Marketing Week
29 November 2007

  • £37m a year wasted on car ads

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Car retailers are wasting £37m a year on online advertising, according to used car website fish4cars. It claims poor quality ads with no pictures cost 17m in wasted advertising spend, while ads lacking basic details such as colour or number of doors cost a further £20m.

  • A Day in the Life of Tim Backshall

    Mon, 3 Dec 2007

    "Best days are when I'm connecting with loads of people in my team - loads of discussion about every topic- it keeps me in touch and on top of things. I love interruptions. I love a busy day; I love it when everyone's in the office and it's buzzin' "

  • ABTA launches green scheme for travellers on the Web

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    The Association of British Travel Agents has launched its first approved carbon offsetting programme for the travel industry.

  • Are affiliates friends or foe?

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    There's no disputing that affiliate marketing can be effective, but with marketers knowing little about it, and affiliates knowing little about advertising, the scope for bad practice is wide. By Martin Croft

  • Australians complete Global Travel Group takeover

    Mon, 3 Dec 2007

    Stella Group, the Australian travel company, will create the UK's largest network of independent of travel agents following its acquisition of UK chain, Global Travel Group. The deal is expected to be approved by shareholders in January.

  • Aveda to push green issues in campaign

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Aveda, the beauty products company, is ramping up its focus on its green credentials as part of a marketing strategy for next year. It plans to launch a product or range linked to an environmental issue every two months.

  • Avoiding style over substance

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Eyecatching website content can be good but not if it is at the expense of usability. The novelty of an attractive website will soon wear off if all consumers can do is look at it. By Nathalie Kilby

  • BARB extends TV audience measure contract deadline

    Wed, 5 Dec 2007

    The Broadcasters Audience Research Board (BARB) has been forced to extend the tender deadline for its 10m TV audience measure contract over fears that the negotiations would run out of time.

  • BARB to take centre stage in the TV farce

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Oh dear. The renewal of the BARB TV viewing measurement contract is making market research rather exciting - and for all the wrong reasons.

  • Beach holidays will be a thing of the past, says Porritt

    Fri, 30 Nov 2007

    Environmentalist Jonathon Porritt has told the travel industry that Mediterranean beach holidays and European ski trips will become a thing of the past in 20 years because of the impact of climate change. Porritt says a "business-as-usual mindset" is no longer acceptable and that companies will be ...

  • Beer brands run out of ideas

    Wed, 5 Dec 2007

    Coors Brewers shock announcement last week that it is ending its sponsorship of the Carling Weekender music festival comes as UK brewers are still reeling from Englands failure to qualify for the Euro 2008 football championships.

  • Bernard's dire digital radio warning

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Digital radio is "facing a crisis" despite the forthcoming launch of a national commercial multiplex next year, according to outgoing GCap Media chief executive Ralph Bernard.

  • Beware the trust trap

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Trust may be an essential foundation for business, but marketers place far too much faith in it at the expense of other brand qualities, says Andy Nairn

  • Broadcast giants collaborate to restore public trust

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Broadcasters have agreed to work together to restore public trust in the industry, following a summit held by media regulator Ofcom and the BBC Trust this week. The agreement follows allegations of television trickery and phone-in abuses which have led to fines from Ofcom and premium rate services regulator Icstis.

  • Cadbury World adds Big to roster as marketing agency

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Big Communications has been appointed by Cadbury World to handle its integrated advertising account. The win follows a four-way pitch against UnitComms, Connect Group and KLM.

  • Camelot sales slump sparks concerns over 2012 funding

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Sales of Camelot's Olympic fundraising game Dream Number have fallen by a third since it launched last year, calling into question the ability of the National Lottery to raise £2.2bn to fund the 2012 games.

  • Channel 4 director Henwood to leave after on-demand deal

    Fri, 30 Nov 2007

    Channel 4 director of new business Rod Henwood is leaving the broadcaster after it agreed a deal with BBC Worldwide and ITV to launch an on-demand TV service. Henwood was instrumental in the development of Channel 4's on-demand service 4oD, which launched last year.

  • Channel 4 poaches Shennan for radio task

    Mon, 3 Dec 2007

    Channel 4 has poached Bob Shennan, the controller of BBC Radio Five, to head the launch of its three new digital stations. He will take over the director of radio job from Nathalie Schwarz, who has been promoted to the Channel 4 board as new business and corporate development director.

  • CHI denies rumours it is in line for Virgin Money brief

    Wed, 5 Dec 2007

    Speculation is mounting about Virgin Moneys 23m media planning and buying account as it continues its battle to take over beleaguered Northern Rock.

  • CHI scoops Tiger as first media brief

    Wed, 5 Dec 2007

    Tiger has appointed its CHI&Partners to handle its 1m media planning and buying business. It is understood the agency snatched the brief from incumbent PHDafter winning for its advertising account last month.

  • Chris Ingram: Google triumphant

    Wed, 5 Dec 2007

    Google is entirely a product of today: its hugely successful, breathtakingly ambitious and has no experience (so far) of failure.

  • Cornhill goes online with first digital ad campaign

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Cornhill Direct, the insurance brand, is launching an online campaign targeting the over-45s. The campaign, created by TBG London, is the brand's first digital push.

  • Creative Showcase Award: Glue wins gold for greener travel Virgin ads

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Glue London has won this month's Interactive Advertising Bureau's Creative Showcase Award, in association with MDAS, for its latest work for Virgin Trains.

  • Creston shifts strategy amid economic uncertainty

    Fri, 30 Nov 2007

    Creston, the marketing services group that owns Delaney Lund Knox Warren, is shifting its short-term focus from acquisition to organic growth due to the global economic uncertainty.

  • Currys and PC World owners profits fall

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    DSG International, the retail group that owns Currys and PC World, has been hit by falling sales of laptops and white goods. Its poor performance has fuelled concerns that the UK is facing a consumer slowdown.

  • Dare to be different

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Only tailored and innovative point of purchase material that allows brands to stamp their DNA on in-store displays will be successful in the constant battle for retail floorspace, says Sarah Rayner

  • Deloitte agrees London 2012 sponsorship deal

    Tue, 4 Dec 2007

    LOCOG, the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, has signed financial services company Deloitte as the first tier two sponsor for London 2012.

  • Duff poised for top Euro role in IPG media shake-up

    Wed, 5 Dec 2007

    Graham Duff, the Universal McCann president for EMEA, is set to take an expanded role overseeing the region’s operations for Interpublic Group sister agency Initiative. It follows IPG’s decision to align the media networks more closely.

  • Easy Living launches "eco edition"

    Mon, 3 Dec 2007

    Easy Living, the Cond?ast-owned women's monthly magazine, is launching a compact "eco edition" in response to reader demand for a convenient but green product. It claims it is the first glossy womens magazine to offer a environmentally friendlier paper option.

  • Eccentric seeks humanity

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Esure's quirky ads set a trend in the insurance sector, but the brand is now responding to the rise of price comparison websites by sponsoring ITV weather. Jonathan Harwood reports

  • EMAP names market head for First and Grazia titles

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    EMAP Advertising has promoted its strategic communications director Rebecca Lisica to the new role of head of market for Grazia and First.

  • Five seeks agency to refresh on-air identity after exit of director

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Five is talking to agencies about a project to refresh the broadcaster's on-air identity. The news follows the departure of its marketing director Jane Scott last month.

  • Former Coke UK chief to take on Japan and China

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Julia Goldin, Coca-Cola Great Britain's former marketing director, is understood to have landed a senior marketing role at the soft drink giant's operations in Japan and China.

  • Future forward for Stevie Spring

    Wed, 5 Dec 2007

    Stevie Springs smile was even broader than usual last week after her magazine publishing company Future reported impressive full-year results just 18 months into her tenure. That the former Clear Channel UK chief executive has achieved so much in such a short space of time has surprised few in the industry.

  • Glasses Direct appoints first marketing director

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Glasses Direct has appointed Phil Gates, former head of online marketing at Virgin Mobile and Virgin Media, as its marketing director. The appointment is one of a number of recruits for the online retailer's inaugural marketing department.

  • Glasses Direct focuses on fashion

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    James Murray Wells, the 24-year-old entrepreneur behind online spectacles retailer Glasses Direct, has appointed Albion as the company's first retained advertising agency ahead of a renewed marketing push (MW last week). It is the latest ...

  • Humby urges travel industry to copy Tesco’s use of data

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Clive Humby, the co-founder of Dunhumby, the company behind Tesco Clubcard, has urged the travel industry to learn from the retailer’s collection and use of data about customers.

  • Igor principle will enrich all our lives with laughter and wisdom

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    If humour is the brain's way of dealing with error then England should be delirious following the missing discs farce, not to mention the football

  • Is starbucks an indicator for the coming of the 'latte recession'?

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Having changed the way people drink coffee, the company from Seattle has become an unwitting bellwether of the fortunes of the US economy

  • Isobel wins 5m business for WeightWatchers foods

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    It is understood that Isobel has won the 5m advertising account for WeightWatchers food products. It is thought that the agency won the account from incumbent agency CHI & Partners without a pitch.

  • Jobs axe to fall on GB Airline marketers

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    GB Airways' marketing department is expected to be axed when it is taken over by easyJet in the New Year.

  • Local Radio Company plans acquisitions after "positive" 2007

    Wed, 5 Dec 2007

    The Local Radio Company is seeking new acquisitions after a positive year, which has seen it decrease its losses. The group, led by former Jazz Fm chief executive Richard Wheatly, has decreased its losses from £18.5m last year to £8.5m for the year to September 30.

  • Marketing chief leaves Orange for Coca-Cola

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Oranges marketing procurement chief Nicholas Robert is leaving the company to join Coca-Cola. It is not known what role he will take at Coke but it is thought to be a senior position in the procurement department.

  • Marketing head John Luck leaves Time Out magazine

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Time Out group marketing director John Luck is leaving the company after three years. It is understood he is in talks with a number of undisclosed companies about a new role.

  • Marketing Week Interactive: Social Media

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Forward What's your strategy? Marketing Mix Making your voice heard Search vs Social The race of supremacy Affiliate Marketing Tailored Solutions Brand Reputation Influencing the debate Content Own...

  • Match.com unveils campaign for New Year push

    Tue, 4 Dec 2007

    Match.com, the online dating site, is encouraging people to "make love happen" rather than leaving it to "cupid and fate" in a new advertising campaign that breaks on New Year's Eve.

  • Mayor on warpath over freesheets litter

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    London Mayor Ken Livingstone has hit out at Associated Newspapers and News International for their "pitiful" efforts to clean up the waste caused by their afternoon freesheets. He made the comment in his monthly question time.

  • McDonalds teams up with Sheffield FC to kick off Boots for Africa appeal

    Fri, 30 Nov 2007

    McDonalds has signed up as a founding partner of Boots for Africa, a FIFA-backed appeal launched by Sheffield Football Club. It aims to collect 2 million pairs of used football boots and send them to Africa.

  • Media owners to join Online Marketing Show

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Marketing Week and New Media Age have broadened the Online Marketing Show to include media's role in marketing communications.

  • Mintel predicts boom in ethical living

    Fri, 30 Nov 2007

    The next year will see a raft of new products developed to suit "a simpler, purer, more natural way of life", according to research company Mintel. Its Global New Products Database predicts new "junk free" foods, a backlash against bottled water and a continued demand for ethical and environmental products.

  • Nectar and Airmiles sold to Canadian operator

    Mon, 3 Dec 2007

    LMG, the owner of the Nectar and Airmiles loyalty schemes, has been bought by Canadian loyalty marketing company Aeroplan for £350m. LMG chairman Sir Keith Mills will step down from the company when the acquisition is complete.

  • New bill proposes pre-9pm junk food ad ban

    Tue, 4 Dec 2007

    The Government will come under more pressure to introduce a total ban on advertising “junk” food on TV before 9pm today (December 4) with the introduction of a new private members bill.

  • New campaign - PriceRunner

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    PriceRunner.co.uk in race for Christmas presence

  • New campaign - Selfridges

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Selfridges unveils Christmas ads

  • New editor for redesigned Dennis title

    Mon, 3 Dec 2007

    Dennis Publishing has promoted David McComb to editor of Bizarre as it unveils a new look for the magazine. McComb previously held the role of managing editor.

  • O2 chief executive Erskine to quit next year

    Mon, 3 Dec 2007

    Peter Erskine, the chairman and chief executive of mobile operator O2, announced he is leaving the company next year. Matthew Key, currently chief executive of 02 UK, has been named as his replacement.

  • O2 seeks head for first CSR division

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    O2 is seeking a senior marketer to head a new corporate social responsibility (CSR) division. It is understood that O2 is the first mobile operator to launch a standalone CSR team.

  • O2 seeks mobile ad and IPTV alliances

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    O2 is looking to ramp up its offering in areas such as mobile advertising and internet protocol television (IPTV) by investing in entrepreneurial companies as part of a new venture capital programme.

  • Papa John's lures Pizza Hut marketer

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Pizza Hut director of retail marketing Simon Wallis has left the company to join rival pizza chain, Papa John's. It is not known what role he will take.

  • Premier Foods appoints McCann Erickson to 26m ad roster

    Mon, 3 Dec 2007

    McCann Erickson has taken the second place on the 26m Premier Foods advertising roster. The agency beat WCRS to win the business.

  • Pritt unveils range of coloured glue sticks

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Pritt, the Henkel-owned glue brand, is targeting mums and children with a new range of coloured glue sticks ahead of a brand revamp early next year.

  • Pugh's promotion makes him a contender for the Camelot throne

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Camelot's promotion of marketing director Martin Pugh to its executive board earlier this month opens the way for the former Pizza Hut and Safeway marketer to succeed chief executive Dianne Thompson when she steps down in 2012.

  • Quest to raise interest rates

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    The UK has more than 7,000 museums, theme parks, gardens, zoos and other attractions. All are using different parts of the media mix to increase visitor numbers, but which channels work best?

  • Rise in crime triggers agency search

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    A 100% rise in gun crime in London's City of Westminster has added to pressure on Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to step up the fight against gang violence and firearms offences.

  • RKCR resigns Virgin Money over conflict fears

    Mon, 3 Dec 2007

    RKCR/Y&R has resigned the 20m Virgin Money account after nine years because of conflict fears over the brand's ambitions to take over beleaguered bank Northern Rock. The WPP Group-owned agency also handles the 32m Lloyds TSB account.

  • Social Media 2007

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Interest in social media is phenomenal. Little wonder, as millions of people are interacting like never before. And advertisers are eager to be part of this space, whether it's via brand pages on Facebook, ad-funded blogs or ad-funded music downloads on MySpace.Read ...

  • Social Media: Affiliate Marketing

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Social media is a minefield for unsuspecting brands, but affiliate agencies are especially well placed to take advantage, says Nathalie Kilby

  • Social Media: Brand Reputation

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Blogs and postings can enhance or ruin a brands reputation, but owners should beware of trying to influence online debate, argues David Benady

  • Social Media: Content Owners

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Unauthorised sharing might make content owners nervous, but they should not fight it, as there are valuable opportunities for free advertising and brand promotion, says Catherine Turner

  • Social Media: Marketing Mix

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    It might have been dismissed as a fad by some, but the impact of social media is undeniable. Marketers need to take advantage of it before consumers take over completely, says Robert Lester.

  • Social Media: Roundtable

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    The opportunities for marketers in social media are plentiful. Tamar held a roundtable meeting to discuss the best approach into the online communities

  • Social Media: Search

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Social media are making an impact on listings. Brands must learn to adapt in an environment where search is everything, says Martin Croft

  • Sony Ericsson set to sponsor UEFA

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Sony Ericsson is thought to be close to sealing a sponsorship deal with the UEFA Champions League, marking its first move into football.

  • Sony poised to appoint Deutsch to £72m Playstation account

    Fri, 30 Nov 2007

    Sony Computer Entertainment is understood to have appointed Interpublic Group-owned Deutsch to handle the £72m ($150m) advertising business for Playstation. It ends a 13-year relationship with incumbent TBWA/Chiat/Day.

  • TBWA/London nets pan-European ad account for Emaar's hotel brand

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Emaar, the largest property owner in the Middle East, is poised to appoint TBWA/ London to its pan-European advertising account for its new hotel brand. The account is understood to be worth about £10m.

  • The BARB board gets a battering

    Fri, 30 Nov 2007

    Market research has a lot going for it as a business. Its high-margin, nearly recession-proof and genuinely global. Its also very boring, lacking the colourful unpredictability of, say, sales promotion for creating headlines of the wrong sort.

  • The great acts of pretence behind social responsibility

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    With business and adland pretending to be what they can never really be, is it any wonder CSR is regarded as spin and ads are under attack?

  • Thetrainline awards Propaganda ad work

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Thetrainline.com has appointed Propaganda to handle its 1m advertising account. The agency has won the business without a pitch.

  • Times Media splits opinions as it moves away from promotions

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Times Media's sales and marketing director Katie Vanneck is overhauling the company's marketing division and switching its emphasis away from promotions to retaining loyal readers (MW last week). It is a strategy that has been met with a mixture of approval ...

  • TUI to sell holidays via mobiles

    Fri, 30 Nov 2007

    TUI, the travel operator that owns Thomson and First Choice, is planning to launch a range of new products, including holidays which it will sell via mobile phones, based on user-generated content posted on its website.

  • Watchdog pulls plug on cannabis flavoured spirits

    Tue, 4 Dec 2007

    The Portman Group, the alcohol industry body, is removing three cannabis-flavoured drinks from shelves after complaints about the way they were packaged and marketed.

  • Whats your strategy? Its time to take advantage

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    Interest in social media is phenomenal. Little wonder, as millions of people are interacting like never before. And advertisers are eager to be part of this space, whether it’s via brand pages on Facebook, ad-funded blogs or ad-funded music downloads on MySpace. It is labelled as the very ...

  • Why the web is emerging as a champion, not an enemy, of tv

    Thu, 29 Nov 2007

    There are signs that user-generated content is about to give way to a tide of VOD and IPTV - a major break for TV, if it can drop its 'broadcast' ethos

  • WPP Dell win casts doubt over Mother

    Wed, 5 Dec 2007

    Mothers position on Dells $4.5bn (2.2bn) global advertising roster hangs in the balance after the computer giant appointed WPP Group to handle the consolidated business.

  • WPP launches agency for 2.2bn Dell account

    Mon, 3 Dec 2007

    Dell has appointed WPP Group to its 2.2bn advertising business after a final shoot out against Interpublic Group. The three-year deal will see WPP create a new agency to service the business.

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