New Media Age articles from April 2005

New Media Age archives from April 2005

WPP leads traditional agencies in take-up of mobile marketing.
April 7, 2005... Sir Martin Sorrell's advertising giant WPP Group has sent out a formal request for proposals (RFP) to find a global mobile marketing partner. Industry insiders view this as the first stage in a process that will see WPP acquire a mobile...

Data capture costs put FMCGs off iTV.
April 7, 2005... Some of the UK's biggest FMCG brands are being put off interactive TV advertising because they believe the cost of consumer data capture is too high. Companies including P&G and Unilever have expressed concern that the price they pay to...

IAB finds FMCGs' online ad spend trailing.(Interactive Advertising Bureau, fast moving consumer goods)
April 7, 2005... FMCG advertisers still lag behind other sectors such as financial services, recruitment and travel in terms of online ad spend. The latest in-depth figures from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewatehouseCoopers reveals that...

BBC denies job cuts will endanger new media projects.(BBC Worldwide Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... The BBC has moved quickly to quell growing concern inside and outside the Corporation that proposed job cuts could put some of its new media projects in jeopardy. BBC New Media is due to lose 58 jobs - 19% of its workforce. However, a...

BBC coverage of Grand National to be simultaneously streamed.(BBC Worldwide Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Horseracing fans will this week be able to receive live video coverage of the Grand National meeting streamed to their 3G phone. From the opening of the event on Thursday to the Grand National itself on Saturday, 3G users will be able to...

Carat Digital to work closer with Diffiniti under new MD.(Keith Rattray)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Aegis-owned media agency Carat is looking for a new head for its UK digital division, following the sudden departure of Keith Rattray last month. It's understood that Rattray left the agency several weeks ago, but Carat wouldn't comment...

WTO ruling on Antigua could open US market to UK bookies.(World Trade Organization)
April 7, 2005... UK gambling companies could take a significant step towards being able to market their services to US punters after a decision from the World Trade Organisation due today. The WTO is expected to issue its final ruling today (Thursday) on...

Daily Sport runs DVD giveaway ad on TV and mobile.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... The Daily Sport newspaper this week launched the first simultaneous TV and mobile video ad campaign. The TV campaign, running on primetime ITV, is to promote a DVD giveaway with the newspaper. At the same time as the TV campaign,...

DCMS moves away from COI as it creates own digital roster.(Department of Culture, Media and Sport, contract)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has created its own digital agency roster to handle Web projects on behalf of the government department and its sponsored bodies. Following an extensive tender process, it has appointed...

Citroen launches its first interactive TV ad.(Automobiles Citroen S.A.)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Citroen has made its first foray into interactive TV advertising with the launch of a campaign to promote its new C4 hatchback and coupe. The car manufacturer has created a two-page mini-DAL (dedicated advertiser location) to give viewers...

Digital music to count towards Official Chart.(Official UK Chart Co.)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Digital download sales will help shape the Official UK Singles Chart on Radio 1 for the first time this month. From Sunday 17 April, legitimate UK downloads will be integrated into the main chart alongside sales of CD singles. According to...

UK online shoppers spent #14.5bn in 2004.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Shoppers in the UK spent #14.5bn online during 2004, according to the Interactive Media in Retail Group. Its E-retail 2005 report also shows that Christmas 2004 sales reached an all-time high. imrg.org Copyright: Centaur...

BBC launches desktop buddy for election.(British Broadcasting Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... The BBC has launched a desktop election game featuring an animated Peter Snow, its regular commentator on election statistics. The darts games is based on Snow's swingometer - a regular feature of recent election coverage. The game has been...

Help the Aged creates general election section.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Help the Aged has created a dedicated general election section on its Web site following PM Tony Blair's announcement that Britain will go to the polls on 5 May. Users will be able to air their opinions and suggestions about what would swing...

Wanadoo kicks off online music contest this week.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Wanadoo is set to kick off its Wanadoo Discoveries online music contest this week, giving ten up-and-coming UK bands the chance to battle it out with artists from France, Spain and the Netherlands. The contest, now in its second year,...

Blue Square to stream European football on site.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Blue Square is to stream exclusive top-flight European football games on its site this weekend, keeping up the momentum of its recent moves into online broadcasting. The online bookie has gained live rights for the Italian Serie A game...

FindWhat and Overture head for pre-trial motions.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Yahoo!'s search network Overture and rival FindWhat.com could be heading for the courts in an ongoing patent infringement case in the US, after FindWhat failed to get the case dismissed. FindWhat argued that Overture's patent for the...

BA puts mobile business out to pitch to evolve level of service.(British Airways PLC)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... British Airways has put its mobile services business out to pitch. The account is said to include the development of a global messaging solution for the airline's customers and staff. A number of mobile marketing and services companies are...

Sega brings in New Media Maze to push Matrix Online game.(Sega Enterprises Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Games firm Sega has appointed digital agency New Media Maze to develop an online promotion campaign for the release of Matrix Online, the new game based on the hugely successful film series. The activity includes a series of trailers...

Buycentral prepares for portal partnerships after UK launch.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Buycentral, the Lycos-owned price comparison service, is preparing to announce several new portal partnerships later this month, following its launch in the UK. The service, which has been running in France and Italy for five years and...

TradeDoubler announces sales up for Q1.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... The European ecommerce sector is gearing up for another year of exceptional growth after a strong first quarter, according to the latest monthly sales tracker from online affiliate marketing network TradeDoubler. TradeDoubler will announce...

Honda rethinks online strategy due to rapid broadband take-up.(Honda (U.K.) Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Honda UK is planning to overhaul its online ad strategy later this year as it positions itself to take advantage of rapidly increasing broadband take-up. NMA has learned that the Japanese car manufacturer - which has had a strong...

Pepsi game to drive kids to new soccer school initiative.(Graphico New Media Ltd., Pepsi-Cola International)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Pepsi has launched a new online game, Pepsi Handball, to promote its Pepsi Soccer Schools initiative. The game is designed to drive people to its Thirst for Football Web site, co-branded with the FA, to sign up for the Soccer Schools. ...

Tennent's Lager appoints Dog Digital to run online campaign.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Tennent's Lager, the leading lager brand in Scotland, has appointed digital agency Dog Digital to work on a major campaign based around five-a-side football game 'Futsal'. It's the first client win for the new agency, which is being...

PriceGrabber offers new shopping tools.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Online shopping comparison site PriceGrabber has introduced new personal shopping tools in the UK in a bid to differentiate itself from competitors like Kelkoo and Shopping.com. The new PriceGrabber Shopping List tool allows users to add a...

Latitude launches across new territories.(Corporem Global)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... UK search marketing agency Latitude, formerly Corporem Global, announced it's launched campaigns in several new territories including Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates, Brazil and Mexico, taking the total number of markets it manages campaigns...

Bright Grey appoints Space01 to build extranet.(contract)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Financial services company Bright Grey has appointed full service digital agency Space01 to build an extranet providing its advisors with ebusiness capability and everyday sales and marketing tools. space01.co.uk Copyright: Centaur...

Friends Reunited joins online acquisition trail.(marketing)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Friends Reunited is launching an online customer acquisition campaign to encourage users to find out what happened to the people they went to school with. Created by through-the-line agency Kitcatt Nohr and its sister outfit Underwired, the...

NoChex sets up online classifieds to rival Ebay.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... NoChex, the Leeds-based online payment provider, has set up an online classified ads site to try and compete with Ebay. To promote the service, sellers can list their goods for free in April, but will pay 20p per item after that. Buyers don't...

Digital Bridges rebrands for mass market.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Mobile games company Digital Bridges has rebranded as i-Play, with a new strategy to take mobile gaming mass market. This will include more casual games launches, a B2C Web shop and increased consumer marketing. The company will be launching...

Orange first operator to back mobile casino.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Orange has become the first network operator to back the launch of a mobile casino. The casino has been developed by Gaming Corporation, using software provided by mobile gambling firm Virtue Fusion, and will be available through Orange World,...

Ask Jeeves trials Spanish version of site.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Search engine Ask Jeeves has created a Spanish version of its site, which is due to officially launch this summer. A beta version is being tested and is the latest development in the company's international expansion plan. Apart from the US and...

Kellogg's runs second mobile campaign for Nutri-Grain brand.(Kellogg Company of Great Britain Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Kellogg's has affirmed its commitment to mobile marketing with the launch of a second campaign for its Nutri-Grain brand. The text-and-win campaign, which features a prize draw every hour, will feature on 36m packs. The new campaign...

Betfair enables mobile users to place bets via WAP service.(wireless application protocol)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Betfair users can, from this week, place bets and conduct other transactions via a new mobile service. The BetAnywhere service, developed by Image Habitat, enables users to place a bet and manage their account via WAP for #1.50 a day. A...

Poker Channel attracts sponsors for live tournament.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... The recently launched Poker Channel, which broadcasts on Sky, has attracted sponsorship money from several of the leading poker sites for its first live tournament this month. Among those backing the channel's programming are...

BT and Telewest ads focus on good value.(British Telecommunications PLC, TeleWest Communications PLC, Ai)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... BT and Telewest are focusing heavily on value for money in their latest broadband ad campaigns, both of which hit the Web this week. The broadband marketing offensive comes as BT announced that it will cross the 5m barrier for wholesale...

O2 Online fined for breach of Icstis premium service rules.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... O2's wholesale arm O2 Online has been fined #10,000 by mobile regulator Icstis for a premium service that broke its code of practice. The service, provided by One World Interactive, received complaints about an unsolicited text message...

The Internet really has something for all ages.
April 7, 2005... ANALYST SPEAK: James Myring, Continental Research The number of people using the Internet to shop continues to grow strongly. 71% of Internet users aged 16 and over have now made at least one online purchase in the last 12 months. This...

Buying of online financial services up by a quarter.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Purchases of financial services online will increase by over a quarter in 2005, claims new research from NOP World Finance. Sales are set to grow by 27% on last year's figure. Furthermore, NOP expects the number of people arranging financial...

Home Web users fail to understand online fraud.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Home Internet users are exposing themselves to online fraud by being unaware of terms such as 'phishing' and 'spam', according to a survey by AOL UK. 84% of those questioned didn't understand the term phishing, while 16% had never heard of...

The Register publishes ABCE audit results.(ABC Electronic)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... The Register has published its latest ABC Electronic audit, showing that a total of 2.9m unique users visited the IT news site during November 2004. The figures represent an increase of 52% on the same period the previous year, making...

AOP calls for ad spend on B2B sites to reach decision makers.(Association of Online Publishers)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... The Association of Online Publishers (AOP) is calling on advertisers to increase their spend on B2B Web sites after research has revealed them to be the number-one destination for business decision makers. The latest study from the AOP...

Broadband users most likely to shop and bank via the Internet.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Online consumers in Europe who connect to the Web via broadband are more likely to shop and bank online than those with dial-up, according to findings from Forrester Research. It claims that during Q4 2004, 60% of those with broadband...

Online publishers' ad revenue grows over a third in 2004.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Online publishers' ad revenues in Europe grew by more than a third in 2004 compared to the previous year, according to the Online Publishers' Association (OPA) Europe. OPA Europe's members, including Financial Times Group, CNET Networks,...

Google's prefetch feature could distort search traffic statistics.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Web site owners and analytics companies have been warned to update their tracking systems rapidly in response to Google's new 'prefetch' feature, which allows users of Mozilla-based Web browsers to obtain search results more quickly. If they...

TeleCity protects sites with Prolexic.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Data services provider TeleCity has announced a partnership with Prolexic, a specialist in preventing distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. The Prolexic infrastructure is already live in TeleCity, and several gambling sites,...

E-Positioning upgrade widens language support for SEO.(search engine optimisation tool from Agence Virtuelle)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Multinational search engine optimisation (SEO) campaigns could become easier with the launch of the latest version of online marketing tool E- Positioning, from Swiss search marketing company Agence Virtuelle. E-Positioning 4.0 allows...

Orange offers messages read by Star Wars voices.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Orange, the UK's leading mobile network operator, has launched its avatar messaging service, which enables customers to have their SMS messages read to the recipient by their favourite movie characters. The service, which is made available via...

Mapaphone reveals tracking via mobile tool.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Mapaphone has unveiled a new version of its business tool to help managers keep track of field workers via their mobile phone. The updated version of Mapaphone, which works on the four major mobile networks, allows businesses to track the...

New deals for Inspired Broadcast Networks.(SkillJam Technologies)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Entertainment and gaming terminal operator Inspired Broadcast Networks, the digital arm of Leisure Link, has announced two deals this week intended to extend its reach in both gaming and e-government services. Inspired has chosen SkillJam...

Government's new push to shut digital gap.
April 7, 2005... The Government is embarking on a new strategy to bring the whole country into the digital age, but this time it's consulting the new media industry right from the start "This is a strategy for the mobile world as well as the fixed line...

COMMENT: Online finally starts to frighten other advertising media.(internet advertising takes off)(Column)
April 7, 2005... It's been another great 12 months for the online marketing and advertising industry, according to the 2004 figures from the IAB and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Overall sales topped #653m last year, a whopping 60% growth on 2003. In terms of market...

New media's just like any other, so why charge more?
April 7, 2005... WALLEY ON MEDIA If the client of an ad agency committed not to use a particular medium, let's say radio, would the agency give it a discount on the fees? It's unlikely. So why should a creative agency expect to get extra fees when a...

Letter: Don't become a victim of the protection racket.(Letter to the Editor)
April 7, 2005... Where before it was wise-guys threatening to smash up your shop if you didn't give them their weekly cut of profits, nowadays it's gangs of hackers hidden behind impenetrable layers of electronic protection threatening to launch denial of...

Letter: Is too much interactivity bad for the industry?(Letter to the Editor)
April 7, 2005... Everyone sees interactivity - whether by red button, phone, mobile or text - as a way to involve the viewer, allowing them to participate with the programme or engage with the TV ad. However, a recent London conference on TV-over-broadband...

OPINION: Music retailing is changing beyond all recognition.
April 7, 2005... Last week, Music Week revealed that the number of independent music shops and chains fell sharply in 2004. By contrast, the number of supermarkets selling music increased by 63%. Astonishingly, supermarkets now make up more than 50% of music...

AD WATCH: Once you've grabbed their attention, you need to hold it.(internet advertising)
April 7, 2005... With Internet advertising spend seemingly only part of the way up a very steep growth curve, advertisers are continuing to pour in more and more investment. A big question is whether as an industry we can achieve a quality befitting the...

PROFILE - DAVID MAHER-ROBERTS: Special interest.(Future Publishing)
April 7, 2005... David Maher-Roberts of Future Publishing has high hopes for the development of online content, but only if it's tied into the company's magazines, he tells Nic Howell Future Publishing may have had its ups and downs, but it's currently on...

STRATEGIC PLAY - bmibaby: Flying higher.(web site review)
April 7, 2005... Having overhauled its site with dramatic results, bmibaby is now set to make the most of online advertising, and possibly implement a radical plan, learns Sean Hargrave When BMI's no-frills carrier bmibaby looked at what it should be...

RADIO ADVERTISING: Sets for success.(digital radio)
April 7, 2005... Radio is fighting to keep its share of advertisers' media spend, and is turning to digital channels to make its offer more compelling, finds Dawn Hayes Spend on online advertising is expected to overtake that on radio any day now. But...

INTERACTIVE TV: Planning ahead.(interactive television advertising)
April 7, 2005... Last month US media agency Carat brought together advertisers and technologists to discuss the opportunities for interactive TV advertising. Daisy Whitney reports Advertiser involvement in the next generation of interactive TV ad models is...

It may not be interactive, but participation TV is the future.
April 7, 2005... These days, calls to press the red button within TV programmes are hardly ever truly interactive. Endemol shows like Big Brother and Fame Academy provide little more than extra content, such as live video streams, news and the ability to vote....

AD REVIEW: Compelling content is crucial to success of interactive ads.
April 7, 2005... With over 200 interactive campaigns planned to run in 2005, compelling content is crucial for brands to stand out. The days of bolting an icon onto an ad in the hope that mere novelty would result in the red button being pressed are long...

INTERACTIVE TV: On the sidelines.(advertising)(Panel Discussion)
April 7, 2005... Interactive TV advertising has been around for a while now, but is it achieving the breakthrough it needs to become mainstream? Those behind the ads debate the issues The rise of iTV advertising How far has the interactive TV...

Moves: Digital Outlook.(Dino Burbidge appointed)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Interactive marketing agency Digital Outlook has recruited Dino Burbidge as creative director. He joins from Jetix Europe, formerly Fox Kids Europe, where he was head of creative technology. He worked on the rollout of Web sites and online...

Moves: Victoria Real.(Susan Doherty appointed)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Susan Doherty has joined Victoria Real as head of business development, with responsibility for developing the digital agency's client base. She previously held the post of marketing and business development manager at Dowcarter, where she...

Moves: Butterfly Effect.(Aaron Savage appointed)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Aaron Savage has been appointed business development director at Butterfly Effect, the interactive design division of Dimension Data. He will be responsible for building a new business team and adding to Butterfly's client list. He was most...

Moves: Falk eSolutions.(Jon Wade, Erin Wayman appointed)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Falk eSolutions, the global provider of online advertising delivery and management solutions, has recruited Jon Wade as UK MD. He was formerly sales director of email marketing company Bluestreak International. Meanwhile Erin Wayman,...

Moves: Runtime Collective.(Charlotte Copeman, Pippa Stringer, Dan Mimnagh, Sian Powers appointed)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Web technology company Runtime Collective has recruited four members of staff. Charlotte Copeman joins as sales manager, while Pippa Stringer becomes marketing manager. Dan Mimnagh takes the role of project manager, and Sian Powers joins the...

Moves: Affiliate Window.(Victoria Park, Mark Walters appointed)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Affiliate marketing company Affiliate Window has appointed Victoria Park as customer communications manager. She was previously marketing and communications manager at an SMS solutions provider. Meanwhile, Mark Walters joins the key account...

Moves: Opodo.(Stephan Uhrenbacher appointed)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Opodo, the pan-European online travel company, has appointed Stephan Uhrenbacher as commercial director. He will be responsible for country operations in the UK, France and Germany, among others, and oversee the company's sales and marketing...

Moves: Conchango.(Mark Ferguson appointed)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Conchango, the business and technology consultancy, has appointed Mark Ferguson as head of retail sales. He will focus on growing the brand and drive sales in the retail sector. Ferguson has 20 years' experience in sales and marketing roles...

SITE INSPECTION: Action for Kids.(review of www.actionforkids.org)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Action for Kids actionforkids.org Owner: Action For Kids Agency: Underwired Content 18/25 Usability 24/25 Branding 20/25 Monetisation 23/25 Total 85/100 Action For Kids, the charity for...

SITE INSPECTION: Mydeo.(review of www.mydeo.com)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Mydeo mydeo.com Owner: Mydeo Agency: Rareform Design Content 20/25 Usability 20/25 Branding 20/25 Monetisation 20/25 Total 80/100 Mydeo is a Web site that allows you to make your digital...

SITE INSPECTION: Joules.(review of www.joulesclothing.com)(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... Joules joulesclothing.com Owner: Joules Agency: Screen Pages Content 15/25 Usability 20/25 Branding 20/25 Monetisation 15/25 Total 70/100 Country casual clothing brand Joules has launched an...

FULFILMENT: qed-uk.com.(Brief Article)
April 7, 2005... qed-uk.com Founded: 1998 Selection: Large range of domestic electronics, computer and white goods. Technical problems: I was kept waiting for over ten minutes while the site said it was checking my credit card number. Refreshing...

Sky promises release of first red-button data by end of year.(British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC)
April 14, 2005... The interactive TV ad industry has been given a major boost with confirmation that BSkyB's long-awaited audience measurement panel Sky View will launch at the end of the year. The satellite broadcaster has put an end to months of...

BBC unveils five-year mobile strategy.(British Broadcasting Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... The BBC has finalised its five-year strategy for mobile, putting on- demand rich-media content at its core. The strategy is centred around mobile browsing, establishing the mobile version of bbc.co.uk as important to the Corporation as the...

Vodafone gets tough on message failures.(Vodafone Group PLC)
April 14, 2005... Content providers that don't keep their mobile databases in order will, from next month, be charged by Vodafone for premium SMS messages that can't be charged to end users. Vodafone is the first operator to bring in such as policy, with...

Gambling Act success rests on tax, warn leading firms.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... The UK's new online gambling laws could prove to be a flop unless tax rates - which have yet to be announced - are competitive with other countries, believe major online gambling firms. Most companies say there will be no rush to take...

BBC relaunches interactive lottery quiz.(British Broadcasting Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... The BBC has relaunched National Lottery Come and Have a Go as an interactive TV quiz that allows viewers to compete for the chance to become a contestant on the show. Each week viewers pressing red will be encouraged to play along with...

DRC commissions formal guidelines on accessibility.(contract between Disability Rights Commission and British Standards Institute)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... The Disability Rights Commission will today (Thursday) announce that it has commissioned the British Standards Institute to help create formal guidelines on Web accessibility. The move comes exactly a year after the DRC published results...

BT puts off pitch request after i-level exit.(contract severance of British Telecommunications PLC)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... BT has said that it's too early to send out a request for proposal (RFP) for a new digital media agency after ending its long-running relationship with i-level last Friday. Both parties agreed to part ways after i-level won the #8m Orange...

3 Targets agencies with mobile video advertising opportunities.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... 3G operator 3 is targeting agencies and brands with a series of new advertising and sponsorship packages around mobile video content. The operator - which this month announced it had attracted over 3m customers - has developed a range of...