Marketing Week articles from February 2009

Marketing Week archives from February 2009

Thomas Cook picks former BT boss as brand director.(Michael Johnson)
February 5, 2009... More upheaval for the travel company's marketing team with the appointment of Michael Johnson Thomas Cook's marketing team is once more in upheaval with the appointment of former BT and Abbey executive Michael Johnson as brand director....

Consumers 'won't pay any more' to buy green products.
February 5, 2009... The vast majority of consumers won't trade up for premium products boasting green credentials, according to a top Procter & Gamble executive. Manufacturers must instead ensure all new product development programmes stay 'green', and that...

GM launches Vauxhall and Chrysler cashback deal.(General Motors Corp.)(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... General Motors is aiming to boost customer interest in its Vauxhall and Chrysler cars with an interest-free cashback offer on its new car ranges, despite negative press coverage on its decision to raise prices. The company will advertise...

TalkTalk plan offers credit crunch relief.(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... The company is introducing a new six-month package, known as the "Emergency Plan", which waives the #6.49 monthly charge for internet and phone access. TalkTalk chief executive Charles Dunstone says: "We want to help our customers as...

New campaign: Walkers' competition mission.(Walkers Snack Foods Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... Walkers is launching an advertising campaign to promote the final six flavours in its "Do us a flavour" competition and to encourage viewers to vote on the final winner. The campaign has been created by Abbot Mead Vickers. BBDO and...

The ASA raps Kellogg over snack-bar health claims.(Advertising Standards Authority )(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned an ad for Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Soft Oaties because it misleadingly implies the biscuits are healthy. The press and poster ads use the headline "Wholesome cookie goodness" and...

Shop Direct revives Woolworths brand.(Woolworths.co.uk )(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... The initial launch marketing of the re-emergent online store Woolworths.co.uk will be handled by the central marketing team of new owner Shop Direct. The team reports to marketing director Alison Broadhurst. Broadhurst will add...

Analysis: Toyota hands Kitcatt Nohr opportunity to take driving seat.(marketing of Toyota Motor Corp.)
February 5, 2009... Toyota's decision to consolidate its UK direct marketing for both the Lexus and Toyota marques into Kitcatt Nohr represents a shift in thinking by the world's leading car maker, at a time when the automotive industry is being forced to rethink...

Aegon marketers face restructure.
February 5, 2009... Life insurance and pensions company Aegon is axing 11 positions in its life and pensions marketing department. The company says it hopes the majority of cuts will be voluntary redundancies or that staff may be redeployed elsewhere in the...

IN BRIEF: Pontins to redevelop holiday centres.(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... Pontin's, the holiday camp company, says it will invest #50m in redeveloping its holiday centres, creating 2,000 new jobs in the process. Ocean Parcs, which owns Pontin's, said bookings for half-term, Easter and summer 2009 were...

IN BRIEF: Magners to end four-year sponsorship.(London Wasps )(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... Magners is to end its four-year sponsorship of Guinness Premiership side London Wasps at the end of this season. The C&C Group-owned cider brand says it decided to terminate its arrangement with the Rugby Union club following a strategic...

IN BRIEF: Motorola results.(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... Motorola, the mobile manufacturer, has reported that its sales fell 51% to $2.35bn (#1.64bn) in the fourth quarter last year. The company says the drop in sales is a result of a lack of new devices and the global economic downturn. ...

IN BRIEF: Olympic Winter Games 2014.(Sochi 2014 Organising Committee appoints Rostelecom and MegaFon )(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... The Sochi 2014 Organising Committee has appointed telecoms companies Rostelecom and MegaFon its first Tier One partners for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Russia. The $260m (#161m) combined total is believed to be the largest domestic...

IN BRIEF: Lynx pitch.(Unilever Group appoints Tullo Marshall Warren )(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... Unilever has appointed digital and direct marketing agency Tullo Marshall Warren to handle a relationship marketing task for deodorant brand Lynx following a pitch. Unilever will continue to work with Bartle Bogle Hegarty on the digital...

GSK unveils raft of oral care launches to beat back Colgate.
February 5, 2009... GlaxoSmithKline is poised for a head-on battle with oral care market leader Colgate-Palmolive when it launches a raft of new products under its brands Aquafresh, Macleans and Sensodyne. The company is launching a range of products under...

RSPCA sparks row over Scottish drive.(Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... The Scottish Society for The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has launched a ferocious attack on the RSPCA for allegedly stealing its financial support in Scotland. The charity claimed its English and Welsh counterpart, the RSPCA,...

Sony Computer plans #4m push for gaming releases.(Sony Computer Entertainment )(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) is launching a #4m advertising campaign this month promoting new offerings on its PlayStation 3 and PSP consoles. The campaign budget will be split into two main parts, and all creative will be designed...

Teletext Holidays picks new managing director.(Victoria Sanders)(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... Teletext Holidays managing director Matt Cheevers has stepped down and has been replaced by sales and distribution director Victoria Sanders. Cheevers became managing director of the DMGT-owned company in March 2007 after a restructure...

MRM retains Intel global digital account after four-way pitch.(MRM Partners Worldwide)(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... Intel has retained MRM Worldwide as its global digital marketing agency, following a pitch against three undisclosed agencies. The agency, part of the Interpublic Group, has handled the account for the chip-maker since 2005 and will work...

Analysis: MCCA Agency Barometer reveals new business optimism in 2009.(Marketing Communication Consultants Association )
February 5, 2009... If you're the new business director at an advertising agency, 2009 might not be the quiet year you perhaps dreaded. The Marketing Communication Consultants Association (MCCA) has announced the results of its Agency Barometer, a "state of the...

BrandPie consultancy signs up 118 118 and L'Occitane.(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... Brand Union founder Dave Allen and former Safeway and Rowntree marketing chief Roger Partington are consulting on cosmetics brand L'Occitane and directory firm 118 118 following the launch of their new agency BrandPie. The pair launched...

Lego signs TV channel sponsorship package.(Turner Media )(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... Turner Media Innovations has signed up Lego in a sponsorship collaboration that will promote Lego's new Star Wars range on Cartoon Network. The sponsorship package will centre around the new weekly animated series, Star Wars: The Clone...

ASA set to regulate online promotions.(Advertising Standards Authority)(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... Online promotions are set to be policed by The Advertising Standards Authority using the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) non- broadcast rules, which currently cover print, ambient, sales promotion and direct marketing campaigns. ...

CBS Outdoor advertisers offered rewards incentive.(CBS Broadcasting Inc.)(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... CBS Outdoor is launching a loyalty scheme for clients allowing them to earn rewards based on the distance that their campaigns travel across the country. The CBS "Admiles" will reward national advertisers across CBS Outdoor's UK...

IN BRIEF: Initiative restructuring planning and buying operations.(Initiative Media Co.)(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... Initiative is restructuring its UK media planning and buying operations. The Interpublic-owned agency has created a new planning and insight department that includes a previously separate research department. Copyright: Centaur...

IN BRIEF: MediaVest picks up to new media accounts.(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... MediaVest Manchester has picked up two new media accounts worth a total of nearly #2m. The agency's digital unit MVi has landed the digital account for SeaFrance, the cross-Channel ferry operator, from Mediaedge:cia. Separately,...

IN BRIEF: Dianne Thompson to voice radio campaign.(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... RadioCentre chairman Dianne Thompson is to voice a Radio Advertising Bureau radio campaign to air across the commercial radio network. The campaign is part of the trade marketing body's ongoing drive to push the benefits of using radio in an...

IN BRIEF: Evening Standard to offer free and discounted copies.(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... The Evening Standard is to offer free and discounted copies of the paper at London Underground stations in a sampling exercise under the paper's new ownership of Russian tycoon Alexander Lebedev. It is not clear when the promotion will start...

Lord Carter's Digital Britain report hailed as advertising opportunity.(Report)(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... Lord Carter's interim Digital Britain report has been hailed as an opportunity for brands to expand their reach to audiences by advertisers. The report, which calls for all UK citizens to have broadband access by 2012, digital radio to...

Analysis: Cash4Gold makes a name for itself in Super Bowl ad gap.
February 5, 2009... It was a sign of how much the global economy has deteriorated when one of the prime spots in last Sunday's Super Bowl ad showcase in the US was taken by Cash4gold, an online service offering money in exchange for cast-off metals. The...

The limits to brand success in social media networking.
February 5, 2009... Virgin Atlantic and Locog have launched very different social media strategies that highlight how brands can succeed and fail on the web The beginning of this year has seen social media firmly back on the advertising agenda. Early last...

CLIENT-AGENCY RELATIONSHIPS: Put a positive spin on change.
February 5, 2009... This exceptional time of change is an opportunity for agencies and clients to cement their relationship and work together to shape a better future for the industry, says Simon Rhind-Tutt Client-agency relationships are coming under sharper...

LETTER: M&S success built on food lines innovation.(Letter to the editor)
February 5, 2009... In response to your feature entitled Marks & Spencer: Not Just a Simple Solution (MW January 15), over the past eight years we have opened over 355 Simply Food stores and the proposed closing of 25 small Simply Food outlets that represent...

LETTER: Use of technology must match creativity.(Letter to the editor)
February 5, 2009... I know pundits might comment that "we would say that", but I wholeheartedly agree with the widespread industry view that those who react to recession by cutting back on marketing are most likely to fail. However, that's not to say that there...

LETTER: Brand partnerships limit effect of squeeze.(Letter to the editor)
February 5, 2009... With all your coverage of slashing of marketing budgets, there are still some positive ways that brands can achieve their marketing objectives - brand partnerships is one. By working together with synergistic brands that are communicating...

VIEWPOINT: Charity sector must count on creativity.(Financial report)
February 5, 2009... The charity sector could be in real trouble this year. Everyone, from the lowest-paid consumer to the largest of multinational corporations, is cutting expenditure wherever possible. Meanwhile, the many thousands of charities that rely on...

CHARITIES: Chugging through hard times.
February 5, 2009... Giving to charity may not be top of everyone's list during a recession, but some key figures maintain that catastrophe can be avoided with common-sense strategies and by focusing on the positive difference that people's hard-earned donations...

SKY vs VIRGIN: Gloves come off as pay TV rivals battle for supremacy.
February 5, 2009... As the recession starts to take hold, pay TV rivals BSkyB and Virgin aim to capitalise on people spending more time in their homes by pushing the latest technology. But will Virgin's focus on internet speed or 20-year-old Sky's HD TV push...

INFLUENCER MARKETING: Spreading the word.
February 5, 2009... As brands seek consumers to create a buzz about their products, Mary- Louise Clews discovers that the tools for encouraging personal recommendations are not just confined to the internet The Royal Mail recently claimed it had identified a...

INFLUENCER MARKETING - CASE STUDY: Creative and cultural skills.(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... Creative and Cultural Skills (CCSkills) is a Government-funded organisation that aims to help those wishing to enter or move around in the creative industries. Agency MWorks was briefed to raise both awareness of and registration with the...

INFLUENCER MARKETING - CASE STUDY: TEENAGE PREGNANCY AWARENESS.(Brief article)
February 5, 2009... As a part of a youth-focused ad campaign for Teenage Pregnancy awareness, the Department of Health used TenNine to promote its message to secondary school students. The aim was to raise the profile of the campaign among teenagers in...

Nostalgia is just comfort blanket we need against today's cold reality.
February 5, 2009... Does Heinz's revival of its classic slogan 'Beanz Meanz Heinz' herald a return to an halcyon age? The PC brigade is too full of hot air to let that happen At times like these when every news bulletin bristles with fresh economic...

Heyday collapse exposes flaw in age-led targeting.
February 12, 2009... Age Concern membership brand focused on age rather than hobbies or interests, say industry experts Mature market experts are highlighting the foolishness of targeting over-50s as an age-defined one-size-fits-all market following the...

Kerry Foods appoints former T-Mobile boss to group role.(Phil Chapman)(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... Kerry Foods has appointed Phil Chapman, former T-Mobile marketing director, as its new group marketing director. The Ireland-based food group, which owns brands including Walls sausages, Homepride flour, Cheestrings and Mattessons, has...

BT Vision to merge with consumer marketing arm.(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... BT is merging its BT Vision marketing team with the consumer marketing team because BT Vision is now an "established" part of its broadband offer. The integrated team will be overseen by director of consumer marketing Matthew Dearden,...

Lloyds TSB launches 2012 mortgage deal.(British Paralympic Association)(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... Lloyds TSB is launching a new mortgage offer, tied to its sponsorship of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The "2012 three-year mortgage" will include a #100 discount on the mortgage product fee, which will instead be donated...

New campaign: Efridge aids saturated fat quest.(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... The Eatwell Fridge has been created by Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest (VCCP) as an online addition to the agency's work for the #3.5m Food Standard Agency's public health campaign on saturated fats. The downloadable fridge tells...

ASA rules pig welfare claims are misleading.(Advertising Standards Authority)(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... The Advertising Standards Authority has banned a poster campaign by the British Pig Executive (BPEX) over unproven claims that British pig farms have very high welfare standards. The ad, created by DDB London, states: "British pig farms...

Bargain hunters poised to profit from Baugur's closing down sale.
February 12, 2009... The collapse of Icelandic retail investor Baugur in the UK has opened up a new bidding war for big-name stores such as Hamleys and House of Fraser, as the winter of economic discontent continues to bite. The company has decided to...

Match.com appoints former Yahoo! man as top UK marketer.(Karl Gregory)(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... Match.com, the online dating agency, has named former Yahoo! marketer Karl Gregory as its UK marketing director. The marketing director role has been vacant for some time and marketing responsibilities have been handled by former...

Analysis: Peroni's fashion venture aims to raise brand's profile.(Peroni Nastro Azzurro)
February 12, 2009... Peroni Nastro Azzurro beer has collaborated with designer Antonio Berardi to create its first-ever fashion accessories range, which will be sold in the UK this spring. The SABMiller-owned brand has stepped outside its traditional brewing...

ECJ rules against L'Oreal in trademark infringement case.
February 12, 2009... L'Oreal should not be able to stop rivals using its trademark and marketing low-cost copies of its perfume brands, according to an official at The European Court of Justice (ECJ). Paulo Mengozzi, an advocate general at the ECJ advised...

Iris triumphs in pitch for #8m VW integrated marketing business.(Volkswagen AG)(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... Iris has scooped the Volkswagen commercial vehicles integrated marketing business, estimated to be worth #8m. The pitch was run by Agency Assessments and other agencies involved are thought to include DDB, RLA and Dye Holloway Murray. ...

Millennium re-enlists founder as director.(Kevin Lavery)(Millennium Direct)(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... Millennium, the agency specialising in over-50s marketing, has re- appointed co-founder Kevin Lavery as group managing director. He replaces Fiona Hought, who had held the top job for three years. A recent restructure at the agency has also...

Grey bags #6m 888.com ad account after review.(Grey London)(advertising)(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... Grey London has won the advertising business for online gaming operators, 888.com. The account is thought to be worth #6m and was awarded after a four-way pitch. The review was called by 888.com vice-president of marketing Matt Robinson in...

The7Stars scoops #10m of media work for William Hill.(Edward Groom Saunders )(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... The7Stars has scooped the #10.2m media planning and buying business for bookmaker William Hill. The agency beat incumbent Initiative and other unnamed agencies to win the business. William Hill has retained Edward Groom Saunders for...

Aer Lingus set to sponsor Capital FM.(95.8 Capital FM)(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... 95.8 Capital FM, the Global Radio-owned London station, has signed Aer Lingus as sponsor of its breakfast show with Johnny Vaughan and Lisa Snowdon. The six-month #800,000 deal, negotiated through MediaVest, starts next month and...

Ecotricity signs deal to promote The Discovery Channel.(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... The Discovery Channel UK has signed a brand partnership deal with Ecotricity to promote the launch of its new series, "Ways to Save the Planet". The series aims to identify new ways of tackling the effects of global warming and...

IN BRIEF: Wall Street Journal to boost online presence.(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) is boosting its online presence in Europe by introducing a London-based editorial team. The Dow Jones-owned newspaper is looking to bolster its operations outside the US. Copyright: Centaur Communications...

IN BRIEF: InSkin Media appointment.(Hugo Drayton)(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... InSkin Media has appointed Hugo Drayton, former chief executive at controversial behavioural targeting firm Phorm, as its new chief executive. Drayton left Phorm in December after two years heading the company, but remains an advisor to the...

IN BRIEF: Bauer Radio appointment.(Steve Parkinson)(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... Bauer Radio has appointed Steve Parkinson to the new position of managing director at London Radio, where he will take responsibility for Magic and Kiss. The managing director of Magic 105.4 is to leave the company and plans to launch a radio...

IN BRIEF: Tatler appointment.(Catherine Ostler)(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... Tatler has appointed Catherine Ostler as editor to replace Geordie Grieg, who is joining the Evening Standard, now owned by Alexander Lebedev. Ostler is a former editor of The Times weekend section. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd....

IN BRIEF: Guardian News and Media brings in Deloitte.(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... Guardian News and Media (GNM) has brought in accountancy firm Deloitte to "review its relationship with agencies and clients" and revise "how it can enhance its proposition and derive better value". Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd....

Nial Ferguson gains Future publishing director role.(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... Future has promoted Nial Ferguson to the position of publishing director, Technology and Entertainment Lifestyle. Ferguson joined Future from Bauer Consumer Media, previously EMAP, in March last year as group publisher of T3. He was deputy...

Turner signs commercial deals to promote Ben 10: Alien Force series.(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... Turner Broadcasting is launching the new series of Cartoon Network's flagship Ben 10 franchise with a raft of commercial deals and initiatives, with partners aiming to capitalise on the channel's top- rated show. Tesco is sponsoring the...

Analysis: Disney seeks commercial partners to revive its income.
February 12, 2009... Walt Disney Co. reported disappointing results last week, with operating income at its cable networks falling for its last quarter by $69m (#47m) to $517m (#348m). But the Disney Channel is hoping to offset difficult advertising conditions by...

Which newspaper will come out top in the digital world?
February 12, 2009... With the newspaper industry hanging on by a thread, the owners of the nationals don't really seem to be doing themselves many favours For example, Jonah Bloom says in Ad Age that of the 350,000 people employed in newspapers in the US,...

Get real and solve genuine problems.(Column)
February 12, 2009... Let's keep our feet rooted in the real world If you're looking to raise brand awareness, you could do a lot worse than raise your awareness of what's going on in the real world. In this fast-paced, fiercely competitive industry, real life...

REDUNDANCY MARKETING: Shelter from the storm.
February 12, 2009... Consumers are making drastic cuts to their spend in the face of economic uncertainty, prompting brands to boost short-term sales by offering to cushion people should they fall into financial strife. But such efforts must be strategically driven...

WOOLWORTHS: Click 'n' mix.
February 12, 2009... Given the publicity surrounding the high street chain's final days over Christmas, many people believed they had seen the last of Woolworths. However, the brand has been bought by the Barclay brothers and will soon be returning to the retail...

IBM and Google take personal data into uncharted territory.
February 12, 2009... The latest information services will see a reappraisal of the role of personal data in marketing and customer relationship management How cool is this? A joint initiative between IBM and Google will see the development of a real-time,...

GLAXOSMITHKLINE: Cleaning up its act.
February 12, 2009... Despite not having the lion's share of the adult oral care market, GlaxoSmithKline is experiencing growth and seems committed to developing three strong, distinctive brands, says Louise Jack The mature oral care category, worth #799.8m in...

SAVINGS: No contingency for rainy days.
February 12, 2009... Whether it's saving for a deposit for a house or a pension, many people are not putting money away during the financial crisis as the cost of living and helping family members become more important We are all familiar with how personal...

MOTIVATION: It's enough to make you scream.
February 12, 2009... With redundancies high on the agenda of a great many companies, maintaining the morale of staff will require a little more effort. But Jo-Anne Flack discovers such a policy will pay dividends The deterioration of the global economy is...

MOTIVATION: CASE STUDY: 3663.(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... Foodservice business 3663, which has sales of more than #1bn each year, runs incentive programmes for its customers to help boost loyalty and drive sales. Four years ago, it hired rewards company Projectlink Motivation to develop a scheme...

MOTIVATION: VIEWPOINT: Carol Mote.(Viewpoint essay)
February 12, 2009... One of today's biggest corporate challenges is to encourage employees to be the architects of their own motivation. This does not mean that employers should be absolving responsibility for encouraging their staff, but productivity can...

MOTIVATION: CASE STUDY: Game.
February 12, 2009... High-street entertainment retailer Game was keen to increase top-line growth by adopting a more sales-oriented culture in its stores. The business believed its operations were more slanted towards customer service than sales, and it was keen...

Banks must come clean about their dirty assets or drag us down the pan.
February 12, 2009... Until banks show us exactly what they're made of, the economy will remain up the creek without a paddle - and the dire metaphors will keep flooding in The study of economics is wisely divided into two separate parts, one logical and...

Asda promotes marketing director after sales surge.(Rick Bendel )
February 19, 2009... Supermarket chain makes Rick Bendel chef marketing officer after posting strong full-year results Asda has promoted its marketing director Rick Bendel to chief marketing officer just as the retailer's strong full-year results are...

ASA bans poster that asks 'Want longer lasting sex?'.(Advertising Standards Authority)(Brief article)
February 19, 2009... A poster campaign for an erectile dysfunction aid, that featured the word "sex" in large letters, has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after the watchdog received 521 complaints that the ads are offensive. The...

HS&P commits to merger with digital shop Crayon.(Brief article)
February 19, 2009... The trend towards agency consolidation is continuing with independent marketing partnerships specialist HS&P poised to sign a deal with dedicated digital agency Crayon. The merger, expected to be a cash and equity earn-out deal, is still...

New alcohol inquiry checks on role of ads.(alcohol misuse campaigns)(Brief article)
February 19, 2009... The role of marketing in the misuse of alcohol could come under even further scrutiny following a House of Common's health committee inquiry launched last week. The inquiry, which began last Thursday (February 12), includes the role of...

IAB Creative Showcase: Who dares wins.
February 19, 2009... Lean Mean Fighting Machine won the January IAB/Microsoft Advertising creative showcase award with its work for the DCSF, National Year of Reading campaign. The remit for the integrated campaign is to encourage 11-14 year-old boys to be...

Liverpool Capital of Culture chief steps down.(marketer Kris Donaldson resigns)(Brief article)
February 19, 2009... Liverpool European Capital of Culture 2008 marketer Kris Donaldson is stepping down from his role at the end of this month. Donaldson was appointed in 2004 as marketing director for the Liverpool Culture Company (LCC) with a remit to help...