Marketing Week articles from August 2008

Marketing Week archives from August 2008

Poor sales drive Diet Coke Plus from supermarkets.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Coca-Cola's functional Diet Coke variant faces an uncertain future less than a year after its launch The future of Cola-Cola's fledgling Diet Coke Plus brand is in doubt after a number of supermarket chains have delisted the product from...

Beattie named as Castrol European marketing head.(Andy Beattie)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Former Birds Eye Iglo marketer Andy Beattie has resurfaced at BP oil brand Castrol as its European marketing director, following his abrupt exit from the frozen foods company in September last year. In his new role as Castrol's top...

Antigua tourism board in marketing plan crisis talks.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Antigua's tourism body is holding crisis talks with partners in the travel industry to discuss its marketing plans following the murder of two British honeymooners on the island. Carol Hay, UK director of tourism for Antigua and Barbuda,...

Unilever to launch 'healthy' Knorr line.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Unilever is understood to be launching a number of "healthy" sauces and soups under its Knorr brand, as part of its "vitality" strategy created to capitalise on the trend towards health and wellbeing. A new line of three-minute sauces is...

New campaign: J&J rolls out Beijing Olympics TV ads.
August 7, 2008... Johnson & Johnson is launching a major television campaign for its Johnson's Baby brand to promote its global sponsorship of the Beijing Olympics. The campaign, created by Lowe Worldwide centres around how Olympic athletes reached their...

Etihad airline seeks online partnerships for expansion.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Etihad, the airline of Abu Dhabi, is searching for online and technology partners, and new sponsorship opportunities, as it pursues its ambitious growth plans. It is also considering appointing a dedicated digital agency to work alongside...

British Gas in bid to counter rising energy costs fall-out.
August 7, 2008... British Gas, the utility giant, is launching a three-pronged marketing strategy as part of its bid to counteract soaring energy prices. The strategy will focus on its fixed price and fuel poverty tariffs. It is advertising the fixed...

BT to enter social networking space.(BTexchanges.com)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... BT is launching a social network site in an attempt to rival services being launched within the burgeoning online directory sector. The site is currently in beta format, enabling BT's new online directory service, BTexchanges.com, to...

Danone Waters to market Volvic line as single brand.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Danone Waters will bring all three of its Volvic brands under one umbrella for the first time when marketing the drinks line. As part of the changes it has also begun restructuring its marketing department. Its water brand Volvic, flavoured...

IN BRIEF: Ikea to launch mobile phone service.(T-Mobile (UK) Ltd.)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Ikea, the retailer, is launching a mobile phone service, in partnership with T-Mobile. The service will launch on Friday (August 8) and will be available to members of its loyalty scheme. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

IN BRIEF: Centrica considering merger.(British Energy Group PLC)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Centrica, the owner of British Gas, has confirmed it would consider a merger with nuclear giant British Energy if British Energy fails to strike a deal elsewhere. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Apple to launch Nano version of iPhone.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Apple is understood to be launching a 'Nano' version of its iPhone. The model, which is expected to be released by Christmas, will be sold in the UK at up to #150 for pay-as-you-go customers. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

IN BRIEF: Mark Cranmer appointed first chairman.(Joint Industry Committee for Internet Measurement Systems)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Mark Cranmer has been appointed as the first chairman of the Joint Industry Committee for Internet Measurement Systems (JICIMS). Cranmer, previously chief executive of WPP arm Research International, will take the post in addition to his...

IN BRIEF: Sony to buy Bertelsmann stake.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Sony is to buy Bertelsmann's 50% stake in its Sony BMG music joint venture in a $1.2bn (#613.7m) deal. The music company will be renamed Sony Music Entertainment Inc (SMEI) and will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of...

IN BRIEF: Northern Rock losses.(Financial report)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Northern Rock has reported losses of #585.4m for the first half of the year, as it was hit by charges to cover losses from struggling mortgage borrowers. The Government will inject #3bn into the struggling bank to help stabilise its...

Yell links directory and mobile services.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Yell, the directories company, is launching a new mobile internet service in a bid to join together its 118 24 7 directory and Yell.com mobile offering. The service will launch on August 6. The move, which aims to build on its mobile...

Analysis: Hovis revives its wholesome heritage in #15m relaunch.
August 7, 2008... Hovis, the Premier Foods-owned bread brand, will be hoping a #15m relaunch will revitalise its fight against rival Warburtons. It is bringing back the "boy on the bike", both as a logo on its new- look packaging (MW, July 31), and a...

Online gaming site to expand beyond poker.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Online gaming operator 888 Holdings is plotting a raft of launches of new games over the next few months. Up to 50 casino, bingo and other games are thought to be in the pipeline. The move is intended to address declining interest in...

Thomas Cook folds sites into single online location.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Travel firm Thomas Cook is dropping four of its brands' stand-alone websites as it prepares for a relaunch of Thomascook.com. The sites for Manos, Panorama, Escapades and Aspro are being closed this week. Customers will be redirected to...

Analysis: Private mobile number services risk pushing wrong buttons.
August 7, 2008... Directory services companies risk alienating customers by pushing ahead with controversial 'extras', such as mobile phone listings, which experts predict could ignite privacy fears. The firms are increasingly looking for spin-offs from...

Account comparisons misleading, rules ASA.(Advertising Standards Authority)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... An Alliance & Leicester ad that compared its accounts to those of Lloyds TSB has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority. The TV and press ads for the Premier Regular Saver account with 12% interest contrasted the rate with an 8%...

Bacardi Global to review #100m advertising roster.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Bacardi Global Brands is reviewing its entire #100m advertising roster, including the business for flagship brands Bacardi, Martini and premium vodka Grey Goose. The review is in its early stages and is being led by BGB global marketing...

Dewar's holds separate #5m pitch.(John Dewar and Sons)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Bacardi-owned Scotch whisky brand Dewar's is holding a separate global pitch for its #5m advertising business. The Dewar's pitch is not part of the Bacardi Global Brands business, and the Dewar's team is understood to have approached a...

Nationwide Insurance holds pitch for media and ad accounts.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Nationwide Insurance, the specialist arm of the building society, is understood to be holding a pitch for both its advertising and media planning and buying accounts ahead of a major relaunch later this year. The pitch follows a deal tied...

IN BRIEF: Soup appointed by Jordan Cereals.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Soup has been appointed to handle the digital advertising for Jordan Cereals without a pitch. Initial work will include the relaunch of its website at the end of September. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Mother creates new campaign for Powerade.(Coca-Cola Co.)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Mother has created a new campaign for Coca-Cola's sports drink brand Powerade in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics. As the official sports drink of Team GB, it features the athletes who will be competing at the Games and will run across...

IN BRIEF: Qatar Financial Services longlist.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Qatar Financial Services has longlisted TBWA/London, CHI & Partners, Grey, DDB, Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest, Tribe and Dorimus to pitch for its #10m global advertising business. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: e.on media planning and buying account.(Mediacom Communications Corp.)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... MediaCom has been appointed to handle energy supplier e.on's #30m media planning and buying account. It will also look after the brand's online media account, following a pitch involving Phd, OMD and incumbent Initiative. Copyright:...

IN BRIEF: DLKW retain ad business for Halifax.(Delaney Lund Knox Warren)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Delaney Lund Knox Warren has retained the #18m advertising business for Halifax. DLKW pitched against DDB London for the business, with Fallon and TBWA/London involved at an earlier stage. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

Publicis wins #5m Kumala Wines pan-Euro ad account.
August 7, 2008... Kumala Wines has appointed Publicis to handle its #5m pan-European advertising account. The agency has been tasked with repositioning the brand as a more premium offering. Publicis was appointed following a three-way pitch, which included...

Analysis: Can Senior's team revive Saatchi in London?
August 7, 2008... It was this time last year that Publicis Groupe announced a mini- structure for the Saatchi & Saatchi network: SSF, an alliance headed by Saatchi's worldwide chief executive Kevin Roberts and the founding partner of Fallon, Robert Senior, who...

Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy seeks 'high profile' vice-chairman.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy has put out a brief for a vice-chairman to work alongside chief executive Helen Calcraft, following the protracted illness of chairman Jeremy Miles. The agency, owned by the Canadian Cossette Communication...

Conde Nast to launch US technology title in the UK.(Conde Nast Publications Inc.)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Conde Nast UK is understood to be planning a multi-million pound relaunch of the American technology magazine Wired, and is in talks with advertising agencies about launching a UK version and an accompanying website next year. The...

Campaign promotes new look Sky 1.(British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... BSkyB has unveiled its "biggest ever" on- and off-air overhaul of entertainment channel Sky One, which will be backed by a heavyweight marketing campaign later this month. The change sees "Sky One" dropped in favour of "Sky 1", ditching...

New campaign: Barbie's world takes to TV.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Mattel-owned toy brand Barbie has signed sponsorship deals with two children's TV channels running from this month through to Christmas. The campaigns, negotiated by Turner Media Innovations and Carat Sponsorship, will appear on Cartoon...

IN BRIEF: BSkyB adds 92,000 sattellite pay-TV customers.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... BSkyB has added 92,000 satellite pay-TV customers during the three months to the end of June to 8.98 million customers. In a trading announcement, Sky warned its ad revenues would fall during the second half of 2008. Copyright: Centaur...

IN BRIEF: Sky Sports to screen live cricket.(British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC. Sky Sports)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... BSkyB division Sky Sports has won the rights to screen live domestic and international cricket in England and Wales from 2010 to 2013. Five has agreed a deal to screen highlights at family-friendly times. Copyright: Centaur...

IN BRIEF: Virgin Media Television appoint Sparkler.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Virgin Media Television has appointed brand consultancy Sparkler to lead a review of its pay-TV portfolio. VMTV managing director Jonny Webb says the company is looking at what the business should look like, including off-line and across...

IN BRIEF: Shareholder demands recount.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Yahoo! shareholder Capital Research Global has demanded a recount of the number of votes against chief executive Jerry Yang's re-election at its annual meeting on Friday. Shareholders representing about 76% of Yahoo!'s 1.38 billion shares...

IN BRIEF: Beat: Life on the Street being investigated.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Ofcom is investigating the Home Office's funding of ITV1 programme Beat: Life on the Street. The media regulator is investigating complaints that the ad-funded programme falls foul of its rules covering sponsorship. Copyright: Centaur...

Virgin Mobile to sponsor Sam King Bebo drama.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Virgin Mobile is sponsoring the latest Bebo online drama, in a partnership that will also see the Virgin Media-owned telecoms brand push its sponsorship of the V Festival. The Secret World of Sam King launches today (August 6). It follows...

Northcliffe Media seeks trade and web marketers for two new roles.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Northcliffe Media is beefing up its marketing department with the creation of two new roles. The move comes as the newspaper industry grapples with widespread advertising revenues declines. The roles have been created by Northcliffe Media's...

Analysis: Blinkx Remote aims for online TV dominance.
August 7, 2008... Video search engine Blinkx is hoping to piggyback the success of broadcaster services such as the BBC iPlayer by launching a one-stop shop for consumers wanting to watch TV shows online. The search engine last week launched Blinkx Remote,...

It's all about the money, stupid, not the latest online technology.
August 7, 2008... The marketing industry should be united in its mission to find elusive revenue models to monetise new-media audiences It seems that the latest big thing on the web is 4chan. This is an anarchic site which has joined a long line of...

LETTER: Media measurement points to more tailoring.(Letter to the editor)
August 7, 2008... Alan Mitchell is correct that the IPA Touchpoints initiative may highlight the flaws we have in our current view of media measurement (MW July 24). As marketers, one of our greatest strengths is our ability to distil complex messages....

LETTER: Persil campaign is not sincere about children.(Letter to the editor)
August 7, 2008... Please tell me that the article on Persil (MW last week) was a spoof. Someone selling washing powder says that "dirt is good", and this becomes something "touching all aspects of childhood"? No it doesn't. This is someone trying to sell...

LETTER: Youthful optimism will respond to positivity.(Letter to the editor)
August 7, 2008... Your article "Positive attitude can lift gloom" (MW last week) attributed the buoyant consumer confidence of the 18- to 29-year-old market to youthful naivety and an inability to recall a previous recession. While these factors may have a...

LETTER: Mother is jumping on experiential bandwagon.(Letter to the editor)
August 7, 2008... I am sure I was not alone in my bewilderment at your recent article that stated Mother is to dip its fat toe into experiential, and that this move proves the sector is now being taken seriously as a way of engaging consumers (MW July 24). ...

VIEWPOINT: 'Olympifying' BP is a very slippery business.(British Petroleum )(Viewpoint essay)
August 7, 2008... For BP, sponsorship of the 2012 Olympic Games is a godsend. At #50m plus, it couldn't come cheaper as a "get-out-of-jail-free" card for a corporate reputation sullied by litigation, alleged manslaughter and a once-iconic former chief...

LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS: Beyond a partnership.
August 7, 2008... BP has high hopes for its London 2012 Olympics partnership, claiming both parties share the same values. But will BP put its money where its mouth is by investing in sustainability for the event, or is this relationship just about being...

DOOR-TO-DOOR MARKETING: Doostep bullies face ban.
August 7, 2008... MPs are threatening to ban utility companies from door-to-door sales following widespread allegations of mis-selling and fraud. But David Benady discovers the latest advertising and direct marketing techniques are less effective at winning...

Beware the negative aspects of playing brand loyalty card.
August 7, 2008... Calling consumers fickle is a distortion of marketing principles that were smuggled into the profession under the brand loyalty banner Consider the following press release from Verdict Consulting. "UK shoppers are more disloyal than ever...

COKE ZERO: From Zero to hero.
August 7, 2008... Coca-Cola's sugar-free reaction to obesity fears among young men, Coke Zero, has attracted more of the target consumers to the cola market. Camille Alarcon reports in its success so far It has been just over two years since Coca-Cola...

BUSINESS STRATEGY: Time for less talk, more action.
August 7, 2008... Business strategy means nothing if industry leaders lack the willingness, courage and commitment to execute the detail effectively, says Chris Hirst When Lou Gerstner took the helm of IBM in the depths of its despair in 1993, he was...

OBESITY: Health push gets family support.
August 7, 2008... Although parents shoulder responsibility for their children's rising obesity levels, they welcome Government and industry initiatives such as the soon-to-launch #75m Change4Life campaign With the Department of Health set to launch its...

MARKET RESEARCH: Finding a way through the gloom.
August 7, 2008... The marketing industry is expecting a tough ride, as the economic climate looks increasingly bleak. But downturns provide opportunities for market researchers to prove their worth. By David Benady As the economic boom of the past ten years...

It's not Britain's weather that is bad for business, but its natives.
August 7, 2008... A Devon councillor claims pessimistic weather forecasters are ruining tourism in the UK - but visitors are more likely to be put off by Britons themselves Among the most atrocious of English marketing excuses is the atrocious English...

P&G plots shake-up of its#4bn global agency roster.(Procter & Gamble)
August 14, 2008... Procter & Gamble's new client-agency model is on trial in the US and is set to be rolled out in the UK Procter & Gamble is plotting a major shake-up of its global agency roster, worth an estimated $7.9bn (#4.2bn), as it starts exploring...

Nike unveils campaign to praise UK gold medalist.
August 14, 2008... Brands sponsoring UK athletes are poised to take advantage of their successes at the Beijing Olympics, with Nike the first to unveil a new campaign ahead of what is expected to be a rash of advertising around medal winners. Nike is set to...

ABTA reports Ryanair to OFT over online bookings.(Office of Fair Trading)(Association of British Travel Agents)(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Ryanair has been reported to the Office of Fair Trading by the Association of British Travel Agents over threats to cancel all bookings not made on its own website. But the airline, a serial OFT offender, has dismissed objections made by...

Watchdog attacks use of pre-payment meters.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Consumer watchdog Energywatch has slammed energy companies for having an "unimaginative" approach to debt management. The comments follow a growing trend in the installation of pre-payment meters in homes of millions of people on low income,...

New campaign: DfT promotes teen road safety.(Department for Transport launches a campaign named Distractions Can Kill)(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... The Department for Transport's (DfT) Think! campaign is launching its latest Teen Road Safety campaign entitled "Distractions Can Kill". The campaign aims at encouraging teenagers between 12 and 16 years old to reconsider their road safety...

Good Natured plans ice lolly and chocolate expansion.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Ethical juice company Good Natured is planning to expand into the confectionery market next year with chocolate bars and ice lollies. Its expansion plans will include a potential launch of an Easter egg, which the company's co-founders...

ASA accuses Shell of 'green wash' after WWF protests.(Advertising Standards Authority)(World Wide Fund for Nature)(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Oil company Shell has been accused of "green wash" after the Advertising Standards Authority banned one of its ads for the misleading use of the word "sustainable" in a landmark ruling. The ASA upheld two complaints from environmental...

TUI raises marketing director to board role.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Travel group TUI has promoted marketing director Tim Williamson to the board of directors in the newly created role of customer director. A new board structure has been developed to incorporate the position, which the company says has...

Kimberly-Clark invests #6m in marketing its core brands.
August 14, 2008... Kimberly-Clark (K-C) is investing #6m in a new marketing communications strategy for its three core brands this autumn - Kleenex, Andrex and Huggies. The company is rebranding its Andrex Moist toilet tissue as Andrex Fresh, to help...

IN BRIEF: James Kydd to leave Virgin Media.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Virgin Media managing director of brand and marketing James Kydd is leaving the cable operator in September. Kydd has been with the company since 2006. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Water bill to rise.(Water Services Regulation Authority)(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Ofwat has received submissions from water companies that could see bills rise by 3% a year above the rate of inflation between 2010 and 2015. The companies submitted bids for the next pricing round on Monday. Copyright: Centaur...

IN BRIEF: Carphone Warehouse completes restructure.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Carphone Warehouse has completed the restructure of its marketing department, after the part acquisition of its retail arm by US consumer electronics company Best Buy. Group marketing director Trisha Clarke has been appointed chief marketing...

IN BRIEF: Number of products shrink without reducing price.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Procter & Gamble-owned Pringles, Scottish & Newcastle's Strongbow and Nestle's Rolos are among a number of products which have shrunk in size without reducing price, as food and drink manufacturers bid to counter rocketing energy and raw...

IN BRIEF: Tesco to branch out into India.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Tesco has announced plans to branch out into the Indian market, as it prepares to invest an initial #60m to open a wholesale cash-and-carry business in Mumbai. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Woolworths appointment.(appointment of Steve Johnson)(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Woolworths has named former Focus DIY chief executive Steve Johnson as its new boss. He will replace Trevor Bish-Jones who announced his resignation in June. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

Weller to be uSwitch head of marketing.(appointment of Steve Weller at USwitch LTD.,)(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... USwitch, the price comparison website, has appointed former Orange marketer Steve Weller as director of sales and marketing. He will replace Christina Rebollo, who previously headed the marketing function and will be leaving the company at...

Analysis: The lamp-post theory of pitch research.
August 14, 2008... Halifax's reappointment of Delaney Lund Knox Warren to its #18m account last week raises once again the use of focus group research to decide advertising pitches. The bank is understood to have put pitch ideas from DLKW and rival DDB...

Volvic to invest extra #2m on taking Evian upmarket.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Volvic Waters is planning a 25% boost in its marketing spend next year as it attempts to reinforce the premium positioning of market leading water brand Evian. Patrick Kalotis, director of marketing for Volvic Waters, says it already...

Carbon Trust hunts marketing head.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... The Carbon Trust is beefing up its marketing department with the creation of the new position of group head of marketing. The role, which is yet to be filled, will form part of a revamped marketing structure due to come into effect later...

Lara Croft gets 'biggest' TV ad push.(Eidos)(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Gaming company Eidos is planning its biggest ever TV ad campaign to support the latest Lara Croft title, Tomb Raider: Underworld, which will be released in November. The firm, owned by SCi Entertainment Group, says it aims to secure the...

Analysis: Downturn may help marketers climb all the way to the top.
August 14, 2008... Bacardi's appointment last week of Colgate-Palmolive executive vice- president Seamus McBride as chief executive stands as an example of a marketer who has made it to the top job (MW.co.uk August 4). Despite the drive to grow business,...

Fallon wins Orange #10m Gold Spot cinema ad brief.(Fallon London)(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Orange has moved its #10m Gold Spot cinema advertising account out of Mother to Fallon without a pitch. The move will strengthen Fallon's hold on the business and consolidate the brand's advertising into its "I Am" and "Together We Can Do...

Craik Jones loses Gap integrated business.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel has lost the integrated business for the American-based clothing retailer Gap to Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw, without a pitch. The fashion giant last week reported a 9% year-on-year drop in July sales...

New campaign: Stella promotes 'Le Courage'.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Stella Artois, Inbev UK's premium lager brand, is launching a national advertising campaign, created by Lowe, on television and cinema screens today (August 13). The campaign will target ABC1 men between 18 to 34 years old. The campaign...

IG Group seeks ad agency for global betting account.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Spread betting and sports betting operators IG Group is hunting for an advertising agency to manage its financial brand, IG Index, globally. The move comes as the company nears the conclusion of a pitch for its #12m media planning and buying...

IN BRIEF: Crocks buying and planning account.(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Feather Brooksbank, the Aegis-owned regional agency, has won the UK media planning and buying account for Crocs, the lifestyle shoe brand. There was no incumbent on the account. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Tactical summer campaign for Match.com.(Hanft Raboy & Partners )(Brief article)
August 14, 2008... Hanft Raboy & Partners has created a tactical summer campaign for online dating site Match.com. The campaign breaks on Monday and targets men for the first time. It carries the strapline 'Too many women' and is accompanied by a free trial...