Marketing Week articles from January 2009

Marketing Week archives from January 2009

P&G plans to reduce its range of laundry products.
January 8, 2009... Procter & Gamble will phase out its liquid and tablet detergent formats over the next five years Procter & Gamble is planning a major consolidation of its laundry range, which will see all of its liquid and tablet formats scrapped over...

Barclays brand repositioning marks return to TV campaigns.(Barclays Bank PLC (London, England))(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... Barclays is repositioning its brand for the fourth time in eight years, and will return to TV advertising later this year after an absence of 18 months. The move spells an end to the campaign starring fictional Barclays staff in...

Ladbrokes slams ASA's 'ban on humour' in gambling ads.(Advertising Standards Authority)(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... Ladbrokes has hit out at the Advertising Standards Authority for what it claims is a ban on humour in gambling ads. It comes after the watchdog ruled against a recent ad campaign for ladbrokescasino.com. The gaming operator is lodging a...

Mazda puts Waring in charge of marketing.
January 8, 2009... Mazda Motor Europe has promoted vice-president of sales Philip Waring to chief operating officer. He will handle the marketing responsibilities as part of his new role. Waring takes on the marketing remit from Masahiro Moro, the vice-...

New campaign: BSkyB's new season of HD shows.(British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC)(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... BSkyB is promoting its high definition (HD) programming in a campaign to launch its new season of shows on Sky One and Sky One HD. The integrated campaign, which has been created by Brothers & Sisters and in-house agency Sky Creative,...

Noble Foods set to launch free-range egg brand.(Clinton Partnership)(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... Noble Foods is launching a premium free-range egg brand later this month. It is hoped the range will appeal to consumers interested in ethically produced food. Noble, which is the UK's biggest supplier of eggs, has appointed brand agency...

Motorola's EMEA VP takes on emerging markets role.(Europe, the Middle East and Africa)(appointment of Andrew Morley)(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... Motorola has expanded the role of Andrew Morley, vice president of marketing for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, to include Russia and key Asian markets. The mobile operator's marketing directors in India, Vietnam, Thailand, Korea and...

Analysis: Change4Life partners raise questions who will reap rewards.
January 8, 2009... As the nation's minds turn to the annual January detox, this weekend saw the launch of the first ads for the #75m Change4Life programme, which the Government is billing as a health revolution. The scheme, announced in the summer, aims to...

T-Mobile to boost UK marketing spend by 15% to over #115m.(T-Mobile (UK) Ltd.)(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... T-Mobile is boosting its marketing spend by 15% this year in a move that will take its UK spend to over #115m. Gordon Ballantyne, T-Mobile director of sales and customer service, says it is taking a bullish approach to 2009 and aims to...

IN BRIEF: Debenhams and Next suffer fall in sales.(revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... Debenhams and Next have suffered sales falls over the Christmas period. Debenhams posted a 3.5% drop in the past 12 weeks compared to the same period last year. Next posted a 7% fall in like-for-like sales for the six months to Christmas...

IN BRIEF: E.on reviewing ad account.(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... E.on is reviewing its #20m advertising account. Incumbent TBWA/London will repitch. The pitch is being led by e.on brand and communications director Jeremy Davies. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: B&Q MD.(Jo Kenrick left)(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... B&Q marketing director Jo Kenrick has left the DIY store after being made redundant at the end of last year. She has been replaced by customer and employee brand director Rob Bacon, previously chief operating officer of Carphone Warehouse. ...

IN BRIEF: Soccerex appointment.(appointment of Peter Gandolfi)(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... Nationwide's former head of brand strategy Peter Gandolfi, is joining Soccerex, the global football B2B organisation as a non-executive director. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Lloyds TSB appointment.(appointment of Nigel Gilbert )(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... Lloyds TSB has confirmed that marketing director Nigel Gilbert will become group marketing director of Lloyds Banking Group following its merger with HBOS as predicted by Marketing Week (MW November 13). Copyright: Centaur Communications...

IN BRIEF: Porsche increases stake in VW.(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... Porsche has increased its stake in Volkswagen to more than 50%. The German luxury car marque is expected to increase its stake to 75% later this year. However, it will not be enough to give it complete control as the state of Saxony, which...

DWP seeks agency to push pension strategy change.(Department of Work and Pensions)(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) is seeking an agency for a major campaign highlighting a strategic shift in the pension system. COI is overseeing the pitch, which was called just before Christmas. Miles Calcraft Briginshaw...

118 118 parts company with VCCP.(Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest)(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest is understood to have been dropped from The Number 118 118's roster just three months after it was appointed. It is believed that the relationship with the directories company broke down after the...

Rapier to handle Heat ad campaign work.(Bauer Media)(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... Bauer Media has appointed Rapier to handle the advertising for its weekly gossip magazine Heat. It beat incumbent Quiet Storm, which handled the business for eight years, Adam & Eve and Karmarama. The agency is developing a campaign for...

CMW wins Peugeot fleet business integrated account.
January 8, 2009... Peugeot has appointed CMW to handle the #1m integrated account for its fleet business following a five-way pitch against undisclosed agencies. There was no incumbent. The move is part of the carmaker's strategy to boost awareness among...

MediaCom scoops Langham media task.(Langham London appoints Mediacom North)(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... Luxury hotel brand the Langham London has appointed MediaCom North to handle its media planning and buying business. It follows a three-way pitch against The Davies Media Company and Cream UK. The appointment of the hotel's first media...

HP reviews technology arm's #69m global brief.
January 8, 2009... Hewlett-Packard has called a review of the $100m (#69m) global marketing and media account for its Technology Solutions Group (TSG). It aims to consolidate the business into one company. The group, the company's business-to-business...

Analysis: Shrinking ad budgets increase fear of job cuts at agencies.
January 8, 2009... Analysts are predicting a marketing services "bloodbath" early this year, as marketing communications groups look to cut costs and carry out the widespread job cuts announced at the end of 2008. Interpublic Group, which houses agency...

Hold the obituaries page! Newspapers ain't dead yet.
January 8, 2009... Against all the odds, there is now a slew of data to indicate that the newspaper industry may yet survive the internet revolution The challenge was to produce some form of "must have" content that a given group of consumers would either...

LETTER: Don't lose sight of your brand's real value.(Letter to the editor)
January 8, 2009... I read with interest your analysis "Desperate discounting could lead to long-term brand damage" (MW December 11, 2008). However, brands should heed the cautionary tale of how Abercrombie & Fitch lost its brand difference to attract consumers...

LETTER: Discounting is not retail's best tool.(Letter to the editor)
January 8, 2009... I write in response to your recent analysis discounting leading to long- term brand damage. Discounting is an obvious choice, especially in a recession. But it does erode brands and it can damage them irreparably. The cause for...

LETTER: Digital isn't rising as the big idea is falling.(Letter to the editor)
January 8, 2009... I'm somewhat amazed by the claim in the feature "Digital fuels integration boom" (MW December 11, 2008) that, because TV is taking less of a starring role in the media mix, having a big idea at the heart of an integrated campaign is becoming...

LETTER: Language is the key to being truly global.(Letter to the editor)
January 8, 2009... It was good to see the importance of adapting marketing communications to local conditions and culture being highlighted in the Global Brands Trends Insight ("Talking your language", MW December 11, 2008). The "act local, think global"...

LETTER: Trinity Mirror is #5m ahead of saving target.(Letter to the editor)
January 8, 2009... The analysis "A year of reckoning for traditional media" (MW December 18, 2008) features an inaccuracy. The article states that "Trinity Mirror... in November, said further cost savings of #5m were needed on top of the #20m already...

LEADER: This is the year for the bold and enterprising.(Column)
January 8, 2009... It is with a New Year optimism that I return to work after a four-week holiday to India, whose galloping economy is obviously shrinking but nevertheless continues to exude confidence and self-assurance. Not that the fall in consumer demand...

BARCLAYS: Barclays bounces back.(Barclays Bank PLC)(Interview)
January 8, 2009... Barclays, under the stewardship of global chief marketer Libby Chambers, is drawing a line under its 'bumbling staff' and Rowan Atkinson-inspired campaigns, to present a more credible and customer- focused brand, in keeping with today's leaner...

INDUSTRY VIEWPOINT: Fortune favours the brave.(Viewpoint essay)
January 8, 2009... Leading marketers questioned by Marketing Week predict a deep and long recession. However, they also believe that by meeting the challenges presented by these difficult times, a leaner, fitter and potentially more exciting marketing services...

To ensure survival, companies should look back to the past.
January 8, 2009... Times of economic crisis are nothing new, neither are the methods that companies adopted to weather the storm to much sunnier futures A trick question for the start of a gloomy new year: which 20th century decade delivered the fastest...

HEALTHY EATING: Britain's battle with the bulge.
January 8, 2009... Even when they're not on a weight-loss diet, the British are now counting calories as never before, which has led to a huge shift in eating habits as people try to develop a healthy everyday diet With the Government kicking off its #75m...

YOUTH MARKETING: In search of a youth connection.
January 8, 2009... Young consumers, with their ever-changing trends, buzzwords and priorities can baffle marketers and their traditional research tools. Reaching them requires a new approach, says Sarah Forsey The youth market is considered to be one of the...

YOUTH MARKETING: Christian Aid's shift of emphasis.(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... As part of Christian Aid's, experimental youth project, Ctrl.Alt.Shift, experiential agency Amplify created a film featuring Neg Dupree of Channel 4 comedy series "Balls of Steel", that takes traditional charity stereotypes (the charity shop...

YOUTH MARKETING: RAF on target.(Royal Air Force)(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... There are common misconceptions among young people that the Royal Air Force is only about pilots. The "Altitude" marketing campaign aims to give teenagers a real understanding about what life is like in the RAF, find out a possible role they...

YOUTH MARKETING: Group effort wins EA Games support at music festival.(Electronic Arts Inc. EA Games)(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... EA Games is a practised user of experiential marketing, long investing in campaigns that inspire the participation and engagement of its target market, a big proportion of which is the youth market. One of the latest examples of EA's...

YOUTH MARKETING: Strategy that made shout a voice to trust.(Brief article)
January 8, 2009... Since 2006, the DC Thomson Youth Insight Programme (YIP) has succeeded in ensuring its publications talk directly to readers. With the assistance of bi-annual research programmes and targeted focus groups, editorial teams have...

It's time for us to pull together and consume like we never have before.
January 8, 2009... The future may look bleak, but we can see it through. One day we will pay tribute to the shopper's sacrifice - crushed under foot at the Selfridges sale I'd been digging for victory in the brassica patch for most of the morning, and...

Waitrose customer club aims for brand 'affinity'.
January 15, 2009... Supermarket to launch loyalty-style club this month to intensify battle against Sainsbury's and Tesco Waitrose is launching its first loyalty-style customer club later this month as part of a major push to retain key customers and build...

Viva Beverages launches UK's first single-shot energy drink.(Trading Partners International)(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Viva Beverages, a US drinks company, is planning to create a new category in the UK drinks sector with the launch of a single-shot energy drink, Quick Energy, this month. The drink, which comes in 59ml shots, will be positioned as a "more...

Clarke and May hit out at Portman Speedball action.(Oz Clarke)(James May)(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Wine expert Oz Clarke and Top Gear's James May are understood to have started a row with the drinks industry body, The Portman Group, after the duo lashed out at the potential ban of a beer called Speedball. It is under investigation by the...

Mars is set to launch the Maltesers Bunny.(Mars Nederland B.V.)(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Mars is launching a limited edition "rabbit-shaped Malteser" for Easter. It is understood to be the first time it has extended beyond the brand's core bite-sized range. The Maltesers Bunny, which sources say is about three inches high,...

Halifax TV ads scrap 'staff as stars' style.(Halifax Bank of Scotland)(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Halifax is launching its first new television ads since scrapping its Howard Brown-fronted "staff as stars" campaign. The bank, part of Halifax Bank of Scotland Group, is initially believed to have mooted the heavyweight campaign for...

Nestle UK to roll out Rowntree Randoms.(Rowntree Randoms)(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Nestle UK is gearing up for the launch of Rowntree Randoms, which is set to be the company's major new sugar confectionery event for 2009. The foam and gum sweets, containing real fruit juice, come in a variety of colours and flavours....

P&G to take on RB's Vanish with Ariel stain remover.(Procter & Gamble Co.)(Reckitt Benckiser)(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Procter & Gamble is launching its flagship Ariel brand into the stain remover market, where it will compete head-on with Reckitt Benckiser's Vanish. The new product, an in-wash stain removing powder, is due to be launched at the end of...

Car marques to unite under green banner at US motor show in Detroit.(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Car manufacturers are planning to put on a "united front" at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which launches later this week. It is thought there will be a big "green" focus to deflect attention from the industry's...

L'Oreal extends Skin Naturals to over-50s.(L'Oreal Paris)(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... L'Oreal is extending its Garnier Skin Naturals into skin care for the over-50s. The Vital Restore range will be launched across Europe in March. The four-strong range includes a day cream, night cream, eye cream and an anti-age spots...

IN BRIEF: ASA clarification.(Correction notice)
January 15, 2009... The Advertising Standards Authority have asked us to clarify that the agency responsible for film Righteous Kill advertising is All City and not Tea (MW December 18, 2008). Film distributor Lionsgate has apologised for any confusion. ...

IN BRIEF: VW head of marketing.(Volkswagen AG appoints Luca De Meo)(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Fiat's former chief marketing officer Luca De Meo is being tipped to become Volkswagen group head of marketing. It is not clear whether De Meo will take the VW group head of sales and marketing post currently held by Detlef Wittig. ...

IN BRIEF: Job cuts.(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Merill Lynch and its new owner Bank of America is axing 1,900 jobs in London. Similarly, Home Retail Group, owner of Argos and Homebase announced 210 job cuts in Manchester. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Premier Foods seeking buyer for 40% of business.(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Premier Foods, owner of Hovis and Branston, is understood to be mooting a #300m rights issue while also seeking a buyer for 40% of the business. It is believed to have spoken to its banking syndicate about the plans. Copyright: Centaur...

IN BRIEF: Peter Keenan moves to HSBC.(Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd.)(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Curry's managing director Peter Keenan has moved to HSBC bank as head of its branch network, after a shake-up within the retailer's parent company DSG International made his role redundant. Keith Jones, PC World managing director has become...

BMI campaign to restore its position as a business brand.(British Midland Airways Ltd.)(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... BMI is seeking to restore its position as a business airline over the next year. The move is supported by the launch of a business class lounge at London Heathrow in June, which will be backed by a major ad campaign. The airline will...

Veet set to launch electrical hair-removal products range.(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Veet, the hair removal brand, is launching into electrical products for the first time. A three-strong range will be launched in the UK towards the end of February, followed by a roll-out across Western Europe. The launch follows a...

Analysis: Will P&G's streamlining move give consumers what they want?(Procter & Gamble Co.)
January 15, 2009... The hyper-competitive laundry detergent market is set to see a major shake-up during the recession, spearheaded by a rationalisation in products by Procter & Gamble. The company is planning to scrap several of its format lines across its...

First:utility challenges the 'big six' with smart meters.(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... First:utility, the independent energy company, is seeking to challenge the "big six" energy suppliers by offering consumers a range of time- sensitive tariffs and Smart Metres. The company will start selling gas to residential customers...

Analysis: T-Mobile challenges dwindling market by boosting its spend.
January 15, 2009... Following a drop in profits and revenues in the third quarter of last year, mobile operator T-Mobile is taking a bullish approach to its marketing, announcing a 15% increase in its #100m marketing budget this year (MW last week). The move...

Dell launches laptop to rival the Macbook.(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Dell is seeking to increase its consumer presence with the launch of an ultra-light laptop. The Adamo range is due to be launched this spring. The PC manufacturer is looking to steal back share from rivals, who have already launched...

IN BRIEF: Shortlist for Best Awards 2009.
January 15, 2009... The MCCA has announced the shortlist for the Best Awards 2009 - backed by Marketing Week. To see the full list, visit Bestawards.co.uk. The winners will be announced on March 5. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Iris Experience appointment.(appointment of Charlotte Soussan )(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Iris Experience has appointed Charlotte Soussan as brand entertainment director of its London office. She was previously head of marketing at Xfm and marketing director of Mercury Records. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

IN BRIEF: Universal Music reviewing media account.(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Universal Music is reviewing its #27m media account. It is planning to consolidate the business across its European brands currently held by several agencies. UK incumbent MediaCom is believed to be repitching. Copyright: Centaur...

IN BRIEF: Joint anti-obesity project.(Diabetes UK)(Cancer Research UK)(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... The British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK and Diabetes UK are seeking an agency for a joint anti-obesity project. Cancer Research incumbent Ogilvy Group, Grey, which handles the British Heart Foundation, and Diabetes UK incumbent The...

IN BRIEF: Shortlist for Debenhams.(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Bartle Bogle Hegarty, M&C Saatchi, Publicis, Karmarama and JWT are all on the shortlist for Debenhams' #15m ad account. The review is being handled by The Observatory. Incumbent Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy has resigned the account. ...

Albion smells victory after #2m pitch for coffee brand.(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Albion has been tipped to scoop the #2m advertising account for Cafedirect, the fairtrade hot drinks company, following a pitch against Brooklyn Brothers and Inferno. The pitch was overseen by Oystercatchers and it is not believed there...

Morris leaves Lowe London.(Ed Morris)(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Ed Morris, executive creative director of Lowe London, is understood to have left the agency despite earlier reports that he would continue in a consulting role. The news comes amid confusion and speculation over his future with the...

VisitBritain US expands roster.(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... VisitBritain US is looking to appoint up to five new agencies to its roster. The tourism body, which promotes Britain to the US market, is seeking agencies to handle promotion campaigns. The agencies will work on briefs to target specific...

RKCR/Y&R to raise ovarian cancer fund awareness.(Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R)(Ovarian Cancer Action)(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R has been appointed by Ovarian Cancer Action to develop a campaign for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in March. The agency has a brief to create a TV and press campaign that will run during the month and...

IN BRIEF: UEFA running tender processes.(Union of European Football Associations)(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... UEFA is running tender processes for the UEFA Champions League for the automotive and banking categories. It has been reported that UniCredit Group is to replace MasterCard in the banking category. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd....

IN BRIEF: Cinema admissions rise.(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... The Cinema Advertising Association says cinema admissions rose 1.1% year on year to 164.2 million in 2008. The summer period marked the highest number of cinema admissions for 40 years. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Virgin Media Television appointment.(appointment of Jeff Dodds )(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Virgin Media Television has appointed former Honda marketer Jeff Dodds to the new role of brand and marketing director. He joins from Callaway Golf. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Kangaroo shortlist.(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Kangaroo, the planned video-on-demand venture from BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4, has shortlisted MPG, Mediaedge:cia, MindShare, OMD and Vizeum to pitch for its #4m media account. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: MediaVest digital media account.(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... MediaVest has been appointed by Capital One to handle its #7m digital media planning and buying business. The business moves from sister Publicis Groupe agency Zed. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Associated Newspapers appointment.(appointment of Marcus Rich )(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Associated Newspapers has appointed Marcus Rich to the dual role of managing director of The Mail on Sunday and the new position of Mail Newspapers deputy managing director. Rich was previously managing director of EMAP's advertising and...

ITV 'health hub' supports #375m Change4Life drive.(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... ITV is launching a "health hub" to encourage viewers to lose weight and exercise more under its commitment to the Government's #375m Change4Life anti-obesity drive. The hub will support the forthcoming series The Feelgood Factor, which...

AVG plans #4m marketing push.
January 15, 2009... AVG Technologies, the internet security and anti-virus company, is planning to appoint its first advertising and media agencies as part of wider plans to boost its marketing budget to #4m. The marketing push is being led by newly appointed...

Experian appoints i-Level to handle digital media tasks.(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Credit information group Experian is tipped to have appointed i-Level to handle the digital media planning and buying for its portfolio of brands, including Experian, CreditExpert.co.uk, FootFall and Hitwise. The group, which offers...

IAB Creative Showcase: Profero's dark side shines out.(Internet Advertising Bureau)(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Profero has won December's Internet Advertising Bureau/Microsoft Advertising Creative Showcase for its "Dark side to coke" ad. The Home Office, Department of Health, Department for Children, Schools and Families and COI challenged...

MPG wins #4.5m C&C account from ZenithOptimedia.(MPG International Corp.)(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... MPG International has won the E5m (#4.5m) US and European media planning and buying account for drinks company C&C Group. The agency scooped the account following a pitch against the incumbent ZenithOptimedia. The appointment extends the...

Guardian group launches price discount initiative.(Guardian News & Media)(Brief article)
January 15, 2009... Guardian News & Media (GNM) is launching a daily subscription service for The Guardian and The Observer for the first time. The publisher is offering readers a discount of up to 33% on the cover price. It is the publisher's first major...

Analysis: CNN looks to Barack to boost Freeview launch.(Cable News Network. CNN International)
January 15, 2009... CNN International will be hoping to benefit from the "Barack Bounce" when it launches on Freeview. The global news channel launches on the free-to-air digital terrestrial platform tomorrow (Thursday) ahead of US President-elect Barack...

Endemol looks dead set to raise the bar for TV shows.
January 15, 2009... With its perfectly executed, original cross-genre output, Endemol has elevated itself to a significant player in the TV production industry This venture is clever because it moves cross genre, and not just cross platform, from reality to...

Beat the gloom by focusing on ideas.
January 15, 2009... New spirit of creativity waits in the wings Damn it's going to be a tough year for marketers. Apparently no-one under 21 watches TV, no-one uses Facebook apps, people don't trust anything companies say and budgets are slashed to the...

ORPHAN CONSUMERS: Vultures are circling.
January 15, 2009... As more and more brands in an ever-growing number of sectors fall victim to the economic downturn, the survivors on the high street must find ways of picking up a share of the billions of pounds of dispossessed revenues that consumers find...