Marketing Week
6 September 2007

  • 3 ad campaign pushes broadband for all

    Fri, 7 Sep 2007

    Mobile phone operator 3 is launching a new advertising push in a bid to "democratise" mobile broadband. The campaign, which breaks this week, is the second from 3’s new ad agency Euro RSCG.

  • A once great british tradition fails to bloom after HP moves overseas

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Some will tell you that it was inevitable, but left in the hands of foreign workers production of our country's beloved HP Sauce has trickled away

  • A sporting chance

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    The preparations of teams before major sporting events serve as examples for marketers heading into sponsorship negotiations, says Patrick Mitchell

  • Advertisers still struggle to connect with mobile users

    Wed, 12 Sep 2007

    Twenty years ago this month the deal was signed to build mobile phone networks based on GSM technology. Since then the success of the mobile as a voice, and later a data, communications device has been spectacular. But as mobile data has increasingly come to ...

  • Aga launches celebrity ad campaign

    Wed, 12 Sep 2007

    Aga, the cooker brand, is launching an advertising campaign featuring celebrities using its products in a bid to target a younger audience.

  • As easy as putting in a plug?

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    With product placement in UK television programmes becoming a likely prospect, brand owners should look to their American cousins and study the research before jumping in, warns Alicia Clegg

  • ASA rebukes Avon for false eyelash advertising claims

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has criticised Avon for using false eyelashes to exaggerate the effect of its mascara just weeks after it slammed L'Oréal for the using the same tactic.

  • Bacardi enlists The Red Baron for global drink-driving push

    Wed, 12 Sep 2007

  • Ban on cheap supermarket booze rejected

    Mon, 10 Sep 2007

    The Competition Commission has rejected calls for it to stop supermarkets from selling cheap alcohol. The calls followed complaints that supermarkets such as Tesco and Asda are putting smaller shops out of busines

  • BDH scoops 12m Nissan retail account

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Nissan Europe has appointed BDH/TBWA to handle a 12m pan-European brief for the dealership network.

  • BSkyB launches 100m 'Believe in Better' blitz

    Wed, 12 Sep 2007

    BSkyB is overhauling its 100m annual advertising under the strapline "Believe in Better" as the satellite broadcaster looks to position itself as a fun, innovative and "restless" multimedia company.

  • BTHA website warns parents about toy safety

    Fri, 7 Sep 2007

    The British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA) has launched an online toy safety guide for parents. The move comes after the third toy recall from US toy giant Mattel.

  • Camper goes outdoors with first agency ad campaign

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Footwear brand Camper is extending its advertising into outdoor for the first time as part of a new communications strategy. The move comes as it appoints Madre Buenos Aires as it first advertising agency.

  • Coke plots 'Sprite with ice' with help of new technology

    Wed, 12 Sep 2007

  • Coors Fine Light beer to relaunch with less alcohol

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Coors Brewer is relaunching Coors Fine Light by reducing the alcohol content in the beer from 5% ABV (alcohol by volume) to 4.5%. The move will be seen as a U-turn because the brand was initially launched in the 4.3% ABV format, but later changed to 5% to match the ...

  • Del Monte outsources marketing and sales teams

    Mon, 10 Sep 2007

    Del Monte, the canned fruit and drinks brand, has announced it is outsourcing the sales and marketing for its UK food division. It is understood that it is currently in consultation with it sales and marketing teams about their future with the brand.

  • Deutsche Telekom hands brand strategy to Audi man

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Deutsche Telekom, the owner of T-Mobile, has appointed former Audi marketer Hans-Christian Schwingen to head a newly created brand strategy and marketing communications unit. It will oversee marketing across all of the company's brands.

  • Disney launches toy-testing scheme following recalls

    Mon, 10 Sep 2007

    The Walt Disney Company is launching its own toy-testing system to handle quality-control issues after toymaker Mattel was hit by three product recalls due to harmful levels of lead paint.

  • Ecover in peace charity tie-up

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Environmentally friendly detergent brand Ecover is supporting charity Peace One Day with an on-pack promotion later this month. Peace One Day is an event that aims to bring all nations together to stop all conflict for the day.

  • EMAP launches interactive ads for integrated video

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    EMAP Advertising is launching a technology that will allow interactive advertising to be integrated into online video ads. It is being used to promote Microsoft Xbox game Halo.

  • EMI Music Publishing creates ’one-stop’ media department

    Fri, 7 Sep 2007

    EMI Music Publishing is creating a media department to focus on building ties with film, TV and new digital clients. It will be led by the company's former film and TV director Jonathan Channon, who has been promoted to the role of executive vice-president of media and business development.

  • Ex-Chorion marketing head is HIT Entertainment brand director

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    HIT Entertainment has strengthened its international marketing team with the appointment of former Chorion head of marketing Lori Heiss to the newly-created role of brand director.

  • Ferry to promote Carlsberg

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Lager brand Carlsberg has signed singer Bryan Ferry to appear in his first high-profile advertising campaign since he was dropped by Marks & Spencer following his controversial comments about Nazi Germany.

  • Financial Times and Daily Star see circulation increase

    Fri, 7 Sep 2007

    The Financial Times was up 2.5% year on year in August and the Daily Star Sunday up more than 26% on 12 months ago, according to the August figures published by the Audit Bureau of Circulation.

  • Gambling charity plans education campaign

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    The Responsibility in Gambling Trust (RIGT) is planning an information campaign to educate and advise the public about responsible gambling. The initiative follows the relaxation in advertising rules for gambling companies that came into force on September 1 with the introduction of the Gambling Act 2005.

  • Getting the insight track

    Wed, 12 Sep 2007

    The ability to attract and retain customers, with the in-depth knowledge it implies of the market sector, has traditionally played Cinderella to branding. But now its time has come, with many corporations promoting customer insight experts to top-level positions, says Catherine Turner

  • Goldfish names ex-Lloyds TSB marketer as marketing director

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Goldfish, the credit card brand due to relaunch later this year, has appointed former Lloyds TSB marketer Martin White as marketing director.

  • Government seeks agency for minimum wage scheme

    Wed, 12 Sep 2007

  • Handbag.com relaunches with new 'glossy' online advertising formats

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Handbag.com, the women's portal, is positioning itself as a "glossy" online with the launch of new advertising formats, as part of the site's relaunch later this month. It will allow advertisers to create full-page ads online.

  • How William Portlock got ahead

    Fri, 7 Sep 2007

    My first job in DM was good in terms of what I learned; they used to say that three years at Readers Digest was the equivalent of a degree in Direct Marketing. The only bad thing, was that, like most large organisations it stifled any entrepreneurial aspirations I may have had!

  • HP junks TV in Europe for global Web 2.0 promo

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Hewlett-Packard is shunning TV in Europe, Africa and the Middle East for a 150m global ad campaign to promote its Web 2.0 digital printing capabilities.

  • Infiniti picks TBWA for 40m Euro account

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Infiniti, Nissan's luxury marque, has appointed Nissan incumbents TBWA and OMD to handle its £40m pan-European advertising and media planning and buying accounts ahead of its launch in Europe next year.

  • Information arrives on the mass-production line

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Web 2.0 has caused an industrial revolution-style change in the way information is shared online, making it more accessible to the masses

  • ING trawls agencies for global ad drive

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    ING, the Dutch financial services giant, is seeking a London agency to spearhead a global ad campaign aimed at raising its corporate brand.

  • Is Volvo's latest marketing move just a prelude to a Ford sale?

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Volvo's latest marketing rejig (MW last week) comes amid a period of uncertainty for the Swedish marque, as rumours persist that Ford is looking to offload the brand after disposing of Jaguar and Land Rover. The speculation leaves Volvo, which has just completed a global advertising ...

  • ITV announces content-led recovery plan

    Wed, 12 Sep 2007

    ITV executive chairman Michael Grade has pledged to make the troubled broadcaster the UK's "favourite source of free, original entertainment". He also promised to double content revenues to £1.2bn by 2012 as part of a five-year recovery plan. 

  • ITV announces HD plans

    Wed, 12 Sep 2007

    ITV is launching a high definition (HD) digital channel for its flagship ITV1 brand early next year as part of ambitious turnaround plans unveiled by executive chairman Michael Grade.

  • Jobsite teams up with Friends Reunited jobs site

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Online recruitment portal Jobsite has announced a major new partnership with FriendsReunitedJobs.co.uk as both brands seek extend reach and boost awareness. The deal will see all Jobsite vacancies searchable via FriendsReunitedJobs - adding a further 175,000 job hunters to Jobsite's audience.

  • Lagging behind the media

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Sports sponsorship is still measured largely in terms of fans' TV consumption. However, new media and other traditional platforms, such as press and radio, play an important role for sports followers

  • Lambrini to encourage "dance craze" with 5m relaunch

    Mon, 10 Sep 2007

    Halewood International is relaunching Lambrini and launching its first TV campaign for three years.The 5m overhaul is part of a three-year plan to drive sales growth among existing consumers and to recruit new drinkers to the category.

  • Land Rover parts company with Craik Jones after 16 years

    Wed, 12 Sep 2007

    Land Rover has appointed Wunderman to handle its 5m direct marketing business, ending a 16-year relationship with Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel. The WPP agency won the business following a head-to-head pitch against Omnicom-owned Craik Jones.

  • M&S to launch artificial additive-free jelly beans

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Marks & Spencer is launching a gourmet range of jelly beans that it claims are the first in the world to contain no artificial colours or flavours. The High Street retailer announced the new product just hours after a study confirmed a link between artificial additives and hyperactive and disruptive behaviour.

  • Mars to revive 'Work, rest and play' slogan

    Wed, 12 Sep 2007

    Confectionery giant Mars is resurrecting its iconic "Work, Rest and Play" strapline ten years after it was scrapped. The updated version - "Work. Rest. Play Longer" - is understood to be part of a campaign to position Mars as a brand that aids exercise.

  • Masius scoops LSE advertising account

    Fri, 7 Sep 2007

    The London Stock Exchange (LSE) has handed its advertising account to Masius, the specialist business and corporate advertising agency. It has scooped the lead corporate marketing account for the LSE following a pitch against four undisclosed agencies.

  • Mattel launches U-turn recall-reassurance campaign

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Toy brand Mattel has performed a major U-turn by rolling out a print advertising campaign to reassure UK consumers over its toy recall crisis. The news comes just weeks after the company said such a campaign was unnecessary in the UK despite running one in the US.

  • Microsoft poaches online services marketing head from Direct Line

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Technology giant Microsoft has poached Direct Line marketer Paul Davies to become head of marketing for its online services group. He was previously head of brand at Direct Line, where he worked on the "Good Deal Better" relaunch campaign.

  • MindShare and MPG to share Axa media account

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Axa, the financial services group, is understood to have split its 15m media planning and buying account between MindShare and Media Planning Group (MPG). The business was previously handled by OMD Connect, a joint venture between OMD UK and WWAV Rapp Collins, which pulled out of the pitch at the end of July.

  • Monster nominates BBDO Worldwide for £100m global account

    Fri, 7 Sep 2007

    Monster is understood to have appointed BBDO Worldwide to its $200m (£100m) global advertising and branding business. It follows the online recruitment site’s decision to halt its £20m pan-European advertising pitch last month, in order to expand it into a global pitch (MW August 9).

  • Morrisons appoints Pru man as first board-level marketer

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Morrisons has appointed Angus McIver, the UK marketing director at Prudential, to it first board-level marketing role. The position was created earlier this year to lead the retailer’s £450m brand makeover.

  • MTV and Hewlett-Packard join forces to target youth market

    Fri, 7 Sep 2007

    Music broadcaster MTV has teamed up with computer giant Hewlett-Packard to launch a global design competition challenging youngsters to create graphics for a special-edition HP notebook PC. The "Take Action. Make Art" campaign will be promoted by on-air and online activities across MTV's global network.

  • Myla campaign to boost luxury image

    Mon, 10 Sep 2007

    Myla, the upmarket lingerie company, is launching a major advertising campaign to revitalise its image and reinforce its position as a luxury underwear brand.

  • New Campaign: Harvey Nichols

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Harvey Nichols, the upmarket department store, is the latest advertiser to court controversy with a viral campaign on video-sharing site YouTube.

  • New campaign: Yakult ad offers a gut view

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Yakult, the probiotic drink, is launching a 2.5m campaign this week featuring computer-generated images of the human gut.

  • Next sales slide despite new marketing strategy

    Tue, 11 Sep 2007

    Sales have continued to fall at struggling clothes retailer Next despite the launch of a new brand marketing strategy that it hoped would have the "M&S effect".

  • OFT and Ofcom to review contract rights renewal

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    The Office of Fair Trading and Ofcom have said that they will conduct a review of contract rights renewal (CRR), the mechanism that prevents ITV from raising prices to advertisers to compensate for the loss of audience share.

  • Orange launches pay-as-you-go flip book ad

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Orange is launching an animated TV campaign this week to promote its new pay-as-you-go Speak Easy offer. The tariff allows Orange users to speak to anyone on any network or landline at any time for 15p per minute.

  • Orange unveils on-air identity for TV service

    Mon, 10 Sep 2007

    Orange has unveiled a series of animated characters that will help viewers and promote services as part of the on-air identity for its new TV offering. The characters, including a roadie and a TV lover, have been created by Red Bee Media.

  • Painted into a corner?

    Fri, 7 Sep 2007

    Where do you take your advertising once you have blown 2m shooting paint fireworks at a Glasgow highrise block? This is the question facing Sonys new European marketing chief for consumer electronics Ben Moore, soon to join the Japanese technology giant from Nike UK.

  • Pernod Ricard gives Tia Maria a modern makeover

    Fri, 7 Sep 2007

    Pernod Ricard is launching a new look for Tia Maria in a bid to reposition it as a "modern, mixable spirit". It says the contemporary design, which is being rolled out this month, better appeals to the brand's style-conscious, predominantly female target audience.

  • Portillo slams Camerons Conservative rebranding

    Mon, 10 Sep 2007

    Michael Portillo, the former Conservative minister-turned-TV-personality, has accused Tory leader David Cameron of "losing his nerve" over the rebranding of the party after it faltered in opinion polls.

  • Reckitt Benckiser promotes 'green' dishwasher-use in U-turn campaign

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Reckitt Benckiser has performed yet another U-turn over green issues after launching a campaign for Finish to highlight the environmental benefits of using a dishwasher. It comes after RB chief executive Bart Becht dismissed eco-friendly detergents as a "fad."

  • Red Letter Days picks agency for Christmas push

    Fri, 7 Sep 2007

    Red Letter Days has appointed MyAgency to handle its Christmas advertising campaign following a five-way pitch against WARL, Souk, Purity and Mather. The adventure experience company has handed MyAgency a brief to create an integrated campaign across all platforms ...

  • SCA set to buy P&G tissues brands after EC green light

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    SCA, the Swedish hygiene products company, has had its purchase of Procter & Gamble's (P&G) entire European tissue operation approved by the European Commission (EC).

  • Scottish Equitable poaches top Nationwide marketer

    Mon, 10 Sep 2007

    Aegon, parent company of Scottish Equitable, has appointed Nationwide marketing director Steve Clode to the new role of director of marketing and customer strategy. It has also poached Royal Bank of Scotland retail banking managing director Feilim Mackle as part of a push to expand its retail offering.

  • Scottish Widows to run campaign on Blackberry devices

    Fri, 7 Sep 2007

    Scottish Widows is launching a new campaign that includes advertising on BlackBerry devices for the first time. The group is believed to be the first financial services company using this as a tactic and will run a banner link on FT.com that can be accessed on a personal digital assistant (PDA).

  • Sky Bet launches "rollercoaster" TV ad campaign

    Wed, 12 Sep 2007

    Sky Bet, BSkyB's betting arm, is launching a TV advertising campaign to highlight the "rollercoaster" ride of betting on football. The campaign, created by Brothers and Sisters, breaks this week during football matches on Sky Sports.

  • Social networking site Squa.re targets luxury brands

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    A social networking site targeting rich and affluent consumers under 35 years old launches later this month. The site, called Squa.re, is a members-only site offering internet protocol TV and a focus on luxury.

  • Sonys synchronicity man

    Wed, 12 Sep 2007

    Sonys sales are in the ascendant, but it wants marketing guru Ben Moore to become one of the key architects behind a more coherent brand image, which it hopes will return the electronics giant to its glory days of the 1980s. David Benady looks at the scale of the task facing Moore

  • Soutar free men's weekly seeks ad agency

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Shortlist, the freesheet being launched by former IPC Media executive Mike Soutar, is looking for an advertising agency for a brand campaign.

  • TBG London wins 2m Cornhill Direct display marketing account

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Cornhill Direct, the motor and home insurance company, has appointed digital agency TBG London to handle its £2m display marketing account. The agency will launch its first campaign in December before the brand ramps up its spend next year.

  • TBWA seeks general manager as Lindsay starts shake-up

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    TBWA/London is hunting for a group general manager, just weeks after the arrival of new group chief executive Tim Lindsay.

  • Technology brands fail women

    Mon, 10 Sep 2007

    Consumer electronics brands and retailers will miss out on 600m this year because they are failing to connect with women, according to research from Saatchi & Saatchi.

  • The complete package

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Thomson Holidays is attempting to position itself as a one-stop shop for the full range of travel products. But how will the brand be affected by the TUI-First Choice merger? asks Rupi Gohlar

  • The Mission Group acquires digital agency

    Mon, 10 Sep 2007

    The Mission Marketing Group has bought Story, the Edinburgh-based direct response and digital agency for £6.9 million. It is the group’s third acquisition in recent months.

  • The Sun launches pre-paid debit card

    Mon, 10 Sep 2007

    The Sun, Britain’s best-selling daily newspaper, is launching a pre-paid MasterCard to help readers combat debt. The Sun card, which is being launched in partnership with Tuxedo Money Solutions, aims to rival The Mirror’s existing Quidity prepaid debit card.

  • The 'surge' in TV gambling ads looks more like a trickle

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    The Gambling Act, which lifts restrictions on TV advertising, came into force at the weekend, but the anticipated deluge of activity failed to materialise.

  • Thomas Cook moots review of 6m advertising account

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Thomas Cook Group is understood to be in the early stage of a review of its 6m advertising account. It is thought the travel company is in talks with intermediaries with a view to handling the pitch.

  • Throwing out the baby with the bathwater

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    As we've made abundantly clear on various occasions, this magazine broadly sympathises with those who are battling against the tide of regulatory fervour now engulfing marketing communications. There comes a point where the curbs are so prohibitive and so arcane that it is almost impossible ...

  • Universal McCann versus Mediaedge:cia

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Interpublic-owned Universal McCann could do with a bit of the magic dust that seems to be swirling around rival Mediaedge:cia this year.

  • Up against the chattering masses

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Employees may be banned from them but there's no stopping the force of social networking sites, or their 'brand chatter', but search can be a valuable aid to beat the negative PR. By Nathalie Kilby

  • Vodafone signs mobile music

    Mon, 10 Sep 2007

    Vodafone has signed a deal with mobile music company Omnifone to make more than 1 million songs available on its new range of handsets. Omnifone's MusicStation will offer Vodafone users unlimited downloads for £1.99 per week.

  • Volvo unveils breathalyser that can stop you driving

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Volvo is launching a built-in breathalyser that will stop a car from starting if the driver is over the alcohol limit.

  • Walkers shuns TV for DM in 3m campaign for SunBites

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Walkers Snacks is shunning television in favour of a sampling and direct mail campaign that will target health professionals, as well as consumers, for the £3m launch of its new SunBites brand. The wholegrain crisps will be launched on September 17.

  • Where now for David Elstein?

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    David Elstein, the former Channel Five chief executive, is expected to leave his latest venture, Sparrowhawk Media, following its £175m sale to NBC Universal.

  • Woolworths launches phone recycling scheme

    Wed, 12 Sep 2007

    Woolworths is launching a new recycling service that will pay people for their old mobile phones. The high street retailer will promote the scheme online and expand it to include printer cartridges and plastic bags next year.

  • Yahoo vice-president Taylor leaves to start up his own consultancy

    Thu, 6 Sep 2007

    Stephen Taylor, Yahoo! European regional vice-president managing director of search, has become the latest high-profile departure from the search engine giant. It is understood he is planning to launch his own consultancy.

  • Yahoo! signs Bebo display ad deal

    Wed, 12 Sep 2007

    Yahoo! has signed a deal with Bebo that gives it the right to sell the majority of the social networking site's display advertising in the UK and Ireland. Yahoo! says the agreement will provide its advertisers with "substantially improved" marketing opportunities in the traditionally hard-to-reach ...

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