Marketing Week
3 April 2008

  • A private and patient hand will profit radio

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Two years is a long time in business, especially the radio business. Back in 2005, the commercial sector was overwhelmingly publicly held. Now, thanks to three transformative deals encompassing much rationalisation in their process, nearly 90% of the business is in private ownership. Is this necessarily a Good Thing for radio?

  • AEG-Electrolux runs silent washing machine campaign

    Fri, 4 Apr 2008

    Electrical brand AEG-Electrolux is launching a pan-European campaign to promote its new “silent” washing machine. The campaign will run on outdoor company BlowUp Media’s posters and was planned and bought by ZenithOptimedia and its in-house specialists Meridian Outdoor and Posterscope International.

  • Age Concern attacks advice funding cuts

    Mon, 7 Apr 2008

    Age Concern has slammed the Government for cutting funding for information and advice services for the elderly. The charity is launching a lobbying campaign called "The price of no advice" today (April 7) alongside a report calling for increased funds.

  • Albion wins 2m Air New Zealand Euro ad account

    Fri, 4 Apr 2008

    Air New Zealand has appointed Albion to handle its 2m European advertising business. The agency beat start-up Adam & Eve in a final pitch after Publicis and Farm were knocked out earlier this week.

  • Ariel Awards to concentrate on creativity in radio

    Tue, 8 Apr 2008

  • ASA refers Ryanair to OFT

    Fri, 4 Apr 2008

    The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has responded to news that Ryanair is referring the standards body to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) by confirming it has already lodged a complaint against the low-cost carrier.

  • ASA rejects mistreatment concerns over dog in VW ad

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    A VW Polo ad featuring a singing dog has sparked 500 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), but the regulator says it will not investigate.

  • BA marketing falls victim to management failings

    Fri, 4 Apr 2008

    It will go down as one of Britains worst executed product launches.

  • Bauer Radio launches 1m campaign for Big City Network

    Tue, 8 Apr 2008

    Bauer Radio is launching a 1m marketing and promotion campaign to support its Big City Network. It is part of the company's 10m investment in its brands over the next year.

  • Bauer seals radio deal with Lucozade

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Bauer Advertising, the sales arm of media owner Bauer, has signed a deal with sports drink Lucozade Energy across a number of its former EMAP radio stations including Kiss and Kerrang!The cross-platform, month-long deal marks the first time that GlaxoSmithKline-owned Lucozade and ...

  • BBC internet head warns ISPs against download service charges

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    BBC internet chief Ashley Highfield has warned internet service providers not to pass on charge for download services, such as the iPlayer, to broadcasters.

  • BBC iPlayer launches on Nintendo Wii

    Wed, 9 Apr 2008

    The BBC is teaming with Nintendo to make its iPlayer catch-up TV service available via gaming console Wii. The deal was announced today (April 9) at the Cannes MipTV conference by Erik Huggers, BBC group controller for future, media and technology.

  • BBH loses out to Spanish agency in Vodafone pitch

    Wed, 9 Apr 2008

  • Bid TV launches 3m campaign

    Mon, 7 Apr 2008

    Bid TV, the shopping and auction channel, is launching a 3m advertising push featuring interviews with its bargain-hunting shoppers. The campaign breaks on Friday (April 11).

  • Brand owners beware of Google

    Wed, 9 Apr 2008

    You're a marketing director at a big clothing company let's call it GreatShop and you've just launched a multimillion pound ad campaign with a catchy slogan. All the research tells you that consumers love the marketing; they are flooding online after seeing the TV spots to check out the new diffusion range of dresses by a hip new designer.

  • Brand Vista to create identity for zoo aquarium

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is set to create a super brand for a new London aquarium, called Biota.

  • BSkyB overhauls Sky Bet to promote link to masterbrand

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    BSkyB is overhauling its Sky Bet gaming and betting business in order to drive growth across its portfolio of products and emphasise the "entertainment" link with the masterbrand.

  • BT consumer head steps up to take control of retail division

    Wed, 9 Apr 2008

    BTs consumer chief Gavin Patterson has been promoted to run BT Retail as part of a reshuffle triggered by the departure of group chief executive Ben Verwaayen.

  • Carling to remove logo from Old Firm kids' shirts

    Wed, 9 Apr 2008

    Coors Brewers has opted to move the Carling logo from Rangers and Celtic children's replica kits two years ahead of a self-imposed drinks industry ban on branding child-size replica football shirts.

  • Charities tackle Government on fuel poverty "failures"

    Wed, 9 Apr 2008

    Friends of the Earth and Help the Aged are taking the Government to court for "failing" to tackle fuel poverty. The charities have announced they are filing a judicial application - the legal procedure used to challenge public authorities - with the High Court today (April 9).

  • CHI executive takes board-level role at Freeview

    Fri, 4 Apr 2008

    Freeview has appointed CHI & Partners executive Rob Farmer to the new role of marketing communications director ahead of growth plans for the digital TV service brand. Head of strategic marketing Liz Reynolds has also been promoted to director of strategy and new product development as part of the management shake-up.

  • Codemasters to shift focus from action to family games

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Video games company Codemasters is switching its focus from action titles towards family friendly games this year after signing a deal with girls trading card brand, Bella Sara.

  • Cola launch puts extra fizz into Red Bull strategy

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Red Bull, for so long the king of the energy drink sector, is entering uncharted territory with the launch of a premium, 100% natural cola called Red Bull Simply Cola. It is the first standalone launch from Red Bull outside its flagship product and is seen by many ...

  • Coming in from the cold

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    H?en Dazs was responsible for creating the super premium sector for ice cream, but rivals have now gone beyond the luxury brand's yardstick. Rufus Jay asks whether there is a way back

  • Conran steps up campaign against Havas' use of his name

    Tue, 8 Apr 2008

    Designer Sir Terence Conran has written to Havas chairman Vincent Bollor?n a bid to resolve the row over the use of the Conran name that erupted last month. Conran Holdings, Sir Terence's private company, has attacked Havas' plans to expand the Conran business globally.

  • Co-op green director quits to become consultant

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    The Co-operative Group is losing veteran marketer and the architect of its green and ethical brand positioning Simon Williams after 20 years at the retailer.

  • Corporate Hospitality Showcase

    Wed, 9 Apr 2008

    Todays corporate hospitality events may not be flowing with champagne, but they are more exciting and innovative than ever before, as organisers are determined to get maximum value from their budgets. They can now choose from a stunning array of venues, sporting and entertainment packages, and unusual team-building ideas that offer the wow ...

  • Disney appoints Accenture exec to board-level role

    Mon, 7 Apr 2008

    The Walt Disney Company has poached Accenture executive Theresa Wise to take the new role of senior vice-president of corporate strategy and business development across the EMEA region.

  • E.on to install green smart meters

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Utility giant e.on is set to steal a march on rivals with the imminent launch of smart meters in consumers’ homes.

  • Ex Aveda marketer to head Crabtree & Evelyns EMEA marketing

    Tue, 8 Apr 2008

    Crabtree & Evelyn has appointed former Aveda marketer Bretton Essex-Evans as it top marketer for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). The company has also appointed Peter Brown as sales director of its retail operation.

  • Ex-AOL ceo invests in Web health freelance directory

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Former AOL marketer and chief executive Karen Thomson is giving financial backing to a new online marketing directory of health and beauty freelancers.

  • Fever-Tree natural colaprepares for summer start

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Fever-Tree, an independent premium drinks company, is launching a natural cola brand in the UK market this summer.

  • Getting stuck in the net

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Sony Ericsson has been going through a rocky patch, with poor first-quarter profits and rival LG snapping at its heels. And that was before its global marketing chief, Dee Dutta, upped and left after six years. Robert Lester reports on the ...

  • Global Radio to cut local shows

    Tue, 8 Apr 2008

    Global Radio is cutting local shows and increasing networked programming across its Galaxy and Heart stations. The move aims to create a national proposition for advertisers.

  • Global Radio to relaunch The One Network under the Heart brand

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Global Radio is understood to be considering relaunching GCap Media's The One Network under the Heart brand if the planned takeover gets the green light.

  • Google executive Stickel leaves for WebTrends

    Wed, 9 Apr 2008

    Google executive Daniel Stickel has been appointed chief executive officer of US web analytics company, WebTrends. He succeeds Bruce Coleman, who took temporary control of the company in October last year.

  • Google information officer becomes EMI digital chief

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    EMI, the struggling record company, has poached Google chief information officer Douglas Merrill (left) to the newly-created role of president of digital. Merrill will take on the role on April 28.

  • Google initiates paid search bidding war

    Fri, 4 Apr 2008

    Google is set to spark a bidding war for paid-for search terms, unveiling a controversial policy allowing competitors to bid on rival trademarked names in the UK. The move follows two months of weak paid search clicks.

  • Google wields jobs axe at DoubleClick

    Fri, 4 Apr 2008

    Google is axing 300 jobs following its acquisition of online advertising unit DoubleClick. The internet giant has confirmed that one in four of DoubleClick's 1,200-strong US workforce will be made redundant as part of the plan to integrate into Google.

  • Gov't image copyright warnings risk harming social network sites

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    The Home Office Task Force on Child Protection on the Internet's recommendations about copyright warnings in a forthcoming report could discourage the use of social media, warn experts.

  • GQ to launch in India

    Mon, 7 Apr 2008

    Cond?ast is launching men's magazine GQ in India this year, to follow the launch of fashion glossy Vogue last September. The move is the latest in a series of launches by Cond?ast International that have included Vanity Fair in Spain, Tatler in Russia and Cond?ast Traveller in Greece.

  • Granada sales director named as BBC Euro TV sales VP

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    BBC Worldwide has appointed Granada International sales director Tim Mutimer as senior vice-president of global TV sales for Europe. He will take over the role later this summer.

  • Havas Media buys Cake

    Fri, 4 Apr 2008

    Havas Media has bought Cake, the branded entertainment agency, for an undisclosed sum. The agency will join other similar Havas Media-owned specialist agencies under the Havas Entertainment brand.

  • High definition is coming to freeview

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Ofcom has announced that up to four high-definition channels will be available on Freeview in the UK. The broadcast regulator says the channels will air by the time digital switchover completes in 2012. The plans, which follow a consultation last No...

  • Home Office seeks agency for neighbourhood policing promotion

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    The Home Office is looking for an agency to promote its neighbourhood policing scheme. It is understood that Home Office roster agencies RKCR/Y&R and M&C Saatchi are pitching for the account.

  • Homeform to review 20m planning and buying work

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Homeform Group, the parent company of Moben Kitchens and Dolphin Bathrooms is reviewing its £20m planning and buying account.

  • How damaged is the British Airways brand?

    Wed, 9 Apr 2008

    British Airways is one of the worlds most iconic airline brands, but a decade of economic turbulence and a rapidly deregulating air travel market have chipped away at its leading position.

  • In search of an honest opinion

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Brand owners are being drawn to Web 2.0 like moths to a light in the belief that online community panels will disclose the thoughts of their consumers in a more meaningful way. By David Benady

  • Independent commercial director Simon Barnes departs

    Wed, 9 Apr 2008

    Independent News & Media commercial director Simon Barnes is leaving the newspaper group amid worries that falling advertising revenues will hit profits. It is not known if Barnes has a job to go to.

  • ITV ends interest in Arsenal Broadband

    Mon, 7 Apr 2008

    ITV has offloaded its 50% stake in Arsenal Broadband to US sports tycoon Stan Kroenke for £22.7m. It follows the broadcaster's decision to sell its 9.9% stake in Arsenal Football Club to Kroenke's KSE group last April.

  • ITV loses licensing chief

    Fri, 4 Apr 2008

    ITV licensing chief Gerry Donohoe is leaving the broadcaster following the merger of Granada Ventures and Granada International into a single global content division. Donohoe, a former Saatchi & Saatchi executive, will step down from his post as Granada Ventures managing director later this month.

  • ITV set to roll out ITV Quiz online entertainment brand

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    ITV is launching a new quiz brand, ITV Quiz, just months after the broadcaster was forced to axe its controversial ITV Play because of "negative publicity".

  • ITV strikes sponsorship deal with Tiptree Jam

    Fri, 4 Apr 2008

    ITV has struck a deal with upmarket conserve brand Tiptree Jam to sponsor its ITV1 Sunday night series Melvyn Bragg's Travels in Britain. The deal includes broadcast sponsorship, online, interactive and mobile interactive bumpers.

  • LG scores own goal by staying in Samsung's shadow

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    The decision by LG Electronics to enter into a naming rights sponsorship deal with the NEC Arena in Birmingham (MW last week) is being seen by many as an attempt to emulate the success of O2's £6m-a-year naming rights deal with the former ...

  • London Youth Games seeks ceo and sponsorship boost

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    The London Youth Games is hunting a chief executive and sponsors as it seeks to build its brand in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics.

  • LRC publishes positive set of figures

    Fri, 4 Apr 2008

    The Local Radio Company has announced positive results despite a difficult trading year. The 30-strong group says its expects a 4% increase in like-for-like revenue for the six months to March 31.

  • Maher Bird Associates wins 25m AA integrated ad account

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Maher Bird Associates (MBA) has been appointed to handle the AA's 25m integrated advertising account. The agency beat incumbents Delaney Lund Knox Warren and Rapier to win the business.

  • Marketers at forefront of bid to alter booze culture

    Wed, 9 Apr 2008

    Retailers, alcohol brands and pub operators have formed an alliance as part of a renewed attempt to convince the Government it can use marketing to positively influence attitudes towards drunkenness. The alliance, which will include Diageo, Tesco an...

  • Matalan signs LK Today deal

    Fri, 4 Apr 2008

    Matalan, the budget fashion chain, has signed a 1m deal to sponsor LK Today, the week morning show presented by Lorraine Kelly. The deal, which starts on April 21, will be used to promote the retailer's fashion range and will change with each season.

  • Mercedes launches outdoor ad campaign

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Car brand Mercedes-Benz is launching an outdoor ad campaign to promote its "SL-Class Roadster" and "CLS-Class Roadster" models.

  • Mobile advertising is still finding a footing

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Mobile advertising is still at least two years from becoming mainstream, according to industry experts. They believe the foundations still need to be laid before mobile phones can develop as an advertising medium to rival TV and the internet.

  • New campaign - Citron

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Citro?pushes German connection

  • New campaign - Volkswagen

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    VW website wins award for DDB

  • Nissan raises Thomas to top Euro role in shake-up

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Nissan has promoted former UK marketing chief Simon Thomas to its top European marketing role as part of a restructure.

  • O2 splashes 5m on brand overhaul

    Fri, 4 Apr 2008

    O2 is scrapping the "Its your O2" brand positioning in favour of "We're better, connected" in a 5m brand refresh and advertising push. The mobile phone company says the new strapline better reflects its activities in an "increasingly fragmented" society.

  • Ofcom proposes stronger premium rate rules

    Wed, 9 Apr 2008

    Media regulator Ofcom wants to tighten the rules governing broadcast quiz, psychic and adult chat shows using premium rate telephone services (PRS). The proposals come a year after the industry was hit by a string of scandals over mistakes and cover-ups in TV quizzes and phone-ins.

  • Online to outstrip TV ad spend in 2009

    Tue, 8 Apr 2008

    Online advertising spend is set to overtake ad spend on television in 2009 for the first time, as it records a huge 38% year-on-year increase in 2007 to £2.8bn.

  • Orange UK brand chief to take retail responsibility

    Wed, 9 Apr 2008

    Orange UK brand marketing director Justin Billingsley is tipped to get a beefed-up role in a restructure being spearheaded by new chief executive Tom Alexander.

  • Renault pioneers interactive video ads

    Fri, 4 Apr 2008

    Renault is the first car marque to trial a new video advertising format that will allow users to interact with the ad as it is shown. The car company is trailing the format on the Lycos European network.

  • Rock Band game to launch in May

    Tue, 8 Apr 2008

    Rock Band, the MTV-backed computer game, is being released in the UK in May. The game, which has already been released in the US, has been updated to include more British bands.

  • Rocket wins The Climate Group's Together initiative media business

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Rocket, the Omnicom-owned media agency, has won the media planning and buying for The Climate Group's Together initiative. The agency won the business without a pitch.

  • Sheilas Wheels launches multimillion-pound ad and sponsorship campaign

    Fri, 4 Apr 2008

    Sheila's Wheels is launching a multimillion pound advertising campaign to support its new home insurance product, with activity including TV spots and replacing sister brand Esure as the sponsor of the ITV National Weather.

  • Sir Martin Sorrell faces WPPs challenges

    Wed, 9 Apr 2008

    The threat of recession, emerging economies, green issues, the prospects for traditional and new media, the burgeoning of smaller ad networks and how to meet client demands are among the challenges facing WPP, as founder and chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell tells Stuart Smith

  • SMG reports 2007 revenue drop

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    SMG, the owner of Virgin Radio, says 2007 was "a transformational year" as it reports a dip in revenue from £126m in 2006 to £119m last year. The results come amid growing speculation that the group will announce plans to sell the national radio station.

  • Sony Ericsson communications head takes over WTA tour duties

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Sony Ericsson has handed its communications chief Aldo Liguori responsibility for its £50m sponsorship of the WTA women's tennis tour following the departure of top marketer Dee Dutta (MW last week).

  • Steady does it - sustainable efforts can lead to success

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Maximisation dominates business speak, yet there is an alternative - continuous improvement can bring results while being people friendly

  • Stella and Carlsberg clash over UKs best beer claims

    Wed, 9 Apr 2008

  • T5 chaos costs BA 16m so far

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    British Airways has revealed that the disastrous launch of Terminal 5 has so far cost it £16m. The costs mostly include the cancellation of 300 short haul flights.

  • The waiting game is over as Global pounces on GCap

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    It could go down as the day it all changed, the day the foundations of the first real radio super group were laid, or as one industry insider puts it, the day Global Radio became the saviour of UK commercial radio.

  • Thomas Cook buys upmarket holiday brand

    Mon, 7 Apr 2008

  • Unilever global marketing chief wins power struggle

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Unilever has elevated the role of global chief marketing officer Simon Clift, as first predicted in Marketing Week (MW March 13), who will now report directly to group chief executive Patrick Cescau.

  • Uniqlo launches global t-shirt campaign

    Mon, 7 Apr 2008

    Uniqlo is launching a global advertising campaign to promote its "UT project", which will see more than 700 t-shirts created by artists and designers sold in its stores. It is the first time the campaign has been extended around the world.

  • Verwaayen steps down as BT chief after six years

    Tue, 8 Apr 2008

    BT Group chief executive Ben Verwaayen is stepping down after more than six years. He will be replaced by BT Retail chief executive Ian Livingston on June 1.

  • Volvo Trucks UK head promoted to Euro commercial director

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    Volvo Trucks UK boss Markku Olkinuora has been promoted to the role of commercial director for Volvo Trucks Europe. He takes up his new position on June 2.

  • Weapons of mass destruction are struck off the gardener's armoury

    Thu, 3 Apr 2008

    'Growing your own' and casting out Percy Thrower's germ warfare may be good for the planet, but it attracts the undesirable side of Mother Nature

  • Whitbread planning six London Premier Inn hotels

    Tue, 8 Apr 2008

    Leisure group Whitbread has announced plans for six new Premier Inn hotels in London. The company has purchased three existing properties from the Real Hotel Company in an £18.5m deal, and has revealed it is to build three new hotels at a cost of more than £70m.

Job of the Week

Latest Jobs

Top Jobs

social+media Facebook Twitter LinkedIn
knowledge+bank