Marketing Week
2 August 2007

  • ...Sky's marketing spend up 18% after Virgin battle

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    BSkyB spent 734m on marketing in the year to June 30, a 112m - or 18% - rise on the previous 12 months.

  • All hands on deck to keep RPM afloat

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Never mind Gloucestershire, London had its own problems a couple of Fridays ago with the 15 minute deluge that left several parts of the city underwater.

  • Amstrad brand will live on at BSkyB...

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    The Amstrad brand will continue under BSkyB after it agreed to buy the business from media tycoon Sir Alan Sugar for £125m.

  • ASA clears Quaker Oats health claims

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has cleared Quaker Oats of making misleading claims about the health benefits of oats. The investigation followed a complaint from a consumer over whether oats can lower cholesterol.

  • ASA slams Powerade and Virgin Media ads

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Coca-Cola and Virgin Media have been criticised by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) although a risqué ad for deodorant brand Lynx has escaped censure.

  • BA chief exec takes swipe at Heathrow operator

    Fri, 3 Aug 2007

    British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh has called on BAA to recruit more staff at Heathrow after admitting that operational problems at Britain's biggest airport have impacted on the airline's business.

  • BAA retailers appoint commercial director

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    BAA's retail subsidiary World Duty Free has appointed former Superdrug marketing director Jo O'Conner as commercial director.

  • Bafflement over Red Bull redundancies

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    The sweeping restructure at Red Bull UK would normally suggest a company in turmoil, but the brand that created the energy drinks category still commands a 76.5% share of the market, and last weekend hosted the latest round of its Air Race World Series in London. Red

  • BBC integrity course highlights a lack of honesty seeping through the nation

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    The re-education of BBC staff reveals that a large proportion of our media and the public from which they were recruited are less than squeaky clean

  • BBC under fire after Lyons takes chairman’s role

    Fri, 3 Aug 2007

    The House of Lords has slammed the way BBC chairmen are appointed, saying the process is too open to political interference. The criticism comes in the wake of the appointment of Sir Michael Lyons as chairman of BBC Trust, the body which oversees the corporation.

  • Bebo 'walks a fine line' running campaign with Skittles sweets

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Bebo, the social networking site aimed at under-16s, has embarked on a media offensive to counteract the backlash against brands using such sites to advertise their products to children.

  • Bird's start-up agency wins raft of business

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Another Anomaly, the start-up agency to be headed by Sony BMG vice-president of futures Duncan Bird and backed by Anomaly founder Carl Johnson, has won a raft of business before it opens.

  • Brands on the run

    Fri, 3 Aug 2007

    Some of the UKs top companies are in the dock this summer over activities which range from the dodgy to the downright illegal.

  • BRC reveals the weakest high street month this year

    Tue, 7 Aug 2007

    The wet weather and interest rate rises led to the weakest month on the high street since last November, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). It says that like-for-like retail sales rose by just 1.2% last month compared to a 3.4% rise in the same month last year.

  • Bread winners

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    It started as one shop, set up with a 17,000 bank loan, and transformed the sandwich market. Now it's being wooed by private equity. Louise Jack looks at what lies ahead for Pret A Manger

  • Camelot renews National Lottery licence

    Tue, 7 Aug 2007

    Camelot has won the licence to run the National Lottery for the third successive bid beating competition from Indian rival Sugal & Damani.

  • Cardiff seeks investment to promote the Welsh capital

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Cardiff & Co, the marketing company established by Cardiff County Council, is seeking public and private sector stakeholder investment to help promote the city.

  • City AM seeks first marketing chief

    Fri, 3 Aug 2007

    City AM, the business freesheet, is seeking its first marketing chief in a move aimed at boosting its relationships with clients and agencies. The marketing was previously overseen by managing director Lawson Muncaster.

  • COI looks for board-level communications planner

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    The COI is creating a board-level role to lead its communications planning.

  • COI pulls advertising from social networks

    Mon, 6 Aug 2007

    COI has pulled all government adverts from user-generated pages on social networking sites after a host of brands stopped advertising on Facebook last week. The COI's digital agency I-Level has been ordered not to buy space on personal web pages as part of a long-standing government commitment not to advertise near racist or ...

  • Cut-price clothing trend on way out

    Fri, 3 Aug 2007

    The trend for cheap clothing will be phased out as retailers come under pressure from increasing overheads and growing consumer concerns over ethical sourcing, according to retail analysts Verdict Consulting.

  • Datamonitor forced into U-turn over British Gas

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Global research group Datamonitor has been forced to retract a report it published in July that claimed British Gas was not as green as the company had claimed to be. Its retreat comes as the Centrica-owned utility rolls out two new green tariffs and announces its "British Gas Green Fund".

  • Decaux's dominance could spell trouble for advertisers

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    TX text introJust textUK brand owners could lose out as ownership of the outdoor advertising industry undergoes another round of consolidation. The world's largest poster business Clear Channel Outdoor is likely to be put up for sale if private equity companies succeed in buying and breaking up its US parent Clear Channel Communications.

  • Dedicated Bristolians display their weirdly wonderful obsessions in a photography campaign for DM agency

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    What's wrong with a little bit of exhibitionism? Nothing, according to Entire.

  • Disney buys Club Penguin social networking site

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    The Walt Disney Company has bought children’s social networking site Club Penguin as it attempts to ramp up its digital presence and utilise the internet as a communications and marketing tool. The US-based site will be rebranded Disney Club Penguin and rolled out internationally

  • Dove to showcase eating disorders in ad campaign

    Wed, 8 Aug 2007

  • Ex-3 marketing head takes Virgin Mobile reins

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Virgin Media has appointed former 3 marketing director Graeme Oxby as managing director of Virgin Mobile. Oxby left phone operator 3 after five years and was replaced by director of customer marketing John Penberthy-Smith.

  • Former BA commercial director facing criminal charges

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Former British Airways commercial director Martin George is facing criminal charges and up to four years in prison for his part in the price-fixing scandal that has led to a £270m fine.

  • From Soviet leader to style icon, Gorby promotes Vuitton luggage

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    With Pete Doherty chugging the lactose-free milk, it would appear that now is the time of the slightly unusual celebrity brand advocate.

  • Fruit of the Loom's trade catalogue to be revamped

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Fruit of the Loom has appointed Big Communications to overhaul its trade catalogue for distribution across all its markets in Europe.

  • Heinz aims for wider customers appeal with three added ranges

    Mon, 6 Aug 2007

    Heinz is launching into chilled soup marketing for the first time in a bid to attract new consumers. The company will invest £3.5m in the launch of three ranges.

  • How Graham Dodridge got ahead in marketing

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    "Having the chance to spend time with smart and fun people and doing exactly what I love everyday. It doesnt get better than this. Long may it continue. "

  • How Jeremy Caplin got ahead

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    "I strive towards keeping everything I do fresh and challenging, and being seen to add value both for my clients and for dunnhumby."

  • HSBC replaces Stringham with Reuters chief

    Mon, 6 Aug 2007

    HSBC has appointed Alex Hungate to the new role of global head of personal financial services and marketing. Hungate joins in September from news service Reuters, where he was Asia managing director.

  • Is it still as simple as ABC?

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    For better or worse, society has undeniably changed over the past 50 years, yet brand owners still rely on the ABC1 social grading system. David Benady reports on whether it's time for an update

  • ISP criticises Gambling Act for being a 'nuisance'

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    The Institute of Sales Promotion has hit out at the failure to extend the Gambling Act 2005 to Northern Ireland as a “considerable nuisance.”

  • ITV reports 'encouraging' results

    Wed, 8 Aug 2007

  • Jaguar fills global managing director vacancy from within

    Fri, 3 Aug 2007

    Jaguar Cars’ global managing director Bibiana Boerio is stepping down after three years in the role. She will be replaced by the struggling luxury carmaker's North American president Mike O’Driscoll.

  • K-C moots link-ups with GSK and Pfizer

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Kleenex manufacturer Kimberly-Clark is in talks with GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer about forming partnerships to promote related products.

  • Lloyds TSB launches advice campaign for flood victims

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Lloyds TSB has launched a high profile marketing campaign in the wake of England's floods, designed to reassure customers that help is at hand.

  • Lowe wins £20m global Beck’s business

    Mon, 6 Aug 2007

    Lowe has won the £20m global advertising business for beer brand Beck’s after a three-way pitch against McCann Erickson and UK incumbent Leo Burnett. The account will include the UK business, which was not previously expected to be part of the pitch.

  • Management team buys into soap brand Bronnley

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Luxury soap manufacturer Bronnley has been acquired by a management buy-in team led by former Lornamead chief executive, Leslie Barber.

  • Manchester Evening News set to win Network Rail freesheet bid

    Mon, 6 Aug 2007

    The Manchester Evening News is set to win exclusive rights to distribute a free evening newspaper at Manchester Piccadilly station after News International decided against bidding for the contact.

  • Marketing jobs facing the axe in Red Bull restructure

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

  • Mattel recalls lead-contaminated toys

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Mattel is recalling nearly 1 million toys because the products are covered in lead paint. According to Mattel, whose brands include Barbie and Hot Wheels cars, all toys were made by a contract manufacturer in China.

  • MDC in hunt for ad agency

    Wed, 8 Aug 2007

  • Ministry of Sound enters fragrance market

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Club brand Ministry of Sound is launching a range of fragrance and toiletry products to tap into target a "stylish" young dance music-loving audience. The range will hit the UK market in early 2008.

  • MySupermarket.co.uk runs P&G promotion

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Packaged goods giant Procter & Gamble (P&G) has signed up as the first advertiser on supermarket price comparison site mySupermarket. co.uk. It is the first time mySupermarket.co.uk has allowed display advertising on its site since it launched in October last year.

  • New campaign - Orange

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Orange is launching a new Gold Spot cinema campaign this week featuring Batman Forever actor Val Kilmer.

  • NHS Direct seeks agency to promote helpline

    Mon, 6 Aug 2007

    NHS Direct, the health advice service, has shortlisted St Luke’s and Experience, WCRS and Carat, and Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO and PHD to pitch for its advertising and planning accounts ahead of a £2m campaign to promote it telephone helpline.

  • Norwich Union TV ads introduce new strapline

    Fri, 3 Aug 2007

    Norwich Union has dropped its ‘Quote me happy’ strapline as it launches an £8m unified advertising campaign for its life and insurance business. The campaign, which breaks this week, will be focused on the new strapline ‘We just make it easier’.

  • Orange appoints multimedia director

    Wed, 8 Aug 2007

  • Penguin enters partnership with networking site Piczo

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Penguin hopes to attract more teenage readers in a partnership with social networking site Piczo, which allows them to design their own book front covers. Readers will be able to personalise the books using digital tools provided by Piczo.

  • Poulters takes £3m Miele account

    Fri, 3 Aug 2007

    German domestic appliance maker Miele has handed its £3m UK advertising account to Poulters after a six-way pitch. The Leeds-based agency will develop a new brand building campaign for 2008 that will include television and print advertising.

  • Premier Foods plots £26m roster review

    Wed, 8 Aug 2007

    Premier Foods is understood to be reviewing its 26m advertising roster with a view to consolidation, following its acquisition of rival RHM.

  • Purity takes to Segways for meeting

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    The thought of an “agency update meeting” is normally greeted with groans of boredom. So, to combat this, Rob Gray, managing partner of Purity, organised his agency’s June meeting around a Segway Rally.

  • Ridding speaks up for FT

    Wed, 8 Aug 2007

    If new owner NewsCorp reinvigorates the Wall Street Journal, it could spell disaster for the FT, but chief executive John Ridding isn't worrying just yet. The global success of its newspaper and website have made him bullish about future growth, the former journalist tells Stuart Smith

  • Seeds of Change to sponsor UKTV channels and website

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Seeds of Change, the Mars-owned organic food producer, has signed a six-figure sponsorship deal that straddles the UKTV Food and UKTV Gardens channels.

  • Senior takes charge of Saatchi-Fallon

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Following a fruitless search to replace Saatchi & Saatchi London chairman and chief executive Lee Daley, who stepped down earlier this year, Publicis Groupe is taking a novel approach to trying to save the once-mighty agency. A week after Saatchi lost the bulk of its UK Toyota business to CHI & Partners (MW July 12), it emerged that it was being aligned with sister agency Fallon in the latest bid to halt its decline. The new holding company - to be called Saatchi & Saatchi-Fallon - will ...

  • Sir Alan sugar-coats Amstrad exit strategy

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    "You're hired" - and that may of course be a problem for Sir Alan Sugar, who's very much used to being his own man these past 40 years.

  • Sony Ericsson recruits ex-LG marketing head in senior role

    Wed, 8 Aug 2007

    LG Mobile's former head of marketing John Bernard is joining Sony Ericsson in a senior global marketing role to spearhead its move into high-end fashion phones.

  • Superdrug offers value for money dentistry

    Fri, 3 Aug 2007

    High street health and beauty retailer Superdrug will launch dental services later this month. The trial service, which will be available in three stores, is being launched with dental company SmileStore.

  • Supermarket sought for HP recycling partnership

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Technology giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) is looking to partner with a UK supermarket chain as it attempts to embark on a nationwide recycling programme. The move to focus on localised recycling projects will give it a green competitive advantage in the home PC and electronics market.

  • Take it on the chin, then change

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Panorama exposed some major holes in selling online advertising. Brands and agencies should regard this as a wake-up call in best practice, says Guy Phillipson

  • Technology remains untamed

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    'Impersonal' and 'inflexible' technology is triumphing over marketing common sense because few brands are using consumer data and the latest tools to enhance the whole customer experience

  • The fall and rise of Leagas Delaney

    Wed, 8 Aug 2007

    Leagas Delaney is on a roll. The agency has won five out of five pitches in 2007, including VTech and The Body Shop, and observers believe the 27year-old agency, which has five international offices, has the feel of a start-up. Some add its famously "difficult" ...

  • Thought a widget was a gadget to give your beer a creamy head?

    Wed, 8 Aug 2007

    Think again. Widgets are applications which are taking the social network sites by storm, and an exciting opportunity for marketers

  • Tiscali takes on Virgin with branded mobile move

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Tiscali is planning to take on Virgin Media with the launch of a branded mobile phone service in a move that would make it only the second company in the UK to offer "quadruple play".

  • Unilever will cut 20,000 jobs within four years

    Fri, 3 Aug 2007

    Unilever is to axe 20,000 jobs over the next four years. The cuts equivalent to 11% of its workforce will mainly affect Europe in a bid to reduce costs by 1.5bn by 2010.

  • USwitch reshuffles marketing team for second branding push

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Online price comparison service uSwitch has rejigged its marketing team and appointed former SWEB marketing chief Alan Tattersall as marketing director. Incumbent Barry Holloway moves from his position as marketing director to work on "strategic projects" and will be leaving uSwitch in April 2008.

  • Venues embrace variety

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    From showpiece sports stadia to unique rural settings, the UK punches above its weight when it comes to hosting live events. Jo-Anne Flack learns the secrets behind picking the right location

  • Virgin Media extends takeover proposals deadline

    Tue, 7 Aug 2007

    Virgin Media has been forced to extend its deadline for receiving formal takeover proposals, blaming volatile debt markets. It says that following a recommendation from its financial advisers it has decided to extend the proposal until parties can complete their proposals in a more stable debt market ...

  • WA Shearings briefs Cheetham Bell to target young market

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    WA Shearings, the holiday company that specialises in the mature market, has appointed Cheetham Bell JWT to its £2m advertising business after a competitive pitch against undisclosed agencies.

  • Web tool shows brands where their online ads are

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    A new ad-serving tool is to be launched that will allow advertisers to identify where their ads have appeared online and how long they have been viewed for - a tool many in the online ad industry will welcome after recent scrutiny from the media.

  • Will the new Britvic marketing director live up to Marsden's legacy?

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Andrew Marsden, one of the UK's most high profile and outspoken marketers, shouldn't find it too hard to get a new job, say observers. The Britvic marketing director surprised the industry last week by announcing his departure from the soft drinks giant, where he has led the marketing ...

  • WRAP holds review ahead of ad push

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), the government body tasked with reducing waste, is reviewing its roster of agencies ahead of a new advertising push next year. It is thought that the business is worth several million pounds.

  • Wrigley adds DDB Worldwide to global roster

    Thu, 2 Aug 2007

    The Wrigley Company has consolidated its 200m advertising business into Omnicom after adding DDB Worldwide to its global roster following a non-roster pitch. BBDO, the companys long-standing agency, was not affected by the review.

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