Marketing Week
17 May 2007

  • Aegis penalises media owners over credit terms

    Wed, 23 May 2007

    Aegis Media is trying to squeeze media owners credit terms, without prior warning, blaming the “growing influence” of client procurement departments. The move is likely to make its major agency arm Carat an extra 1% commission.

  • Anchor in 10m repositioning campaign

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Anchor, the Arla Foods-owned butter brand, is investing 10m repositioning as the UK's only free-range butter. A major marketing campaign supporting the brand will break from the end of this month...

  • BA's pre-tax profits slip

    Fri, 18 May 2007

    British Airways saw a slight drop in pre-tax profits to 611m in its full year results. The drop came despite a 3.4% increase in revenue from 8.5bn to 8.2bn over the period.

  • Betfair backs new venture Virgin Bets

    Wed, 23 May 2007

    Virgin Games is launching a branded betting service, Virgin Bets in a bid to capitalise on the burgeoning on gambling sector and on the growing public interest in entertainment and novelty bets. The new venture has been launched with bookmakers Betf...

  • Birds Eye invites AMV to pitch for 15m business

    Wed, 23 May 2007

    Birds Eye, the frozen food brand, has invited Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO to pitch against incumbent Bartle Bogle Hegarty for its £15m advertising business.

  • Bissell gears up for launch of all-in-one floor cleaner

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Bissell, the floorcare company, is launching a new type of vacuum cleaner later in the year that it claims will be the "next big thing."

  • BMB handed thelondonpaper ad account

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Beattie McGuinness Bungay has won the 2m advertising account for thelondonpaper without a pitch. It follows the closure of WPP's United London, thelondonpaper's previous agency...

  • Brand leader down at heel

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Iconic footwear retailer Clarks has suffered a sharp drop in profits, but analysts argue that the market-leading brand remains strong and there is value in the name. Matthew Gorman reports

  • Britvic sees increase in profits

    Mon, 21 May 2007

    Britvic has reported a leap in profits for the first half of the year driven by a revival of fizzy drinks sales. The soft drinks company's saw an 11.1% increase in profits before tax and one-off costs rose to £48.2m in the six months to April 15.

  • Brown bread rising

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Bread consumption remains stable in terms of penetration, but brands that are perceived to offer a health benefit are taking an increasing slice of the market as the drive to improve our diet continues

  • Brylcreem uses MySpace to find 'b:' star

    Wed, 23 May 2007

    Male grooming brand Brylcreem is casting the lead for its next TV ad push via videos posted on MySpace as part of its marketing drive for the hairstyling range b: from Brylcreem.

  • BT links with PSP

    Wed, 23 May 2007

    BT and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) have teamed up to add wireless broadband communications functions to its PSP (PlayStation Portable) including video calls, voice calls and messaging.

  • CBI's Lambert warns against 'greenwashing'

    Wed, 23 May 2007

    Confederation of British Industry director-general Richard Lambert has warned advertisers that the Government will impose regulations on the industry if it does not clean up its act and behave responsibly regarding claims about environmental impact.

  • Commercial radio grasps at digital straws

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    The BBC has consolidated its position as the leading broadcaster in UK national radio. It reported a record of 33.46 million listeners per week in last week's Radio Joint Audience Research (Rajar) figures for the first quarter of this year, and took a 56% share of the total radio audience. ...

  • Corgi International appoints new managing director

    Tue, 22 May 2007

    Corgi International has appointed Denis Horton as group managing director for Europe. He replaces Dave Turner who left the company to pursue other interests earlier this month.

  • Critics take a swipe at 'contactless' debit cards

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Mastercard is gearing up to launch the first "contactless" payment system in London later this year (marketingweek.co.uk last week) but the concept is already coming under fire from critics who claim it will lead to increased levels of debt.

  • Dogging and bestiality

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Integrated creative agency prego* has launched a podcast that is "like The Archers - just a lot more wrong".

  • DoubleClick set to unveil new identity

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    DoubleClick, the ad-serving platform that is set to be swallowed by Google, will launch a new brand identity tomorrow as part of a move to reposition itself as the "nerve centre of digital marketing".

  • Doubling your search efforts

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Search is big business, but brands struggle to get the most from paid and organic search - mainly because they are treated as separate disciplines. Nathalie Kilby discovers how to bridge the two

  • Electrolux boss' role is scrapped

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Electrolux UK brand and marketing director Andy Mackay is leaving the company after 19 years. His departure follows a major restructure of the company's European management team.

  • EMAP chief exec Moloney quits

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    EMAP chief executive Tom Moloney has quit the radio and magazine group after 26 years. Moloney, who has been chief executive for four years, will be replaced on an interim basis by non-executive chairman Alun Cathcart.

  • EMAPs head on the block

    Fri, 18 May 2007

    Gary Hughes and Stephen Carter, among others, must be counting their blessings. Both were linked to the chief executive role at EMAP when it last fell vacant over four years ago. Luckily for them, outgoing David Arculus’ golden boy Tom Moloney got the job – or should we say poison chalice? – and it is him, not them, who is now hurtling to earth like Icarus.

  • Ex-water body chief blasts UK soft drinks trade for lack of promotions

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    The former chairman of the National Mineral Water Association has hit out at the British Soft Drinks Association for not promoting the benefits of the bottled water sector.

  • Final PHD co-founder goes to MCBD as partner

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    PHD co-founder Jonathan Durden has quit the agency to join Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy as a partner. Durden is the final founding partner to leave PHD following the departure last year of David Pattison and Nick Horswell in 2001.

  • Fox Kalomaski gains East of England brief

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    East of England Tourism has appointed Fox Kalomaski to its three-year marketing business thought to be worth £4m following a three-way pitch against two regional agencies.

  • Gov't trade body plans global drive to promote UK economy

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    UK Trade & Investment, the government organisation, is set to launch a global marketing initiative to promote the UK economy internationally and help fulfil Chancellor Gordon Brown's vision of transforming the UK into the world's "preferred business partner".

  • Grey's Patton of things to come

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Grey London's year so far has been dominated by the search for a new chief executive to replace Tamara Ingram, who was moved to run the network's global Procter & Gamble business in January. For an agency that has attracted names ...

  • Happy birthday to you, Ma'am, from everyone

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Euro RSCG 4D Digital has its sights on a Guinness World Record as it wishes the Queen a happy birthday with The Sun this year.

  • HIT Entertainment gears up for Thomas Land launch campaign

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Drayton Manor Theme Park and HIT Entertainment are to open Europe's first Thomas Land, a visitor attraction inspired by the preschool characters Thomas & Friends, in the UK next spring.

  • Homeless World Cup seeks sponsors

    Mon, 21 May 2007

    The Homeless World Cup, the street football tournament that raises money for homeless projects, is seeking sponsors to support this year's event. The fifth annual cup will take place in Denmark in late July.

  • Honda set to appoint Midas to make it a year of digital

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Honda is poised to reappoint Midas to its 3m digital account following a four-month review.

  • Honda targets Formula 1 fans with digital campaign

    Tue, 22 May 2007

    Honda is targeting Formula 1 fans with the latest activity from its Hondamentalism campaign. The car marque has teamed up with Mobile Interactive Group (MIG), Hicklin Slade & Partners and ITV Interactive to provide fans with mobile WAP and websites.

  • How Chris Ward got ahead

    Tue, 22 May 2007

    "The best bit about any first job is that you think that you can conquer the world!"

  • How Kathryn Jacob got ahead

    Fri, 18 May 2007

    What made you want to get into marketing? Like so many people I fell into it by accident, after writing about polysemous allegory in the Faerie Queen lost its appeal.

  • How Louise Reeves got ahead

    Wed, 23 May 2007

    What is the next big brand in your view? The outdoor furniture company that is going to clean up when smoking is banned in pubs. Perhaps by creating outdoor smoking meccas?

  • Inbev unveils campaign for low-alcohol Peeterman

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Inbev is launching a major marketing push for its new low-alcohol wheat beer Peeterman Artois, which was launched last year to extend the Artois family of beers alongside its flagship brand Stella Artois.

  • Integrated Viewpoints

    Fri, 18 May 2007

    The good news is that today's proliferation of media give marketers a myriad of ways to communicate with consumers. The bad news is that consumers have so much choice in how they receive messages, all too often they choose not to receive a brand's messages at all. And if they feel that a brand is being too pushy with its marketing, not only do they complain, but thanks to the internet, their complaints can reach an extremely wide audience.

  • Intel marketing chief: 'We lost the advertising plot'

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Intel brands have been too complicated and confusing when compared to rivals like Apple, admits the global marketing chief Don MacDonald, as the company gears up for a major autumn advertising push.

  • It is hard to dig for gold and sell shovels at the same time

    Wed, 23 May 2007

    Where is the money - in content or distribution? In the media

  • It's open season on emap

    Wed, 23 May 2007

    EMAP is battling to reverse its fortunes, and a big break-up could be the strategy of its new chief executive. What's more, there is no shortage of big media players the City is putting in the frame as potential buyers of its radio and publishing businesses. Sonoo Singh reports

  • ITV confirms Airey appointment

    Wed, 23 May 2007

    ITV has confirmed that Dawn Airey is joining the commercial broadcaster to head its global content business. Her appointment comes after ITV reached an agreement with BSkyB, her former employer, over a non-compete clause in her contract.

  • ITV1 ad revenue will drop by 10%

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    ITV says advertising revenue on its flagship ITV1 channel will be down almost 10% year-on-year for the first half of 2007. The broadcaster is predicting a drop of 9.6% for the first six months of this year, while group advertising revenue is likely to fall by 5.7%. ITV, is holding its annual general meeting today, says the ...

  • LDA helps households cut carbon emissions

    Fri, 18 May 2007

    The London Development Agency (LDA) is developing a "green concierge" service for homeowners in the capital. The service aims to be a one-stop shop for people that want to reduce their household carbon emissions and is part of the agency's remit to implement the Mayor's Climate Change Action Plan. The LDA, the body ...

  • LG enters the Premiership with 3m Fulham FC shirt sponsorship

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    LG Electronics has signed a 3m-a-year deal with Fulham Football Club to become the team's new shirt sponsor. Nike is also thought to have signed up as the club's official kit manufacturer.

  • Lloyds TSB appoints consumer banking chief

    Tue, 22 May 2007

    Lloyds TSB has promoted Ian Larkin, managing director of consumer lending, to consumer banking managing director following the departure of Paul Pester last week.

  • M&C sets up division to cash in on private equity

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    M&C Saatchi is launching a new division called Accelerator that will work with private equity companies to assess brands and identify deals. The division will be headed by the agency's UK chief executive Tim Duffy.

  • M&S praises advertising as profits soar

    Tue, 22 May 2007

    Marks & Spencer chief executive Stuart Rose has praised the fashion and food retailer's investment in advertising for contributing to its best results in nearly a decade. Profits at M&S have soared 28.5% to 965.2m in the 12 months to March 31, up from 751.4m on last year.

  • M&S unveils ethical homeware launch

    Wed, 23 May 2007

    Marks & Spencer is launching a green homeware collection as the high street retailer strives to increase its ethical credentials.

  • Marketers must respond to a much-reduced cost of choice

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    The information age is changing how consumers make decisions. Underestimate the scale of this change at your brand's peril

  • Mars forced into u-turn over animal products

    Mon, 21 May 2007

    Mars UK has performed a u-turn over plans to use animal products in its chocolate bars after hundreds of complaints from vegetarians. The company has taken out a series of adverts in today's (Monday) national press highlighting its decision to not to change the whey in products such as Mars bars and Maltesers from a vegetarian version ...

  • Match.com loses head of global marketing

    Wed, 23 May 2007

    Dating website Match.com has lost chief marketing officer Matthew Welch to Cecure Gaming, the mobile gaming company where he becomes chief marketing officer.

  • MGA to split from Vivid to set up new UK business

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Bratz dolls-owner MGA Entertainment is to set up a UK business in 2008 and sever its four-year partnership with Vivid Imaginations.

  • Microsoft snaps up online ad group for $6bn

    Fri, 18 May 2007

    Microsoft has set out plans to launch an internet-wide advertising platform for clients, publishers and advertising agencies after snapping up digital marketing services group, aQuantive, for $6bn.

  • Morgan ousted at Co-op

    Wed, 23 May 2007

  • MTV and Swatch launch viewer-led youth clip show

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    MTV Europe and Swatch, the iconic Swiss watch brand, have teamed up to launch MTV's first completely user-generated viewer-led show called MTV's Best Show Ever.

  • Nestlé to launch spoiler to Cadburys healthy sweets

    Wed, 23 May 2007

    In a copycat move, Nestl?owntree is plotting the launch of a new venture that aims to go up against Cadbury Trebor Bassett's The Natural Confectionery Company.

  • New campaign -Strongbow

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    St Luke's is to continue the repositioning of Strongbow cider as a more refreshing pint than lager in its next television advertising campaign.The new execution, part of the £27m investment in the brand, will break on May 21.

  • NRS to record online readership figures

    Fri, 18 May 2007

    The National Readership Survey has announced plans to record readership figures for leading publishers’ websites, in a move to give advertisers and publishers a better understanding of how readers interact with publications via their websites.

  • One message, one voice

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    It's time for marketing services disciplines to be more mutually inclusive. The opportunities are great, but so are the responsibilities, not least for the client, says Clive Mishon

  • Online ad spend races ahead

    Fri, 18 May 2007

    The online advertising spend in the UK, Spain, Italy and France last year was greater than the advertising spend for the whole of Europe from the previous year, new data reveals. Figures from the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) Europe reveal that online advertising spend hit Euros 5,048bn (£3,453bn) last year across ...

  • Orange appoints new brand chief

    Tue, 22 May 2007

    Orange has appointed Jonathan Morley to the role of group vice president of brand. He replaces Niall O'Keefe, who left the mobile operator last month to join retailer PC World.

  • Orange in 13m ad push to promote music service and existing offerings

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Orange is launching a 13m advertising push to promote its pay monthly and pay-as-you-go offerings and its new music service "Gigsandtours from Orange".

  • Organising someone's handbag is never a long-term career prospect

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    The launch of a new graveside-tending service raises the question/ how much longer will our Western lifestyle of luxury and self-indulgence last?

  • Phase two roll out of FT's brand revamp

    Wed, 23 May 2007

    The Financial Times kicks off a global TV campaign today as the second phase of its brand revamp is rolled out.

  • Philips and Microsoft launch health and well being campaign

    Tue, 22 May 2007

    Philips has signed a deal with Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions to launch a multi-region digital campaign as part of its latest brand push to promote its health and well being products. It is part of the consumer electronics giant's Sense and Simplicity campaign.

  • Philips launches green tick logo

    Fri, 18 May 2007

    Philips Electronics has launched a green tick logo to help consumers identify its environmentally friendly products. The logo, which is being rolled out now, is part of the consumer electronics company's long-running EcoDesign initiative. The Philips Green Tick will be used on its Green Flagship ...

  • Porsche includes ad business in DM review

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Porsche has extended its direct marketing review to include its advertising business in a move that could see it put a greater focus on above-the-line activity.

  • Premier Foods to consolidate media planning and buying

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Branston owner Premier Foods is understood to be consolidating its 26m media planning and buying business. It follows the food group's 1.2bn acquisition of RHM, whose brands include Hovis, Bisto and Sharwoods...

  • Procter vs unilever

    Wed, 23 May 2007

    Household goods and personal care giants Unilever and Procter & Gamble both revealed sweeping management changes last week. But Unilever needs more to catch up with its US rival, which has made giant strides towards world domination. David Benady reports

  • RadioCentre chief exec in regulation relaxation plea

    Fri, 18 May 2007

    RadioCentre chief executive Andrew Harrison has reiterated his call for a relaxation of radio regulation. Harrison says "anachronistic" analogue regulation is the biggest threat facing the commercial radio industry in the digital age.

  • Renault to go green with eco2 launch later this year

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Renault is attempting to steal a march on its European rivals by launching a new range of "green" vehicles that will come close to meeting strict European Commission targets on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, five years before they are introduced.

  • Repeat performance

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    It's not only brands that are pushing increasingly for variations of previously successful campaigns. Consumers, too, are saying they want more of the same. By Paul Gander

  • Salmon resurfaces at RSA

    Fri, 18 May 2007

    Former ITV marketing director Clare Salmon has re-emerged at Royal & SunAlliance (RSA), the parent company of financial services brand More Than. Salmon, who left ITV in the New Year, becomes group strategy, marketing and customer director at the insurance giant.

  • Share incentives rule hits stock market-listed agencies' profits

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Stock market-listed marketing services companies have seen profits dented by as much as 8% as a result of new accounting rules surrounding share incentives.

  • Skoda targets schoolkids in Fabia TV ad campaign

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Skoda is rolling out its new advertising campaign on Nickelodeon UK's preschool channel Nick Jr for the launch of its new Fabia car.

  • Sky proves too tall an order for Virgin

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    James Murdoch, chief executive of BSkyB, may be mildly upset that Ofcom has rebuffed his attempts to build a pay-per-view service on the Freeview platform. And he would be less than human if he did not fret a little over what trade secretary Alistair Darling intends to do with the ...

  • Sky reignites row with Virgin

    Fri, 18 May 2007

    Sky chief executive James Murdoch has lambasted Virgin Media for failing to settle the dispute over restoring its basic channels to the cable company's customers. The satellite pay TV giant has made public two letters Murdoch wrote to Virgin Media chief executive Steve Burch, claiming Virgin Media has done little ...

  • Sledge wins natural sweet UK launch

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Sledge, the brand experience agency, has won the launch campaign for The Natural Confectionery Company (TNCC). The agency won the business following a competitive pitch against undisclosed agencies.

  • Star Alliance pushes consumer benefits and services

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Star Alliance, the network of airlines, is launching a new positioning to reflect changes in customer expectations of the group. The changes coincide with its tenth anniversary.

  • The Box raises awareness of NSPCC campaign

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    The Box, the EMAP-owned music channel, is launching a daily music programme to support the latest wave of the NSPCC's "Don't Hide It" campaign. It will show viewers the latest videos before they are released.

  • The Post Office aims for better online search visibility

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    The Post Office has appointed Tamar, the search conversion agency, to handle its search engine optimisation (SEO) strategy in natural search.

  • The ubersexual men are going shopping

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Can't men just be men anymore? In the mid-1990s the "metrosexual" phenomenon hit us following a 1994 article in The Independent by Mark Simpson: men who take on stereotypically feminine traits when looking after and grooming their bodies.

  • TV advertising declines as online surges ahead

    Mon, 21 May 2007

    Television advertising declined for the first time in six years during 2006 but online advertising surged ahead, according to annual figures from the Advertising Association.

  • Vauxhall goes online to give Corsa a virtual Second Life

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Vauxhall is the latest brand to launch on virtual world Second Life. The car manufacturer will use the internet-based world to promote its Corsa model.

  • Vizeum chief steps down from Aegis after 27 years

    Mon, 21 May 2007

    Vizeum chief executive Eric Drancourt is retiring from Aegis Media after 27 years this summer. Drancourt, who was behind the launch of Vizeum as an independent global network in 2002, will not be replaced.

  • Vodafone U-turn as Yates returns to head marketing

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Vodafone has reappointed Tim Yates as its UK marketing chief following a management reshuffle. Stephen Noakes, who has been the telecoms giant's top UK marketer on an interim basis, is understood to be leaving the company. It is not known whether he has a job to go to.

  • Waitrose promotes its policy of sourcing locally produced food

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Waitrose is launching a television campaign to highlight its commitment to sourcing locally produced food. The supermarket group is keen to reiterate its policy of selling produce that comes from no more then 30 miles away.

  • Will Wax work for 'desperate' Virgin?

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    Virgin Media has turned to comedienne Ruby Wax to breathe new life into its relaunch (MW last week) as the full extent of its dispute with rival BSkyB becomes apparent.

  • WPP pushes into digital arena with 24/7 Real Media acquisition

    Thu, 17 May 2007

    WPP has acquired New York-based 24/7 Real Media for $649m (328m) as it looks to enhance its presence in the digital arena. The marketing services provider paid all cash for the digital marketing company, which is listed on NASDAQ and has offices in the US, Europe and the Far East...

  • Yahoo! marketing chief Jon Gisby poised to quit

    Thu, 17 May 2007

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