Marketing Week articles from June 2005

Marketing Week archives from June 2005

AMV to fold specialist shop Minerva.(Abbott Mead Vickers)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Abbott Mead Vickers. BBDO's second-string agency and integrated specialist Minerva is to fold. Its business will be moved into AMV and sister agency Proximity London. It is not clear whether all of Minerva's employees, thought to number...

Retailers snub Cadbury low-calorie bar launch.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Cadbury Trebor Bassett is facing a potential backlash from both the trade and consumers over its under-99 calorie chocolate bars because the products are smaller but more expensive than the original versions. Industry insiders say that the...

Timberland hunts head of European marketing.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Fashion brand Timberland is looking for a European marketing director after the departure of Pat Mitchinson, who had held the role for two years. Nigel Young, from the company's European marketing team, will assume her duties temporarily....

New Campaigns: Will advertising for priests revive Catholicism?(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... The Roman Catholic Church is planning to run an advertising campaign to recruit more priests, using beer mats and posters on the London Underground. The number of priests working in Westminster has fallen from 850 in 1990 to 600 this...

UK health food company starts international push.(Go Lower)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Health food manufacturer Go Lower is gearing up to launch an assault on the Swedish and American markets, after weathering the low-carbohydrate fallout in the UK. It is due to start shipping products to Sweden in the near future, and plans...

BBC, AOL and O2 to back Live 8 events.(British Broadcasting Corp., America Online Inc., O2 Ltd.)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... The BBC, internet provider AOL and mobile phone company O2 are among the first brands to sign up with Sir Bob Geldof's Live 8 project. The organisers are looking for several sponsors for the five free concerts, to be held round the world...

DoH to take anti-smoking effort to pubs.(Department of Health)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... The Department of Health is encouraging anti-smoking initiatives in places such as pubs and supermarkets as part of its campaign to get people to give up the habit. The Government will be running consumer campaigns to promote the initiatives....

Codemasters loses head of marketing.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Codemasters worldwide marketing director Ken Johnston has left the computer games publisher in the latest in a line of changes to the company's top management. It is understood Johnston, who was appointed only last May after leaving his...

Coke unveils ad drive as lemon variant hits shelves.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... A multi-million pound Coca-Cola campaign launched today (Wednesday) through television and outdoor advertising and PR will coincide with the launch of a new flavour: Coca-Cola with Lemon. "Bring Me Sunshine" features country music legend...

IN BRIEF: Puma to launch footwear collection.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Puma will launch a footwear collection with top British designer Alexander McQueen. The collection for men and women will be unveiled during London Fashion Week in September. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Heart appointment.(Promotions)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Heart, the Chrysalis Radio-owned radio brand, has promoted programme director Francis Currie to brand programme director with responsibility for developing the brand across the network. Programme controller Mark Browning will replace Currie....

IN BRIEF: Arla Foods profits.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Arla Foods, the UK's biggest milk supplier, has announced pre-tax profits doubled to #10.1m in the six months to March 31. The group reported growth in sales from #676m to #685m. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Phones4U backing a new service.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Phones4U is backing a new service that enables mobile phone users to convert voice messages into text. Spinvox will be sold through Phones4U's business division 4U Business. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Milk Marque looking for a business to buy.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Milk Marque, the successor to the Milk Marketing Board, is understood to be looking for a business to buy. The move follows problems with a plan to wind the organisation up, as it still has #17m of assets belonging to farmers. It has now...

IN BRIEF: Ryanair profits.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Ryanair, the budget airline, has reported a 19 per cent increase in pre- tax profits to #155m for the year to the end of March. The airline says that it remains confident about the rest of the year, as sales for the summer months are strong....

IN BRIEF: Nestle promotes Stuart Irvine.(Promoted Stuart Irvine to Managing Director)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Nestle has promoted Stuart Irvine to managing director of Nestle Purina Petcare UK. He replaces Paul Grimwood, who will become head of operations for Nestle Zone Europe. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Gaymer Cider appointment.(Gaymer Cider Company appointed John Mills as Managing Director)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Constellation Brands UK has named John Mills as managing director for The Gaymer Cider Company, which was spun-off as a separate company last October. Mills was previously senior vice-president for off-trade retail sales for all of...

IN BRIEF: Responsibility for marketing.(Promotions)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Sainsbury's has scrapped the role of marketing director following the resignation of Stephen Nelson earlier this month. Customer services director Gwyn Burr will take on the new role of customer director and will take over responsibility for...

IN BRIEF:Food and Drink Federation appointment.(Food and Drink Federation appointed Meliane Leech as Director General)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... The Food and Drink Federation has appointed Melanie Leech as its director-general. Leech has held a variety of senior positions in government departments, including the Cabinet Office, and is a former executive director of the Association of...

IN BRIEF: Monstermob appointment.(Appointed Hans Snook as Chairman)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Monstermob, the mobile phone content provider, has appointed former Orange chief executive Hans Snook as its chairman. Snook is stepping down as chairman of Carphone Warehouse in July. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

Europe decides to abandon nutrient profiling scheme.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... The European Parliament has delivered a final blow to nutrient profiling after voting against including it in the proposed legislation for health and nutrition claims. The decision to abandon the scheme in its current form, which was...

ASA investigates Crazy Frog ads.(Advertising Standards Agency)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has received more than 200 complaints about television ads for mobile ringtones featuring the "Crazy Frog". Many of the objections are about the frequency of the ads starring the amphibian, which is...

Casio revamps in attempt to shed 'old-fashioned' image.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Casio is radically overhauling its marketing in an attempt to shed its image as a fusty and old-fashioned manufacturer of calculators and cheap digital watches. Marketing director Mark Bernard admits people see the brand as boring and...

Coors move leaves 120 jobs at risk.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Coors Brewers' 120-strong marketing team is bracing itself for redundancies as the brewer embarks on talks with its employees about changes at its Burton-on-Trent head office following the merger between Coors of the US and Canada's Molson to...

Analysis: Marketers hit as Co-op reins in its unwieldy empire.
June 2, 2005... The Co-operative Group is planning to axe up to 70 marketing jobs in a restructure designed to reduce duplication and missed opportunities across its diverse businesses. The restructure, announced last Thursday, will result in 600 jobs...

What If! partners health company for kids' launch.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... UK natural health products manufacturer Weleda and ideas consultancy What If! have formed a joint venture, Dr Greenfingers, which will launch a range of products for children this month. Jacquie Irvine, the former Procter & Gamble (P&G)...

QBIS talks to agencies for #20m launch.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... New directory service QBIS has shortlisted three advertising agencies for an estimated #20m launch. It is understood that an entrepreneur from Asia is behind the service, which is expected to be launched in the next few months. The...

John West launches low-salt tuna product.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Canned fished brand John West is bolstering the position of its health products by launching a line of reduced-salt tuna in brine. The product has been developed in response to UK consumers' demand for healthier foods and growing concerns...

Analysis: Heinz proposes to freeze out its niche brands.
June 2, 2005... by Jonathan Harwood Heinz is reviewing the future of its European frozen and seafood businesses - and could be about to sell off brands such as Linda McCartney and John West. The company has owned most of the brands up for review for...

Ferrero appoints Nitrosoul to work on Giotto launch.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Confectionery brand Ferrero has appointed Nitrosoul to its #10m advertising agency roster. Its first task will be to handle the launch campaign for its adult biscuit Giotto. The agency will work alongside Ferrero's existing agencies WCRS,...

CMW and Starcom repitch for Porsche advertising and media business.(Clark McKay & Walpole )(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Porsche is reviewing its advertising and media planning and buying accounts for its dealership business. It is believed the review is being overseen by Porsche brand communications and strategy manager Wayne Darley. Darley denies a...

Analysis: Creative attempt to crack big agency syndrome.(Publicis Groupe starts creatively led boutique agency in Paris, Marcel)
June 2, 2005... by Sonoo Singh The Publicis Groupe grabbed headlines after a long hiatus recently when it announced the launch of a creatively led boutique agency in Paris called Marcel. Named after Publicis' much revered founder Marcel...

IN BRIEF: New brand for UK Sport.(Philosophy)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Philosophy, the branding consultancy, has created a new brand identity for UK Sport. The "100%Me" branding will be used for the Start Clean and Stay Clean anti-drug campaigns aimed at 12- to 17-year-olds and elite athletes respectively. ...

IN BRIEF: Landor Associates appointed.(Traidcraft)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Landor Associates, the branding agency, has been appointed by fair trade organisation Traidcraft to review its branding and create pack designs for its 60-strong range of food and drink products. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

IN BRIEF: Spirit Advertising appointed.(The Procurement Group)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Spirit Advertising has been appointed by The Procurement Group to develop a launch marketing campaign based around the company's promise to reduce bottom-line costs. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw campaign.(Voluntary Service Overseas)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw has created a direct marketing campaign to raise funds to support the work of the Voluntary Service Overseas with disabled children in the developing world. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: WCRS campaign.(Radox Shower brand)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... WCRS has created a #5m TV campaign to support the Radox Shower brand. It is understood to be the biggest investment in the brand by owner Sara Lee Household & Body Care to date. The campaign, which breaks on June 10, will use the "Radox,...

IN BRIEF: First work for Sainsbury's Bank.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Walsh Trott Chick Smith will unveil its first work for Sainsbury's Bank on June 6. The agency, which was appointed to the #15m account last year (MW October 28, 2004), has created a new identity for the brand and an animated icon that will...

Fallon quits as AMV closes on #80m BT.(Abbott Mead Vickers)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... BT has parted company with roster agency Fallon as the pitch for its #80m advertising account enters its final stages. Sources say Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO is in pole position to scoop the lion's share of the business, despite suggestions...

WPN scoops #6m Which? account.(Watson Phillips Norman)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Watson Phillips Norman (WPN) has won the #6m below-the-line account for Which?, formerly the Consumers Association (CA). It is not clear how the appointment of WPN will affect the organisation's retained agency, Rapier. However, a Which?...

Honda plans 'true stories' ad campaign through Zip TV.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Honda is launching a campaign through interactive television advertising consortium Zip TV that will feature true stories sent in by the public. The "Crazy Sensible" campaign, which breaks on Friday, will have a "send us your stories"...

Barclaycard International picks EHS Brann for European assault.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Barclaycard International has appointed EHS Brann to its multi-million pound global below-the-line business. As Barclaycard International's first global direct marketing agency, EHS Brann will work with the central marketing team,...

Platinum Guild in ad agency talks over global campaign.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Platinum Guild International (PGI), an organisation funded by the world's biggest platinum mining companies, is in talks with advertising agencies about a multi-million pound global campaign to stimulate demand for platinum jewellery. ...

New Campaigns: Cathedral City.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Grey London is launching a #5m television campaign for the Dairy Crest- owned Cathedral City cheese brand. The 30-second TV ad breaks on June 6. The campaign will continue to use the strapline "Cathedral City on toast. You see it, you want...

IN BRIEF: Local Radio Company turnover.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... The Local Radio Company has reported an increase in turnover from #5.6m to #9.8m for the six months to March. It attributes its performance to the strong local advertising market. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

IN BRIEF: Nike threatening to pull out of Manchester United deal.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Nike is threatening to pull out of its #303m deal with Manchester United unless the team improves its performance on the pitch. The deal is supposed to run for 13 years from 2002, but Nike has a break clause, which it can exercise at the end of...

IN BRIEF: i-level appointment.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... i-level, the online media agency, has been appointed to the #5m digital media planning and buying account for the AA. The account is for the AA's three core businesses: roadside recovery, insurance and loans. Manning Gottlieb OMD previously...

IN BRIEF: John Ayling and Associates appointment.(Allianz Cornhill Animal Health)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... John Ayling & Associates has been appointed by Allianz Cornhill Animal Health to handle the #1m account for its Petplan pet insurance brand following a four-way pitch against undisclosed agencies. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd....

IN BRIEF: Carlsberg renews sponsorship deal.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Carlsberg has renewed its shirt sponsorship deal with Liverpool Football Club, as first predicted in Marketing Week (May 12). The deal, which is thought to be worth about #4.5m a season, has been extended by two years. Copyright: Centaur...

MediaCom faces P&G Prestige pitch.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Procter & Gamble (P&G) has put the strategic planning for its global Prestige Beauty business up for pitch. The incumbent on the business is WPP Group-owned MediaCom. Alongside the incumbent, roster agencies Starcom and Zenith Optimedia,...

New Campaigns: South Eastern Trains.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... South Eastern Trains is launching an outdoor advertising campaign to encourage more people to travel outside peak times. The campaign, created by Rapier, breaks next week and features the strapline "It's on your doorstep" to illustrate how...

NTL slashes price of 1MB broadband.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... NTL is cutting the price of its 1MB broadband service to what it claims is the cheapest in the market, in an aggressive move to attract new customers. Normally priced at #17.99, the 1MB service will now be made available to new...

Bristol Rugby Club seeks sponsor as Mitsubishi quits.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Bristol Rugby Club is close to securing a new sponsor after Mitsubishi decided not to renew its #2m deal. The car marque signed a four-year contract with Bristol in 2001 in what was then one of the biggest sponsorship deals in world rugby...

Research shows fans expect sponsors to cut event prices.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Sports and music fans are cynical about event sponsorship and think that sponsors should help to cut ticket prices, according to research by marketing consultancy Iris North. The study found that 60 per cent of people questioned want...

Analysis: Does the Broadcast Code really help advertisers?
June 2, 2005... by Mark Choueke The Broadcast Code, published by Ofcom last week, dashed all hope of more innovative television campaigns, according to leading agencies. The code, which clarifies issues of sponsorship and fairness of radio and TV...

GCap Media plans content forum to boost digital radio ad revenue.(Capital Radio PLC)(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... GCap Media, owner of the Capital Radio group, Classic FM and 54 local radio stations, is calling for the radio industry to unite in an effort to increase radio's share of advertising revenue to ten per cent and to boost the reach and revenue...

Bookmakers moot boycott of reality TV betting market.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Bookmakers are threatening to boycott betting on some reality television shows because of their dwindling popularity, says William Hill. Following lack of interest in shows including The Farm and Celebrity Love Island, bookies are hoping...

Camelot puts Big Brother Instant Win game online.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Lottery operator Camelot has launched a Big Brother 6 Instant Win game on its website, developed in conjunction with Channel 4. The interactive game, which made its debut at the same time as this year's show, puts players inside a virtual...

Hypertag launched globally through partnership deals.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Hypertag, the UK mobile marketing technology company, is launching its interactive outdoor advertising system in Australia, Canada, France and Spain after signing four international partnership deals. Perhaps the most significant of these...

'Mothers are increasingly reliant on internet' - study.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Women - and particularly mothers - are increasingly using the internet to help them manage their lives. A study into how 35- to 45-year-olds and their families use the internet has identified two categories of internet-using mothers - the...

TradeDoubler wins Yahoo! online brief.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Yahoo! Europe has announced plans to ramp up its online marketing activity over the second half of 2005, and has appointed online marketing and sales company TradeDoubler to manage its affiliate marketing, online campaigns, ad-serving and site...

Letter: Those ignoring digital will be hit in the profit.(Letter to the Editor)
June 2, 2005... What is profit? After years of reading Alan Mitchell's thoughtful columns, I've been left with the impression that the routes to "profitable marketing" are more than simply charging people money. So when I read in Martin Croft's piece on...

Letter: Audi can motor along while BMW is stalling.(Letter to the Editor)
June 2, 2005... The news that Audi has overtaken BMW in the UK doesn't entirely come as a surprise (Audi living in the fast lane, MW May 19). It seems to me that one of the primary reasons for Audi's upturn is that its designs have been consistently...

Letter: Commoditisation will kill e-mail marketing.(Letter to the Editor)
June 2, 2005... In the news article "E-Marketing set for major revenue hike" (MW May 19), you quote a study by E-Consultancy, which estimates that e-mail marketing revenue is set to grow by at least 25 per cent in 2005. While this is good news for the...

Letter: Customer magazines think small and thrive.(Letter to the Editor)
June 2, 2005... Suki Thompson's comment piece (MW May 19) was highly perceptive. It did bring the late 1990s internet boom to mind, when the branded content debate raged in the context of the "stickiness" of different websites. The debate has now moved on...

Letter: Can advertising learn from past mistakes?(Letter to the Editor)
June 2, 2005... Having worked in marketing through 1987's Black Monday, the 1990-1992 recession and more recently the dot-com crash of 2000, recent headlines proclaiming that "advertising revenue has fallen off a cliff" sound familiar. GCap Media, the...

Leader: A spate of shuffling pricks up City ears.(Editorial)
June 2, 2005... GUS's decision to divest Burberry and Experian raises the interesting question of why they were part of the group in the first place. All right, GUS is sort of about retail - hence Argos and the much more recently acquired Homebase. And...

Brand Conglomerates: In search of a seamless fit.
June 2, 2005... Two weeks after Unilever sold its fragrance division to Coty, GUS is putting its house in order and divesting the ill-fitting Burberry brand. Are we to conclude the days of diverse conglomerates are numbered, as companies ditch brands that...

New Production Development: There's many a slip.
June 2, 2005... Dreaming up new product ideas is a rewarding and relatively painless activity for marketers. Getting them into production, on the other hand, can be a nightmare - as P&G is discovering with Mini Pringles. Caroline Parry looks at what can go...

Popular culture may be grubby, but at least it keeps us thinking.
June 2, 2005... MEDIA: Torin Douglas Anyone depressed by the diet of violence, idiocy and sex on TV and in computer games can take heart. A new book says it's all good for us - though even that doesn't try to excuse Big Brother As Big Brother joins...

It's not just manufacturing that could do with slimming down.
June 2, 2005... Marketing: Alan Mitchell Toyota has revolutionised its production lines using 'lean' business principles. But all aspects of a business could benefit from a lesson in how to be lean When Jim Womack was a young university researcher,...

Benchmark: Why Fiat remains stalled.
June 2, 2005... The fortunes of Fiat's car division have gone from bad to worse. Quality issues and an inward-looking culture haven't helped, says Robert Lester Fiat, once the jewel in Italy's industrial crown, has stumbled from one crisis to another...

Fiat: Facts and figures.(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
June 2, 2005... * Fiat, established by Giovanni Agnelli in 1899, is an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino * In the 1980s and early 1990s, it was vying to be the number one car manufacturer in Europe with a market share of about 15 per cent...

Insight - Loyalty Cards: Women stand by their stores.
June 2, 2005... The women who do most of the nation's grocery shopping are enthusiastic joiners of supermarket loyalty schemes - and a large number say their choice of store is influenced by their membership Recent research from Verdict revealed that by...

Insight - Loyalty Cards: Expert view.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2005... Fiona McDonnell, senior analyst, consumer markets, Forrester Research Companies have lost sight of what drives real loyalty. Eighty-six per cent of UK consumers own loyalty cards, but encouraged by freebies and armed with the technology...

Comment: City needs to understand the meaning of brand governance.
June 2, 2005... City analysts may want greater transparency of marketing expenditure, but they need to learn the value of branding, says Rita Clifton Another year and yet another survey confirms City analysts would (in theory) like to know more about...

Special Report - Training & Development: Even bosses don't know it all.
June 2, 2005... Persuading senior managers that their skills are in need of a little sharpening up is never an easy task, but marketing's ever-changing environment means that training is essential, says Alicia Clegg If you are a senior marketer, you...

Special Report- Customer Magazines: The meaning behind the words.
June 2, 2005... Marketers are constantly looking for new and varied ways to get their message across. Customer magazines, when used effectively, can dramatically influence customer loyalty, says Sonoo Singh It has been a good year for contract publishing,...

Strikers lose the plot as BBC repeats classic 1970s drama.
June 2, 2005... LAST WORD: IAIN MURRAY The sight of BBC strikers taking to the picket lines produced a wave of 1970s nostalgia, but would most viewers notice if many of the staff never went back? Yet again the BBC has fooled the critics. We thought...

Chime Communications poised to swoop on VCCP.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2005... Chime Communications, the marketing services holding company run by Lord Bell, is planning to buy ad agency Vallance Carruthers Coleman Partners as it seeks to boost its presence in above-the-line advertising, according to a source close to...

Axe looms over marketers after Diageo restructure.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2005... The futures of three senior marketers in Diageo's whisky division are in doubt, as part of the global drinks giant's restructuring programme. Jonathan Driver, who was global brand director for single malts; Richard Watling, who was Scotch...

Diageo agrees to buy Bushmills.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2005... Diageo has agreed to buy Irish whiskey brand Bushmills for about #200m from Pernod Ricard, if the French company's #7.5bn bid for Allied Domecq goes through. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

Smoking ban sparks rethink for pub companies over food.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2005... Pub companies may ditch their food operations in a bid to avoid the Government's proposed ban on smoking in public places in England, plans for which were announced in last month's Queen's Speech. Under the new legislation, pubs that do...

New Campaigns: 118 500.(Brief Article)
June 9, 2005... BT has launched a campaign for its 118 500 directory enquiries service. The ads claim 118 500 can find whatever number customers need, whenever they need it. The campaign, which has been created by St Luke's, carries the strapline "Let...