Marketing Week articles from April 2003

Marketing Week archives from April 2003

Blighty's castles are still in the air. (This Week).(launch of VisitBritain)
April 3, 2003... Though the launch takes place against the backdrop of war -- never a congenial environment for tourism -- the arrival of VisitBritain has not come a minute too soon. VisitBritain, for the uninitiated, is a new body shaped from the merger...

P&G to downgrade half of marketing directors: move recognises different levels of status, but will not lead to pay cuts for senior marketers.(Procter & Gamble)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Procter & Gamble is to downgrade half of its marketing directors to the more junior position of associate marketing director, as part of a worldwide reorganisation initiated by global marketing officer Jim Stengel. A P&G UK spokeswoman...

Golden wonder picks ex-UB marketer as ceo.(United Biscuits; Ed Jackson)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Golden Wonder has drafted in former Unilever and United Biscuits heavyweight Ed Jackson as its new chief executive. He replaces Paul Monk, who left to start a venture capital company earlier this year. Jackson has worked in a number of...

Dixons appoints retail marketing director.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Dixons Stores Group (DSG) has appointed a marketing chief for its main retail brand, Dixons. Operations director John Mewett has been promoted to marketing director. He will report to managing director Chris Langley. Mewett's...

HBOS names ex-Boots chief as supremo.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Former Boots chief marketer Zoe Morgan has taken the top marketing job at HBOS, gaining a place on the bank's retail board, as part of a reshuffle of its retail marketing operations. James Boulton, who previously held the position but did...

Interflora appoints first marketer at board level. (News).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Interflora has appointed a senior Kodak marketer as its first board-level marketing director, after a seven-month search. Michael Barringer joins Interflora this week. He was Kodak's Advantix marketing director for Europe, the Middle East...

Gillette set for multi-million pound Right Guard deodorant relaunch. (News).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Gillette UK is to relaunch its personal care portfolio, following a brand review of its Right Guard, Gillette Series and Narrel ranges. The review has been headed by European unit business manager Jeff Reilly and conducted with roster...

Vivid Imaginations seeks marketing chief. (News).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Vivid Imaginations is looking for a marketing director to build on its position as the UK's third-largest toy company. Vivid Imaginations has been without a marketing director since Andy Cooper left in August last year (MW August 15, 2002)....

Lakeland in marketing boss search. (News).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Kitchenware and mail-order stores group Lakeland is looking for a director of marketing. Marketing chief Julian Rayner is to move into a new role, looking at business opportunities for the group. Rayner is one of three brothers who own...

ASA slams Letts over school card campaign. (News).(Advertising Standards Authority )(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Letts Educational, which provides exam study and revision guides, has been rapped by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for a school promotion that could encourage bullying. The campaign for the Letts Challenge, an online competition...

La Glacerie relaunches as Vivid foods brand. (News).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... A private label food company has changed its name and identity ahead of its first foray into the branded goods sector. It is also seeking to shake off bad publicity gained when the company went into receivership under its former management...

Barclays launches the second phase of its 'Fluent in Finance' campaign next week.(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Caption: Barclays launches the second phase of its 'Fluent in Finance' campaign next week. The TV ads continue the theme developed last year, of how Barclays is expert at managing money. There are three 40-second executions, called Pen, Flow...

Camelot push for syndicates in new TV ads. (News).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Camelot is to target individual trade groups in a specific advertising campaign for its Lottery syndicate service, breaking in June. Nationwide print advertising will be split into a series of sub-campaigns aimed at groups with similar...

Halfords rejig will cost up to 40 marketing jobs. (News).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Halfords, the retailer known for selling bicycles and car accessories, is cutting up to 40 of its marketing team. The shake-up follows the arrival last month of former Homebase chief executive Rob Templeman as chairman and Chris Woodhouse,...

Campbell centre to boost product innovation. (News).(Campbell Grocery Products unveils research and development center)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Campbell Grocery Products unveils a [pounds sterling]3m research and development centre this week, as part of a plan to increase its UK product development programme. The centre is housed in a fourstorey converted cannery in Worksop,...

Asda and Spar to pre-empt Coca-Cola's vanilla launch. (News).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Coca-Cola has suffered a blow to its launch of Vanilla Coke following two retailers' decision to launch their own-brand vanilla cola in the all important two-litre bottles, two months before the soft drinks giant's own brand hits the shelves....

Walter Holland turns to former Quorn marketer. (News).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Nigel White, formerly marketing controller at meat substitute brand Quorn, has been appointed commercial director of pie maker Walter Holland & Sons. Marketing was previously handled by sales and marketing director Jonathan Barr, who has...

AMP chief lands AA finance post. (Digests).(Stephen Lowe)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... The AA has appointed former AMP Banking marketing director Stephen Lowe as head of AA financial services marketing, in an attempt to develop this area of its business. Lowe takes up his post on April 21 and will report directly to AA sales...

Bausch & Lomb promotes marketer to pharmo role. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Bausch & Lomb, the eye care specialist, has promoted UK marketing director Anthony John to the newly created role of commercial director for pharmaceuticals, as part of a wider restructuring of its core business areas. John will take...

CBI. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... CBI figures show that UK retail sales plummeted for March, making it one of the poorest-performing months for more than a decade.

The Strategic Railway Authority. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... The Strategic Railway Authority has effectively sacked First Group from its East Anglian trains franchise.

KLM. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... KLM, the ailing Dutch airline, is planning to cut 'several thousand' jobs.

The Financial Services Authority. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... The Financial Services Authority has appointed Callum McCarthy as chairman to replace Sir Howard Davies. McCarthy is chairman and chief executive of Ofgem...

The FSA. (Digests).(fines Royal & SunAlliance)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... ... The FSA has fined Royal & SunAlliance [pounds sterling]950,000 for mis-selling mortgage endowment policies.

Diadora. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Diadora, the Italian sportswear manufacturer, has signed a two-year sponsorship deal with Bradford City FC, starting next season.

Duracell. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Duracell, the Gillette-owned battery brand, is introducing colour coding for different battery sizes to help consumers find the right product. The launch is being supported by a television and outdoor campaign.

Vodafone. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Vodafone has said it will launch 3G services in the UK in October or November.

Lastminute.com. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Lastminute.com has bought Holiday Autos for [pounds sterling]39.7m. The car rental broker will remain a separate brand under Lastminute.

Scope. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Scope has created a poster and print campaign to highlight the problems facing disabled people in finding work. The campaign breaks on Monday (April 7).

Marks & Spencer. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Marks & Spencer is to launch a menswear range for men over 35. It is understood it will be called SP and will be introduced to stories in september.

House of Fraser. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... House of Fraser is launching an own-brand luxury food range called World of Food.

Glasgow Celtic FC. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Glasgow Celtic FC is to launch a credit card in the UK, Ireland, US and Canada in conjunction with MBNA.

Accantia is to repackaging its core Simple line of skincare and beauty products. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Accantia is to repackaging its core Simple line of skincare and beauty products, supported by a [pounds sterling]2m integrated advertising campaign.

Reckitt Benckiser has appointed Adrian Bellamy as chairman designate. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Reckitt Benckiser has appointed Adrian Bellamy as chairman designate, taking over from Dr Hakan Mogren.

The England Marketing Advisory Board. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... The England Marketing Advisory Board (EMAB) has appointed Hilton UK & Ireland's vice-president of marketing, Hugh Taylor, as part-time, non-executive chairman. See News Analysis, page 19.

Grey Worldwide scoops $l00m N-Gage launch. (Agencies).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Nokia has appointed Grey Worldwide to handle the $ l00m ([pounds sterling]63.4m) global launch of its new gaming mobile phone, N-Gage. The mobile phone manufacturer had discussions with alternative agencies for the launch of N-Gage, before...

1576 retains [pounds sterling]6m brief for VisitScotland. (Agencies).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... VisitScotland, formerly the Scottish Tourist Office, has reappointed 1576 to handle its [pounds]6m advertising business. The business is one of the most coveted in Scotland, and 1576 beat off competition from The Union, Faulds, M&C Saatchi...

Fallon and Clemmow Hornby Inge secure places on BT's ad roster. (Agencies).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... BT has added Fallon and Clemmow Hornby Inge (CHI) to its roster of creative agencies, despite the latter's existing relationship with mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse, which has recently entered the fixed-line telephony sector. ...

Weiden & Kennedy set to win Aiwa account. (Agencies).
April 3, 2003... Sony-owned electronics brand Aiwa is in final discussions with Wieden & Kennedy over its multi-million pound global creative business after a four-way pitch against Fallon, Strawberry Frog and TBWA Worldwide. Aiwa has also appointed OMD Europe...

Bates UK loses [pounds sterling]21m Royal Mail. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Beleaguered ad agency Bates UK has lost the [pounds sterling]21m Royal Mail advertising account. The decision ends an eight-year relationship as Bates endures one of the most dismal periods in its history. After putting the pitch out to...

BDH/TBWA wins [pounds sterling]8m Morrisons ad business. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... William Morrison, the supermarket chain embroiled in a battle to buy Safeway, has returned its [pounds sterling]8m advertising account to BDH/TBWA, after a six-year break. BDH/TB WA, which pitched against Cheetham Bell JWT, worked on the...

Camp Chipperfield Hill Murray. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Camp Chipperfield Hill Murray has created a [pounds sterling]12m branding campaign for More Than, which breaks next week. The campaign includes TV, cinema and poster advertising.

Burkitt DDB. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Burkitt DDB has resigned the [pounds sterling]260,000 advertising account for Brent Cross shopping centre, after agency and client could not agree on a future strategy.

Publicis. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Publicis will handle advertising for Asda's insurance products, which were launched on Monday in conjunction with Norwich Union. The retailer is also considering offering credit cards and personal loans.

Claydon Heeley Jones Mason has been appointed to Selfridges. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Claydon Heeley Jones Mason has been appointed to Selfridges' direct marketing account -- previously handled in house -- following a three-way pitch.

J Walter Thompson has created a [pounds sterling]4.8m global brand ad campaign for Reckitt Benckiser's renamed hair-removal range Veet, formerly Immac. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... J Walter Thompson has created a [pounds sterling]4.8m global brand ad campaign for Reckitt Benckiser's renamed hair-removal range Veet, formerly Immac. Television and press advertising breaks on April 7.

McCann-Erickson has launched a [pounds sterling]1m campaign to promote MSN Messenger. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... McCann-Erickson has launched a [pounds sterling]1m campaign to promote MSN Messenger. The campaign features radio and online advertising. Online creative work is through AKQA...

McCann-Erickson's grip on the creative brief for SSL International's medical division. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... McCann-Erickson's grip on the creative brief for SSL International's medical division is in doubt after the unit was sold to an unnamed buyer last week.

Lida, the direct marketing arm of M&C Saatchi. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Lida, the direct marketing arm of M&C Saatchi, has been appointed to handle advertising, direct marketing and digital work for the graduate recruitment arm of KPMG.

Mercier Gray has created a European marketing campaign to promote the launch of two Sega computer games. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Mercier Gray has created a European marketing campaign to promote the launch of two Sega computer games, Super Monkey Ball 2 and Super Monkey Ball Junior. The campaign features press and point-of-purchase advertising.

Publicis London. (Digests).(announces Lucy Purdy steps down as head of strategic planning)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Publicis London head of strategic planning Lucy Purdy has stepped down. Planners will now report to joint chief executive Derek Morris.

AD Creative. (Digests).(designs a new corporate identity for J. Wray & Nephew)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... AD Creative, the design agency, has designed a new corporate identity for rum and spirits brand J Wray & Nephew.

Clownfish. (Digests).(will handle marketing for UFO Contemporary)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Clownfish, the youth marketing agency, has been appointed to handle below-the-line marketing and PR for fashion brand UFO Contemporary.

Cheetham Bell JWT. (Digests).(creates a campaign for Thorpe Park)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Cheetham Bell JWT has created a [pounds sterling]1m TV radio and cinema campaign for Thorpe Park, featuring the Nemesis Inferno ride. The campaign breaks on Friday.

Liquorice has been appointed to work on Kettle Foods. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Liquorice has been appointed to work on Kettle Foods' on- and offline marketing after pitching against 12 other agencies.

PHD wins [pounds sterling]3.5m Barr Soft Drinks. (Media).(PHD wins the media buying account for AG Barr Soft Drinks)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... PHD has been appointed to handle the [pounds sterling]3.5m media buying account for AG Barr Soft Drinks following a three-way pitch against BLM Media and Feather Brooksbank. The review was handled by Billetts and incumbent Mediaedge:CIA...

Times unveils rival to the Guardian's Society. (Media).(The Times is launching a weekly supplement for the public sector)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... The Times is to launch a weekly supplement for the public sector, in competition with The Guardian's Society supplement. The new supplement will be called Public Agenda and appear on a Tuesday, the day before Society. With a pagination of...

Octagon promotes marketing chief to md. (Media).(Andrew Wallet is promoted)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Andrew Wallet, the sales and marketing director of troubled Octagon Mororsports, has been promoted to managing director four months after joining the company. Waller replaces interim managing director Michael Browning, who will remain a...

EMAP to take over sales for student radio. (Media).(Student Broadcast Network)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... EMAP has taken over sales for the Student Broadcast Network (SBN). It will handle all airtime sales and commercial deals for the network, which has 53 subscriber student radio stations. SBN was set up about six years ago and is owned by...

Carat picks up [pounds sterling]2m Hotpoint. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... White goods brand Hotpoint has moved its [pounds sterling]2m media buying account to Carat from Mediaedge:-CIA. Last week, Italian owner Merloni Elettrodomestici announced it is to invest [pounds sterling]9m in the brand after dropping Ariston...

Blade's future under threat after PHD pulls media work. (Digests).(UK)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Omnicom-owned media agency PHD is poised to move its outdoor buying business from Alban-owned outdoor specialist Blade to rival Poster Publicity. The move leaves the future of Blade in doubt following several losses at the Alban Group. ...

BSkyB. (Digests).(Mark Sharman named deputy managing director of Sky networks )(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... BSkyB director of broadcasting and production Mark Sharman has been made deputy managing director at Sky networks. He will report to Dawn Airey.

Linda Genower, managing director of IPC Media's women's. (Digests).(leaves company)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Linda Genower, managing director of IPC Media's women's. weeklies division, is leaving the company. Her departure follows the appointment of Sylvia Auton as chief executive last week.

The Sun. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... The Sun is expected to increase its cover price from 25p in most regions, after the Daily Mirror called an end to the price war by returning to a cover price of 32p.

The BBC. (Digests).(to take its dispute with BSkyB to Independent Television Commission)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... The BBC is expected to take its dispute with BSkyB over satellite channel slots to the Independent Television Commission.

Pepsi. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Pepsi is to sponsor a pop concert, featuring acts such as Blue, that is being held to raise funds for the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy charity. Called the Pepsi Silver Clef Concert, it will take place in Manchester on May 14.

MindShare. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... MindShare's grip on the Adams UK media buying account is under threat after Cadbury Schweppes bought the confectionery business from Pfizer.

MXR. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... MXR, the digital radio consortium, has launched a promotion with retailer Comet to push digital radio in the North-west, North-east and the Midlands. The promotion will run on Galaxy FM, Heart 106.2, Century FM and Jazz FM stations in the...

Jazz FM. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Jazz FM has a new advertising campaign, due to break on April 7. It has been created by Kitcatt Nohr.

Black & Decker is sponsoring a new property game on Five called Hot Property. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Black & Decker is sponsoring a new property game on Five called Hot Property, which starts on April 11. The sponsorship will be tied to an in-store promotion.

Eve magazine. (Digests).
April 3, 2003... Eve magazine, owned by BBC Magazines, has launched a competition with Models 1 and Principles to find the face of Eve. It is only open to women aged over 30 years old.

Watford Football Club. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... Watford Football Club is seeking a two-year sponsorship deal for next season. Toshiba has offered to renew its sponsorship, but has allowed the club to take the deal out to the market.

CNBC. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... CNBC is considering taking legal action against the Independent Television Commission over its decision to reprimand the channel for broadcasting a TV series on the single currency that had been funded with European Commission grants.

American Express. (Digests).(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... American Express is to sponsor a team of explorers that will be the first to retrace steps of those that took part in the 1845 expedition to find the north-west Passage in the Arctic.

Sharper scurtiny of TV sponsorship: TV sponsorship raises brand awareness--that is what it is designed for--but what else does it do? And do brand marketers care? Asks David Benady.
April 3, 2003... Television sponsorship has become as typecast as an ageing soap star and needs a revamp if it is to persuade marketers that it can be used for more than simply building brand awareness. That, at least, is the view of one of the industry s...

Cricket sponsorship will have to adapt to survive: sponsorship arguments have threatened to tear the cricket world apart over the last year. Kevin Alavy looks at ways the sport can resolve this in-fighting.
April 3, 2003... Over the last decade international cricket has experienced a boom in its popularity, a point demonstrated by the success of this year's World Cup. But success brings with it its own set of problems. While the multi-channel viewer now has a...

Putting England back on the map. (News Analysis).
April 3, 2003... This week VisitBritain launches, promoting Britain and England to domestic and overseas tourists. But, with separate bodies for Scotland and Wales, marketing of the UK appears confused and disparate. Luring tourists to Britain in recent...

Brands that get lost in the white goods noise: many of us buy white goods only when the old models break down. Can manufacturers alter the low priority attached to branding? Asks Caroline Parry.
April 3, 2003... White goods manufacturers face a difficult task trying to capture the imaginations of consumers, who tend to buy their products only out of necessity. And when consumers do take the plunge -- often because their existing product has broken or...

Better the devils you know? (Cover Story).
April 3, 2003... When a new marketing director arrives at a company, the existing team may justifiably be worried. In addition to bringing their own ideas and ways of working, many senior marketers seek to recruit one or more of their former colleagues. Gemma...

Trade war looms as West faces Third World uprising: Bush and Blair talk of Iraq's liberation, but they and their Western partners are keen to hobble the developing world with repressive trade agreements. (Business).
April 3, 2003... As US marines became bogged down on the road to Baghdad earlier this week, a far less dramatic but no less important engagement by an international coalition was also stalling. The Doha round of talks by the 145-member World Trade Organisation...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
April 3, 2003... Press-ganged into picking team players David Bodmer's response (MW March 13) to lain Murray's hilarious tirade amply illustrates the foolishness of being rude about recruitment agencies. It is doubtful that poor Murray will find a flock of...

Ice cap in hand in aid of Bobby Moore. (Marketing Week Diary).
April 3, 2003... Ah, April at last. As the daffodils bloom and hedgehogs begin once more to die on the roads, thoughts turn to spring, sunshine and the warming of the world as the northern hemisphere tilts towards the sun. But some people, it seems, haven't...

Paul Philpott brushes with danger. (Marketing Week Diary).
April 3, 2003... Last week's lookalike feature inadvertently stumbled on an unpalatable aspect of Derbyshire's leading Japanese carmaker: baldness. Mike Moran joined Toyota in 1996, and a year later he brought in former colleague Paul Philpott to join him....

Crimes of fashion. (Marketing Week Diary).(Oyster Partners launches radio frequency identity tags for media agency staff)(Brief Article)
April 3, 2003... According to Oyster Partners, staff at new media agencies are not renowned for their dress sense. So to help them, Oyster has come up with "RFID" (radio frequency identity) tags, smaller than a grain of rice and requiring no external power...