Marketing Week articles from February 2008

Marketing Week archives from February 2008

Procter & Gamble unveils major Venus razor launch.
February 7, 2008... P&G overcomes trademark problems to finally launch Venus Breeze, with #10m TV advertising drive Procter & Gamble is launching a major extension to its Venus women's razor range, which will be backed with the brand's biggest TV spend in...

Green protesters threaten e.on with 'subversive' plot.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Camp for Climate Action, the group that caused widespread disruption at Heathrow airport last year, has marked energy provider e.on as its key target for 2008. The group is threatening to "subvert" the company's marketing and...

Which? quits 'marketing in schools' Gov't advisory team.
February 7, 2008... Which?, the lobby group, has walked out of Government talks to develop guidelines for marketing in schools, over concerns that Government strategy is not addressing the way that junk foods are being promoted in schools. The initiative...

Nissan appoints Euro marketer as UK head.(Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd. appoints Paul Wilcox)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Nissan has appointed its European marketing chief Paul Wilcox to run the marque in the UK. He replaces Gary Frigo, who is leaving after two years to return to the US. Wilcox, who is vice-president of marketing for Nissan Europe, joins...

New campaign: Callaway Golf push on course.(Nexus/H)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Callaway Golf is launching its biggest advertising push since Jeff Dodds arrived from Honda as marketing director last year. An integrated pan-European campaign, created by Nexus/h, aims to "differentiate" Callaway from rival golf brands....

Kidman to launch 'Hank Evie' celebrity clothing label.(nicole kidman)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Hollywood A-lister Nicole Kidman is understood to be considering the launch of a range of clothing and accessories with her musician husband Keith Urban. The move would see Kidman join the ranks of celebrities including Victoria Beckham,...

Management consultants to review Gov't alcohol strategy.(government)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... The Government proposes to bring in management consultants to review alcohol industry standards and best practice, as a further measure to tackle underage and binge drinking. The consultants will be appointed by the Home Office to review...

Travelodge loses marketing director.(Daniel Heale)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Travelodge, the budget hotel chain, has parted company with marketing director Daniel Heale less than six months after he joined the business. It is not thought he has a job to go to. The chain has scrapped the marketing director role...

Yell appoints new media development chief.(Yell Group PLC appointed Phillip Snalune)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Yell has appointed Virgin Media marketer Phillip Snalune to the new role of new media development director. He will be responsible for developing new commercial models, products and services within the digital space in the UK. Snalune, who...

CORRECTION: McCain chip ad.(Correction notice)
February 7, 2008... We have been asked to point out that the story titled 'Watchdog slams McCain chip ad' was misleading because the Advertising Standards Authority has yet to decide whether to investigate complaints against the ad for McCain Rustic Oven Chips,...

IN BRIEF: FST Technologies appointment.(appointment of Simon Gulliford)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... FST Technologies, the specialist financial services multichannel communications agency, has appointed former Barclays group marketing director Simon Gulliford as a non-executive director. Gulliford will help drive the company's three-year...

IN BRIEF: Terry Grote stepping down.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... The Independent and Independent on Sunday managing director Terry Grote is stepping down from the newspaper group at the end of this year. Grote is leaving after nine years to take early retirement. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd....

IN BRIEF: Range of bagged snacks.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Pringles, the Procter & Gamble-owned crisp brand, is understood to be launching a range of bagged snacks under the Pringles Select brand. The range is already available in the US and is expected to be launched in the UK later this year. ...

IN BRIEF: Google eying tie-up with Yahoo!(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Google is eyeing a tie-up with Yahoo! in an attempt to disrupt Microsoft's $44.6bn (#22.7bn) takeover bid for its rival. Meanwhile, Microsoft has said it may borrow funds to acquire Yahoo! Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

IN BRIEF: BP cutting jobs.(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... BP is cutting 5,000 jobs - 5% of its total global workforce - after reporting 'very disappointing' profits. Annual profits dropped by 22% to $17.29bn (#8.8bn). Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

Ryanair profits drop sparks ad cutbacks.(Financial report)
February 7, 2008... Low-cost airline Ryanair is cutting its marketing budget after announcing a 27% drop in profits for the last quarter of 2007. The move is likely to reinforce the company's policy of using controversial one-off press ads, which are...

Analysis: Australian agency group Photon shows Naked ambition.(Naked Communications acquires Photon)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... The acquisition of Naked Communications by Photon has raised some eyebrows because so few in the UK market have heard of the Australian group. Photon began to gain a profile in the UK only at the end of last year when it bought branding...

National Football League hunts UK chief marketer.(departure of Gareth Davies)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... The US National Football League (NFL) is seeking a head of marketing to replace Gareth Davies, who is leaving to join advertising agency Euro RSCG. Davies, who joined 15 months ago, has been responsible for boosting interest in NFL in...

Cheapflights uses raunchy crew to 'bring brand to life'.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Internet travel company Cheapflights is relaunching this summer with a new campaign that aims to "bring the brand to life". It is launching its first poster campaign, which will break next week, and has the strapline: "We Search, You Fly"...

Marketing director to drive BizzEnergy consumer push.(appointment of Ben Wooltorton )(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... BizzEnergy, the business electricity supplier, has appointed Ben Wooltorton as its first marketing director. He joins from SimplySwitch, where he was sales and marketing director. His appointment comes as the company plans a move into the...

Analysis: Can US investment benefit English football brands?(General Sports and Entertainment purchases Derby County Football Club)
February 7, 2008... The #50m purchase of Derby County Football Club by US sports marketing company General Sports and Entertainment (GSE) has once again fanned the debate about the wisdom of foreign investors - particularly those from the US - buying into...

Sportingbet appoints Euro marketing head.(appointment of Ed Luck and Darrell Greenwood)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Sportingbet has appointed Orange marketer Ed Luck as European marketing director. The move comes as the online gaming company seeks to develop its existing mass-market proposition by segmenting its marketing approach. Luck, who has...

The ASA rejects Birds Eye fishfingers ad complaints.(Birds Eye Wall's Ltd.)(Advertising Standards Authority (United Kingdom))(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... The Advertising Standards Authority has rejected complaints about an ad for Birds Eye that implied its fishfingers could improve a child's mental health. The ad, featuring pop star Suggs, used the strapline "Good Mood Food" and promoted...

Analysis: Jansen takes on the British Gas challenge.(Chris Jansen)
February 7, 2008... British Gas' latest marketing chief Chris Jansen may not enjoy the high profile of some of his predecessors, but those who know him believe he is more than capable of dealing with the challenges that lie ahead. Jansen, who is managing...

IN BRIEF: Greythorn Group acquisition.(EMR Group)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Greythorn Group, the international recruitment group, has acquired The EMR Group, one of the largest recruiters in the UK marketing industry. Greythorn has also acquired its sister brand Ortus, which works in interim marketing recruitment...

IN BRIEF: Staples ad account.(McCann-Erickson Advertising Ltd.)(Staples UK Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... McCann Erickson has been appointed to handle the #3m UK ad account for office supplies retailer Staples. The agency, which works with the brand in the US, was appointed without a pitch. The incumbent on the business was Euro RSCG. ...

IN BRIEF: Timberland ad business.(Leagas Delaney Group Ltd. won contract with Timberland Co.)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Leagas Delaney has won the #15m global ad business for outdoor fashion brand Timberland. The company split with Boston-based Arnold at the beginning of the year. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Axa shortlist.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest, TBWA/London, Euro RSCG and incumbent WFCA have been shortlisted to pitch for the UK advertising account for financial services company Axa. The pitch is being run through Creative Brief. Copyright:...

IN BRIEF: Homebase reviewing ad account.(Abbott Mead Vickers/BBDO Ltd contracts with Homebase Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Homebase is reviewing its #27m advertising account, which is held by Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO. It comes just weeks after the retailer reported slow sales growth over the crucial Christmas trading period. Copyright: Centaur Communications...

Inbev calls on Wight to help revive flagging Stella Artois.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Inbev has drafted in advertising veteran Robin Wight, chairman of Engine Group, to advise on its struggling flagship lager brand Stella Artois. The brewer has confirmed that it has held "informal consultations" with Wight on the Stella...

Welsh Assembly ad account up for tender.(Wales. National Assembly)(Chick Smith Trott)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... The Welsh Assembly is seeking an agency to handle its advertising business. It is thought to be working with Chick Smith Trott (CST). It is understood that a number of agencies have been approached about the business and a tender document...

New campaign: A peek inside celebrities' homes.(Albion)(Mydeco.com)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Albion has created the brand identity, online communications and advertising campaign for Mydeco.com, the new interior design website from the founders of Lastminute.com. The website is based on the idea of "voyeurism into other people's...

House of Fraser to review #9m ad and media accounts.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... House of Fraser is reviewing its #9m advertising and media planning and buying accounts, and has invited incumbent agencies Hooper Galton and Starcom to repitch. It is understood that the brief will include brand campaigns for designer...

Analysis: Is in-house advertising wise?(Innocent Drinks)
February 7, 2008... Innocent Drinks is the latest brand to dispense with the services of an advertising agency in favour of creating its ads in house. The smoothie maker is setting up an in-house creative team in the spring to manage all above- and...

WRAP slims down agency roster in integration focus.(Waste and Resources Programme)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Waste & Resources Programme (WRAP), the Government-funded body, has rationalised its roster of agencies in a bid to take a more integrated approach to marketing. DDB and WARL Group will be added to the roster as of April 1, while six...

Former Starcom chief becomes part-time consultant with Carat.(Mark Cranmer)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Mark Cranmer, the former chief of Starcom Europe and Research International, is joining Carat as a consultant. Cranmer is expected to work across parent group Aegis Media but will focus on planning and buying agency Carat. The part-time...

Discovery Networks UK to review #4m media account.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Discovery Networks UK is reviewing its #4m media planning and buying account, currently handled by Starcom. It is not known if the agency is planning to repitch for the business. It is understood that the broadcaster had approached a...

Creative Showcase Grand Prix Awards.
February 7, 2008... Poke takes honours for Orange microsite Digital agency Poke received the award for the Best Creative Campaign of 2007 at the Internet Advertising Bureau and Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions Creative Showcase Grand Prix Awards, which...

Naked Communications plans for global offices as part of expansion.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Naked Communications is planning to open up to three new offices in markets across the world over the next 12 months. The news comes as Australian marketing services company, Photon Group, acquires the agency for an initial offer of #16.5m. ...

Arsenal urges fans to lobby for TV channel to be on Virgin Media.(Arsenal Football Club Ltd.)(Virgin Media Group Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Arsenal Football Club is urging its supporters to lobby cable giant Virgin Media to broadcast its fledgling TV channel. The digital channel was launched four weeks ago with pay-TV sports broadcaster Setanta Sports and is available on...

Topps sticker company signs sponsorship deal with Turner Broadcasting.(Topps Europe Ltd)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Turner Broadcasting has signed up Topps, the kids' sticker company, to sponsor the TV premiere of the Ben 10: Race Against Time. The live- action film will be shown on the Cartoon Network. The pan-European sponsorship deal underlines a...

IN BRIEF: Chevrolet to sponsor Football Matters.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Chevrolet is to sponsor Football Matters, a programme fronted by former England footballer David Platt that encourages 4- to 14-year-olds to play the sport. Football Matters academies will be run over school holidays at football clubs and...

IN BRIEF: Cinema advertising more cost effective than TV.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Cinema advertising is three-times more cost effective than TV, according to research from the Cinema Advertising Association. It also has eight times more impact than TV advertising recall, says the CAA. Copyright: Centaur Communications...

IN BRIEF: Global Radio planning second takeover bid.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... Global Radio is understood to be planning a second takeover bid for GCap Media, owner of Capital 95.8, after the Takeover Panel issued a 'put up or shut up' notice to the group. Global, which owns the Heart network, made an unsuccessful 190p...

IN BRIEF: BT official telecoms partner for London Olympics.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... BT has signed up as the official telecoms partner of the London 2012 Olympics, as first predicted by Marketing Week last year (MW March 22, 2007). BT becomes the fifth tier-one partner after British Airways was officially unveiled as a...

IN BRIEF: AOL acquisition.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... AOL, the internet service provider, has acquired affiliate marketing network buy.at for its Advertising.com network. AOL is planning to position Advertising.com to 'serve merchant and retail advertisers with a comprehensive set of e-commerce...

Analysis: Opportunity knocks for commercial talk stations.
February 7, 2008... Of the 352 commercial radio stations operating in the UK, just four of them are speech formats. Elsewhere in the world, a myriad of commercial talk stations thrive in markets such as Sydney, Cape Town and Chicago, but interest in the concept...

BBC ads promote the 'New Sound of Asian Britain'.(British Broadcasting Corp)(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... The BBC is relaunching its Asian Network in a bid to focus on its youth credentials and to highlight the digital station's "passion" for Asian music and culture. The repositioning will be backed by a through-the-line campaign, which...

Getmemedia aids DJ's hunt for tour sponsor.(Brief article)
February 7, 2008... DJ Norman Jay has signed up to Getmemedia.com, the online marketing and media director, to find a sponsor for his Good Times Without Prejudice tour. Tribes Outdoor, which is handling the sales and sponsorship of the tour, is seeking a...

More Microsoft search power is no answer to social networking.
February 7, 2008... Microsoft may hope that a Yahoo! merger will allow it to overtake Google, but social media is shaping up as a big threat to them all Microsoft, despite Bill Gates' protestations to the contrary, is a company that was always slow to "get"...

LETTER: Tesco Clubcard is best lesson in use of data.(Letter to the editor)
February 7, 2008... Alan Mitchell always stimulates with his ideas ("Google gives Tesco Clubcard information technology lesson", MW January 24), but on this occasion, I feel his logic has gone off into the ether. The Tesco Clubcard has worked so well not...

LETTER: IPA Search Group will not shed any real light.(Letter to the editor)
February 7, 2008... Keep your enemies close by all means, but you have to question the logic and motives of the newly formed IPA Search Group. If it was led by a group of advertisers, I could understand, but what are the motivations of an alliance that will be...

LETTER: Home truths about McCain's 'greens' ad.(Letter to the editor)
February 7, 2008... It is a shame you missed the word play in our new McCain advertising campaign ("Watchdog slams McCain chip ad, MW January 24) and that you also managed to detail the wrong product, the wrong slogan, as well as run with a misleading headline....

VIEWPOINT: Why Stella is not so reassuring as it was.(Stella Artois appoints andreas hilger)
February 7, 2008... They'll be plenty who commiserate with Andreas Hilger, newly appointed marketing director of Inbev UK - and some few who will envy the challenge he faces. For slap bang in the middle of his beer portfolio lies an inescapable and classic...

STELLA ARTOIS: The beater or the beaten?
February 7, 2008... The classy, iconic images from Stella Artois ads are a far cry from the brand's violent public perception. As the lager market slows, Stella is suffering more than most. Can Inbev's German import save the beer or should it be left to...

KIMBERLEY-CLARK: Starting with a clean sheet.
February 7, 2008... With leading brands such as Andrex and Kleenex, K-C looked in no need of a marketing overhaul. Yet that's what chief marketer Tony Palmer has been tasked to do and, not content with merely harmonising global efforts, he is setting out to...

Marketing evolution's next step will start with the internet giants.
February 7, 2008... The potential Microsoft/Yahoo! merger and Google's ad serving business may not alter just online advertising, but the whole of the marketing industry The Microsoft bid for Yahoo! is (symbolically at least) a defining moment for the...

NEWS OF THE WORLD: NoW moves brand upmarket.
February 7, 2008... The News of the World has invested heavily in Fabulous, its new glossy magazine aimed at women readers and more upmarket advertisers. Will the strategy work? asks Camille Alarcon The News of the World will hope an estimated #10m...

MUSIC SPONSORSHIP: Band tie-ups don't have to fall flat.
February 7, 2008... By taking their inspiration from the aristocratic patrons of Renaissance artists, brands could forge themselves a positive role in the music industry, says Giulio Brunini A few years ago I remember walking up Kingsland Road in Shoreditch...

DIGITAL TELEVISON RECORDERS: The welcome ad break.
February 7, 2008... Despite fears within the advertising industry, TV viewers have not been using their digital television recorder boxes to skip ad breaks. In fact, research shows they are actually choosing to watch more If TV viewers want to avoid ads,...

MARKET RESEARCH: The information superhighway.
February 7, 2008... Thanks to the popularity of shop loyalty cards and abundance of digital data trails, high-quality information is available to researchers in quantities they used only to dream of. By Alicia Clegg When a scarce resource suddenly becomes...

FIELD MARKETING: Sainsbury's sets its own rules.(Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd)
February 7, 2008... Agencies and their clients need to think more strategically after Sainsbury's became the first major multiple to introduce its own field marketing accreditation scheme. By Steve Hemsley Sainsbury's decision to rewrite its rulebook so that...

Decline of the middle class brings laughter down to its lowest level.
February 7, 2008... Humour has always been among advertising's most effective weapons, but whereas it was once whimsical or witty, it is now loud and vulgar These are sad times for admirers of English middle class humour. First came the loss of Alan Coren,...

Facebook launches Mars products shopping service.
February 14, 2008... Users of Facebook will be able to buy real, rather than virtual, Mars products through the site Packaged goods giant Mars will become the first advertiser to sell actual products on Facebook, a move aimed at building the commercial...

Cadbury considers dropping Natural Confectionery range.(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Cadbury is understood to be considering the future of The Natural Confectionery range in the UK, just eight months after it was launched. The range of jelly sweets with no artificial flavours or colouring was brought over from Australia...

Gulliford takes Standard Life top marketing role.(Simon Gulliford )(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Former Barclays marketer Simon Gulliford has resurfaced at Standard Life as its first chief marketing officer. The former Barclays group marketing director, who left the finance giant in 2004 to become a marketing consultant, will join...

Lastminute plumps for Julie Davidson.(lastminute.com has appointed Julie Davidson )(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Online travel and leisure retailer lastminute.com has appointed former Levi's marketer Julie Davidson as UK marketing director, in the midst of an advertising review across all its brands. Lastminute.com is reviewing its advertising as...

New campaign: Domino's airs first Big ads.
February 14, 2008... Domino's Pizza is airing a new campaign this week for the launch of its New Steak Special Pizza. The 30-second ad is the first work for Domino's by Big Communications, after the Leicester-based agency won the business last month, following a...

Ryanair on look-out for UK financial partners.
February 14, 2008... Low cost airline Ryanair is looking for financial partners in the UK after unveiling a car insurance product in Ireland. The carrier, which runs subsidiary financial company Ryanairmoney.com, says it is keen to extend its offering beyond...

Fiat saviour eyes Alfa after taking global marketing role.(Giovanni Perosino )(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Fiat has promoted Giovanni Perosino to a group marketing role as part of a shake-up of its global marketing. It is thought that Perosino, who was global marketing communications director for the Fiat brand, has been handed a group-wide...

Birds Eye offers Eat Positive range.(Birds Eye Wall's Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Birds Eye, the frozen food brand, is launching a ready meals range in a bid to develop its presence in the healthy eating market. Eat Positive will launch in March. The range is aimed at consumers who want to eat nutritious healthy food...

Air France launches its trans-Atlantic flight ad campaign.
February 14, 2008... Airline group Air France KLM is stepping up its campaigns promoting its trans-Atlantic flights for both brands as the Open Skies agreement nears. Air France will begin flying direct from Heathrow to LA at the end of March and will also...

IN BRIEF: D-G collection.(Ultimo has signed star Gemma Atkinson )(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Ultimo, the lingerie brand, has signed I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! star Gemma Atkinson as the face of its D-G collection for spring/summer 2008. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Guinness toucan coming back.(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Diageo is bringing back its famous Guinness toucan this spring with the launch of limited edition cans ahead of St Patrick's Day, as part of a #3m investment in the brand. The toucan will also feature in a TV campaign. Copyright:...

IN BRIEF: Orange and T-Mobile to team up.(T-Mobile (UK) Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Orange and T-Mobile are teaming up to launch a live TV service offering 24 channels on mobile phones. The operators will start a trial of the service in London in the summer. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Unilever signs Eva Longoria.(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Unilever has signed Desperate Housewives actress Eva Longoria as the face of its Magnum ice cream brand. Longoria will front pan-European television and print ad campaigns for Magnum variant Magnum Mystica, and for the launch of Magnum Minis...

IN BRIEF: Intel raided.(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Intel has been raided by European Union competition regulators amid claims it abused its dominant market position by selling products below cost price and making cash payments to customers. Electrical retailer DSG is also being inspected. ...

IN BRIEF: Congestion charge.(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has confirmed that drivers of 4x4s and high emission vehicles will be charged #25 a day to drive in central London. The charges will be introduced in October and will also affect high-powered sports cars and...

PEOPLE: Titan Outdoor.(Titan Outdoor Advertising Ltd. appointed Steve Cox)(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Titan Outdoor has hired Steve Cox from rival CBS Outdoor as its new marketing director. Cox will replace Dave Etherington, who was promoted to worldwide marketing director of Titan Worldwide. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

PEOPLE: AOL.(AOL (UK) Ltd. appointed Dave Morgan )(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... AOL's vice-president of global advertising strategy Dave Morgan has left the company after just three months in the role to pursue start-up opportunities. AOL bought Morgan's online advertising business Tacodo in September last year and he...

PEOPLE: Advertising Association.(appointment of Rupert Howell )(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... ITV managing director of brand and commercial Rupert Howell has been appointed vice-chairman and director of the Advertising Association. He replaces former ITV commercial director Ian McCulloch, who stepped down after leaving the...

PEOPLE: Jordans Cereals.(appointment of Carol Welch)(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Jordans Cereals has appointed Green & Black's marketing director Carol Welch as its marketing and innovations director. Welch has worked at Cadbury Schweppes since 1999, and moved across to Green & Black's after the organic chocolate brand...

PEOPLE: Volkswagen.(Volkswagen Group UK Ltd. promoted Robert Hazelwood )(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Volkswagen has promoted Robert Hazelwood to run the Skoda marque in the UK following Chris Craft's move to the main VW brand (MW January 31). Hazelwood, who was previously director of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, takes the same role at...

Mars and Cadbury get into twist with latest launches.(Mars UK Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 14, 2008... Mars UK is gearing up for the launch of a product that contains three flavours in one sweet. Starburst Twisted is due to be launched later this spring. The launch could cause problems with rival confectionery giant Cadbury, which is due...