Marketing Week articles from May 2004

Marketing Week archives from May 2004

Balance of power to win a common goal.(This Week)(Marketing Week's annual TV conference )
May 6, 2004... For the past two years or more, advertisers and their media agencies have used Marketing Week's annual TV conference to call for a trade body or some other marketing initiative to market TV as a medium. They have continually expressed...

McVitie's chief lands Wilkinson Sword role: former McVitie's marketing chief lands top European role at razor giant Wilkinson Sword.(News)(Wilkinson Sword Ltd)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Razors giant Wilkinson Sword has appointed former McVitie's marketing chief Colin Hutchison to head its European business. Hutchison, who left United Biscuits-owned McVitie's from his role as managing director without a job to go to in...

Shell moves Pinnell to new international role.(News)(Shell Brands International)(Raoul Pinnell)(Shell Oil Co.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Shell is moving vice-president of global marketing and communications Raoul Pinnell to a new position in Switzerland as chairman of Shell Brands International AG. Shell Brands International is a new company, based in Baar, Switzerland,...

Penguin uses sex appeal to target men.(News)(Penguin Books Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Penguin Books is launching a consumer campaign telling men that if they read books they will appear more sexually attractive to women. In an attempt to promote their books to 16- to 30-year-old men, the company is running a "sexy" poster...

L'Oreal promotes Tanguy to front Helena Rubenstein.(News)(Michael Tanguy)(L'Oreal, Helena Rubenstein division in Paris)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... L'Oreal, the beauty products giant, has moved its general manager and veteran marketer Michael Tanguy to head its Helena Rubenstein division in Paris. The company has appointed Guy Farmer to replace Tanguy as head of its high-profile...

Allied Domecq repositions Tia Lusso as 'light' brand.(News)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Allied Domecq is being forced to reposition Tia Lusso as a "light" cream liqueur brand, following lower-than-expected sales. The drinks company is now considering a shift in its marketing strategy to exploit Tin Lusso's lighter proposition...

AXA appoints former Pru boss as director.(News)(AXA Sun Life)(Prudential)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... French insurance giant AXA has appointed David Whitaker as marketing director for AXA Sun Life, its UK life and pensions company. Whitaker replaces Frank Wilson, who resigned in November last year (MW November 6, 2003) following a marketing...

L'Oreal picks Italian chief for Lancome.(News)(L'Oreal USA)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Beauty products giant L'Oreal has appointed its Italian luxury products chief Claudio Collarile to head its Lancome business in the UK. Collarile's appointment follows the promotion of previous Lancome general manager Thierry Cheval to...

Comet offers energy deals with npower tie.(News)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Electrical retailer Comet has struck a deal with energy giant npower to offer its customers the chance to sign up for electricity and gas supplies. Launching in mid-May in Comet's outlets in the south of England, the offer will be rolled...

Blue Square prepares for rejig as rival swoops in on marketing chief.(News)(Victor Chandler Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Bookmaker Victor Chandler has poached Edward Andrewes, the marketing chief from rival gambling company Blue Square, to be its managing director. Andrewes has overseen marketing responsibilities at Blue Square for the past four years in his...

Vauxhall rolls out 'power' brand to woo consumers.(News)(launch of new high-performance sub-brand called VXR)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Vauxhall is launching a new high-performance sub-brand, to be called VXR, as part of a drive to improve consumer perceptions of the car marque. The VXR brand will apply to most sporting versions of cars across the Vauxhall range, and seeks...

Budget airline Duo axes team as it goes bust.(News)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Duo, the budget airline that collapsed last week after running out of cash, has axed its five-person marketing team headed by interim sales and marketing director Rob Rees and head of marketing Duncan Osborne. Duo launched in November...

Miracle-Gro hires ex-Unilever marketer.(News)(Scotts Company)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Scotts Company, the makers of gardening products, including Miracle-Gro, has appointed Martin Breddy as marketing director following the departure of Nathalie Charlton. It is understood that Charlton left without a job to go to. ...

Baileys launches extension targeted at coffee lovers.(News)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Diageo GB is planning a second brand extension for Baileys with a sachet version of the liqueur called Baileys with Coffee. The launch will be made available in single serve sachets and will target consumers who want to infuse coffee with...

Crabtree & Evelyn hunts ad director.(News)(Crabtree and Evelyn Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Luxury toiletries and food retailer Crabtree & Evelyn is seeking its first UK marketing director following a restructure of its sales, marketing and communications team. The decision to appoint a dedicated marketing director to the brand...

Chelsea Building Society promotes marketing head to chief executive.(News)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Chelsea Building Society has promoted its director and general manager of marketing and communications Richard Hornbrook to chief executive. He will replace Michael Page, the incumbent chief executive who retires from the building society...

ASA rules Prudential mailer is 'misleading'.(News)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld complaints about a Prudential insurance mail-shot designed as a Valentine's card. The card, sent in a pink envelope with a kiss-mark in lipstick printed on the seal, attracted 12...

Kao picks Euro marketing chief.(News)(Kao Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Personal care products manufacturer Kao Brands, which owns such brands as John Frieda and Biore, has appointed beauty products marketing veteran Nigel Brown to head its European marketing team. Brown will report to European managing...

UCAS joins up with top brands for campaign.(News)(UCAS Marketing Services)(Universities & Colleges Admissions Service )(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... The AA, Dell, Topshop and Xbox are among 17 top brands that have linked up with the marketing arm of the Universities & Colleges Admissions Service in an integrated campaign targeting more than 150,000 16- and 17-year-old school pupils. ...

Sara Lee Corporation.(Digests)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Sara Lee Corporation has announced the appointment of Brenda Barnes to the role of president and chief operating officer. She is the former president and chief executive of PepsiCo North America. Barnes joins in July.

General Mills.(Digests)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... General Mills, the US food giant, has revealed plans to introduce a number of low-carbohydrate versions of its products including its potato and dessert ranges. The products will only be available in the US.

Sainsbury.(Digests)(J Sainsbury PLC)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Sainsbury's is on the verge of signing a new deal with Jamie Oliver. The Naked Chef was first signed up as the thee of the retailer in 2001. Sainsbury's has also confirmed plans to launch a new clothing range called Tu in 160 of its stores in...

Virgin Atlantic.(Digests)(Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Virgin Atlantic commercial director Willy Boulter has been given the additional responsibility for sales and distribution, following a management restructure. Airlines sales and distribution director Paul Dickinson has been promoted to customer...

Formula One.(Digests)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Formula One teams are to agree to a number of radical changes in how the sport is run, with proposals expected to include a smaller engine size, a single tyre manufacturer and a new qualifying system.

Lloyds TSB.(Digests)(Lloyds TSB Group PLC)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Lloyds TSB has appointed former AMP marketing director Neil Galjaard as director of partnership and product development for its insurance division. It has also appointed Simon Hargreaves as direct business director, with responsibility for...

Goulds.(Digests)(contracts)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Goulds, maker of printed soft tissue products, has signed a deal with BBC Worldwide to launch a range of products using pre-school television characters such as Fimbles and Tweenies. The first product will be launched this autumn.

Anheuser-Busch.(Digests)(Harbin Brewery Group stake to be bought by Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc)
May 6, 2004... Anheuser-Busch has announced it will buy a 20 per cent stake in China's Harbin Brewery Group, a Hong Kong-listed regional brewer allied with A-B's rival SABMiller.

Boots.(Digests)(Kodak instant digital photo developing contracts)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Boots is teaming up with Kodak to offer instant digital photo developing in more than 1,100 of its stores.

Vodafone.(Digests)(Samsung Group to make mobile handsets for Vodafone group)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Vodafone is launching its first full third-generation mobile service in Europe, with Portugal and Germany to go live this week. The company has appointed Samsung to make handsets for the service.

Air France.(Digests)(takeover bid for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Air France has won a takeover bid for airline KLM, in a deal which will form the world's biggest airline by sales.

Lever Faberge.(Digests)(Lever Faberge Ireland Ltd)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Lever Faberge's marketing team, which devised the 4m [pounds sterling] "real" women campaign for the Dove brand, will this week appear on a poster campaign mimicking the original concept.

Blockbuster to trial 'DVD trade-ins' in Scottish stores.(News)(Blockbuster Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Blockbuster Video, the video rental chain owned by US media giant Viacom, is testing a DVD trade-in programme at some of its Scottish stores. Traded products, which do not have to have been bought from Blockbuster, are put back on sale in...

Founder in 'amicable' split from Tequila.(News)(Tom Wass )(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Omnicom-owned integrated agency group Tequila has parted company with its founder Tom Wass. Tequila is part of TBWA/Worldwide and TBWA director of development Rod Wright is assuming Wass's duties as international president and chief...

Airwick takes on rival Glade with battery-powered range.(News)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Reckitt Benckiser's Airwick is to launch a line of battery-powered household airfresheners in a bid to raise the competition with SC Johnson's rival Glade range. The MobilAir range, which will be brought out under the company's flagship...

Ford to play on Thunderbirds movie tie-up.(News)(Ford Motor Co.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Ford is planning a summer marketing campaign aimed at parents and their children based on its tie-up with Universal Pictures' Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds theme will be picked up in advertising created by Ogilvy & Mother (O&M) and a...

RAC searches for 10m [pounds sterling] DM agency.(News)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... The RAC is looking for a creative agency to handle its 10m [pounds sterling] direct marketing account a year after bringing it in house. The review is being overseen by RAC Customer Services head of customer operations Ian Dobson. The...

Kitcatt Nohr beats two to 3m [pounds sterling] Virgin Holidays.(News)(Kitcatt, Nohr, Alexander and Shaw)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Virgin Holidays is set to appoint integrated agency Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw to handle all its 3m [pounds sterling] above and below-the-line business after a pitch involving two other unnamed agencies. Virgin Holidays sales and...

Abbott Mead Vickers.BDDO.(Digests)(Abbott Mead Vickers/BBDO Ltd)(Walkers Sensations Poppadom Bites)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Abbott Mead Vickers.BDDO has created a campaign for the launch of Walkers Sensations Poppadom Bites. It stars Tara Palmer-Tompkinson and Gary Lineker performing a new version of the song Goodness Gracious Me.

Emirates.(Digests)(Emirates Airlines reviewing its advertising account)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Emirates, the Dubai-based airline, has confirmed that it is reviewing its 3.3m [pounds sterling] advertising account as reported in Marketing Week earlier this year (MW March 4). The incumbent, HDM Total Communication, is not repitching.

The Brand Experience Association.(Digests)(Field Marketing Council)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... The Brand Experience Association, the breakaway trade body to the Field Marketing Council, was launched last week as predicted in Marketing Week (MW March 25).

Team Saatchi.(Digests)(advertising for diarrhoea remedy Imodium )(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Team Saatchi has created a new television campaign for Johnson & Johnson's diarrhoea remedy Imodium that will break this week across Italy, Germany and the UK.

DDB London.(Digests)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... DDB London has created the first phase of a campaign to support the elections of the Mayor of London, London Assembly and European Parliament. The 1.5m [pounds sterling] campaign, which has been created for London Elects, has the strapline...

Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy.(Digests)(Pint d'Or wine promotion)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy has created an underground campaign for Pint d'Or. It will promote the brand as an unpretentious and easy-drinking French wine.

COI Communications.(Digests)(Tullow Marshall Warren)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... COI Communications has shortlisted Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw, Tullow Marshall Warren, Publicis Dialog and Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voekel for the 1m [pounds sterling] direct marketing account to promote Jobcentre Plus' employer recruitment...

Publicis.(Digests)(Justgiving)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Publicis has rolled out its creative work for charity website Justgiving. The humourous campaign aims to remind the public that couch potatoes can still donate online.

Small Japanese Soldier.(Digests)(Fructis Style hair products advertising)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Small Japanese Soldier, the design agency, has created a through-the-line promotion for the Fructis Style hair products, including an event to find talent in surfing, skating and DJing. The Garnier Fructis Style Trial takes place in August...

Communicator.(Digests)(Colgate's Total Advance Fresh toothpaste advertising)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Communicator, the sales promotion and direct marketing agency, has created a 4m [pounds sterling] integrated campaign to support the launch of Colgate's Total Advance Fresh toothpaste. It will include outdoor and cinema and break this month.

KLP Euro RSCG.(Digests)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... KLP Euro RSCG, the below-the-line agency, has developed a campaign for Nestle Purina PetCare that will run during Pet Smile Month. It includes an on-pack promotion and a PR campaign.

Proximity London.(Digests)(Orchestra partnership)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Proximity London, the marketing agency, and below-the-line agency Orchestra have formed a partnership. They have already been working on BBC TV Licensing.

Honda's interactive TV ads to link to showroom.(Media)(interactive television services)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Honda is to launch interactive television (iTV) ads that will enable consumers to speak directly to a dealer in a showroom through their TV sets by the end of the year. The Japanese car company believes it will be the first advertiser in...

... As C4 enters negotiations to set up interactive TV gambling service.(Media)(Channel 4 in negotiations with gambling companies to provide with interactive gambling service.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Channel 4 is in talks with four gambling companies with a view to setting up an interactive TV gambling service this summer. The channel is negotiating with Littlewoods Bet Direct, Ladbrokes, Blue Square and Skybet about establishing the...

Metro promotes marketing head to board-level post.(Media)(Karen Wall promoted to marketin directors position)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Metro, the free urban newspaper, has appointed its first board-level marketing director with the promotion of head of marketing Karen Wall to the newly created position. She takes up the post as Metro prepares for the launch of editions in...

Universal retains H&M UK contract.(Media)(Hennes and Mauritz contracts with McCann-Erickson Advertising Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Hennes & Mauritz (H&M), the Swedish clothing chain, has reappointed Universal McCann to handle its 2.7m [pounds sterling] UK media planning and buying business. Universal, which first won the business in 2000, kept the account after a...

Conde Nast in women's launch.(Media)(Conde Nast Publications Inc. plans to launch periodical)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Conde Nast plans to launch a woman's title this year in an attempt to replicate the success of the handbag-sized Glamour. The title is called Easy Living and is understood to be a monthly aimed at a slightly older audience. One insider...

MacKenzie dismisses Rajar announcement.(Media)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Kelvin MacKenzie, the chairman and chief executive of TalkSport-owner Wireless Group, has dismissed Rajar's announcement that four new--but unnamed--contenders will provide its electronic audience measurement technology. MacKenzie...

The Independent.(Digests)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... The Independent newspaper is understood to be planning to axe its broadsheet edition by the end of next month. It has been phasing out the broadsheet across the country and its Saturday edition has been available in tabloid size only since...

GWR.(Digests)(GWR Group PLC contracts with BT Wholesale)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... GWR, the commercial radio group, has signed a deal with BT Wholesale to create a digital multi-media broadcast group. It will create a range of digital services for mobile phones. GWR will license its datacasting to BT Wholesale and will invest...

Cable & Wireless.(Digests)(Cable and Wireless PLC to sponsor cricket world cup)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Cable & Wireless, the telecoms firm, has signed a deal to sponsor the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

Kerrang! 105.2.(Digests)(FM broadcasting launch)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Kerrang! 105.2 in the West Midlands is to launch on June 10. It is the first FM launch for EMAP Performance, which won the licence last October.

The International Olympic Committee.(Digests)(Chris Welton)(Laurent Scharapan)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... The International Olympic Committee has confirmed that former marketing chiefs Chris Welton and Laurent Scharapan have left the organisation. The IOC is still seeking a marketing director (MW April 8).

Smooth FM.(Digests)(Alitalia Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Smooth FM, the Guardian Media Group Radio-owned station, has signed up Alitalia to sponsor its Business Bulletins. The deal supports the launch of new Alitalia flights from Manchester to Milan.

UK Athletics.(Digests)(extended sponsorship)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... UK Athletics, the sports governing body, has extended its sponsorship deal with Johnson & Johnson for a further three years. Johnson & Johnson's athlete's foot brand Daktarin will be an official partner of UKA.

The GfK Broadcast Media Survey.(Digests)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... The GfK Broadcast Media Survey, which was published this week, claims that TalkSport is the number one commercial radio station with a weekly reach of 6.3 million people. The survey is carried out using an electronic wristwatch measurement...

What's On TV.(Digests)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... What's On TV, the IPC Media-owned magazine, is to be the official sponsor of the British Soap Awards, to be held at the BBC Television Centre on May 8.

95.8 Capital FM.(Digests)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... 95.8 Capital FM has signed a five-month deal with Subway, the sandwich chain, to sponsor its daily Workforce Anthems. The deal was negotiated by USP Radio.

BBC Worldwide and Penguin Books.(Digests)(BBC Worldwide Ltd.)(Penguin Books Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... BBC Worldwide and Penguin Books have joined up to form a company to publish BBC children's books. It will sit alongside Penguin's existing children's portfolio, which includes Peter Rabbit, Ladybird books and Puffin. Penguin will own 75 per...

Television must look to engage its market: digital switchover, surviving a multi-channel world and making TV more accountable were some of the main issues tackled at Marketing Week's TV 2004 conference.(Media Analysis)
May 6, 2004... Engagement. That was the buzz word that repeatedly came up at Marketing Week's TV 2004 conference last week. It is one that will continue to be used as marketers seek not only to find a way to engage with consumers through television in a...

Whoever wins at the Telegraph, advertisers' interests are at stake: six groups are bidding for control of the Telegraph Group, and the result will have a significant impact on advertisers. Nik Vyas examines the suitors.(Media Comment)
May 6, 2004... Hollinger International is said to have lined up six bidders for the Telegraph Group, the final offers for which will be made on May 10. The suitors are a varied bunch, but which one would be best for advertisers? The main point is that a...

For television to engage it must start to take action: Marketing Week's TV 2004 conference showed broad support for TV to be marketed generically, but this unity must be acted upon.(Media)
May 6, 2004... The stated theme of Marketing Week's TV 2004 conference was "Where next for engaging TV?" The real theme, unstated, seemed to be "Where next for engaging about TV?" Where can advertisers, agencies, broadcasters and other interested parties...

Virgin Money pushes for its renaissance: its first products were daring and innovative, but Virgin Money struggled when others copied them. Virgin Group took control last week--can it turn its fortunes around?(News Analysis)
May 6, 2004... Virgin Money, the financial services group that claims it shook up the world of pensions, savings and credit cards over the past decade but which has been rather quiet of late, is planning a comeback. Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group last...

Interaction is driving force of Motor Show: after years of high-profile departures and absentees, there are signs confidence is returning to the British Motor Show as the organisers concentrate on the 'experience'.(News Analysis)
May 6, 2004... The marketing extravaganza that is the British Motor Show is attempting to redefine itself following years of decline and high-profile desertions. Car manufacturers have been turning their backs on the show, choosing to launch their models...

Crunch time for cereals: the cereal industry has experienced rapid change in the past few years as it attempts to fit in with modern lifestyles. However, criticism from health watchdogs claiming many cereals contain too much sugar and fat to be considered 'healthy' could bring further change.(Cover Story)
May 6, 2004... The busy lifestyle of today's consumers means the menu on the traditional British breakfast table is changing. In fact, few of us get to sit round the table. Instead, we are turning to "on-the-go" products, putting traditional breakfast cereal...

No old boys or new girls in today's business world: the old-boy network is a myth, making a 'new girl' one irrelevant. Modern networking needs to address more than gender issues.(Business)
May 6, 2004... I wrote somewhere years ago that the late Jean Denton, later Baroness Denton of Wakefield, had forged a career in industry and politics without ever compromising her femininity. This was in the days before irony became fashionable and I fully...

What happens when indie boys grow up.(Diary)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... You can't keep a greying indie boy away from the sound of jagged guitars, and so it proved at a recent British Sea Power gig. The Diary's periscope spied ITV Sales managing director Graham Duff, former Carlton Media sales chief Martin Bowley,...

Drinking Vimto can make you funky ...(Diary)
May 6, 2004... "V.I.M.T.O. It's V, very scrummy, it's I, it's so fruity, it's M, etc..." Twenty-five years ago, Ottowan could never have imagined that the hit D.I.S.C.O would have the ultimate honour bestowed upon it. Forget the Grammys, having a song...

... But beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder.(Diary)
May 6, 2004... It's good to see those that have fallen on hard times making something of themselves. That's what's happened to unemployed actors Derek D'Runkard, Bryan Boozi and Daphne--who is "too cool" to have a surname, following the example of Jordan,...

The real cost of a free lunch at the Express.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 6, 2004... It is an abject lesson for PRs and marketers that one free lunch can define the judgement of even George Pitcher (MW last week). He excuses Richard Desmond's foul-mouthed abuse of Germans and the Telegraph management team on the grounds...

We are agencies, not commodities.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 6, 2004... Regarding the recent publicity surrounding Gola's decision not to use Junction for next year's campaign (MW April 22). It's a familiar tale. Agency pitches for client account. Wins. Produces two highly successful and well-publicised...

The bottom line on MacKenzie.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 6, 2004... Kelvin MacKenzie's claims to be "bottist" in response to my accusation of being ageist (Letters, MW April 1) don't bear scrutiny given TalkSport's history of damning the older demographics of rivals through advertising. The irony is that...

Getting behind sponsorship.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 6, 2004... In response to Peter Walshe (MW April 1). My point is that the challenge for the sponsorship industry is to establish a universally accepted method for measuring campaigns. It needs to be able to demonstrate consistency in how it evaluates...

Will Joey fill the void as Friends drift apart? NBC needs to find successors to Friends and Frasier, which have anchored its schedules for years, but spin-offs have a patchy record.(America)
May 6, 2004... It's the end of a decade of friendship. Forty million people are expected to watch the two-hour, final episode of Friends when it airs tomorrow (May 6) in the US on NBC. Multiple endings have been recorded for the tenth and last series of the...

Learn to make a stand: exhibitions are an excellent way to generate business, but British companies are failing to cash in. Steve Hemsley says there are lessons to be learned from the way that foreign companies approach these valuable events.(Special report: conferences & exhibitions)
May 6, 2004... After surviving and winning Celebrity Big Brother; Jack Dee has accepted what is arguably a tougher challenge. The deadpan comedian has joined Cold Feet's John Thomson and Coronation Street's Roy Barraclough in a training video called Make...

Is Tesco off its trolley or about to rule the world? Not content with selling us everything from food to financial services, Tesco is now hell-bent on saving us from the obesity time-bomb. Iain Murray is unnerved.(heavy shopping trollies introduced in their stores to promote customer fitness)
May 6, 2004... Those whom the gods wish to make mad, they first make rich. Howard Hughes became a recluse whose endless days were spent growing his hair and toenails and dreading the invasion of lethal bacteria. Lord Northcliffe, his life's work done in the...

It's time to learn a little humility.(This Week)(Editorial)
May 13, 2004... Are brands more trusted than governments and their representatives? The question barely seems worth asking: Nelson Mandela on a good day, Barclays Bank on a bad day might be exceptions that prove the rule, but by and large it's a no-brainer....