Marketing Week
7 February 2008

  • 1576 shuts shop

    Mon, 11 Feb 2008

    1576, the Edinburgh-based advertising agency, has called in the receivers. The closure of the 14-year old agency will result in the loss of 20 jobs.

  • A tour de force

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    Take-up of analytical tools is rising aswebsite owners seek to plot the journeys of users –data which, if interpreted well, gives crucial insight. By David Benady

  • An eye-opener

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    Blind sales and distressed inventory could be a thing of the past, thanks to a new type of ad network with quality and targeted spots. By Sean Hargrave

  • AOL signs The Spectator and The Business online ad deals

    Fri, 8 Feb 2008

    AOL has signed a deal to handle the online advertising for business magazines The Spectator and The Business. A dedicated sales division of AOL Media Network will handle all campaigns running on the site.

  • Arsenal urges fans to lobby for the club's TV channel to be available on Virgin Media

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Arsenal Football Club is urging its supporters to lobby cable giant Virgin Media to broadcast its fledgling TV channel.

  • Australian agency group Photon shows Naked ambition

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    The acquisition of Naked Communications by Photon has raised some eyebrows because so few in the UK market have heard of the Australian group.

  • Axe falls on The Business magazine

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    Financial weekly magazine The Business has been axed after 12 years. It will be replaced by a new monthly title, Spectator Business.

  • Band tie-ups don't have to fall flat

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    By taking their inspiration from the aristocratic patrons of Renaissance artists, brands could forge themselves a positive role in the music industry, says Giulio Brunini

  • Barclays poised to acquire Goldfish

    Fri, 8 Feb 2008

    Barclays has agreed to buy credit card brand Goldfish for 35m. Goldfish, along with parent company Discover's other UK brands, will be integrated into Barclays' credit card arm Barclaycard.

  • Bauer suspends First and New Woman magazines

    Fri, 8 Feb 2008

    Bauer Consumer Media has axed two floundering women's titles just weeks after taking control of the EMAP consumer magazine division. First, the weekly title, and monthly New Woman have been suspended and the company has started a month-long consultation with staff.

  • BBC ads promote the 'New Sound of Asian Britain'

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    The BBC is relaunching its Asian Network in a bid to focus on its youth credentials and to highlight the digital station's "passion" for Asian music and culture.

  • BMW UK head leaves for top American role

    Mon, 11 Feb 2008

  • Bottom line, not buzz words

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    Between blogs, forums, podcasts, Facebook, MySpace, Second Life, Wikipedia, Del.icio.us, Twitter, Digg, Flickr and all the rest, the array of social media options now at marketers' disposal can be intimidating. The challenge for marketers now, as ever, is to get past the hype and get onto what works.

  • BT posts strong broadband growth

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Revenues at BT have fallen sharply in the last quarter of 2007, hit by 76m worth of restructuring costs. However the telecoms giant has registered strong international and broadband growth.

  • Budweiser launches branded sauce range

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Anheuser-Busch has signed a deal with manufacturer Vita Speciality Foods to launch a range of Budweiser-branded sauces and marinades. The range will launch in March this year and will target the barbecue market.

  • Cadbury considers dropping Natural Confectionery range

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    Cadbury is understood to be considering the future of The Natural Confectionery range in the UK, just eight months after it was launched.

  • Can do culture

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    Due to the sophistication of the internet and the volume of people on it, usability has moved beyond just ensuring your site works. By Martin Croft

  • Can US investment benefit English football brands?

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    The 50m purchase of Derby County Football Club by US sports marketing company General Sports and Entertainment (GSE) has once again fanned the debate about the wisdom of foreign investors - particularly those from the US - buying into English football.

  • Capital 95.8 drops DLKW and takes ads in house

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    Capital 95.8, the GCap Media-owned London radio station, has parted company with Delaney Lund Knox Warren after seven years. It has taken its advertising in-house and is not expected to hold a pitch.

  • Carat takes over 4m TMG media planning and buying account

    Tue, 12 Feb 2008

    Telegraph Media Group (TMG) has moved its media planning and buying business into Carat from Universal McCann. It follows a competitive pitch although it is not known which agencies were involved.

  • Cheapflights uses raunchy crew to 'bring brand to life'

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Internet travel company Cheapflights is relaunching this summer with a new campaign that aims to "bring the brand to life".

  • Cheetham Bell JWT parts company with Lambrini

    Tue, 12 Feb 2008

    Cheetham Bell JWT has resigned the Lambrini advertising account. The Manchester-based agency had held the account for a decade.

  • Coca-Cola profits buoyed by Coke Zero

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE), the largest bottler of coke products, has reported better than expected earnings for the forth quarter of 2007. The company says European results were helped by Coca-Cola Zero.

  • Creative Showcase Grand Prix Awards

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Poke takes honours for Orange microsite

  • Decline of the middle class brings laughter down to its lowest level

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Humour has always been among advertising's most effective weapons, but whereas it was once whimsical or witty, it is now loud and vulgar

  • Discovery Networks UK to review 4m media account

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Discovery Networks UK is reviewing its 4m media planning and buying account, currently handled by Starcom. It is not known if the agency is planning to repitch for the business.

  • E.on looks for protest group dialogue

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    Protest groups are making their presence felt in the boardrooms of some of the world’s leading corporations. Following a stream of public relations disasters over the past two decades, brand owners have taken to sitting round the table to engage with those who ...

  • E-mail adds extra string to your bow

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    Two recent studies expose the pitfalls of e-mail marketing. The first claims that nearly half of all retailers fail to comply with the most basic legal requirements, and cites retail chain Office as the biggest offender when it comes to good practice.

  • Essential to successfulmarketing

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    According to research from E-consultancy, companies across all industries spend, on average, 18% of their online marketing budget on affiliate marketing. In the same research, 62% of retailers say that they are spending more on the channel than they were two years ago.

  • Five names ex-BBC executive as first digital controller

    Mon, 11 Feb 2008

    Five has appointed former BBC executive Chris Kerwin as its first digital controller as the broadcaster looks to bolster its digital and new media presence.

  • Former Starcom chief becomes part-time consultant with Carat

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Mark Cranmer, the former chief of Starcom Europe and Research International, is joining Carat as a consultant.

  • Gaypedia social networking site launches this week

    Mon, 11 Feb 2008

    Gaypedia, a new gay and lesbian travel portal and social networking site, launches this week with the aim of becoming the largest leisure database specifically designed for the gay community.

  • Getmemedia aids DJ's hunt for tour sponsor

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    DJ Norman Jay has signed up to Getmemedia.com, the online marketing and media director, to find a sponsor for his Good Times Without Prejudice tour.

  • Gulliford takes Standard Life top marketing role

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    Former Barclays marketer Simon Gulliford has resurfaced at Standard Life as its first chief marketing officer.

  • Hazlitt scraps digital in new vision for GCap

    Mon, 11 Feb 2008

    Fru Hazlitt, chief executive of GCap Media, has announced plans to scale back the radio group's digital interests and scrap its controversial two-ads per break policy as part of her new strategy for the group.

  • Help the Aged makes fuel poverty plea

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Help the Aged has called on the Government to increase social tariffs in a final push to its "Winter" campaign. The charity is working with consumer watchdog Energywatch and a number of other charities wanting better social tariffs for those who need them.

  • How will Egg and Goldfish relaunches fare in the current economic climate?

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    Barclays announced it was buying credit card brand Goldfish for 35m last week, just days after Eggs new owner Citigroup caused outrage by axing more than 160,000 accounts.

  • Inbev calls on Wight to help revive flagging Stella Artois

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Inbev has drafted in advertising veteran Robin Wight, chairman of Engine Group, to advise on its struggling flagship lager brand Stella Artois.

  • Is advertising dead in the ME world?

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    I was recently at a conference for digital marketing, and online advertising got a really rough ride. Naturally, there was a lot of discussion about social media, mobile andother wonderful content due to its talkability, but there is still a whole world of opportunity within the online advertising space.

  • Is in-house advertising wise?

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Innocent Drinks is the latest brand to dispense with the services of an advertising agency in favour of creating its ads in house.

  • Jansen takes on the British Gas challenge

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    British Gas' latest marketing chief Chris Jansen may not enjoy the high profile of some of his predecessors, but those who know him believe he is more than capable of dealing with the challenges that lie ahead.

  • John Lewis appoints Inglis as brand communications chief

    Mon, 11 Feb 2008

    John Lewis has appointed former Virgin marketer Craig Inglis to the new role of head of brand communications. He will be responsible for the John Lewis brand, including advertising, and branch marketing at the department store chain.

  • KPMG reviews Government alcohol strategy

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    The Home Office has appointed consultant KPMG to review alcohol industry standards. The move is part of the Government's push to reduce underage and binge drinking.

  • Lowe France secures 80m Kia pan-Euro model launch

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    Korean car marque Kia has appointed InterpublicGroup-owned Lowe France to its 80m pan-European advertising business. Lowe Stratéus has been appointed to handle Kia's C'eed model.

  • Management consultants to review Gov't alcohol strategy

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    The Government proposes to bring in management consultants to review alcohol industry standards and best practice, as a further measure to tackle underage and binge drinking.

  • Marketing director to drive BizzEnergy consumer push

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    BizzEnergy, the business electricity supplier, has appointed Ben Wooltorton as its first marketing director. He joins from SimplySwitch, where he was sales and marketing director.

  • Marketing evolution's next step will start with the internet giants

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    The potential Microsoft/Yahoo! merger and Google's ad serving business may not alter just online advertising, but the whole of the marketing industry

  • Marketing Week Interactive Five

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    The online environment is one we are now all familiar with, as consumers, marketers and analysts. Yet it is evolving at an extraordinary pace, with the landscape being constantly remodelled through seismic shifts that can have ...

  • Maturing online disciplines offer myriad meeting points for brand and consumer

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    At the IAB we have the exciting job of representing the industry in all aspects of online advertising, from e-mail to search, affiliates, display, e-commerce and, more recently, IPTV, social networks and mobile. In fact, the ...

  • Naked Communications plans for global offices as part of expansion

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Naked Communications is planning to open up to three new offices in markets across the world over the next 12 months. The news comes as Australian marketing services company, Photon Group, acquires the agency for an initial offer of £16.5m.

  • National Football League hunts UK chief marketer

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    The US National Football League (NFL) is seeking a head of marketing to replace Gareth Davies, who is leaving to join advertising agency Euro RSCG.

  • New campaign - A peek inside celebrities' homes

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Albion has created the brand identity, online communications and advertising campaign for Mydeco.com, the new interior design website from the founders of Lastminute.com.

  • New campaign - Callaway Golf

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Callaway Golf push on course

  • Newspapers see short-term sales rise in a poor performing year

    Fri, 8 Feb 2008

    The UK's biggest-selling newspapers have enjoyed an increase in month-on-month sales, but returned less than stellar year-on-year performances. The latest Audit Bureau of Circulations figures revealed the Mirror titles were the hardest hit.

  • NGN names ex-Associated digital director as digital sales head

    Tue, 12 Feb 2008

    News Group Newspapers (NGN) has appointed Martin Corke as head of digital sales. He joins from Associated NorthCliffe Digital, where he was a director.

  • Nissan appoints Euro marketer as UK head

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Nissan has appointed its European marketing chief Paul Wilcox to run the marque in the UK. He replaces Gary Frigo, who is leaving after two years to return to the US.

  • NoW moves brand upmarket

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    The News of the World has invested heavily in Fabulous, its new glossy magazine aimed at women readers and more upmarket advertisers. Will the strategy work? asks Camille Alarcon

  • Ofcom censures Jamie Oliver

    Mon, 11 Feb 2008

    Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has landed in hot water with media regulator Ofcom over promoting his branded kitchen utensil during Channel 4 show Jamie at Home.

  • Ofcom launches revised local radio guidelines

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Ofcom has allowed what it describes as "substantial deregulation" of local radio programming. It published new guidelines on local content today (February 7) that the watchdog says "recognise the need for flexibility" in the current economic climate.

  • Online is a crucial part of every marketer's armour

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    The online environment is one we are now all familiar with, as consumers, marketers and analysts. Yet it is evolving at an extraordinary pace, with the landscape being constantly remodelled through seismic shifts that can have significant impact on brands and their advertising agencies. The race is on to snap up competitors and new platforms, with the tussle between Microsoft and New Corp for Yahoo perhaps the most striking example of this.

  • Opportunity knocks for commercial talk stations

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Of the 352 commercial radio stations operating in the UK, just four of them are speech formats. Elsewhere in the world, a myriad of commercial talk stations thrive in markets such as Sydney, Cape Town and Chicago, but interest in the concept in the UK has so far been limited. The only ...

  • Play.com launches Apple iTunes rival

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    Online music retailer Play.com is launching a music download service to challenge the dominance of Apple-owned iTunes. Play.com says PlayDigital will sell tracks cheaper than its rival and also offer digital tracks and albums free from Digital Rights Management (DRM).

  • Publicis scoops 10m Slendertone ad business

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Publicis has won the 10m advertising business for Slendertone, the electronic body toning system. It is understood to have pitched against Dye Holloway Murray, Engine Group and an undisclosed agency to win the account.

  • Reuters to sell Guardian online to US advertisers

    Mon, 11 Feb 2008

    Guardian News & Media has struck a deal with Reuters to sell advertising space on the guardian.co.uk site to US advertisers. The move is aimed at expanding the sites US presence.

  • Rolls Royce announces 76% increase in orders

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Luxury car marque Rolls Royce says orders for new cars have increased 76% to 45.9bn, fuelled by strong sales in Asia and the Middle East where the order book doubled to 20bn in 2007.

  • Ryanair profits drop sparks ad cutbacks

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Low-cost airline Ryanair is cutting its marketing budget after announcing a 27% drop in profits for the last quarter of 2007.

  • Sainsbury's sets its own rules

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Agencies and their clients need to think more strategically after Sainsbury's became the first major multiple to introduce its own field marketing accreditation scheme. By Steve Hemsley

  • Save the Children launches first integrated ad campaign

    Mon, 11 Feb 2008

    Save the Children has launched its first integrated advertising campaign billed as the biggest global campaign in its 90-year history. The campaign kicks off today (February 11).

  • Search and Web design go together

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    When I wrote for this column last year, I talked about how search campaigns need to be integrated into overall marketing plans and touched on how search can be used to inform Web design.

  • Sport Media Group promotes director to chief exec in newspaper overhaul

    Fri, 8 Feb 2008

    Sport Media Group (SMG) has promoted executive director Andrew Fickling to the new role of chief executive. The move is part of the group's wider plans to overhaul its Sunday and Daily Sport newspapers.

  • Sportingbet appoints Euro marketing head

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Sportingbet has appointed Orange marketer Ed Luck as European marketing director. The move comes as the online gaming company seeks to develop its existing mass-market proposition by segmenting its marketing approach.

  • Stand out from the rest with security

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    Online shopping this Christmas was up 54% on 2006 in the UK, according to Capgemini and IMRG. High street retailers increasingly rely on the online channel for business growth. It's a very familiar success story: e-commerce just keeps growing.

  • The ASA rejects Birds Eye fishfingers ad complaints

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    The Advertising Standards Authority has rejected complaints about an ad for Birds Eye that implied its fishfingers could improve a child's mental health.

  • The information superhighway

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Thanks to the popularity of shop loyalty cards and abundance of digital data trails, high-quality information is available to researchers in quantities they used only to dream of. By Alicia Clegg

  • The many facets of Michael OLeary

    Fri, 8 Feb 2008

    If Michael OLeary were associated with any other brand than Ryanair it would have to be Marmite.

  • The Sun bucks newspaper circulation decline trend

    Fri, 8 Feb 2008

    The Sun rallied back over the 3 million mark during January, despite recording a small year-on-year fall. The latest Audit Bureau of Circulations also revealed significant year-on-year declines among many national newspapers.

  • The welcome ad break

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Despite fears within the advertising industry, TV viewers have not been using their digital television recorder boxes to skip ad breaks. In fact, research shows they are actually choosing to watch more

  • Thelondonpaper extends freesheet lead

    Fri, 8 Feb 2008

    News International evening freesheet thelondonpaper has extended its lead over Associated Newspaper rival London Lite, according to the latest Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) figures.

  • Topps sticker company signs sponsorship deal with Turner Broadcasting for Ben 10: Race Against Time film

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Turner Broadcasting has signed up Topps, the kids' sticker company, to sponsor the TV premiere of the Ben 10: Race Against Time. The live-action film will be shown on the Cartoon Network.

  • Tourism Australia to review 30m advertising and media accounts

    Fri, 8 Feb 2008

    Tourism Australia is reviewing its 30m advertising and media accounts, currently held by M&C Saatchi and Carat. The tourist body has published a tender for the accounts today (February 8).

  • Travelodge loses marketing director

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Travelodge, the budget hotel chain, has parted company with marketing director Daniel Heale less than six months after he joined the business. It is not thought he has a job to go to.

  • Unilever sales exceed expectations

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Unilever has beaten market expectations by recording a 6.1% growth in fourth-quarter underlying sales. The packaged goods giant has attributed the result to widespread growth in its categories and across its regions.

  • Vodafone launches low cost handsets

    Mon, 11 Feb 2008

    Vodafone is launching two low-cost handsets as it ramps up its range of own-branded handsets.The Vodafone 227 and 228 will take its own branded range to nine.

  • VW appoints Hazelwood to head Skoda

    Mon, 11 Feb 2008

    Volkswagen has promoted Robert Hazelwood to run the Skoda marque in the UK following Chris Craft's move to the main VW brand (MW January 31). Hazelwood, who was previously director of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VCV), takes over at Skoda on March 1.

  • Welsh Assembly ad account up for tender

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    The Welsh Assembly is seeking an agency to handle its advertising business. It is thought to be working with Chick Smith Trott (CST).

  • What Obama and Clinton can teach UK high street retailers

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    What lessons can we learn from the brands on the US political campaign trail? Sex and politics has always mixed, which is perhaps why Nicole Scherzinger, lead singer of raunchy girl group Pussycat Dolls, is appearing in a promotional video for US presidential candidate Barack Obama. Even actress Scarlett Johansson brings her ample talents to the unofficial campaign film.

  • What's the big idea?

    Wed, 13 Feb 2008

    Do campaigns still need a big idea that can be applied across all channels, or is it more effective to tailor content to each platform? By Caroline Parry

  • Why Stella is not so reassuring as it was

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    They'll be plenty who commiserate with Andreas Hilger, newly appointed marketing director of Inbev UK - and some few who will envy the challenge he faces.

  • WRAP slims down agency roster in integration focus

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Waste & Resources Programme (WRAP), the Government-funded body, has rationalised its roster of agencies in a bid to take a more integrated approach to marketing.

  • Yahoo snubs Microsoft

    Mon, 11 Feb 2008

    Yahoo! has turned down Microsoft's 22.4bn bid, saying it is "too low". The bid valued Yahoo! at 62% more than its share price on January 31, the day the offer was made.

  • Yell appoints new media development chief

    Thu, 7 Feb 2008

    Yell has appointed Virgin Media marketer Phillip Snalune to the new role of new media development director. He will be responsible for developing new commercial models, products and services within the digital space in the UK.

  • Yell Group blames reduced advertiser budgets for revenue drop

    Fri, 8 Feb 2008

    Yell Group, the owner of the Yellow Pages, has blamed increasing competition for a 4.4% drop in classified advertising revenue for its print edition over the nine months to December 31. The company predicts this will continue as advertisers "tighten their belts" this year.

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