Marketing Week
Joe Fernandez Editorial

How SABMiller can learn a lot from Foster’s UK ad approach

Fri, 23 Sep 2011

Read the latest from the Pitch blog here

How French Connection reversed its fortunes with new ad styles

Wed, 21 Sep 2011

It’s so long FCUK and hello I am… in the French Connection marketing stable, under the new helm of 101 and the effects seem to be paying off. How has this change in fortunes been driven by advertising?

Never Knowingly Undersold stays in ads, but for how much longer?

Fri, 16 Sep 2011

A lot of headlines recently have focused on how the Never Knowingly Undersold pledge is weighing on John Lewis, but ever determined the retailer is pursuing with the strategy and is unveiling its biggest ever ad campaign tomorrow (17 September). Just how long can it keep doing this?

Totaljobs offers youth unemployed a helping hand

Wed, 14 Sep 2011

Boden’s agency dilemma will be a lesson for boutique brands

Tue, 13 Sep 2011

The news that Boden and WCRS&Co have parted company by mutual agreement, seemed somewhat surprising on first glance. Yet the company’s recent positive financial results have shed some light on why the business has decided it doesn’t need an agency partner. Do niche successes like Boden really need high profiles?

Old Spice enjoys sweet scent of victory at Pitch Blades Awards

Fri, 9 Sep 2011

Old Spice’s The Man Your Man Could Smell Like campaign by Wieden + Kennedy has scooped six awards at the prestigious Pitch Blades Awards.

Brand in the news: Costa Coffee

Wed, 7 Sep 2011

It was Costa Coffee - Marketing Week’s brand of the year - that dominated Whitbread’s trading update this week with chief executive Andy Harrison announcing that the coffee chain grew its total sales by 28.8% and “continues to demonstrate that it is the UK’s favourite coffee shop.”

Creative solutions vital for sales, say CMOs

Wed, 7 Sep 2011

Leading CMOs have backed agency calls to pursue creative thinking to help drive sales in times of economic uncertainty.

Plenty brings back Juan Sheet

Mon, 20 Jun 2011

Watch the ad here.

LOCOG to auction digital ad space

Mon, 23 May 2011

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) is to auction its digital ad space around the 2012 Games to its sponsors.

Ribena Berries return to screens

Mon, 11 Apr 2011

Watch the ad here

Omnicom signs digital tie-ups for consumer data access

Thu, 10 Mar 2011

Omnicom group, owners of DDB UK, Weapon7 and Agency Republic, has signed a series of deals with internet giants AOL, Yahoo and Microsoft to access consumer data.

Kylie fronts Lexus ad push for hybrid model

Tue, 22 Feb 2011

Watch Kylie in new CT 200h ad here.

Coca-Cola launches latest 'Open Happiness' campaign online first

Fri, 4 Feb 2011

Watch the latest Coca Cola ad here.

Rumbol and Green’s marketing agency named 101

Thu, 23 Dec 2010

Former Cadbury marketing director Phil Rumbol’s marketing agency, formed with Fallon founder Laurence Green, will be called 101.

Lloyds TSB picks Proximity for DM

Tue, 21 Dec 2010

Lloyds TSB has appointed Proximity to handle its direct marketing account, following a competitive pitch against Wunderman and incumbents Rapier.

“Canine fashionistas” star in Harvey Nichols viral

Tue, 14 Dec 2010

Watch the viral here

Government readies push for National Citizen Service

Mon, 6 Dec 2010

The Cabinet Office has approved plans to develop an integrated marketing campaign for its National Citizen Service (NCS) - the government’s flagship scheme to get young people more engaged with communities.

Viewpoint: Joe Fernandez, assistant editor, Pitch

Wed, 1 Dec 2010

Click here to read the cover story relating to this ’Confounded by the complexity of the web?’Click here to read how Eurostar has upped its online spend

Sky reveals digital agency roster

Wed, 24 Nov 2010

Sky has announced a new line-up of digital agency partners following a review of the digital agencies it works with.

BNP Paribas readies international awareness push

Fri, 19 Nov 2010

BNP Paribas is launching its first ever global corporate advertising campaign, in a bid to boost its international brand awareness.

Heinz unveils £3m ad for Beanz Fridge Pack

Fri, 12 Nov 2010

Heinz is launching a £3m marketing campaign for its Heinz Beanz Fridge Pack, including television, online and in-store activity starting tomorrow (13 November).

The innovative face of O2

Tue, 9 Nov 2010

O2 won the Brand Innovator of the Year award at the Engage Awards 2010 for the O2 Money brand extension. In this interview marketing director Sally Cowdry explains the thinking behind the launch of latest extension O2 Health and the strategy behind the O2 Home Phone campaign.

Jim Broadbent stars in E.on TV ad

Fri, 5 Nov 2010

E.on is launching a television campaign to promote its Energy Fit initiative starring actor Jim Broadbent.

Coleen Rooney stars in Littlewoods Christmas campaign

Mon, 1 Nov 2010

Watch the ad here

Ex-Coke marketer Cathryn Sleight resurfaces at Unilever

Fri, 29 Oct 2010

Cathryn Sleight, the former Coca-Cola GB marketing director, has joined Unilever as the global vice president of marketing for Knorr.

Budweiser unveils new "together" ad

Mon, 25 Oct 2010

Watch the new Budweiser ad here.

John Lewis to bolster marketing department with new heads

Fri, 22 Oct 2010

John Lewis is bolstering its marketing department with the recruitment of four new heads of marketing.

BT head of marcomms and sponsorship poached by JWT

Mon, 18 Oct 2010

BT’s head of marcomms and sponsorship, Rose Wangen-Jones, is leaving the company to join ad agency JWT, heading up accounts for some of its leading clients.

UK ad spend increases 11% in Q2 2010

Thu, 14 Oct 2010

UK ad spend grew by 11% in the second quarter of 2010 with TV continuing to lead advertising’s economic recovery.

Dolmio searches for impressionist to star in TV ads online

Mon, 11 Oct 2010

Dolmio, the Mars-owned Bolognese sauce, has unveiled an online competition to find the country’s best impressionist of the famous Dolmio puppets to appear in its next TV ad.

Innocent appoints RKCR/Y&R

Fri, 8 Oct 2010

Innocent, the smoothies manufacturer, has appointed Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R to handle a series of new brand extensions next year.

Costa Coffee unveils first TV ad

Wed, 6 Oct 2010

Watch the new ad here

Toyota to launch "ground-breaking" film

Tue, 5 Oct 2010

Toyota is to launch a cutting-edge film featuring the latest projection mapping techniques to showcase the hybrid technology available inside its new Auris.

Budweiser Brew No. 66 unveils launch TV commercial

Fri, 1 Oct 2010

Budweiser is unveiling a new TV and cinema commercial, called Less Bubbles, as part of the launch campaign for Budweiser Brew No. 66.

Arla awards Carat £100m pan-European media business

Mon, 27 Sep 2010

Arla Foods has appointed Carat to handle its £100m pan-European media planning and buying account.

Steven Gerrard to front sports drive

Fri, 24 Sep 2010

Adidas brand ambassadors Steven Gerrard and Paralympic bronze medallist John McFall are to front its “biggest ever” sports participation initiative, “adiStars”.

Coca-Cola moves Oasis ad account into VCCP

Thu, 16 Sep 2010

Coca-Cola has appointed VCCP to handle its advertising account for Oasis juices, after Mother resigned the business.

The Sun unveils ads to promote Buzz

Mon, 13 Sep 2010

The Sun is unveiling a multi-million pound marketing campaign entitled ’Entertainment Bottled’ to promote Buzz its new Saturday magazine, which launches on 18 September.

IKEA features 100 cats

Thu, 9 Sep 2010

Watch the new IKEA campaign here.

Coca-Cola brings Happiness Machine viral to the UK

Tue, 7 Sep 2010

Coca-Cola is unveiling a UK version of its Happiness Machine viral today (7 September) in a bid to extend its ongoing “Open Happiness” campaign across Britian.

Tango focuses on Halloween in latest ad activity

Mon, 6 Sep 2010

Tango’s latest promotional activity will see it look to become Halloween’s ’official’ sponsor.

Premier Foods readies major ad pushes for new products

Tue, 31 Aug 2010

Premier Foods is preparing a major advertising push for two new products - Batchelors Cup a Pasta and OXO Spag Bol Recipe Cubes - in a bid to drive sales and maintain its market leading position.

Lionel Richie fronts ad for Walkers Extra Crunchy crisps

Wed, 25 Aug 2010

Watch the Lionel Richie ad here.

Ferrero Rocher appoints Rainey Kelly to £6m ad account

Mon, 23 Aug 2010

Ferrero Rocher has tasked advertising agency Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R with its £6m business, including developing the confectionery brand’s festive campaign.

Joop! Homme to sponsor FX UK drama shows

Thu, 19 Aug 2010

FX UK has signed a sponsorship agreement with Joop! Homme to promote the channel’s best drama content.

Unilever's Matt Burgess to head up UK skin care division

Wed, 18 Aug 2010

Matt Burgess, managing director, Incs at Unilever is to leave his role to head up the company’s UK skin care division.

118 118 marketing director quits

Wed, 18 Aug 2010

James Soames has left The Number 118 118 after a year with the company as its marketing director, in order to set up his own consultancy.

Betfair launches "biggest ever" marketing campaign

Tue, 17 Aug 2010

Betfair is launching its biggest-ever marketing campaign to help position the brand as ’The World’s Biggest Betting Community’, including the first ever YouTube homepage by a betting firm.

Citroën unveils humorous digital marketing campaign

Tue, 17 Aug 2010

Citroën has launched a humorous digital marketing campaign called “Wash Me If You Can” which revolves around the C3’ Zenith windscreen.

Vauxhall unveils compilation ad for lifetime warranty scheme

Mon, 16 Aug 2010

Watch the latest Vauxhall campaign here.

Jaguar Land Rover to sponsor England 2018 bid

Thu, 12 Aug 2010

Jaguar Land Rover has signed up as an “Official Supporter” of England’s 2018 Football World Cup bid.

Pizza Hut UK CMO steps down for new opportunity

Wed, 11 Aug 2010

Pizza Hut’s UK chief marketing officer Murray Willows is stepping down from his role to take on a new role within the Yum! Restaurants group.

Liverpool FC offers more seats to hardcore fans

Tue, 10 Aug 2010

Liverpool Football Club is unveiling an aggressive direct marketing push, in a boost to raise awareness of an additional 3,000 seats available to fans each match ahead of its sale.

Sainsbury's and BT to sponsor Paralympics coverage

Mon, 9 Aug 2010

Sainsbury’s and BT are to jointly sponsor Channel 4’s programming aound the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

BBH wins Wonderbra pan-European ad account

Thu, 5 Aug 2010

Wonderbra has appointed Bartle Bogle Hegarty to handle its pan-European advertising account following a competitive pitch.

Bavaria hires Mickey Rourke to make non-alcoholic beer cool

Mon, 2 Aug 2010

Dutch brewer Bavaria is enlisting hard-drinking actor Mickey Rourke to star in its TV ads for alcohol-free beer, which breaks today (2 August).

O2 hands £100m pan-European media account to Zenith

Mon, 2 Aug 2010

Telefonica, owner of the O2 network, has consolidated its European media buying and planning business into Publicis Groupe’s ZenithOptimedia.

Kraft hires MRM Worldwide to Philadelphia digital account

Fri, 30 Jul 2010

Kraft Foods Europe has awarded MRM Worldwide its pan-European digital marketing account for Philadelphia, as the food giant looks to reposition its portfolio.

Frü appoints Chemistry for sweet promotion

Thu, 29 Jul 2010

Frü, the fruity sister to chocolate dessert brand Gü, has appointed Chemistry Communications to handle its UK experiential account in the UK.

Cat Deeley revealed as the new face of Pantene

Tue, 27 Jul 2010

Procter & Gamble has announced TV presenter Cat Deeley as the new face of its shampoo brand Pantene Pro V.

Desmond readies Five ad blitz

Mon, 26 Jul 2010

Northern and Shell Network, the publishing network owned by Richard Desmond, is preparing a multi-million pound advertising blitz to publicise its takeover of broadcaster Five.

McDonald’s profits boosted by marketing and innovation

Fri, 23 Jul 2010

McDonald's has reported a 15% rise in profits for its second quarter, attributing its recent marketing and design changes for playing a key role.

Britvic sees World Cup sales boost

Fri, 23 Jul 2010

Britvic has reported a 16.2% increase in profits in its third quarter results, boosted by the World Cup.

Windows 7 boosts Microsoft profits by 48%

Fri, 23 Jul 2010

Microsoft has reported a 48% increase in profits of $4.52bn (£2.96bn) for the three months between April and June.

Royal Mail sell-off likely "in two to three years"

Fri, 23 Jul 2010

Royal Mail is likely to be partly or wholly privatised within two to three years.

Has Coca-Cola lost control of its digital fires?

Thu, 22 Jul 2010

Coca-Cola sees boost in sales from World Cup

Wed, 21 Jul 2010

Coca-Cola has reported a 5% increase in worldwide volume growth for the second quarter of the year, boosted by its World Cup sponsorship and the “Open Happiness” global integrated marketing campaign.

Carling signs £2m sponsorship deal with Scottish FA

Wed, 21 Jul 2010

The Scottish Football Association has signed a four-year sponsorship deal worth £2m with brewers Carling.

Cadbury and the amazing chocolate brain drain

Wed, 21 Jul 2010

Nissan unveils £8m launch campaign for Juke

Wed, 21 Jul 2010

Loaded unveils own-branded aphrodisiac shot

Tue, 20 Jul 2010

Men’s magazine Loaded is to launch its own branded energy shot drink, in a bid to boost its brand presence.

Virgin Media pushes Sky Sports HD as competition intensifies

Tue, 20 Jul 2010

Virgin Media is unveiling an integrated advertising campaign to promote its Sky Sports HD1 and Sky Sports HD2 offerings.

Birds Eye looks to kick off frozen food brand war

Tue, 20 Jul 2010

Birds Eye Iglo is looking to become Europe’s leading frozen food brand following its €805m (£684m) acquisition of Findus Italy from Unilever yesterday.

Southampton FC unveils new head of marketing

Mon, 19 Jul 2010

Southampton Football Club has appointed former Uefa marketer Scott Steedman as its head of sales and marketing.

Nesquik brings bunny back to TV screens

Mon, 19 Jul 2010

Nesquik is returning to television screens for the first time in ten years to promote its new recipe in a £3m marketing campaign.

Staycations increase hits foreign holiday market

Mon, 19 Jul 2010

Marketing aimed at stay-at-home vacations seems to have paid off as figures show a drop of 13% in foreign holidays.

Global Marketing Network plots new industry standards

Mon, 19 Jul 2010

The Global Marketing Network (GMN) has revealed it is in advanced discussions to develop a range of measures designed to create new global standards for the marketing profession.

Will ClickCEOP make social media a safer norm?

Thu, 15 Jul 2010

“Know who you’re talking to and stay safe with the ClickCEOP app” - that’s been Facebook’s slogan of the week as it uses its sponsored ads slot to promote its child protection initiatives. Will this be the mantra for digital advertisers as they look to take a bigger slice of marketing budgets from brands?

Doro unveils TV ads to promote easy-to-use handsets

Thu, 15 Jul 2010

Doro UK has unveiled its first TV advertising campaign to support sales of its growing portfolio of easy-to-use mobile phones.

Ford creates new global marketing role under centralisation plans

Thu, 15 Jul 2010

Ford has promoted its group vice president Jim Farley to become the company’s first global leader for marketing, sales and service.

FTAdviser creates online community to engage with readers

Thu, 15 Jul 2010

FTAdviser is launching a dedicated community forum on its website, called Canary Towers, in a bid to interact with its readers and find out what matters most to them.

R&R looks for a scoop of premium ice cream market

Thu, 15 Jul 2010

R&R Ice Cream, the owners of Fab and Skinny Cow, is looking to compete in the premium ice cream tub market, with the launch of a new brand called “Spoony’s”.

LG unveils integrated push to promote “Life’s Good” message

Wed, 14 Jul 2010

LG Electronics has unveiled the latest phase of its Life’s Good brand campaign. as part of its mission to make technology more accessible to consumers.

Brand owners see chance to seize baton from FSA

Wed, 14 Jul 2010

Food and drink marketers should find it easier to promote healthy eating without the interference of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) if it is scrapped, according to industry experts.

Sony unveils carnival-themed ad campaign

Wed, 14 Jul 2010

Sony has unveiled its latest advertising campaign for its digital imaging range, focused on promoting its latest camera concept, the a (alpha).

Honda unveils first crowd-sourced activity

Tue, 13 Jul 2010

Honda is launching its first crowd-sourced, social media activated, documentary film, Live Every Litre, following a nationwide search for ideas.

Northern Foods says lack of promotions impacted sales

Tue, 13 Jul 2010

Northern Foods, owners of Goodfellas and Fox’s Biscuits, has reported a 1.6% fall in like-for-like sales for the past three months, which it blames on reductions in promotional activities.

Vodafone confirms group marketing cuts

Tue, 13 Jul 2010

Vodafone is cutting around 10% of jobs from its group marketing function, following a corporate review of its group marketing team, as first revealed by Marketing Week.

Schweppes focuses on humour in latest ad campaign

Mon, 12 Jul 2010

Schweppes, the lemonade brand owned by Coca-Cola, is unveiling a new tongue-in-cheek advertising campaign focusing on its British heritage, which can be seen here.

Making football digital

Fri, 9 Jul 2010

The most widely watched sporting event, the World Cup, comes to an end this weekend with the allure of a brand new name being carved into history. But, while the tournament has been a success to some extent, the lack of digital utilisation has stood out as a sore point.

Can enhanced marketing bolster Nokia?

Thu, 8 Jul 2010

Nokia has had a long-standing dominance of the mobile market, but its recent decision to bolster its marketing team and change its advertising approach suggest the leading brand is on the defensive. So will the changes make a difference?

Aviva signs £20m Premiership Rugby headline sponsorship deal

Wed, 7 Jul 2010

Aviva has signed a £20m deal with Premiership Rugby to be the title sponsor of the rugby league Premiership for the next four years.

Ambush marketing dominates World Cup searches

Wed, 7 Jul 2010

The majority of official World Cup sponsors are failing to capture the public’s attention, according to the latest Experian Hitwise World Cup Brand Search Index.

Costa Coffee targets city customers with marketing blitz

Wed, 7 Jul 2010

Costa Coffee is ramping up its competition with Starbucks through the launch of an aggressive marketing push for its new “metropolitan stores”, which aim to fulfil the specific needs of city customers.

Toyota plans to use customer accolades in campaign

Wed, 7 Jul 2010

Toyota is to highlight user experiences and industry accolades in its latest marketing push in an attempt to reassure consumers following a spate of recalls and faults.

Birds Eye pledges to drive more sustainability awareness

Tue, 6 Jul 2010

Birds Eye has launched a company-wide sustainability plan, called “Forever Food”, pledging to only sell responsibly sourced food and promising to drive consumer awareness of more sustainable and healthy choices.

McDonald’s celebrates its farms in latest TV ad

Mon, 5 Jul 2010

McDonald's is unveiling its 2012 themed advertising campaign focusing on British farming, titled "That's What Makes McDonald's".

UKTV appoints Channel 4 to run ad sales

Mon, 5 Jul 2010

UKTV has signed a ten-year exclusive advertising sales contract with Channel 4 Sales.

BP oil spill costs reach £2bn mark

Mon, 5 Jul 2010

BP has revealed the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has so far cost it a total of $3.12bn (£2bn).

Government departments prepare to cut spending by 40%

Mon, 5 Jul 2010

Government marketers are bracing themselves for heavy cuts to their advertising budgets after the coalition government asked departments to plan for possible spending cuts of up to 40%.

Apple issues apology and update to iPhone 4 users

Fri, 2 Jul 2010

Apple is to issue a software update to appease angry customers who have experienced problems with their iPhone 4 handsets, and will also refunds to those who have been inconvenienced.

Official World Cup sponsors earning more recognition

Fri, 2 Jul 2010

Recognition of official World Cup sponsors seems to be on the rise as the tournament moves into the quarterfinals today (2 July), with Adidas generating the most buzz.

Times Online switches to paid-for-content

Thu, 1 Jul 2010

News International has introduced a full paywall behind the Times and Sunday Times.

MG Motor eyes expansion with new agency

Thu, 1 Jul 2010

MG Motor has appointed DCH to help drive the expansion of its model range beyond the current TF sports car.

Gartmore brings in JP Morgan executive to head up marketing

Thu, 1 Jul 2010

Fund management firm Gartmore has appointed Charlotte Gibson as its head of marketing.

Kellogg’s faces marketing shake-up with Brennan’s departure

Wed, 30 Jun 2010

Kellogg’s marketing director Kevin Brennan is to leave the company to take a new position at Premier Foods as general manager of the meat free division.

P&G encourages innovators to think brand centric and evolve leading brands

Wed, 30 Jun 2010

Marketing Week Live!: Brand innovators should take advantage of interest from major companies and play a part in extending some of the country’s most popular household brands, according to Procter & Gamble’s new business development chief.

Marketers urged to add extra value through buzz

Tue, 29 Jun 2010

Marketing Week Live!: Businesses can add extra value by generating buzz with social media using well-known thought leaders and discussion groups, according to senior marketers from LinkedIn and Philips.

Cathryn Sleight urges marketers to “light more fires”

Tue, 29 Jun 2010

Marketing Week Live!: Marketers must embrace the opportunities available to them through the digital revolution, in order to ensure their brands sparkle, according to Coca-Cola’s UK and Ireland marketing director.

Can BP turn tide of negative opinion after Gulf disaster?

1 July 2010

Gulf of Mexico tragedy has not fatally damaged oil giant’s brand, say voters.

Interpublic Group acquires DLKW

Mon, 28 Jun 2010

The Interpublic Group has reached an agreement to acquire Delaney Lund Knox Warren (DLKW) from Creston Group for around $40m (£26.5m).

Müller unveils new "Inspired By" variants

Mon, 28 Jun 2010

Müllerlight is launching a new sub- range of dessert-inspired yogurts, which will be called “Inspired By……”, which will be backed by a  £1.5m marketing campaign.

Vodafone offers business customers chance to feature on F1 cars

Fri, 25 Jun 2010

Vodafone UK is offering small to medium size business customers the chance to have their logo on Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 cars as part of its VIP loyalty scheme.

BBC Worldwide looks to boost digital presence globally with new role

Fri, 25 Jun 2010

BBC Worldwide has brought back digital veteran Daniel Heaf to take up the newly created position of digital director.

Digital Strategy - a new supplement created for you

Thu, 24 Jun 2010

As thousands queue around the world to get their hands on the latest technological revolution - the iPhone 4 - Marketing Week magazine is proud to unveil its own digital revolution, in the form of a new bi-monthly section of the magazine called Digital Strategy.

Coca-Cola bins recycle four tonnes a day

Thu, 24 Jun 2010

Coca-Cola has revealed its 260 Recycle Zone recycling bins in operation throughout London’s West End are collecting more than four tonnes of recyclable material every day.

Advertising industry slams “ill thought out” ad ban call

Wed, 23 Jun 2010

Advertising bodies have slammed guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to ban all food and drink advertising before 9pm as “ill thought out” and “disproportionate”.

Taco Bell readies UK launch campaign

Wed, 23 Jun 2010

Taco Bell will back its UK relaunch with an “aggressive” marketing push to educate consumers about its value proposition as the fast food chain looks to tap into a growing appetite for Mexican food.

Majority of food advertisers compliant with advertising codes, says ASA

Tue, 22 Jun 2010

The majority of food advertisers complied with the advertising codes last year, according to the Advertising Standards Authority’s (ASA) Food and Soft Drink Survey 2009.

First Cheapflights campaign aims to increase awareness

24 June 2010

Cheapflights, the online travel company, is unveiling its first brand advertising campaign as it seeks to “reinvigorate” its offering.

Will iAds break new ground?

Mon, 21 Jun 2010

Apple has confirmed that it will debut its iAd mobile advertising network on 1 July on updated iPhone and iPod touch devices. After the success of the iPhone in introducing apps, will the IT giant be able to win the hearts of advertisers with its new offering?

Vodafone unveils ad featuring Button and Hamilton

Fri, 18 Jun 2010

Vodafone has unveiled its latest Power to You television campaign, fronted by Vodafone McLaren Mercedes drivers Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.

BP continues to suffer from aftermath of oil spill

Fri, 18 Jun 2010

BP’s brand reputation took a turn for the worse yesterday after a US Congressional panel blasted the firm for ignoring dangers when drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.

Easyjet founder threatens to revoke "Easy" branding licence

Fri, 18 Jun 2010

Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the founder of easyJet, has threatened to force the airline to abandon the easy brand, so that he can licence it to another company.

Bebo sold to US merchant banking firm

Thu, 17 Jun 2010

Bebo, the youth-focused social media site has been sold to Criterion Capital Partners, (CCP), following a strategic review by owners AOL.

Travelodge withdraws from British Hospitality Association

Thu, 17 Jun 2010

Travelodge is to resign from the British Hospitality Association (BHA), as part of its growth plans to be a major industry player.

Metro partners with Blossom Hill for Wimbledon-themed campaign

Thu, 17 Jun 2010

Metro has partnered up with Blossom Hill for a two-week campaign, promoting the brand as the official wine of the 2010 Wimbledon Championship.

British Gas retains Carat following marketing restructure

Thu, 17 Jun 2010

British Gas has retained Carat to handle its £50m media planning and buying account, following a reshuffle of its marketing department.

EU MPs to vote on uniform system of food labelling

Wed, 16 Jun 2010

European MPs are expected to approve a pan-European uniform system of food labelling in the EU in a parliament session later today (16 June).

Vodafone looks to boost mobile advertising after rethink

Wed, 16 Jun 2010

Vodafone Group has vowed to continue operating in the mobile advertising sector following a strategic review of its business.

EA Sports pushes World Cup game with experiential push

Tue, 15 Jun 2010

EA Sports has begun a major experiential push to support the launch of the official video game of the World Cup.

Ericsson launches football-themed consumer campaign

Tue, 15 Jun 2010

Ericsson is launching its first ever consumer campaign online timed to coincide with the World Cup, offering football fans the chance to cheer for their country.

Nestlé appoints former marketer to head up group marketing

Tue, 15 Jun 2010

Nestlé has appointed its former marketing communications director Vernon Bradley to the new position of group marketing director.

Sky rejects News Corporation takeover bid

Tue, 15 Jun 2010

British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) has rejected a bid from Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation to take full control of the satellite broadcaster.

FX signs global broadcast rights to The Walking Dead

Mon, 14 Jun 2010

FX Channel has signed up the rights to broadcast US series The Walking Dead in the UK and will back the show with a heavyweight marketing campaign.

Pressure on BP increases from US government

Mon, 14 Jun 2010

BP is coming under increased pressure to shelve plans to pay its shareholders a dividend and take its corporate responsibilities to those affected by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill more seriously.

Monster.co.uk campaigns to "Bring Back Britain's Lunch Hour"

Mon, 14 Jun 2010

Monster.co.uk, the online recruitment and careers specialist, has launched a campaign to ‘Bring Back Britain’s Lunch Hour’ with a dedicated website, PR and social media campaign.

Country Life to bring back Lydon ad

Fri, 11 Jun 2010

Country Life is re-introducing its Great British Butter campaign, featuring Sex Pistols front man John Lydon.

Are you “lovin’” McDonald’s yet?

Fri, 11 Jun 2010

McDonald’s is on a mission to rebuild itself and ensure that everyone is “lovin’ it” once more.

Sony Ericsson unveils World Cup social media campaign

Fri, 11 Jun 2010

Sony Ericsson is getting into a world cup mood by unveiling a new social media campaign, backed by TV personalities David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and James Corden.

BP brand faces further damage as oil crisis deepens

Fri, 11 Jun 2010

BP’s woes in the Gulf of Mexico seem to be deepening after the US Geological Survey said the oil spill crisis could double the number of estimates previously thought.

Pot Noodle promotes Sticky Rib variant with nightclubs ad

Fri, 11 Jun 2010

Pot Noodle is launching its latest Steve and Digger’s musical world themed ad to promote its new Sticky Rib Chinese takeout flavour.

GMG sales drop by 10%

Thu, 10 Jun 2010

Guardian Media Group (GMG) has reported a 10% slump in full-year sales, but says the results are better than expected in what has been a “a real test for all our businesses.”

Sky to relaunch broadband service with ads from Engine

Thu, 10 Jun 2010

Sky Broadband has appointed Engine to handle its national relaunch activity, following a competitive pitch.

Plusnet tasks Karmarama with national launch activity

Thu, 10 Jun 2010

Plusnet, the BT Group owned internet service provider (ISP), has appointed Karmarama to handle its integrated advertising account ahead of its national launch later this year.

EDF sets out updated sustainability commitments

Wed, 9 Jun 2010

EDF Energy has launched its latest sustainability commitments, pledging to keep its prices competitive and supporting its most vulnerable supply customers.

Lexus readies below the line push for “baby Lexus”

Wed, 9 Jun 2010

Lexus, is launching a direct and digital campaign to boost awareness and generate interest in its “baby Lexus” model, ahead of production later this year.

Jaguar seals sponsorship deal with England and Wales Cricket Board

Wed, 9 Jun 2010

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has signed a four-year sponsorship deal with Jaguar.

Tommy Hilfiger adopts Steve McQueen's style

Wed, 9 Jun 2010

Fashion label Tommy Hilfiger is to celebrate its 25th anniversary this autumn with the launch of a new Icon collection backed by a campaign featuring style icons Steve McQueen and Grace Kelly.

PepsiCo brings in Danone Waters marketer to head up Quaker and Tropicana

Tue, 8 Jun 2010

PepsiCo has appointed Danone Waters’ UK marketing director Patrick Kalotis as its new head of marketing for Quaker and Tropicana.

Alibaba.com invites users to front new ad campaign

Tue, 8 Jun 2010

E-commerce firm Alibaba.com is inviting its users to audition their business for a starring role in its forthcoming high profile UK ad campaign.

Hertz champions Wimbledon partnership in latest ad drive

Tue, 8 Jun 2010

Hertz is unveiling a Wimbledon themed campaign to drive awareness of its partnership with the tennis Championships. 

Discovery aims for new approach to channel ads

10 June 2010

Discovery Networks EMEA has appointed BDA to handle on-air advertising for its channel portfolio.

Flake replaces sexy girl for artistic depiction

Mon, 7 Jun 2010

Cadbury has unveiled a £3.5m advertising campaign for Flake, which replaces the “Only the Crumbliest, Flakiest” jingle, with images of a yellow dress becoming a Flake chocolate.

Müller brings in Cadbury marketer to head up marketing

Mon, 7 Jun 2010

Müller Dairy has appointed Cadbury’s global brand director Lee Rolston as its new marketing director.

Diageo focuses on category-led marketing globally and adds BBH to its roster

Fri, 4 Jun 2010

Diageo has restructured parts of its global marketing team in a bid to work more efficiently under a category led approach. The move also sees Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) scooping its £40m global advertising account for Baileys.

Sky buys Virgin Media TV channels

Fri, 4 Jun 2010

British Sky Broadcasting has acquired the Virgin Media Television unit for £160m, giving Sky ownership of the channels Living, Livingit, Challenge, Challenge Jackpot, Bravo, Bravo 2 and Virgin1.

Government to open up advertising accounts from past two years

Fri, 4 Jun 2010

A detailed breakdown of Government advertising spending over the past two years is to be released by the Treasury for the first time as part of an openness drive.

Car sales rise but Toyota continues to falter

Fri, 4 Jun 2010

New car sales in the UK rose 13.5% in May, compared with the same month a year ago, but Toyota is continuing to see sales fall according to the latest industry figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

FHM partners with StanJames for World Cup betting promotion

Fri, 4 Jun 2010

FHM has signed an exclusive partnership with betting website StanJames.com to coincide with this summer’s World Cup in South Africa.

Aviva encourages the public to nominate local heroes in latest ad push

Fri, 4 Jun 2010

Aviva has unveiled an integrated marketing campaign called “Tell Us Your Story” that aims to engage consumers by associating with their lifestyles. 

Cobra tempts consumers into enjoying a curry

Thu, 3 Jun 2010

Cobra Beer is unveiling a £5m advertising campaign playing heavily on its association with curry.

Infiniti hires Nissan marketer to steer European expansion

Thu, 3 Jun 2010

Infiniti, Nissan’s luxury marque, has appointed Jean-Pierre Diernaz as its new marketing director in Europe.

Doritos shortlists King of Ads UGC entries

Thu, 3 Jun 2010

Doritos has shortlisted three entries to competed in the final of user generated ad contest, with the winning film becoming the next Doritos TV ad.

BP continues attempts to restore brand reputation

Thu, 3 Jun 2010

BP is attempting to prevent further brand damage from its oil spill crisis by offering to pay for the construction of six sand barriers off the coast of the US state of Louisiana.

T-Mobile films The Saturdays and ordinary customers for new ads

Thu, 3 Jun 2010

T-Mobile has unveiled its latest user-generated television advertisement to promote its “Night In” with Blockbuster. The ad also features girl band The Saturdays.

Man U supporters group backs Red Knights takeover demands

Wed, 2 Jun 2010

The Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) has backed lobby group the Red Knights’ pledge to create a supporter-owned club, but only for a respectable fee.

Signals suggest online video advertising looks set to boom

Thu, 27 May 2010

It seems that online video is making something of a comeback with brands noting the renewed interest in video on demand (VOD) and wanting to be part of the mix.

Greenpeace uses national ads to attack BP

Thu, 20 May 2010

Greenpeace has unveiled a press advertisement accusing BP CEO Tony Hayward of cutting investment in clean energy in favour of dirty sources of oil.

SeeSaw unveils premium content offerings

Thu, 20 May 2010

SeeSaw is unveiling a new premium content service, offering US shows such as South Park and The Hills.

First UK abortion TV ad to face legal challenge

Thu, 20 May 2010

Sexual health clinics group Marie Stopes International has unveiled plans to launch the first ever national campaign to raise awareness of sexual health and confront the taboo of abortion, pending a legal challenge from the Society For The Protection Of Unborn Children (SPUC).

Robin Auld joins ChipsAway as marketing director

Wed, 19 May 2010

Domino’s Pizza’s former sales and marketing director Robin Auld has joined automotives paintwork repair specialists ChipsAway as its marketing director.

Sony to screen FIFA fan festivals in 3D

Wed, 19 May 2010

Sony Europe is launching a 3D fan experience at the International FIFA Fan Festivals, to leverage its official partnership of the World Cup.

Go ahead! to sponsor Race for Life 2010

Wed, 19 May 2010

Snack brand go ahead! has signed a deal to become an official partner of Cancer Research UK’s Race For Life 2010.

McDonald’s to focus on farming in its Olympics advertising

Tue, 18 May 2010

McDonald’s is utilising its London 2012 Olympic Games sponsorship as an opportunity to boost British agriculture and raise awareness of the key role British farms will play in providing produce for the Olympic Games.

O2 unveils £5m ad push for home broadband and home phone

Tue, 18 May 2010

O2 is unveiling a £5m integrated ad campaign championing its high-speed broadband offering and promoting its new home phone services.

Dyson rejigs marketing to advance its profile abroad

20 May 2010

Dyson has reorganised its marketing department in a bid to boost its profile overseas.

EU watchdog presses for total junk food ad ban from new president

Mon, 17 May 2010

The European Consumers Association (BEUC) has renewed calls for a pledge to strengthen restrictions on advertising junk food to children throughout the EU, ahead of Belgian Prime Minister, Herman van Rompuy becoming the EU President on 1 July.

Health experts call for total ban on junk food ads

Mon, 17 May 2010

A group of over 100 diabetes experts have called on the Government to introduce a law banning all forms of “unhealthy food” adverts targeting children.

Hotels.com unveils TV ad inviting consumers to "Wake Up Happy"

Mon, 17 May 2010

Hotels.com is unveiling a television advertising campaign inviting consumers to “Wake Up Happy” by staying in one of its 120,000 worldwide properties.

Phones 4u brings back hand gesture in £8m ad campaign

Mon, 17 May 2010

Phones 4u is unveiling an £8m integrated advertising campaign called “Hard Working Prison Guards”, which will see the return of the Phones 4u hand gesture.

The Sun signs up Wallace & Gromit

Fri, 14 May 2010

The Sun has signed up Wallace & Gromit as its latest comic strip characters.

Motors.co.uk unveils “Motor Sensei” as new brand icon

Fri, 14 May 2010

Motors.co.uk, the Daily Mail and General Trust owned used car network, has unveiled a major advertising push starring a new brand icon, called the “Motor Sensei”.

O2 teams with Gorillaz for latest The Walk ad

Thu, 13 May 2010

O2 is unveiling a special version of its “The Walk” advertisement, featuring animated band Gorillaz.

Coca-Cola Enterprises calls for more sustainability in industry

Thu, 13 May 2010

Consumers are eco-conscious and brands must work harder to prove their sustainability efforts, the head of Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) has warned.

Jeremy Hunt named new Culture Secretary

Wed, 12 May 2010

Jeremy Hunt has been named as the new Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport Secretary under the Conservatives - Liberal Democrats coalition government.

Chime Communications posts positive forecast for 2010

Wed, 12 May 2010

Chime Communications, owner of VCCP, says it expects to perform ahead of market expectations for the first half of the year with operating profit up from last year, thanks to a series of new business wins.

Brand experts identify challenges of Orange/T-Mobile merger

Wed, 12 May 2010

The decision to retain both the Orange UK and T-Mobile UK brands under the umbrella of Everything Everywhere must see the two brands differentiated more if it is to succeed, experts warn.

FT unveils integrated reader measurement model

Wed, 12 May 2010

The Financial Times is launching a new measurement model to calculate the global reach of the brand’s journalism, both online and offline, on an average day.

Steven Day unveils brand plan for Everything Everywhere

Tue, 11 May 2010

Steven Day, currently chief of staff and communications for Orange and soon to become vice president of brands and communications for new telecoms company Everything Everywhere, explains to Marketing Week the vision behind the new parent company.

Orange-T-Mobile to become Everything Everywhere

Tue, 11 May 2010

Orange and T-Mobile are to be housed under the parent company name of Everything Everywhere from 1 July but will retain their separate brand identities.

Mary Dillon to leave McDonalds

Tue, 11 May 2010

McDonald’s chief marketing officer Mary Dillon is to leave the company to become chief executive of US telecoms firm United States Cellular.

Everything Everywhere has double brand vision

13 May 2010

Orange and T-Mobile joint venture unveils name of umbrella brand as vice-president maps out future.

Birds Eye highlights 100% quality message in latest ad push

Mon, 10 May 2010

Birds Eye is unveiling an integrated marketing campaign aimed at highlighting its commitment to 100% quality across the Birds Eye portfolio.

Oil spill crisis costs BP £235m with more fees to come

Mon, 10 May 2010

BP says the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has cost it $350m (£235m) so far, and is set to increase as the crisis escalates.

IPA and ad chiefs respond to hung parliament crisis

Fri, 7 May 2010

The head of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising has urged marketers to continue building brands despite the political uncertainty arising from a hung parliament.

Was it really a digital election?

Fri, 7 May 2010

As the country returns from a trip to the polling stations and election fever fizzes out, how much impact has digital really had on helping to shape the final votes? A straw poll in my office says no, but digital marketers say yes. Which is it?

ITV sees ad revenues climb and forecasts World Cup boost

Fri, 7 May 2010

ITV has forecast a 22% rise in advertising revenue in the second quarter, which will be boosted by the World Cup.

SSP UK unveils World-Cup themed promotion drive

Thu, 6 May 2010

SSP UK, the owner of brands including Upper Crust and Millies Cookies, is launching a promotion across UK railway stations in the run up to the World Cup called ’Get Your Free Kicks.

T-Mobile searches for customers to front TV ads

Thu, 6 May 2010

T-Mobile has unveiled its latest advertising campaign, which will seek members of the public to reveal the theme for their perfect night in.

Beefeater Gin appoints Publicis Modem for digital activity

Thu, 6 May 2010

Beefeater Gin has appointed Publicis Modem to handle its digital advertising account.

Brother appoints MPG International to handle latest product offensive

Thu, 6 May 2010

Brother International Europe has appointed MPG International Media Contacts to handle a pan-European media planning and buying account for the launch of a specific new product.

Kraft Foods looks to consolidate UK media accounts

Thu, 6 May 2010

Kraft Foods is reviewing its UK media planning and buying business, in an attempt to consolidate all its UK Cadbury and Kraft brands into one agency.

Nivea for Men unveils England FC themed ad campaign

Tue, 4 May 2010

Nivea for Men has launched an advertising campaign to support its partnership with the England Football Association.

Charley Boorman to be face of Carole Nash insurance

Tue, 4 May 2010

Carole Nash, the UK and Ireland’s biggest motorcycle insurance specialist has signed up actor and motorbiking adventurer Charley Boorman as its new brand ambassador.

Virgin Media appoints DDB UK to handle advertising account

Tue, 4 May 2010

Virgin Media has consolidated its marketing business into Omnicom Group agency DDB UK, which will handle its advertising account.

Apple sells 1 million iPads in first month

Tue, 4 May 2010

Apple has sold its one-millionth iPad in its first month, despite delays to its international launch.

Walkers promote Flavour Cup Competition

Mon, 3 May 2010

Walkers is unveiling a series of television advertisements to promote “The Walkers Flavour Cup” which will star Gary Lineker, Melinda Messenger and Will Mellor amongst others.

Shell promotes cleansing oil using transparent car

Fri, 30 Apr 2010

Shell has unveiled a global integrated campaign to promote its cleansing engine oil, Shell Helix Ultra.

Virgin Media unveils HD TV ad push

Fri, 30 Apr 2010

Virgin Media has unveiled its first High Definition (HD) TV advertising campaign.

Speyside Glenlivet unveils new ad campaign

Fri, 30 Apr 2010

Speyside Glenlivet, the Scottish natural mineral water brand owned by the Highland Spring Group, has unveiled a new advertising campaign featuring Scottish Michelin starred chef Martin Wishart.

Sky and Ofcom reach interim resolution on sports channel pay dispute

Thu, 29 Apr 2010

BSkyB and Ofcom have reached an temporary agreement to settle the ongoing sports channel pricing dispute.

ITN promotes commercial director to head production unit

Thu, 29 Apr 2010

ITN has promoted its commercial director Mark Browning to the role of managing director at ITN Productions.

M&C Saatchi UK Group reshuffles leadership team

Thu, 29 Apr 2010

The M&C Saatchi UK Group is reshuffling its leadership team with Lida’s chief executive Lisa Thomas moving to head the group.

Grey London wins Ginsters business

Thu, 29 Apr 2010

Ginsters has appointed Grey London to its £2m advertising business for the Cornnwall-based pie and pastry company following a competitive pitch.

Virgin Media sees subscriptions soar thanks to £41m ad spend

Wed, 28 Apr 2010

Virgin Media says it has added a net total of 38,300 new households to its cable subscription base in the first quarter of the year, boosted by its £41m marketing spend.

Regional strategies look set to lose out in push to go global

Wed, 28 Apr 2010

According to a paper by researcher Forrester, 75% of marketing leaders expect to reorganise their operations by the end of 2011.

High caffeine drinks must carry warning labels says BSDA

Wed, 28 Apr 2010

High Caffeine content drinks must carry a warning on their labels and cannot market to children, The British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA) has ruled in its latest code of practice.

Sony signs up Kelly Brook to front new scrappage scheme ad

Tue, 27 Apr 2010

Sony will promote its latest scrappage scheme, allowing football fans to upgrade their television sets, DVD players and video cameras, with an ad starring Kelly Brook.

Premier Foods sees sales fall, but market share rise

Tue, 27 Apr 2010

Premier Foods, owner of brands including Hovis, Quorn, Hartleys and Sharwoods, has posted a 5.1% fall in group sales for the first three months of the year, but says its brand market shares are continuing to increase in a challenging environment.

Nescafé Gold Blend lovers return to the screen

Mon, 26 Apr 2010

Nescafé is set to bring back the romantic Gold Blend couple to television screens in a £5m advertising campaign, hitting screens next month.

Honda brings back “Impossible Dream” ad

Mon, 26 Apr 2010

Honda is to re-launch an “enhanced and extended version” of its ’Impossible Dream’ television advert which features past and present Honda products.

Has Bebo lost all its relevance?

Fri, 23 Apr 2010

News emerged this week that Bebo saw its profit fall by 143% in the 12 months to May 2009, providing perhaps the most explicit reason yet for AOL to look to offload the social media site.

McDonalds unveils new look for “I’m Lovin It” strapline

Fri, 23 Apr 2010

McDonalds has unveiled its new activation for its “I’m Lovin’ It” strapline, which will run globally from next year.

Microsoft sees profits soar 35%

Fri, 23 Apr 2010

Microsoft has reported a 35% increase in profits for the first three months of 2010, buoyed by increasing sales of Windows 7 which has been backed by a multi-million pound “I’m a PC” advertising push.

LG unveils “biggest ever” ad campaign

Thu, 22 Apr 2010

LG Electronics is launching a multi-million pound marketing and consumer education drive focused on building its “Life’s Good” proposition.

Consumers still focusing on frugality and value despite economic recovery

Thu, 22 Apr 2010

Despite the UK economy emerging from the recession, consumer confidence is continuing to fall, according to the latest Consumer Eye survey conducted by News International Commercial.

Starbucks sees UK profits increase by 5% after marketing push

Thu, 22 Apr 2010

Starbucks has reported a 5% increase in its UK profits over the first quarter of the year, boosted by campaigns for its flat white offerings and the Via ready brew range.

Havas appoints two new CMOs

Wed, 21 Apr 2010

Havas has promoted Euro RSCG’s global chief marketing officer Matt Ryan to the role of president of global brands for Euro RSCG Worldwide and global CMO of Havas Worldwide.

Vodafone head of global media joins OMD

Wed, 21 Apr 2010

Vodafone’s head of global media Liz Workman has moved to OMD to work on the Vodafone media and planning account for the agency.

Nokia promotes John Nichols to UK marketing director

Wed, 21 Apr 2010

Nokia has promoted its head of trade and customer marketing, John Nichols, to the role of head of marketing for Nokia UK and Ireland

Coca-Cola team shake up overdue

Wed, 21 Apr 2010

Coca-Cola’s plans to overhaul its European marketing structure are long overdue, according to insiders close to the brand.

Associated British Foods half-year profits climb 20%

Tue, 20 Apr 2010

Associated British Foods, owners of clothing chain Primark and grocery brands including Twinings, Ryvita and Kingsmill, has reported a 20% increase in half-year profits.

Cathryn Sleight to leave Coca-Cola

Tue, 20 Apr 2010

Coca-Cola Great Britain’s marketing director Cathryn Sleight is leaving her role after four years.

Mattessons targets mums in latest ad push

Mon, 19 Apr 2010

Kerry Foods unveils its new TV advertising campaign for the Mattessons Smoked Pork Sausage range tonight (19 April) under the new 'It's a Primal Thing' tagline.

Hovis pledges £5m ad investment for new variant

Mon, 19 Apr 2010

Hovis is to invest £5m towards an integrated marketing campaign for its newest loaf, Hovis Hearty Oats.

Kingsmill partners with Britain's Got Talent

Mon, 19 Apr 2010

Kingsmill has signed a partnership with ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent to launch an on-pack promotion offering consumers the chance to win a prizes, including tickets to the live show and live tour.

Coca-Cola unveils World Cup themed TV ads

Mon, 19 Apr 2010

Coca-Cola is unveiling three new television advertisements as part of its global marketing campaign to support its sponsorship of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

The Sun unveils World Cup themed ad

Mon, 19 Apr 2010

The Sun has unveiled its World Cup advertisement, featuring a minute-long rousing rendition of the Elvis hit ’If I Can Dream’, fronted by the paper’s football columnist and former England Manager Terry Venables.

Nissan seals O2 Arena sponsorship deal

Mon, 19 Apr 2010

Nissan has signed a deal to become the Official Automotive Partner for The O2 Arena.

Marketing spend rises after ten consecutive quarters of falls

Mon, 19 Apr 2010

Marketing budgets have been revised upwards for the first time since 2007, according to the latest IPA/BDO Bellwether survey published today (19 April).

Kraft emphasises Milka’s “Alpine” brand

Fri, 16 Apr 2010

Kraft Foods has unveiled a television advertisement for its Milka brand, which will air during Britain’s Got Talent tomorrow night (17 April).

OFT issues £225m worth of fines for cigarette price-fixing

Fri, 16 Apr 2010

The Office of Fair Trading has slapped a record £225m fine on two tobacco firms and nine retailers for fixing prices of tobacco products between 2001 and 2003

Westfield appoints CHI & Partners to £5m ad account

Thu, 15 Apr 2010

Westfield Shopping Centre, the biggest retail outlet in Europe, has appointed CHI & Partners to handle its advertising account.

The Sun keeps World Cup campaign under wraps before Saturday airing

Thu, 15 Apr 2010

The Sun is to launch its World Cup marketing campaign this weekend during the first episode of ITV1’s ‘Britain’s Got Talent’, but is refusing to reveal exact details of its plans.

Twix hands global brand duties to TBWA

Thu, 15 Apr 2010

Twix has handed its global brand business to TBWA\London, following a competitive pitch

Giffgaff unveils first price packages as it prepares to come out of beta

Thu, 15 Apr 2010

Giffgaff, the community-run mobile phone network supported by O2, is introducing its first ever price packages, named “goodybags”.

Tim Westwood “pimps up” News of the World World Cup coverage

Wed, 14 Apr 2010

The News of the World has signed up hip-hop DJ Tim Westwood to front its World Cup marketing campaign in the style of MTV show “Pimp My Ride”.

Plenty unveils new “Juan Sheet” brand icon

Wed, 14 Apr 2010

SCA is unveiling a £3m marketing campaign for its household towel brand Plenty, themed around “Juan Sheet”, its latest brand icon.

Co-op unveils membership website to promote services

Wed, 14 Apr 2010

The Co-operative Group is using 3D content and hotspots on a new membership website, in an effort to promote its family of businesses.

Speedo aims to engage health-conscious consumers

Wed, 14 Apr 2010

Speedo is unveiling a pan-European integrated advertising campaign to drive emotional engagement with the brand among mainstream health and fitness consumers.

Virgin Media partners with Best Buy for in-store promotions

Wed, 14 Apr 2010

Best Buy, the Carphone Warehouse owned consumer electronics retailer launching in the UK next month, has partnered with Virgin Media to provide customers with Virgin Media products and services

Palm considers selling company

Tue, 13 Apr 2010

Palm, the smartphone and PDA manufacturer, has hired bankers to explore several options, including a sale of the company.

St John Ambulance to launch first ads in 15 years

Mon, 12 Apr 2010

St John Ambulance has unveiled a new brand strategy themed “The Difference”, which launches today through a new hard-hitting national marketing campaign, its first in 15 years.

Merrell unveils US National Parks promotion

Mon, 12 Apr 2010

Merrell, the leading outdoor footwear and apparel brand, is launching a nationwide promotional marketing campaign to support its newly secured status as official outdoor footwear and apparel partner of the US National Parks Foundation.

"Cadbury's Law" will prevent British brand takeovers

Mon, 12 Apr 2010

The Labour party is expected to introduce new rules to prevent British companies being taken over by foreign companies, in the way that Cadbury was recently acquired by Kraft.

Coca-Cola becomes majority shareholder in Innocent

Fri, 9 Apr 2010

Coca-Cola has increased its stake in Innocent to almost 60%, though the company’s founders will retain operational control of the business.

Arla Foods looks to consolidate pan-European media account

Fri, 9 Apr 2010

Arla Foods is reviewing its pan-European media planning and buying arrangements, aiming to consolidate the account into one agency.

Arla and Starbucks prepare heavyweight push for chilled coffees

Fri, 9 Apr 2010

Arla Foods will support the national launch of Starbucks Discoveries chilled coffees and Starbucks Doubleshot espresso drinks with a heavyweight advertising and marketing integrated campaign.

Cadbury looks to open up branded cafés

Fri, 9 Apr 2010

Cadbury is considering stretching its brand into the café marketplace by opening a national chain of Cadbury-branded cafés.

Carlsberg renews Wembley Stadium sponsorship deal

Thu, 8 Apr 2010

Carlsberg UK has renewed its sponsorship deal to continue as the official beer at Wembley Stadium.

Coke looks to remind consumers of different Coke options

Thu, 8 Apr 2010

Coca-Cola Great Britain is seeking to boost awareness of its different Coke variants with a television advertisement featuring all three options, ahead of rivals Pepsi focusing attention on its bigger size on-the-go bottle ranges.

Is the iPad the next big digital thing?

Fri, 26 Mar 2010

After much speculation and anticipation, the Apple iPad is finally hitting US stores next week, a month before it reaches our soil, but has the buzz led to high demand for the portable Mac?

Sony Ericsson unveils ad campaign for HD handset

Fri, 12 Mar 2010

Sony Ericsson is unveiling an integrated campaign to support the launch of its HD-enabled handset, Vivaz, this weekend.

Mattessons unveil new “primal urge” themed ad

Fri, 12 Mar 2010

Meat snacks brand Mattessons is launching a new television advertising campaign for its Fridge Raiders variant, which focuses on the “primal urge” of young men.

Will further regulation help kill off digital fears?

Fri, 12 Mar 2010

After much discussion, the Advertising Association (AA) finally submitted its recommendations to the Committee of Advertising Practice, for the extension of the non-broadcast advertising code in digital media. But negative headlines surrounding a murder orchestrated on Facebook means the risks of the internet are still as inherent as ever.

Fiat Professional unveils "whole new approach to marketing"

Fri, 12 Mar 2010

Fiat Professional is to unveil a new campaign focusing on a sitcom to promote its range of vehicles, which it claims will be the start of “a whole new approach to marketing.”

Coca-Cola runs football-themed fundraising campaign on Coke Zone

Fri, 12 Mar 2010

Coca-Cola Great Britain is running a new football-themed corporate social responsibility campaign called “Water for Schools”, calling on consumers to help provide safe drinking water for schools in Africa.

FSA to toughen consumer protection over mis-selling of financial products

Fri, 12 Mar 2010

The head of the Financial Services Authority is to announce plans to toughen rules governing promotional materials and branch communications as one of a number of measures aimed at protecting consumers from being mis-sold financial products.

Brother appoints Grey London for new product offensive

Thu, 11 Mar 2010

Technology brand Brother, has appointed Grey London to lead the advertising creative for a major product launch campaign.

Visa unveils World Cup themed marketing push

Thu, 11 Mar 2010

Visa is to run its Go Fans campaign globally as part of its World Cup sponsorship push.

Honda unveils new campaign as it boosts agency roster

Thu, 11 Mar 2010

Honda has unveiled a new digital affiliate marketing campaign to promote its hybrid sports coupé, the CR-Z. The marque has also appointed Elvis to handle its pan-European direct marketing and digital advertising account after a pitch against undisclosed agencies.

Google approaches agencies for new ad campaigns

Thu, 11 Mar 2010

Google has begun approaching agencies to handle a new advertising campaign to promote its search facilities that will focus on different themes and events.

British Airways alliance compromise blasted as "woefully inadequate"

Thu, 11 Mar 2010

British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia’s offer to give up a number of lucrative trans-atlantic slots in a bid to gain EU antitrust immunity for their alliance has been blasted as “woefully indequate” by rival Virgin Atlantic.

Domino's trials digital tool that allows bloggers to earn money

Wed, 10 Mar 2010

Domino’s Pizza is to test an online marketing tool that enables anyone with a personal web space, such as a social network page or blog, to host advertising from nominated brands and earn ad revenue.

Chime sees its 2009 pre-tax profits increase by 14%

Wed, 10 Mar 2010

Chime Communications, owners of advertising agency VCCP and PR group Bell Pottinger, has posted a 14% increase in full-year pre-tax profits to £18.8m, thanks to its increased focus on cost efficiencies

O2 unveils new CSR drive called Think Big

Wed, 10 Mar 2010

O2 is investing £5m over three years in a new corporate social responsibility drive called Think Big, aiming to encourage young people to help make a difference in their communities.

Nestlé to launch animated TV ad for Cheerios Crunchers

Tue, 9 Mar 2010

Nestlé is launching a new television advertisement for its Cheerios range, which will again feature characters created by Aardman Animations.

Brainjuicer sees pre-tax profits rise 21% in 2009

Tue, 9 Mar 2010

Brainjuicer, the online market research firm which recently recruited the Marketing Society chairman Alex Batchelor as its chief operating officer, has reported a 21% increase in pre-tax profit to £1.66m for 2009.

Coca-Cola loyalty head leaves firm

Mon, 8 Mar 2010

Coca-Cola’s UK head of loyalty Graham Horner has left the company after three years with the soft drinks giant. He has been replaced by HMV marketer Paul Sinclair, who joins as senior loyalty manager.

Goodyear Dunlop promotes UK MD to European role

Mon, 8 Mar 2010

Goodyear Dunlop Tyres Europe has promoted its UK managing director Mark Brickhill to the new position of vice-president of the consumer business unit EU.

Kraft to face investigation into Cadbury takeover terms

Mon, 8 Mar 2010

Kraft Foods is reportedly being investigated by British regulators on whether the company misled employees and investors in its bid to take over Cadbury.

Nikon unveils pan-European ad campaign themed "I am Nikon"

Mon, 8 Mar 2010

Nikon is launching a pan-European advertising campaign, called “I am Nikon”, which aims to connect the brand’s heritage of professionalism, authenticity and innovation to an audience of aspiring photographers.

Action for Children unveils new child neglect TV ad

Mon, 8 Mar 2010

Action for Children is launching the latest extension of its three year nationwide appeal with a new television advert aiming to higlight child neglect and raise funds to tackle the issue.

Apple announces UK release date for iPad

Fri, 5 Mar 2010

Apple will launch the iPad in the UK at the end of April, a month after its US launch.

Honda promotes marketers to Europe division under restructure

Fri, 5 Mar 2010

Honda UK is restructuring its marketing department ahead of David Hodgetts joining as its new managing director on 1 April.

Ignis launches £2m spy-based ad push

Fri, 5 Mar 2010

Asset Management company Ignis is launching a £2m spy-themed advertising campaign to promote its investment structures in a humorous way.

Truphone launches £1m international campaign targeting businesses

Fri, 5 Mar 2010

Truphone, the global mobile operator, is launching a £1m international campaign to promote its Truphone Local Anywhere package to businesses and frequent travellers.

WPP sees 2009 pre-tax profit fall by 16%

Fri, 5 Mar 2010

WPP, owner of agencies including Grey, Ogilvy and JWT, has reported its 2009 pre-tax profits fell 16% to £812m last year, with the economic downturn contiributing to a “brutal” year for the business.

Transport for London to renew Metro's morning freesheet rights

Fri, 5 Mar 2010

Transport for London has announced that it intends to award concessions to distribute a free morning newspaper on the London Underground and at various London Bus stations to the Associated Newspapers Limited title Metro.

Diageo commits £2.15m to flavoured vodka marketing

Thu, 4 Mar 2010

Diageo Great Britain (GB) is committing a further £2.15m to Smirnoff flavours activity over the next six months, after Nielsen figures found the drinks have proved a hit with consumers, and are worth over £5m.

Coors Light to promote new cold activated can on TV

Thu, 4 Mar 2010

Coors Light is to run a special re-edit of its successful 2009 Coors Light television advertisement to coincide with the launch of its new cold activated can

Honey Monster Foods appoints Rainey Kelly and Arena BLM

Thu, 4 Mar 2010

Honey Monster Foods, owners of Sugar Puffs, has appointed Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R and Arena BLM to handle its advertising and media planning and buying accounts respectively.

Anheuser-Busch InBev records "significantly better" 2009 after completing takeover

Thu, 4 Mar 2010

Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest brewer responsible for brands including Stella Artois and Becks, has reported a “significantly better” 2009 after profit rose to $4.6bn (£3bn) from $1.9bn (£1.3bn) in 2008, buoyed by its decision to increase marketing spend by 2.1% globally.

SeeSaw sells out of ad inventory till May

Thu, 4 Mar 2010

SeeSaw has announced today that it has sold all its planned advertising inventory up until May 2010, in partnership with Video Initaitves, the specialist online video advertising arm of eType.

Morgan Stanley appoints Martin as its lead global agency

Thu, 4 Mar 2010

Morgan Stanley has handed its £26.5m global advertising account to Interpublic Group’s The Martin Agency, following a competitive pitch against undisclosed agencies.

News of the World and E.on partner for green giveaway

Thu, 4 Mar 2010

The News of the World is partnering with E.on to give away energy savings gadgets to all its readers over the next three weeks. The promotion will be supported with a heavyweight TV, press and digital advertising campaign, starting today (4 March).

Carpetright awards £10m media account to Twenty Twenty Media

Wed, 3 Mar 2010

Twenty Twenty Media Vision has been awarded the non-broadcast media planning and buying account for Carpetright and Sleepright.

Crown Paints appoints BJL to ad account

Wed, 3 Mar 2010

Crown Paints has appointed BJL as its advertising agency following a four-way pitch involving undisclosed Manchester and London Agencies. 

Stuart Rose may leave M&S “a bit earlier” than expected

Wed, 3 Mar 2010

Stuart Rose, executive chairman of retailer Marks & Spencer has claimed he is likely to leave the company before July 2011, although a departure this year is unlikely.

Waitrose signs up Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal

Wed, 3 Mar 2010

Waitrose has signed up television chefs Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal to star in its new advertising campaign.

Asda to compete in the IVF drugs market

Wed, 3 Mar 2010

Asda is looking to expand its pharmacy offering, by offering IVF drugs at a cheaper cost than some of its main pharmaceutical rivals.

Ferrero marketer promoted to regional commercial director

Wed, 3 Mar 2010

Ferrero has promoted its UK marketing director Dave Tucker to the new position of regional commercial director.

Government champions intellectual property in Museum of Brands

Tue, 2 Mar 2010

The Intellectual Property Office and the Museum of Brands have partnered to launch a new exhibition and online learning resources, in an effort to highlight the importance of intellectual property (IP) rights.

Charles Tyrwhitt hires Kitcatt Nohr for branding task

Tue, 2 Mar 2010

Retailer Charles Tyrwhitt has appointed integrated agency Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw to help redefine its branding through a major brand positioning project.

GM pledges almost £2bn to European brands

Tue, 2 Mar 2010

General Motors has pledged to spend €1.9bn (£1.7bn) to restructure its European marques Opel and Vauxhall.

Sony resolves PlayStation millennium-bug complaint

Tue, 2 Mar 2010

Sony has avoided permanent brand damage by resolving the millennium-style bug that prevented millions of PlayStation 3 owners from using its online games network earlier this week.

BT’s latest ad confirms Adam and Jane’s engagement

Mon, 1 Mar 2010

BT is launching the latest instalment of its long-running “Adam and Jane” campaign, with the couple set to become engaged.

T-Mobile and Orange merger earns EU approval

Mon, 1 Mar 2010

T-Mobile UK has won EU approval to go ahead with its merger with Orange, on the condition that it gives up some radio spectrum.

Chicago Town unveils £1.3m ad push to support on-pack promo

Mon, 1 Mar 2010

Chicago Town is launching a £1.3m integrated marketing campaign to promote its new on-pack offer “Free Knorks”, offering collectable hybrid knife and forks.

Saab promotes independence in new advertising push

Mon, 1 Mar 2010

Saab has been promoting its new ownership following its sale from General Motors with an “independence event” which concludes today.

Prudential looks to expand brand in Asia through AIA acquisition

Mon, 1 Mar 2010

Prudential, the British insurance firm, has confirmed it is in advanced talks to buy AIA, the Asian arm of American International Group, in a deal that would transform it into one of Asia's biggest insurers.

Absolute Radio open to saving BBC 6 Music

Mon, 1 Mar 2010

Absolute Radio could step in and save BBC 6 Music from closure, the company’s chief operating officer has confirmed.

News of the World's mobile recycling campaign pays out £1m to readers

Mon, 1 Mar 2010

The News of the World’s ‘Go Green & Save’ mobile recycling campaign has paid out over £1m and recycled almost 38,000 handsets in its first year, helping people living in emerging economies.

Carlsberg launches outdoor ad as part of World Cup push

Mon, 1 Mar 2010

Carlsberg is launching a major outdoor campaign in support of its World Cup promotion, “Probably the best team talk in the world”.

Kettle Foods sold to US snack firm Diamond Foods

Fri, 26 Feb 2010

Kettle Foods, the maker of upmarket Kettle Chips has been sold to a US snack firm, Diamond Foods, after an auction valuing the business at more than £400m.

Premier Foods to launch £10m brand campaign

Fri, 26 Feb 2010

Premier Foods is launching a £10m brand campaign called 'Great Little Ideas', which aims to give mums hints, tips and twists on how to use some of Britain's best loved food brands.

Anchor launches £10m ad push to support brand repositioning

Fri, 26 Feb 2010

Anchor Butter is to reposition itself as the “Original Butter Co.” as part of a £10m marketing campaign for 2010.

Will Google face an advertising revolt?

Thu, 25 Feb 2010

It’s fair to say that Google has had it rough this week. It lost its crown as the top ranking Business Superbrand, the EC launched an informal review into its search dominance and an Italian court ruling against it seemed to threaten the freedom the internet is meant to offer. But will this change where ad agencies spend their digital pounds?

Samsung to launch female-targeted campaign for Diva handset

Thu, 25 Feb 2010

Samsung is launching a highly styled and targeted marketing campaign to support the first in its collection of fashion handsets, the Samsung Diva.

Cosmetic surgery firm names Steven Taylor as marketing director

Wed, 24 Feb 2010

Cosmetic surgery brand Transform has appointed former hotels marketer Steven Taylor as marketing director.

O2 to offer SIM card sampling via Facebook

Wed, 24 Feb 2010

O2 has signed a deal with Facebook to become the latest brand to experiment with its “sampling engagement ads” format.

Greggs launches new £4m marketing push

Tue, 23 Feb 2010

Sandwich store chain Greggs is to run a new television advertising campaign as part of its latest £4m integrated marketing push, which launches this week.

Toyota launches new reassurance push

Tue, 23 Feb 2010

Toyota is continuing with its reassurance marketing push and has taken out a new series of full page newspaper adverts headlined “We’re pulling together to put things right.”

Drench to launch goldfish campaign using TV and augmented reality

Mon, 22 Feb 2010

Drench, the Britvic owned water range, is launching a new £5.5m TV and digital advertising campaign, in a bid has been to drive awareness of the brand.

Mars unveils new England football themed ad

Mon, 22 Feb 2010

Mars is unveiling a new television advert, championing its sponsorship of the England team ahead of the World Cup. The ad is the first stage in Mars’s “Work Rest Play for England” marketing push.

Simon Cowell seeks marketing director for Syco Music

Mon, 22 Feb 2010

Simon Cowell’s record label, Syco Music, is seeking a marketing director. The role has been newly created ahead of Cowell taking The X Factor to the US next year.

Tuborg pushes sponsorship of Glastonbury on-pack

Mon, 22 Feb 2010

Beer brand Tuborg is supporting its sponsorship of Glastonbury by running an on-pack promotion offering five pairs of tickets to the sold-out festival, as part of a £1m summer marketing campaign.

Philips unveils new film-based global marketing push

Fri, 19 Feb 2010

Philips is collaborating with the film producers behind Hollywood films including Alien, Blade Runner and Gladiator for its latest global advertising campaign.

Toyota suspends production for two weeks after recall crisis

Fri, 19 Feb 2010

Toyota is to close one of its UK factories for an extra week over Easter, as the marque continues to feel the pressure from the global recall crisis.

Is SeeSaw the future of online TV? Doubt it

Fri, 19 Feb 2010

Rising from the ashes of the much-hyped Project Kangaroo, SeeSaw went live to the public this week, with 17 brands backing it as the next big online TV promise. But will this latest innovation in video-on-demand signal a new era where online trumps traditional media?

Pepsi Max launches body paint ads with Henry and Torres

Thu, 18 Feb 2010

Pepsi Max is launching a new advertising campaign featuring footballers Lionel Messi, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Fernando Torres and Thierry Henry, in a bid to take awareness away from rivals Coca-Cola, ahead of this summer’s World Cup.

Santander hands online banking ad account to Grey

Thu, 18 Feb 2010

Santander has awarded the £20m pan-European advertising duties for OpenBank, its unified online banking service, to Grey EMEA.

Diageo to launch £5m premix TV ad campaign

Wed, 17 Feb 2010

Diageo Great Britain is launching a £5m TV advertising campaign to promote its new premix range, which launches next month.

Shazam launches new mobile ads offering

Wed, 17 Feb 2010

Shazam, the mobile discovery provider, has announced the launch of the Shazam Audio Recognition Advertising (SARA) program, which allows brands and broadcasters to extend the reach and depth of their campaigns to mobile.

BT hands £75m media account to Maxus

Wed, 17 Feb 2010

British Telecom has handed its £75m media planning and buying business to Maxus following after a competitive pitch. 

Brand Finance Global 500 shows banks “trying harder”

Wed, 17 Feb 2010

Banks were the most improved sector in this year’s Brand Finance Global 500 list, despite being shrouded in controversy over the past financial year.

Disney launches new Hannah Montana themed online contest

Wed, 17 Feb 2010

The Walt Disney Company UK’s Disney Channel is launching an online initiative called Hannah Montana - Lights, Camera, Action!

Powerade to launch ad campaign celebrating sports sponsorships

Tue, 16 Feb 2010

Powerade, the energy drink owned by Coca-Cola is launching an integrated advertising campaign to promote its sponsorship of the Fifa World Cup and its support for rugby, ahead of the RBS 6 Nations, which kicks off this week.

Branded products help Premier Foods grow in 2009

Tue, 16 Feb 2010

Premier Foods, Britain’s biggest food manufacturer, has posted a 4.5% rise in year profit and is forecasting further growth in branded sales and efficiency gains in 2010.

Mark Foster fronts Prostate Cancer Awareness Month campaign

Tue, 16 Feb 2010

Olympic swimmer Mark Foster has signed up to front this year’s Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in March, which will be overseen by Marks & Spencer and The Prostate Cancer Charity.

Amoy play on Chinese New Year theme in new push

Mon, 15 Feb 2010

Amoy, the Chinese food and ingredients producer, is launching a new umbrella branding campaign called “Lucky Red Envelopes” in a bid to drive awareness of the oriental brand.

Seat boosts UEFA sponsorship with local football tournaments

Mon, 15 Feb 2010

Seat is expanding its UEFA sponsorship with the launch of a nationwide five-a-side football tournament.

FxPro to sponsor World Rally Championship

Mon, 15 Feb 2010

FxPro, a retail broker in foreign exchange, has signed up to become the Official Forex Trading Partner of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) in a multi-year agreement running through to the end of 2012.

Virgin Media reviews marketing roster

Mon, 15 Feb 2010

Virgin Media is reviewing its creative, direct and digital marketing agencies, with immediate effect, in an effort to develop an integrated approach to its communications.

Toyota to offer incentives and warranties in customer fightback

Mon, 15 Feb 2010

Toyota’s new marketing approach will involve offering heavy incentives and warranties in an effort to combat mounting consumer concerns about the car manufacturer amid its recall crisis.

Will Google create the right Buzz?

Fri, 12 Feb 2010

Not content with being king of search, Google seems to be looking to be king of online. News broke this week confirming it was eyeing up high-speed broadband in the US and a new attempt at social media with Buzz. But will this new concerted effort offer marketers a new form of engagement or is just a new assault on the market?

Pepsi increases size of no-sugar on-the-go bottles to 600ml

Fri, 12 Feb 2010

Pepsi UK is seeking to boost its on-the-go market share by increasing the size of its no-sugar soft drink bottles to 600ml from April 12. The move will be promoted with a £5m integrated marketing campaign.

Play.com appoints new head of product marketing

Fri, 12 Feb 2010

Play.com, the entertainment e-tailer, has appointed former Warner brothers marketer Jason Mather as its new head of product marketing.

Report to call for Eurostar to improve communications

Fri, 12 Feb 2010

Better communications is expected to be one of the key recommendations in an independent inquiry report into the pre-Christmas Eurostar debacle.

Thomas Cook bookings boosted by Redknapp ad

Thu, 11 Feb 2010

Thomas Cook has increased its holiday bookings by 15%, boosted by its latest advertising campaign starring Jamie and Louise Redknapp.

Premier Foods Foodservice appoints first head of marketing

Thu, 11 Feb 2010

Premier Foods Foodservice, the owner of brands including Bisto and Sharwood’s, has appointed former Procter & Gamble marketer James Arnold to the new position of head of marketing.

Volvo adds EHS 4D Cirencester to roster ahead of potential sale

Thu, 11 Feb 2010

Volvo has added direct marketing agency EHS 4D Cirencester to its roster of global agencies, ahead of closing negotiations for the brand to be sold.

Citroën uses John Lennon and Marilyn Monroe to promote DS3

Thu, 11 Feb 2010

Citroën is using John Lennon and Marilyn Monroe in TV advertisements debuting this weekend, to launch the new DS3.

Network Rail puts £100m account out to tender

Thu, 11 Feb 2010

Network Rail has put its £100m media contract out to tender under statutory review, covering adverts placed across its 18 core stations.

NTL:Telewest Business renamed as Virgin Media Business

Thu, 11 Feb 2010

Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin, has announced that NTL:Telewest Business will be renamed as Virgin Media Business, effective immediately, sealing the demise of the NTL and Telewest brands.

Cadbury launches first new variant under Kraft

Wed, 10 Feb 2010

Cadbury is supporting the launch of a new variant called Dairy Milk Bar of Plenty with an integrated advertising campaign. It is the first launch by the confectioner since its takeover from Kraft

Vodafone’s David Wheldon steps down

Wed, 10 Feb 2010

Vodafone’s global brand director David Wheldon is understood to be leaving the mobile operator.

Coca-Cola sees global profits rise 17% in 2009

Wed, 10 Feb 2010

Coca-Cola has reported a 17% increase in sales and profits globally for 2009, following a strong performance in developing markets.

Referees body seeks lead sponsor

Tue, 9 Feb 2010

Football refereeing body Professional Games Match Officials (PGMO), is seeking a new sponsor for the next three seasons from 2010/11, replacing current sponsor Emirates and Air Asia.

Organix appoint TMW to handle below-the-line activity

Tue, 9 Feb 2010

Organic baby food company, Organix, has appointed Tullo Marshall Warren as its lead strategic and digital agency to market its growing range of baby and toddler foods effectively to prospective mums.

Fiat to sponsor British Cycling

Tue, 9 Feb 2010

Fiat has signed up to become the official supplier to British Cycling, which includes the Great Britain Cycling and Para-Cycling Teams.

Ian Wright to front The Sun’s World Cup themed promotion

Tue, 9 Feb 2010

The Sun has signed footballer Ian Wright to front its ultimate fans’ World Cup competition, run in association with Kia Motors.

Signet Group jewellers open pop-up stores for Valentines

Mon, 8 Feb 2010

Jewellers Ernest Jones and H.Samuel, both part of the Signet Group, are opening up temporary popup stores in National Rail stations in a bid to capitalise on the Valentine’s Day market.

Experian CreditExpert launches educational TV ad

Mon, 8 Feb 2010

Experian CreditExpert, the online credit checking service, is launching a new UK advertising campaign in a bid to boost awareness of its availability to consumers.

Pizza Hut extend “any excuse” ad campaign with stickers

Mon, 8 Feb 2010

Pizza Hut is extending its £2m “any excuse” marketing campaign by launching a series of stickers that consumers can peel-off from selected bus stops.

Anti-abortion Superbowl ad sparks protests

Mon, 8 Feb 2010

A £1.8m pro-life advertisement that was broadcast during the Superbowl last night has sparked outrage in the US and raises questions over if such ads will be allowed in the UK.

Iceland looks for ordinary customers to front ads

Mon, 8 Feb 2010

Iceland is looking for its first non-celebrity brand ambassador in a nationwide search to replace The Nolan’s Coleen Nolan and other famous faces including Kerry Katona.

BT to offer rivals access to its high-speed broadband

Mon, 8 Feb 2010

BT is to offer its rivals access to its high-speed broadband network for a nominal fee, according to reports.

FRijj to launch augmented reality campaign

Fri, 5 Feb 2010

Dairy Crest’s flavoured milk drink brand FRijj, is launching a multi-media campaign featuring augmented reality across its entire range, in a bid to drive consumer brand awareness.

Leerdammer launches new UK TV ad

Fri, 5 Feb 2010

Dutch cheese brand Leerdammer is launching a new UK television advertisement campaign, in a bid to raise its profile amongst British shoppers.

Alfa Romeo launches Space Invaders themed TV ad

Fri, 5 Feb 2010

Alfa Romeo is launching a Space Invaders themed television advertisement to launch its new MiTo MultiAir models.

Don’t be afraid of experimenting with social media

Thu, 4 Feb 2010

While the bankers left Davos in a fairly defensive mood this week, one of the most high profile and sought-after sessions at the World Economic Forum was the session on the growing influence of social networks. This focused on a workshop where representatives from all main social networks were present.

Vanish to market new “extra hygiene” variant

Thu, 4 Feb 2010

Vanish, the stain removal brand, is tapping into the nation’s desire for high-strength antibacterial cleaning products with the launch of a new “Extra Hygiene” variant. It will be backed by a £2m integrated marketing campaign.

Kraft to poach ex-Cadbury Europe president

Thu, 4 Feb 2010

Cadbury’s former European president Tamara Minick-Scokalo is reportedly joining Kraft Foods Europe as head of European confectionery.

Luxury car marques kick off media reviews

Thu, 4 Feb 2010

BMW and Porsche are kicking off media planning and buying account reviews, as they seek to boost interest in their luxury models.

Honda launches new crowd-sourcing initiative

Thu, 4 Feb 2010

Honda Motor Europe is launching a new crowd-sourcing project called ‘Live Every Litre’.

T-Mobile to launch “Geese” ad

Wed, 3 Feb 2010

T-Mobile is to launch a new television advertisement, showing a flock of geese being driven through the City of London. The ad aims to highlight “outdated silly rules that can be tackled through relevant offers.

Toyota faces further backlash from recall crisis

Wed, 3 Feb 2010

The backlash against Toyota’s car recall crisis is building across the world after the marque has been ordered by Japan’s Ministry of Transportation to investigate a rash of consumer complaints about braking problems.

Nokia switches focus to entertainment from “with music”

Wed, 3 Feb 2010

Nokia is attempting to increase its foothold in the smartphone market by changing its brand strategy to emphasise how its smartphones “bring entertainment to life”. It will include the tagline “Come Get Entertained”.

“It has to be Heinz” ad to re-run after strong sales increase

Tue, 2 Feb 2010

Heinz is re-running its £5m “It has to be Heinz” umbrella marketing campaign, following a noticeable increase in sales after the initial burst.

MasterCard use ‘priceless gig’ footage to create Brits sponsorship idents

Tue, 2 Feb 2010

MasterCard has created the sponsorship idents for the Brit awards using footage from a secret gig by the Pet Shop Boys at a competition winner’s house.

Toyota moves to reassure consumers through YouTube

Tue, 2 Feb 2010

Toyota has used YouTube to deliver a message by Jim Lentz, president of Toyota’s US marketing, to reassure consumers over concerns surrounding the safety of its cars.

Government unveils new solar panel cashback scheme

Mon, 1 Feb 2010

The Government has unveiled a new cashback scheme offering payments to households who use solar technology.

Government relaunches graphic road safety ads

Mon, 1 Feb 2010

The Department for Transport is to re-screen its £1.3m hard-hitting Think! campaign reminding drivers of the potentially fatal consequences of not wearing a seat belt.

Butcher’s Pet Care to promote new look with TV ad

Mon, 1 Feb 2010

Butcher’s Pet Care is launching an advertising campaign to promote its new look dog-food and re-emphasise its taste credentials.

Toyota launches recall campaign for faulty pedals

Mon, 1 Feb 2010

Toyota has launched a pan-European recall campaign in Europe for potential accelerator pedal issues in eight models. The campaign is being advertised in print titles and via digital communications.

Nokia to launch heavyweight campaign for iPhone competitor X6

Fri, 29 Jan 2010

Nokia is to launch a multimillion pound integrated campaign to support the launch of its touchscreen X6 16GB smartphone.

Pepsi Max launches African-inspired music record with Torres, Akon and Keri Hilson

Fri, 29 Jan 2010

Pepsi Max is to release an African-inspired music record called ‘Oh, Africa’, recorded by R’n’B artists Akon and Keri Hilson, with cameo performances from global football superstars Fernando Torres and Didier Drogba.

Lynx launches new “Get In There” apps

Fri, 29 Jan 2010

Lynx, the men’s deodorant brand, is launching a new mobile campaign called “Get In There” aimed at making girls look, laugh and respond.

Moneysupermarket takes Omid Djalili ad to cinemas

Fri, 29 Jan 2010

Price comparison website moneysupermarket.com is to launch its first nationwide cinema campaign in a bid to further promote the brand’s new positioning.

Digital ad errors will be costly to progress

Thu, 28 Jan 2010

In a week where the Apple iPad launch showed just how innovative digital technologies are fast becoming, a shadow has still been hanging over display advertising with Marks & Spencer coming under scrutiny for placing a champagne ad on a website aimed at young girls, and separately another website for girls was attacked for encouraging them to adopt children as fashion accessories in a web game.

LG Electronics names Paul Trueman as UK marketing director

Thu, 28 Jan 2010

LG Electronics has appointed former Cadbury and Mars marketer Paul Trueman as its new marketing director for UK and Ireland. He replaces Andrew Warner who has decided to leave LG to take on a senior marketing position in the travel industry.

Morrisons names Dalton Philips as new chief exec

Wed, 27 Jan 2010

Morrisons has appointed former Walmart executive Dalton Philips as its new chief executive, replacing Mark Bolland.

Britvic reports increased demand for soft drinks

Wed, 27 Jan 2010

Britvic has reported an 11% increase of sales in the last quarter, taking revenues to £242.7m, thanks to strong performances from its well-known brands such as Robinsons, J2O and Fruit Shoot.

Cadbury failed to demonstrate intrinsic value of brands

Wed, 27 Jan 2010

A more detailed breakdown of the value of each Cadbury brand could have saved the company from a takeover by Kraft, consultancy Brand Finance and the Institute of Practitioners (IPA) have revealed.

Facebook and Nielsen launch BrandLift tool in UK

Wed, 27 Jan 2010

Facebook and The Nielsen Company have announced the UK launch of a new tool called Nielsen BrandLift, which will use the Facebook platform to measure the effectiveness of online brand advertising.

Sony Europe appoints ex-PHD strategy director

Tue, 26 Jan 2010

Dominic Fawcett, the former worldwide strategy director of PHD, is to join Sony Consumer Marketing Europe as its new divisional director of media.

O2 to break into travel insurance market

Tue, 26 Jan 2010

O2 is expanding its existing insurance service to cover travel as part of its latest efforts to expand the telecoms brand.

VisitBritain to unveil new marketing strategy

Tue, 26 Jan 2010

VisitBritain will unveil its new marketing strategy to attract more tourists to the UK in the run up to the 2012 Olympic Games, later today (26 January).

Orange to launch Orange Shots mobile ad service

Tue, 26 Jan 2010

Orange is launching a new mobile advertising service called ‘Orange Shots’ to enable brands to engage and interact directly with targeted segments of the network’s customer base.

Google execs launch online marketing consultancy

28 January 2010

A group of Google marketers have left the search giant to form their own online marketing consultancy, called QuBit Digital.

Food Standards Agency launches food hygiene campaign

Mon, 25 Jan 2010

The Food Standards Agency is launching a UK-wide campaign today, to raise awareness among food businesses about the agency tools available to help businesses comply with food hygiene law.

Lyons looks to expand into teatime cakes ranges

Mon, 25 Jan 2010

Premier Foods’ traditional cake brand Lyons is launching a new range of Teashop Classic Cakes, in an effort to capitalise on the growing teatime occasion.

EasyJet rolls out ski campaign on London Underground

Fri, 22 Jan 2010

EasyJet is launching a new advertising campaign called The Orange Line on the London Underground, which will run in selected tube stations.

Armed Forces charity to launch 125th anniversary campaign

Fri, 22 Jan 2010

Armed Forces charity, The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association - Forces Help (SSAFA) is to launch its lSSAFA125 Campaign to celebrate their 125th Anniversary.

Google reports 54% increase in profits over 2009

Fri, 22 Jan 2010

Google saw off recession blues with a 54% increase in profits last year, totalling $6.52bn (£4.02bn) mainly thanks to advertising earnings.

Président cheese launches new TV campaign

Fri, 22 Jan 2010

Lactalis McLelland, owners of the Président cheese brand is investing an additional £1.5 million in primetime television advertising to fuel more demand.

De Vere Hotels appoints Targetbase Claydon Heeley

Fri, 22 Jan 2010

De Vere Hotels has appointed integrated marketing agency, Targetbase Claydon Heeley (TBCH), to handle a £1m advertising account, creating a new golf and leisure concept.

Hershey to walk away from Cadbury bid

Fri, 22 Jan 2010

Hershey has decided not to launch a counterbid for British confectioner Cadbury, according to reports.

Great results for digital can’t mean complacency

Thu, 21 Jan 2010

If the online ad industry was in need of any kind of boost for 2010, then the Bellwether and Kingston Smith report couldn’t have been better timed. Both painted glowing pictures for the thriving digital marketing world. Yet, beneath the positivity lies a timely reminder that digital still needs to advance, in order to grow.

Mars taps up Peter Crouch for ads

Thu, 21 Jan 2010

Mars has signed England football player Peter Crouch to star in its new TV ads, according to reports.

T-Mobile to sponsor Big Dance 2010

Wed, 20 Jan 2010

T-Mobile UK is to be the headline sponsor for The T-Mobile Big Dance 2010, the world’s biggest celebration of dance.

Kraft must retain Cadbury’s brand culture

Wed, 20 Jan 2010

Kraft’s pledge to take a “best of both approach” to its marketing as part of its accepted £11.9bn takeover bid must focus on integrating the cultures of both brands if it is to succeed, according to marketing and branding experts.

Comet reports better than expected Christmas despite sales fall

Wed, 20 Jan 2010

Kesa Electricals, owners of Comet, has reported a better-than-expected Christmas despite sales being down 0.8% on the same period last year.

Pepsi appoints new UK marketing director

Tue, 19 Jan 2010

PepsiCo has promoted Amanda Thomson to the position of UK marketing director from her role as marketing director for Australia and New Zealand.

Watchdog signals intention to deregulate TV ad sales

21 January 2010

Ofcom starts consultation on ad sales rules for public service broadcasters.

Ofcom considers deregulation of TV advertising rules

Mon, 18 Jan 2010

Ofcom is to announce a consultation seeking to further deregulate television advertising sales rules on commercial broadcasters.

Calor Gas sponsors Build a New Life in the Country

Fri, 15 Jan 2010

Calor Gas has agreed a six figure sponsorship deal for the new series of Five’s “Build a New Life in the Country” launching this week.

M&S joins WWF Seafood Charter to promote sustainable fishing

Fri, 15 Jan 2010

Marks & Spencer has become the first UK company to sign the WWF’s Seafood Charter, helping to promote responsible fishing. The retailer has taken out full page newspaper ads to raise consumer awareness of the issue.

Royal Mail updates licences for address database

Fri, 15 Jan 2010

The Royal Mail is updating its Postcode Address File (PAF), the UK address database that contains over 28 million addresses, and has published new licences which will come into effect from 1 April.

O2 moves into home phone market

Fri, 15 Jan 2010

O2 is to extend its brand further and offer home phone lines to new and existing home broadband customers.

Seatwave offer glimpses of gig seats before buying

Fri, 15 Jan 2010

Online ticketing service Seatwave is unveiling a new service to enable to see images of where they will be seated, before they buy tickets. The ticket exchange site will promote the new service on its press and online ads.

Conservatives plan immediate cuts to government ad spend

Fri, 15 Jan 2010

The Conservatives would start to cut the government’s advertising spending straight away if they won the General Election.

Transport Media terminate contract with Outdoor Advertising Association

Thu, 14 Jan 2010

Transport Media has opted to discontinue carrying advertising for the Outdoor Advertising Association (OAA) following the axing of the controversial “Career women make bad mothers” creative.

Peugeot unveils new 2010 logo

Thu, 14 Jan 2010

Peugeot has unveiled a new logo as it prepares to celebrate its 200th birthday this year.

T-Mobile to launch user-generated music video ad

Thu, 14 Jan 2010

T-Mobile is launching the latest phase of its “Life’s for Sharing” ad campaign featuring the music video of a user-generated song called ‘Come with me’, set up using only T-Mobile’s free texts and internet for life offer.  

More Than signs sponsorship deal with Global Radio

Thu, 14 Jan 2010

More Than has signed a deal with Global Radio to be a sponsor of selected shows broadcast on Heart FM and Classic FM nationally.

Fererro pull out of bidding for Cadbury

Wed, 13 Jan 2010

Ferrero have walked away from talks with Hershey over a joint bid for Cadbury, leaving Kraft as the main food giant looking to take over the UK’s leading chocolate brand.

Volkswagen to launch campaign for Transporter van

Wed, 13 Jan 2010

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is unveiling a new national advertising campaign to launch the new Volkswagen Transporter van.

Domino’s marketing chief departs

Wed, 13 Jan 2010

Domino’s Pizza is losing one of the main drivers of its business with the departure of sales and marketing director Robin Auld (pictured).

Food Standard Agency promotes healthy eating in The Sun

Wed, 13 Jan 2010

The Food Standards Agency is partnering with The Sun to produce an editorial series looking at the dangers of eating too much saturated fat.

Google muses withdrawal from China

Wed, 13 Jan 2010

Google has announced it is considering ending its operations in China after hackers targeted the e-mail accounts of Chinese human rights activists.

John Barton to leave LG Mobile

Tue, 12 Jan 2010

LG Mobile’s sales and marketing director John Barton is to leave the manufacturer after five years.

Mr Kipling launches oat cake bars as lunchboxes are attacked

Tue, 12 Jan 2010

Mr Kipling is launching a new range of oat cake bars in a bid to tap into the competitive lunchbox category. The launch will be backed with an integrated marketing communications campaign.

How to keep your spirits upmarket

14 January 2010

The owner of Courvoisier is using the cognac’s rich heritage, classy cocktails and a social network of rising stars across the UK to build the brand. By Joe Fernandez

Broadcasters must monetise ads around VOD content

Mon, 11 Jan 2010

A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has warned broadcasters to maximise advertising around their video on-demand content or risk losing millions in annual revenues.

Arla launches ads for Lurpak and Cravendale

Mon, 11 Jan 2010

Arla Foods is launching new television adverts for its Lurpak and Cravendale brands, which will both break today (January 12) in a sign of a new battle for the breakfast table.

SPUC continue campaign against abortion TV ads

Mon, 11 Jan 2010

The Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child (SPUC) has made its campaign to keep abortion adverts off TV screens the focal point of its White Flower Appeal 2010.

HMV signs media partners for music festival

Mon, 11 Jan 2010

Time Out and Xfm have signed up to be media partners for HMV and Mama Group’s Next Best Thing festival, which will be headlined by chart artist Paloma Faith.

Ctrl.Alt.Shift to launch consumer magazine

Mon, 11 Jan 2010

Charity Ctrl.Alt.Shift is to sell its own consumer magazine, as part of its ambition to become mainstream.

Kingsmill to launch new oat-based bread range

Sat, 9 Jan 2010

Kingsmill is to launch a new range of bread called Oatilicious, which will be baked with a combination of wholegrain oats and wheat flour. Its launch will be supported by a £1.3m advertising campaign.

Channel 4 wins Paralympics rights

Fri, 8 Jan 2010

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games has awarded the UK broadcast rights for the Paralympics to Channel 4.

Lebara Mobile prepare first TV ad

Fri, 8 Jan 2010

Lebara Mobile is to debut its first ever television ad during coverage of the African Cup of Nations on Eurosport from Sunday (10 January)

UPDATE: F1’s Ecclestone bids for Saab as GM begins to wind down business

Fri, 8 Jan 2010

UPDATE: General Motors has begun the process to close Saab, but has said it will also continue efforts to find a buyer for the Swedish carmaker.Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has emerged as the latest bidder for Saab, as the Swedish car marque waits to hear of its fate.

Kingsmill unveils new breakfast ad campaign

Thu, 7 Jan 2010

Kingsmill is to launch an £11m advertising campaign to promote its 50/50 sub-brand as a breakfast option.

Is Nexus One the next big one?

Thu, 7 Jan 2010

Not content with simply being a founding partner of the Open Handset Alliance’s Android operating platform, Google wants to “revolutionise smartphones” to become “superphones” with its own branded Nexus One mobile.But has it managed to create a phone that will get people adoring Google as a phone manufacturer?

Orange launches co-branded credit card

Thu, 7 Jan 2010

Orange is to launch its own contactless credit card, which will be operated and co-branded by Barclaycard.

Kraft centralises global media team

Thu, 7 Jan 2010

Kraft Foods is to create a global media unit called Kraft Foods One Team, which will be overseen by Publicis Groupe.

Green & Black’s marketer invests in juice company

Wed, 6 Jan 2010

Former Green & Black’s marketing director Mark Palmer is investing in apple juice producer Cawston Vale and will take over as its head of marketing.

Swiftcover marketer promoted to Axa Insurance role

Tue, 5 Jan 2010

Axa Insurance has promoted Swiftcover marketer Tina Shortle to the newly created role of marketing director.

Pizza Hut marketing director moves to KFC

Tue, 5 Jan 2010

Yum! Restaurants has promoted Pizza Hut’s UK marketing director for restaurants, Claudia Nicholls-Magielsen, to the new role of director of new concepts at KFC.

Cadbury 'stronger' after Nestlé drops takeover bid

07 January 2010

Cadbury ‘stronger’ after Nestlé drops takeover bid

Promotion body merger talks axed

Mon, 4 Jan 2010

Merger talks between promotional merchandise bodies Promota and the British Promotional Merchandise Association have been terminated after discussions broke down.

Unilever adds Euro RSCG to global digital roster

Mon, 4 Jan 2010

Unilever has consolidated its digital marketing globally, with the addition of Euro RSCG 4D Worldwide on to its roster.

National Trust appoints TDA for DM campaign

Mon, 4 Jan 2010

The National Trust has appointed direct marketing agency TDA to handle its New Year fundraising appeal campaign.

ASA bans BA and BT Vision ads

Wed, 23 Dec 2009

Advertising watchdog The Advertising Standards Authority has banned a TV ad for British Airways promoting the Canton Fair in Guangzhou, China, as a trip destination, because the airline does not actually fly there.

Coral launches festive campaign

Wed, 23 Dec 2009

Bookmaker Coral is launching a new festive campaign to remind customers of the betting opportunities from the major sporting events over the holiday season.

BBC gives provisional backing to Project Canvas

Tue, 22 Dec 2009

The BBC Trust, the corporation’s governing body, has given a provisional go-ahead for Project Canvas, the IPTV joint venture between ITV, BBC, Five and BT.

Seat promote new Ibiza extension

Tue, 22 Dec 2009

Seat is launching a new integrated advertising campaign to promote its new Ibiza Cupra model, featuring an adult cupid.

Ticketmaster-LiveNation merger approved in UK

Tue, 22 Dec 2009

The merger of ticket agent Ticketmaster and concert promoter Live Nation has been cleared by the Competition Commission.

Stihl re-signs as Superbike Championship sponsor

Mon, 21 Dec 2009

Outdoor power tool company Stihl GB has re-signed with commercial rights holder MotorSport Vision as an Official Sponsor of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship for the third consecutive year.

Kraft adds marketing experience to board

Mon, 21 Dec 2009

Kraft Foods has appointed two new independent directors to its board, who are both notable for their brand building and marketing experience.

Vodafone confirms UK iPhone release date

Mon, 21 Dec 2009

Vodafone has announced that it will start selling the iPhone in the UK on 14 January 2010.

Campaign launched to cook Christmas turkeys properly

Mon, 21 Dec 2009

The Food Standards Agency has unveiled a new festive campaign aimed at ensuring consumers cook their turkeys thoroughly.

Tag Heuer axes Tiger from all ads

Mon, 21 Dec 2009

Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer is dropping shamed golfer Tiger Woods from all advertising with immediate effect.

Saab brand to close

Fri, 18 Dec 2009

General Motors is to fold the Saab brand after it failed to sell the Swedish car brand.

UPDATE: Lebedev back in talks to buy Independent

Fri, 18 Dec 2009

UPDATE: The owner of the Independent and the Independent on Sunday has confirmed it is in exclusive talks to sell the titles to the owner of the Evening Standard.Evening Standard owner Alexander Lebedev is in talks to buy The Independent and The Independent on Sunday.

Courvoisier screens 3D cinema ad during Avatar

Fri, 18 Dec 2009

Courvoisier cognac is to air its 3D ad during screenings of Avatar, which launches in cinemas today (18 December).

Ofcom warns T-Mobile merger could trigger competition review

Fri, 18 Dec 2009

The proposed merger of mobile operators Orange and T-Mobile could trigger an in-depth review of Britain’s mobile markets, media watchdog Ofcom has warned.

Digitally advanced UK opens doors for marketers

Thu, 17 Dec 2009

Closing the year on a high note, media watchdog Ofcom yesterday gave digital marketers the perfect Christmas present with the news that the UK is officially one of the world’s most advanced countries when it comes to digital communications.

Thorntons launches microsite to promote festive offers

Thu, 17 Dec 2009

Thorntons has launched a new online Christmas microsite, taking the same “We Believe” approach as its offline advertising.

Packard Bell partner with Valentino Rossi

Thu, 17 Dec 2009

Packard Bell has signed a deal with Moto-GP champion Valentino Rossi to design a new range of notebooks and netbooks for them.

HP to promote touchscreen printer in entire ad break

Wed, 16 Dec 2009

Hewlett Packard is to air a new TV campaign promoting its Photosmart range of touchscreen printers, by interlinking an entire Channel 4 ad break.

National Express appoints new chief executive

Wed, 16 Dec 2009

National Express, the troubled bus and train operator, has appointed Dean Finch, the current head of the Tube Lines consortium that maintains half of London’s Underground, as its new chief executive.

Limited Space pushes Harry Potter for Christmas

Wed, 16 Dec 2009

Limited Space, the out-of-home media owner in the premium shopping mall market, is using a combination of its high-impact ad formats to help boost Christmas sales for Warner Bros’ DVD release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Channel 4 joins Project Canvas

Wed, 16 Dec 2009

Channel 4 has become the latest terrestrial broadcaster to join Project Canvas, the IPTV joint venture between ITV, BBC, Five and BT.

Kraft names Daryl Fielding as European marketing chief

Wed, 16 Dec 2009

Kraft Foods Europe has recruited Daryl Fielding, the former Ogilvy & Mather executive and prime architect of the Dove Real Women campaign, as its vice-president of marketing.

Vauxhall back on TV with Astra campaign

Wed, 16 Dec 2009

Vauxhall is to return to TV screens for the first time since parent company General Motors retracted its intention to sell the marque.

Smirnoff and TimeOut launch iPhone app

Tue, 15 Dec 2009

Smirnoff has announced a six-month collaboration with Time Out magazine, to launch the Smirnoff & Time Out iPhone app.

Epson launch viral ad for new projectors

Tue, 15 Dec 2009

Epson has launched a new viral ad campaign called Extreme Gamer, designed to promote its new range of projectors.

Gatorade to launch new reward scheme

Tue, 15 Dec 2009

Sports drink Gatorade is launching a rewards scheme promotion, a week after it dropped its Gatorade Tiger Focus drink and other products, associated with shamed golfer Tiger Woods.

Part of Saab sold to Chinese firm

Mon, 14 Dec 2009

General Motors has confirmed it has sold components of Saab to China’s Beijing Automotive Industry Holdings (BAIC).

Highland Spring launches Chris Hoy promotion

Fri, 11 Dec 2009

Highland Spring is partnering with Sir Chris Hoy in a new on-pack promotion - Get in Gear With Chris Hoy, encouraging consumers to get on their bikes this winter.

TomTom to measure billboard ad views

Fri, 11 Dec 2009

Advertisers can now know which billboards are most likely to be read by drivers, using new software from satellite navigation specialists TomTom.

Digital can rise more with brand involvement

Fri, 11 Dec 2009

Amidst the doom and gloom of the recession, glimmers of hope appeared to be cracking through this week when the main media networks revised forecasts to show improvement in ad spend next year. Online ad spend was widely predicted to experience further growth, and the increasing, as opposed to decreasing, figures over the last few years speak volumes.

BA to keep OpenSkies premium brand

Fri, 11 Dec 2009

British Airways has insisted it will keep its premium airline brand, OpenSkies,

Network Rail opens £100m pitch for outdoor ad account

Fri, 11 Dec 2009

Network Rail has put its £100m contract to sell advertising space on its roadside advertising hoardings out to pitch.

Danny Glover to star in Orange Gold Spot ad

Thu, 10 Dec 2009

Orange has signed Hollywood actor Danny Glover to star in its latest Orange Gold Spot cinema advert.

Tesco to launch iPhone on December 14

Thu, 10 Dec 2009

Tesco Mobile has confirmed it will launch iPhone in the UK on December 14, in time for Christmas.

Sports Direct sees profits falls but remains confident

Thu, 10 Dec 2009

Sports Direct, the value-based sports retailer, has increased its forecasts for underlying annual earnings to “at least” £155m.

Panasonic takes 50% share of Sanyo

Thu, 10 Dec 2009

Electronics giant Panasonic has acquired a 50.19% share in rival company Sanyo.

Information Commissioner launches consultation into online data

Wed, 9 Dec 2009

The Information Commissioner’s Office is launching an online consultation on a new draft code of practice which will provide organisations with a practical and common sense approach to protecting individuals’ privacy online.

Fiat moves £20m UK media account to Maxus

Wed, 9 Dec 2009

Fiat has moved its £20m UK media planning and buying account, handing it to WPP agency Maxus as part of its global realignment.

Car maker mergers not a silver bullet

Wed, 9 Dec 2009

Moves by automotive giants Volkswagen and Peugeot to create superbrands through mergers with Porsche and Mitsubishi respectively will fail to reignite the struggling car industry, branding experts have warned.

Post Office needs to connect to community

Wed, 9 Dec 2009

Sony Europe hands £50m ad account to Anomaly

Tue, 8 Dec 2009

Sony Europe has handed its £50 million advertising account to Anomaly, after a final two-way pitch against incumbent agency Fallon.

DraftFCB retains Post Office DM account

Tue, 8 Dec 2009

DraftFCB has retained the £15m direct marketing account for the Post Office. The agency beat OgilvyOne and TMW to the business in the final round.

Research urges brands to utilise social media for teens

Tue, 8 Dec 2009

TV is still the main media channel for teenagers, but brands should utilise social interaction online more, a research study by Forrester has revealed.

Google launches real-time search

Tue, 8 Dec 2009

Google has increased competition in the search marketing industry with the launch of its real-time search functionality, offering users access to up to the second information.

Orange appoints Iris for retail marketing

Mon, 7 Dec 2009

Orange has appointed Iris to handle all of its UK retail sales promotion and marketing activity.

Zoe Lucker promotes new Ubisoft fitness game

Mon, 7 Dec 2009

Ubisoft Entertainment has signed a partnership with TV actress Zoe Lucker to promote its new fitness game Your Shape.

Kit Kat to bear fairtrade mark

Mon, 7 Dec 2009

Kit Kat is to become the first Nestle chocolate to carry the fairtrade mark on its packaging from January.

General Motors appoints new European president

Fri, 4 Dec 2009

Vauxhall’s former managing director Nick Reilly has been named as the new president of General Motors Europe.

Car sales increase 57% in November

Fri, 4 Dec 2009

UK car sales rose by 57.6% in November compared with a year earlier, proving the scrappage scheme is having an impact on the struggling industry.

Jack Daniel’s returns to TV for Christmas

Fri, 4 Dec 2009

Jack Daniel’s is to return to TV screens as part of its Christmas promotions push.

Nestle makes Pure Life marathon sponsor

Fri, 4 Dec 2009

Nestlé Waters UK has switched sponsorship of the Virgin London Marathon from Vittel water to Nestlé Pure Life.

Renault launches new TV channel

Thu, 3 Dec 2009

Renault is expanding its brand with the launch of a new Sky TV channel, called Renault TV, which goes live today (December 3) on Sky channel 883.

Birmingham NIA seeks naming rights partner

Wed, 2 Dec 2009

Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena has announced it is seeking a naming rights partner.

EDF Energy launches low carbon ad campaign

Wed, 2 Dec 2009

EDF Energy is to launch a national print advertising campaign this week highlighting focusing in energy saving initiatives ahead of the Copenhagen climate change conference.

Vodafone expands brand into healthcare

Wed, 2 Dec 2009

Vodafone has announced it is to extend its brand by launching a healthcare unit, using its mobile technology to help patients and medical staff.

O2 readies personalised mobile ad service

Wed, 2 Dec 2009

O2 is launching a new advertising service enabling personalised mobile ads for its customers.

Audi plans centenary marketing push

Wed, 2 Dec 2009

Audi is looking to boost global interest in its brand with a marketing campaign celebrating the company’s 100th anniversary.

Government to launch new sexual health ad

Tue, 1 Dec 2009

The Department of Health and Department for Children, Schools and Families is launching a new campaign to help young people understand the importance of using contraception.

Branding gets personnel touch

03 December 2009

Companies are tapping into the personal branding skills of their employees, made possible by the explosion of social media platforms, to inject their brands with personality and respond better to consumer demands.

English Provender invests £1.5m on Very Lazy rebrand

03 December 2009

Sauce manufacturer aims to takes advantage of revival in home cooking.

New London free paper in the pipeline

Mon, 30 Nov 2009

A new London free newspaper is understood to be readying to launch in the capital, just two months after the London Lite and thelondonpapet closed.

Marketers make intelligence choice

26 November 2009

Customer insight not only allows brands to inject science into the art of marketing, a background in data offers marketers the quickest route to a board-level role.

T-Mobile scandal leaves data protection in tatters

Thu, 19 Nov 2009

The news that a T-Mobile employee had access to thousands of customer’s private and confidential contract data - and was able to sell it to third party sales houses - has sparked fury from both consumers and industry professionals. It has also awoken concerns over just how safe it is to provide such data to brands in the first place, which could have dire consequences for any online marketer.

Dark horse emerges to raise the iPhone stakes

19 November 2009

White-label mobile handset supplier HTC has fixed its sights on Apple as it steps up its efforts to become a dominant brand in the lucrativesmartphone market.

Marketers say digital is at the heart of engagement

Wed, 11 Nov 2009

Marketers have used the Internet Advertising Bureau’s Engage conference to emphasise that advertisers should treat digital as a core engagement tool.

Google to buy AdMob for $750m

Tue, 10 Nov 2009

Google has announced a deal to buy mobile advertising network AdMob for $750m (£449m) in an effort to boost its mobile marketing capabilities.

Talking shop: Umbrella branding

12 November 2009

As Heinz embarks on a £5m campaign to push the brand over beans, we took the case for umbrella branding to leading marketers. It is an issue that divides the industry.

Google launches Dashboard for users to control data

Thu, 5 Nov 2009

Google has launched its Dashboard system that will give users access to their account data and lets them control the ads they will see under the proposed interest-based advertising.

Futureproofing through interactivity

Thu, 29 Oct 2009

YouTube broke another of its records this week when its live webcast of U2’s “360” concert at Los Angeles’ Rose Bowl on Sunday generated nearly 10 million streams worldwide. This is a significant success for Google’s video company, but it also serves as a poignant reminder to marketers that technology will prove fundamental to futureproofing brands as traditional methods begin to be overshadowed.

Publicis revenues continue to dip

Tue, 27 Oct 2009

Publicis Groupe, owner of Starcom and Saatchi & Saatchi, has seen revenues dip 7.4% in the first nine months of the year but says there is a “gradual recovery” on the way.

Metro will gain if Lite closes, says Associated

28 October 2009

Associated Newspapers will use resources freed up from a possible London Lite closure, to enhance its Metro morning freesheet.

Samsung lets consumers produce ad campaign

Mon, 26 Oct 2009

Samsung has teamed up with online news portal Current Media to invite consumers in the UK to produce the ad campaign for its environmentally friendly touch phone “Blue Earth”.

BA to respond to EC concerns over merger

Mon, 26 Oct 2009

British Airways is pressing ahead with plans to merge with American Airlines ahead of a ruling by the European Commission on the legality of the tie-up.

FSA promotes healthy eating through UKTV show

Mon, 26 Oct 2009

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is to sponsor UKTV cookery show Family Supercooks and will use its idents to promote healthier eating among families in the UK.

Survival of the fittest

Fri, 16 Oct 2009

There are a lot of terms that are overused in the economic gloom as it forces us to change our way of thinking. One of these is “survival of the fittest”. Yet speaking to marketing directors at the annual Marketing Forum on board the Aurora ship, it is apparent that for them that this philosophy will be central to their 2010 plans.

Marketers agree brands must relinquish control

Thu, 15 Oct 2009

Leading marketers have urged their peers to relinquish control of their brands, and recognise the impact that user generated content is having on brand reputations.

Selling a whole new ball game

14 October

The US passion for basketball has always left Britain and the rest of Europe cold - until now. The sport is gaining fans over here, and marketing it is as great a challenge as any championship. By Joe Fernandez

Satisfaction is… exceeding expectations

08 October 2009

Brands can protect their reputation by ensuring consumer experience matches expectations. New research shows which sectors are getting it right - and which have harsh lessons to learn.

Digital keys open door to 21st century marketing

30 September 2009

Who is equipped for 21st century marketing well enough to control how their brand is represented online? Marketing Week and Google held a roundtable discussion with leading marketing experts to uncover how ready the industry is for a digital future.

Adventurous spirit takes wraps off a populist manifesto

Wed, 23 Sep 2009

Premium vodka brand Absolut is embarking on a new strategy that suggests ‘doing things differently leads to something exceptional’. Joe Fernandez assesses its chances of success.

U-turn on product placement fails to ignite TV industry

17 September 2009

The Government has indicated it is in favour of lifting the ban on product placement on commercial TV in the UK, but few are convinced such a move will pay dividends.

Insight can drive brand ambitions

Wed, 9 Sep 2009

In a week where well-known British brands have been involved in major business discussions, it would be an easy thing to forget about what marketers are thinking in these testing times.

Even negative views improve brand image

10 September 2009

Brands that open up an honest dialogue with consumers by using online channels to encourage positive and negative feedback are best placed to build trust and ultimately improve sales figures.

Turning crowd pleasers into brand builders

10 September 2009

A growing number of brands are moving on from the traditional sponsor function and adopting the role of entertainer at live events. The result is a better engaged and loyal fanbase.

What’s inside really counts

Wed, 19 Aug 2009

When writing this week’s cover feature on strategies to ensure that marketers are able to progress their careers even when times are tough, I looked at the news headlines to see whether marketers really had much to fear from the recession.

Why digital is still a buzzword

Wed, 12 Aug 2009

Engagement, personalisation, targeted - these are all major buzzwords in advertising right now and all fundamental to building brand equity. It’s not just HP’s CMO Michael Mendenhall that says this in our cover story this week but the majority of the marketing community Marketing Week speaks to on a daily basis.

A marriage of convenience...for consumers

Thu, 30 Jul 2009

OPINION: So Yahoo! and Microsoft have tied the knot at last; well, in a manner of speaking at least. It’s taken 18 months for their partnership to come to a conclusion, but search marketing looks like it might finally become that little bit more competitive.

Knowledge is only power if squeaky clean

30 July 2009

Customer data is often a company’s most valuable asset. But it can only ensure brand campaigns tap into audience insights if the information used is segmented and clean.

Mediaedge:cia wins £120m Daimler media account

Wed, 15 Jul 2009

Mediaedge:cia has been appointed as the German media agency for the Daimler AG group, which owns Mercedes Benz.

Revamped Jaguar tries new route to market

16 July 2009

Keen to keep costs down but still inspire affluent consumers, Jaguar is ditching TV for an experiential launch strategy involving PR, roadshows and sponsorship.

Brand ties that bind

02 July 2009

Technology and electronics companies are ditching their gadget-led campaigns and instead taking their brand values to the consumer. Their aim is to capture people’s hearts and win their loyalty, as car makers and FMCG brands have done before.

How digital makes it easier to engage with an audience

02 July 2009

With digital media now firmly entrenched in the marketing mix, there was no shortage of advice about how to make the best use of it throughout the festival. Joe Fernandez reports from France

Microsoft creates new ad teams

Fri, 26 Jun 2009

Cannes: Microsoft is bidding to improve its advertising sales via the creation of two new teams to handle relations with brand marketing chiefs and agencies.

Annan and Geldof launch climate change campaign

Fri, 26 Jun 2009

Cannes: A major climate change campaign has been launched at the Cannes Lions advertising festival this morning (June 26) by former secretary general of the United Nations and Live Aid founder Bob Geldof.

Digital marketing key to Obama’s success

Thu, 25 Jun 2009

Cannes: A combination of digital and grassroots marketing was fundamental to the success of Barack Obama’s US presidential campaign, his campaign manager David Plouffe declared today (June 25).

Microsoft reignites tie-up talks with Yahoo!

Wed, 24 Jun 2009

Cannes: Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer has reignited speculation of a possible partnership with Yahoo!.

Personal touch sends out the right message

25 June 2009

Brands that use email to engage with consumers who have given your marketing team permission to communicate with them will gain more than companies that send out unsolicited spam.

MW Live - Profile: David Wheldon

Fri, 19 Jun 2009

Vodafone’s global brand director suggests a recession can be a good time for marketing and says that brands should take advantage of emerging technologies to communicate with customers.

Samsung Mobile appoints Grey as lead agency

Wed, 17 Jun 2009

Samsung Mobile has appointed Grey as its lead global ad agency as part of major shake up of its roster, following a pitch.

The real-time thing

4 June 2009

As brands take advantage of online tools to carry out quantitative and qualitative research, Joe Fernandez discovers this technology not only provides real-time insights, but costs less than traditional methods