sales for the period between November 1 to January 8. Like-for-like sales at Comet dropped by 2.5%.

  • Coors president Hunter takes over at ISBA

    Mon, 19 Jan 2009

    Mark Hunter, the president of Coors Brewers, has been named as the new president of Incorporated Society of British Advertisers. He will chair the ISBA Council, the organisation's senior governance body, and succeeds John Clare, former chief executive of retail group DSG International.

  • Currys and Argos owners see sales fall

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Sales at two major retail chains have fallen despite record number of shoppers during the post-Christmas sales season. DSG International, which owns Currys and PC World, and Home Retail Group, which owns Argos and Homebase, both reported falls in sales for the three months to January 10.

  • Dell launches laptop to rival the Macbook

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Dell is seeking to increase its consumer presence with the launch of an ultra-light laptop. The Adamo range is due to be launched this spring.

  • Dells road to recovery

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    Once the leading PC vendor worldwide, Dell has lost its grip on the marketplace. In recent years, the brand has been tarnished by numerous product recalls and complaints surrounding false promises in its advertising.

  • DMGT sells Evening Standard to Lebedev for 1

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    The Daily Mail & General Trust has agreed to sell a majority stake in Evening Standard to Lebedev Holdings, a company formed Russian billionaire Alexander Lebedev and his son, Evgeny, for 1. The deal was announced this morning (January 21).

  • DSG appoints former Lever Bros marketer as chairman

    Mon, 19 Jan 2009

    DSG International, the struggling consumer electronics retail group, has appointed blue-chip marketing, finance and general management veteran John Allan as its new chairman. He will take-over from Sir John Collins in September.

  • easyJet loses commercial chief to private equity firm

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    EasyJet chief commercial officer Saad Hammad is leaving the budget airline after just over three years to become European managing director at private equity firm Gores Group.

  • Endemol looks dead set to raise the bar for tv shows

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    With its perfectly executed, original cross-genre output, Endemol has elevated itself to a significant player in the TV production industry

  • Ex-Lastminute.coms Bevan joins CallUma

    Fri, 16 Jan 2009

    John Bevan, former managing director of Lastminute.com, has joined CallUma, a travel services provider, as non-executive director. Bevan left the online travel portal in October after four years with the company.

  • Experian appoints i-Level to handle digital media tasks

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Credit information group Experian is tipped to have appointed i-Level to handle the digital media planning and buying for its portfolio of brands, including Experian, CreditExpert.co.uk, FootFall and Hitwise.

  • Ex-TBWA chief oversees Iris expansion plans

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Iris, the integrated agency network, has appointed former TBWA chief Paul Bainsfair (pictured), to the new role of European chief executive. He will be charged with leading the network's aggressive expansion plans in the region.

  • Facing an uncertain future

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    With Aegis Group conducting a strategic review of its business, chairman John Napier could be testing the water for the sale of its divisions, says Bob Willott

  • Fallon wins 4m Kangaroo business

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Fallon has been appointed to handle the 4m advertising account for Project Kangaroo. The agency won the account following a pitch against six undisclosed agencies.

  • Fiat signs tie-up with Chrysler

    Tue, 20 Jan 2009

    Fiat has agreed a deal with Chrysler to form a strategic partnership with the struggling Detroit automaker. The deal would see Fiat take a stake of up to 35% in US-owned Chrysler and help it launch a series of smaller electric models over the next five years.

  • First:utility challenges the 'big six' with smart meters

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    First:utility, the independent energy company, is seeking to challenge the "big six" energy suppliers by offering consumers a range of time-sensitive tariffs and Smart Metres.

  • Former ITV chief exec Charles Allen joins EMI

    Fri, 16 Jan 2009

    EMI Music has appointed former ITV chief executive Charles Allen as non-executive chairman. Allen has been advising the music label in recent months, working closely with its new chief executive Elio Leoni-Sceti.

  • Google axes 100 jobs

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Google is cutting 100 jobs across the organisation in a bid to cut costs. The company is also terminating, stopping development on, or restricting access to six products – Catalog Search, Dodgeball, Jaiku, Mashup Editor, Notebook and Video.

  • Green Flag launches campaign

    Mon, 19 Jan 2009

    Green Flag, the RBS Insurance-owned roadside recovery brand, is launching a press and direct response TV advertising campaign. The campaign has been inspired by car maintenance manuals.

  • Guardian group launches price discount initiative

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Guardian News & Media (GNM) is launching a daily subscription service for The Guardian and The Observer for the first time. The publisher is offering readers a discount of up to 33% on the cover price.

  • Halifax TV ads scrap 'staff as stars' style

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Halifax is launching its first new television ads since scrapping its Howard Brown-fronted “staff as stars” campaign.

  • Harrison-Church to join Sainsbury's in brand role

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    Claire Harrison-Church, category marketing director at Boots, is leaving to join Sainsbury’s as brand communications director. She will take over the role at the start of next month.

  • High street survivors are primed for battle

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    And it carries on. A further pummeling of our collective wealth. This week the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) reports a “frightening deterioration” of the UK economy, with both the manufacturing and service sectors suffering the toughest conditions in at least 20 years. Add ...

  • HMV is alive and kicking

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    At a time when once-strong household names are becoming history overnight and others are searching for a rough guide to the new economic era, the music industry has woken up to the news that HMV is storming into the live music world in search of future growth. The majority of industry people ...

  • Home Retail Group restructures to cut costs

    Fri, 16 Jan 2009

    Home Retail Group, the owner of Homebase and Argos, is set to restructure its store portfolio following the collapse of rival furnishing chain MFI in November last year. The company says it is "under pressure" to cut costs and staff as the home furnishing segment continues to suffer in tough economic conditions.

  • Hyundai to break into UK mobile handset market

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    Hyundai, the car and electronics manufacturer, is planning an assault on the UK mobile handset market with the launch of a new division. It has already appointed its first marketing chief to spearhead the strategy.

  • IAB Creative Showcase

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Profero's dark side shines out

  • Intel profits plummet by 90%

    Fri, 16 Jan 2009

    Intel, the world's fourth largest technology company, saw its fourth-quarter profits fall by 90% because of reduced spending by customers and businesses on computers. Intel, which twice lowered its fourth-quarter sales forecast, says that recession has badly affected the high-tech industry.

  • IPC names Boyle as Innovator ad head

    Tue, 20 Jan 2009

    IPC has appointed Declan Boyle as ad director of its insert and direct sales division, Innovator. He joins from direct mail agency Lloyd James Group.

  • ITV 'health hub' supports 375m Change4Life drive

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    ITV is launching a "health hub" to encourage viewers to lose weight and exercise more under its commitment to the Government's £375m Change4Life anti-obesity drive.

  • Keeping mum

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    As major influencers over which household brands are purchased, mums are a vital target consumer group for marketers. However, they are more likely to listen to their peers than marketing campaigns

  • Krispy Kreme UK appoints marketing manager

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Krispy Kreme UK, the doughnut maker, has appointed Simon Fisher as channel sales and marketing manager. He takes over the role immediately.

  • Leicester City appoints Big Communications

    Fri, 16 Jan 2009

    Leicester City Football Club, the league one leader, has appointed Mission Marketing Group agency Big Communications to widen the club's commercial appeal.

  • London 2012 gains double sponsorship boost

    Fri, 16 Jan 2009

    The London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games has signed two new deals with commercial sponsors. Adecco, recruitment services company, has become the latest tier two supporter and Boston Consulting Group joins as the first tier three sponsor.

  • Lonely Planet signs first TV sponsorship

    Tue, 20 Jan 2009

    Lonely Planet, the global travel information provider, will sponsor a strand on rebranded factual channel Eden, owned by UKTV. The deal marks Lonely Planet's first UK TV sponsorship.

  • Look launches clothes swap event

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    Look, the IPC Media-owned magazine, is inviting readers and celebrities to join a fashion-swap next week. X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke and Peaches Geldof are among the celebrities joining retailers including Office, Mango and New Look in donating clothes.

  • L'Or蠬 extends Skin Naturals to over-50s

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    L'Or? is extending its Garnier Skin Naturals into skin care for the over-50s. The Vital Restore range will be launched across Europe in March.

  • Marketing Week/Ball & Hoolahan Marketing Salary Survey 2009

    Fri, 16 Jan 2009

    Optimism is the default setting for marketers. It has to be when your job involves trying to change human behaviour. But the disruptive events of 2008 and gloomy forecasts for this year that put marketing budgets in the firing line, are expected to knock some of that confidence.

  • Mars is set to launch the Maltesers Bunny

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Mars is launching a limited edition “rabbit-shaped Malteser” for Easter. It is understood to be the first time it has extended beyond the brand’s core bite-sized range.

  • Microsoft to appeal EC objection

    Tue, 20 Jan 2009

    Microsoft is planning to appeal against a European Commission objection against Internet Explorer being included in its Windows package. The EC is investigating whether the software company is breaching competition laws by including the browser on PCs †as standard.

  • Mini business up for grabs

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    BMW is seeking to appointed an international ad agency to work on the Mini brand as part of a review of its strategy. It claims the move will not affect its local relationships, which includes WCRS in the UK.

  • MPG appoints Durden as creative partner

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    Jonathan Durden, one of the founders of Phd, is joining MPG as a creative partner. The move sees him return to media after a gap of two years.

  • MPG wins 4.5m C&C account from ZenithOptimedia

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    MPG International has won the 5m (4.5m) US and European media planning and buying account for drinks company C&C Group. The agency scooped the account following a pitch against the incumbent ZenithOptimedia.

  • MSN Mobile launches music download service

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    Microsoft has launched a new music download service on the MSN Mobile Portal that will allow UK download tracks, ringtones and videos from record labels including Sony Music and Warner Music. The service is the first time Microsoft has offered mobile downloads. MSN Mobile Music has partnered ...

  • NatMag chief takes top Hearst role

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Duncan Edwards, chief executive of the National Magazine Company, has been promoted to president and chief executive of Hearst Magazines International. He replaces George J Green, who is retiring at the end of June.

  • Nestlé UK to roll out Rowntree Randoms

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Nestlé UK is gearing up for the launch of Rowntree Randoms, which is set to be the company’s major new sugar confectionery event for 2009.

  • New bank bailout to be unveiled

    Mon, 19 Jan 2009

    The Government is planning to pour billions of taxpayers money into British banks in a new rescue package to be unveiled today (January 19) by Prime Minister Gordon Brown. It is the second bailout in three months.

  • NME Radio returns to London airwaves

    Mon, 19 Jan 2009

    NME Radio, the IPC-owned digital station, will broadcast in London throughout March on 87.7FM. The station will make use of a temporary Restricted Service Licence to broadcast in the capital for one month.

  • Ofcom tells C4 it "must form a partnership"

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    Ofcom has backed plans for Channel 4 to merge or form a "new relationship" with another commercial organisation. It has laid out the plans this morning (January 21) in its report on the future of UK public service broadcasting.

  • OFT backs ITV over higher ad rates

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    The Office of Fair Trading has recommended a relaxation of the contracts rights renewal (CRR) mechanism, which could pave the way for ITV1 charging more for its advertising. The mechanism was put in place to protect advertisers following the merger of Carlton and Granada in 2003.

  • OFT warns against misleading gym marketing

    Tue, 20 Jan 2009

    The Office of Fair Trading is warning consumers to beware of misleading marketing tactics by gyms. The regulator is urging people to check carefully before signing any contracts.

  • P&G asks music industry for CoverGirl anthem

    Mon, 19 Jan 2009

    Procter & Gamble is inviting members of the music industry to submit tracks to be used as an "anthem" for its cosmetics brand, CoverGirl. The move follows a similar contest last year for a song to be used in advertising for hair care brand Pantene.

  • P&G to take on RB's Vanish with Ariel stain remover

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Procter & Gamble is launching its flagship Ariel brand into the stain remover market, where it will compete head-on with Reckitt Benckiser's Vanish.

  • Panasonic renews Toyota F1 sponsorship

    Mon, 19 Jan 2009

    Panasonic has renewed its title sponsorship of the Toyota Formula 1 team. The consumer electronics company’s deal was due to expire at the end of the 2009 season but this has now been extended until 2012.

  • Pearson sees profit ahead of expectations

    Mon, 19 Jan 2009

    Pearson Group, the owner of the Financial Times, says it will report full year figures ahead of analyst expectations. It adds its results, which are due to be published in March, have been buoyed by FT subscriptions and the strong dollar.

  • PSB report fails to address "sprawling BBC", says ISBA

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    Advertisers have given a lukewarm response to Ofcoms report into the future of public service broadcasting, published this morning (January 21). The Incorporated Society of British Advertisers says the report fails to address the sprawling BBC.

  • RBS extends sponsorship of Six Nations despite record losses

    Tue, 20 Jan 2009

    The Royal Bank of Scotland has confirmed it has agreed a four-year extension to its sponsorship of the Six Nations Championship despite stating yesterday (January 19) that it expects to report a record loss of up to £28 billion. The new four-deal will take the bank's sponsorship of the tournament through to the end ...

  • Regeneration of the Brand Lords

    Fri, 16 Jan 2009

  • Riley is handed top Pernod Ricard post

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    Pernod Ricard has appointed Chivas Brothers international marketing director Martin Riley as its top global marketer.

  • RKCR/Y&R to raise ovarian cancer fund awareness

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/ Y&R has been appointed by Ovarian Cancer Action to develop a campaign for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in March.

  • Romance with a modern twist

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Can young women already hooked on chick lit be persuaded that the more 'edgy, refreshing and contemporary' Mills & Boon books are worth taking off the shelf? asks Archana Venkatraman

  • Russian oligarch to buy Evening Standard

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Russian oligarch and former KGB agent Alexander Lebedev is reportedly close to buying the Evening Standard. He is expected to acquire the London evening paper for an undisclosed sum as soon as tomorrow (January 16).

  • Seven Publishing commercial chief to join rival

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    Seven Publishing commercial director Nadia Dawson is leaving the company to join Hachette Filipacchi as group publisher of Red and Psychologies magazine next month. Dawson will report to chairman Kevin Hand.

  • State to run Anglo Irish Bank

    Fri, 16 Jan 2009

    The Anglo Irish Bank is to be nationalised following a failed plea for recapitalisation funds. About 50% of the bank’s customers are based in the UK.

  • The Independent considers Life supplement axe

    Tue, 20 Jan 2009

    The Independent is considering axing its Independent Life supplement just four months after it was introduced.

  • T-Mobile challenges the dwindling market by boosting its spend

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Following a drop in profits and revenues in the third quarter of last year, mobile operator T-Mobile is taking a bullish approach to its marketing, announcing a 15% increase in its 100m marketing budget this year (MW last week).

  • T-Mobile launches guerrilla-style dance ad

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    T-Mobile is launching a campaign that features a "guerrilla-style" ad starring 350 dancers. A three minute execution will take up an entire ad break during Celebrity Big Brother on Friday (January 16).

  • Toyota names UK chairman

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Toyota has appointed Naoya Taniguchi as its new UK chairman. He joins Toyota Great Britain from Toyota Motor Company’s global marketing division, where he was brand planning general manager.

  • Trio warn against counterfeit medicines

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Health regulators, patient groups and the pharmaceutical industry are launching a campaign to warn consumers about thee dangers of buying fake medicines. The collaboration comes after a steep rise in the purchase of drugs online. Pfizer, the pharmaceutical giant, is leading the initiative, ...

  • Turning analytics into insight

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    Now the web has dramatically reduced the time it takes to receive customer insight, marketers must use this data in an intelligent way to maximise message development. By Richenda Wilson

  • VisitBritain US expands roster

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    VisitBritain US is looking to appoint up to five new agencies to its roster. The tourism body, which promotes Britain to the US market, is seeking agencies to handle promotion campaigns.

  • Waning 'celebrities' are bad enough, images of their genitals are too far

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    The mere presence of those famous for being famous can grate on some, but does anyone ever want to read about the state of their sexual organs??

  • Wetherspoon's cuts pub openings to repay loan

    Tue, 20 Jan 2009

    JD Wetherspoon has scrapped plans for new pub openings and axed its dividend. The move comes amid fears the pub chain will not be able to re-arrange a loan of £100m that is due in September.

  • Wilkinson Sword plots 2-in-1 womens shaving innovation

    Wed, 21 Jan 2009

    Wilkinson Sword is launching a combined womens razor and trimmer to capitalise on the growing market for hair removal products.

  • Will P&G's streamlining move give consumers what they want?

    Thu, 15 Jan 2009

    The hyper-competitive laundry detergent market is set to see a major shake-up during the recession, spearheaded by a rationalisation in products by Procter & Gamble. The company is planning to scrap several of its format lines across its laundry brands, Ariel, Bold, Fairy and Daz (MW last week).

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