New Media Age articles from December 2005

New Media Age archives from December 2005

Adidas signs football branding ad deal with Yahoo! and Fifa.
December 1, 2005... Adidas has struck a seven-figure global online advertising deal with Yahoo! and Fifa's World Cup site to support its +10 World Cup branding. The partnership will see a number of online ad firsts, including the first time an advertiser...

C4 offers Hollyoaks clips on demand.(Channel Four Television Company Ltd., contract)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Channel 4 viewers will be able to access teen soap Hollyoaks on demand following the launch of a series of new broadband and mobile services. In one of the broadcaster's most significant programme extensions, the Hollyoaks Web site has...

Advertisers falling behind online take-up.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Advertisers have been warned that they're being left behind by an emerging breed of super Internet users in Europe, as new media consumption figures were released this week. The European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA) released...

AD SPEND PREDICTIONS.(report)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Omnicom's UK media negotiating company OPera released its Economic and Media Forecasts for 2006 this week and predicted continued growth in online ad spend, coupled with tough times for ITV1, radio and red-top newspapers. OPera predicted...

Major retail focus planned for Robbie Williams site.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Robbie Williams is to launch an online subscription service before Christmas that will see the artist transformed into a retailer, cashing in on intellectual property ranging from images to live footage and interviews. The online strategy,...

Ad agencies report plans to increase spend on mobile in 2006.
December 1, 2005... The ad agency community is planning to increase its spend on mobile marketing next year, according to the first Mobile Tracker survey from the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA). The Mobile Tracker aims to establish a set of metrics to...

Five agencies take part in bid for Channel 4 New Media work.(Channel Four Television Company Ltd.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Up to five digital agencies are to formally pitch to Channel 4 New Media as the broadcaster looks to boost online revenues and traffic levels. Channel 4 has confirmed the pitch is going on but declined to say when a decision would be...

Kimberley-Clark runs DryNites Web campaign across Europe.(Ogilvy One)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Kimberley-Clark brand DryNites is to roll out its first pan-European digital marketing strategy to educate parents and children across 16 countries. The FMCG company has signed up integrated agency Ogilvy One to help relaunch the pyjama...

Scottish Enterprise prepares shortlist for agency roster.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Scottish Enterprise is to start the first phase of shortlisting a roster of new digital agencies within weeks. The government-backed economic development agency spends more than #500m a year helping businesses. It has identified ebusiness...

Sony runs viral push for digital Walkman as challenge to iPod.(Kempt, contract)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Sony is to run a viral campaign to promote its recently launched digital Walkman, as it tries to compete with the iPod in the run-up to Christmas. The MP3 player is Sony's latest effort to combat the market-leading position of Apple. The...

TfL takes pitches for new digital agency.(London, England. Transport for London, M&C Saatchi London, contract)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Transport for London is on the hunt for a new digital agency, with applications due to close in two weeks' time. The body responsible for transport across the capital is looking to hire a design and build agency. The contract is due to last...

BREAKING: Wheel wins pitch to build BAE Systems site.(contract)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Digital marketing agency Wheel has won a five-way pitch to redesign the corporate Web site for defence manufacturer BAE Systems. Wheel's brief will be to design and build a market-leading corporate site, managing full integration with a new...

BREAKING: Aardman offers creature adoption via Web site.(Aardman Animations, Feref Digital, contract)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Animation house Aardman is encouraging consumers to use the Internet to adopt characters from its hit ITV series Creature Comforts. Its site has been redesigned by digital agency Feref Digital in an effort to maintain interest in the series....

BREAKING: Egg to restart digital activity in January.(Egg Banking PLC, Agency Republic, contract)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Egg has confirmed it will be recommencing digital activity for its credit card in January. A campaign is being planned by Agency Republic and will appear on financial comparison sites like MoneyExtra as well as a cluster of the larger portals....

BREAKING: Incepta Online group rebrands as Twentysix.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Digital marketing group Incepta Online has revealed its new identity. It will now be known as Twentysix. The rebranding follows the decision in October to restructure, bringing all Incepta's agency brands except ad technology specialist...

IN BRIEF: ANM buys software from Email Reaction.(Associated New Media)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Associated New Media has bought in new software from Email Reaction for its marketing and breaking news emails. The company is the digital arm of Associated Newspapers, which publishes The Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday, Evening Standard and...

IN BRIEF: Charity brings in Tamba Internet to revamp site.(Learning Through Landscapes)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... National school grounds charity Learning Through Landscapes has appointed Tamba Internet to revamp its online branding and rebuild its Web site. Features of the site will include new navigation tools and a content management system aimed at...

IN BRIEF: Home Scotland appoints agency Dog Digital.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Home Scotland has appointed Glasgow-based marketing agency Dog Digital to develop its online music services, following a four-way pitch. The new firm is hoping to act as a go-between for new Scottish bands and the London-based music...

IN BRIEF: Faster Stronger Lighter opens usability test lab.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Internet consultancy Faster Stronger Lighter, set up by ex-DC Interact employees Ben Coutts and Martin Sadler, has opened a usability testing lab. It coincides with the agency's move into new offices in Edinburgh's Stockbridge area. Faster...

Skype launches video service to extend reach beyond the PC.
December 1, 2005... Skype is moving into video conferencing today (Thursday) as the first step towards adding new services and extending its reach beyond the PC. The Internet telephony service was bought by Ebay last month for $2.6bn (#1.4bn), rising to...

Player X licenses Fremantle quiz shows for mobile users.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Classic TV gameshows Blockbusters, The Price is Right and Strike it Lucky are to be made available to mobile users around the world for the first time. Wireless content provider Player X is aiming to reignite interest in a raft of cult...

French tourist office targets UK gay men.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Maison de la France, the French tourist office, is running its first ever online marketing drive aimed at attracting British gay men to holiday across the Channel. Banner ads exclaiming 'They don't call it Gay Paree for nothing' are...

Standard Life hopes consumer site will attract direct users.(Standard Life Assurance Co., Saatchi and Saatchi Company PLC, contract)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Standard Life is nearing the final stages of its digital marketing onslaught in the run-up to its demutualisation bid in 2006. The Edinburgh-based insurer has just launched a new consumer site in an attempt to attract more direct business,...

Dennis integrates mobile with online in new Maxim strategy.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Dennis Interactive is putting the final touches to a global mobile strategy for Maxim magazine that will fully integrate the planned global network of Web sites with its mobile portal. The new strategy, to be launched in the New Year, will...

SEMs welcome Google's decision to separate bidding.(self-expandable metal stents, Google UK Ltd.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Search specialists have welcomed Google's decision last week to launch separate content bidding for its Google AdWords product. Advertisers will now be able to place one bid to appear on content sites and another to appear on search sites...

Shelter develops online ads to highlight sub-standard housing.(Harvest Digital, contract)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Homelessness charity Shelter is launching an online campaign to highlight the issues faced by children in poor housing. The push will support the charity's 'One million children' campaign and aims to encourage people to donate online or...

Gumtree expands to include city sites.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Gumtree.com, the free classified ads site bought by Ebay earlier this year, has expanded its network to include 20 new city sites around the UK, including Birmingham, Cambridge and Manchester. The site is also planning a range of further...

IN BRIEF: Projectrockstar to run online ads via Dgm.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Online gaming site projectrockstar.com has joined the online advertising networks run by marketing group Dgm. Projectrockstar was developed by digital agency Kerb and is aimed at 18-35-year-olds, with players taking the role of a band manager...

IN BRIEF: Q puts up music review show for podcasting.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Q magazine is to make its 2005 music review show available via branded podcast or Napstercast, having struck a deal with music download service Napster. Napstercast will be available to download from napster.co.uk from 5 December and will also...

IN BRIEF: Trinity Mirror buys secretary job site.(SecsintheCity.com)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Trinity Mirror has spent #3.3m buying the parent company of secretarial jobs site SecsintheCity.com. The media company could spend up to #200,000 more on Paldonsay, which owns the site, depending on the performance of the business in the...

IN BRIEF: EMI launches viral quiz to support Now brand.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... EMI is to launch a viral pop quiz to support the release of an interactive DVD game based around its long-running 'Now That's What I Call Music' franchise. The DVD is due to be released on Monday to take advantage of the Christmas period. The...

IN BRIEF: Virgin.net runs prize competition for Christmas.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... ISP Virgin.net is starting a small banner campaign to attract Web users to its Christmas competition. The ISP is hoping to attract new customers before 10 December by offering a prize draw with either a once-in-a-lifetime prize or a Christmas...

IN BRIEF: L'Oreal targets salons with mobile campaign.
December 1, 2005... L'Oreal Professional has launched a mobile marketing campaign to drive hair salon professionals to a new site promoting its new I Play Ball product range. The campaign, developed by Text Marketer, is going out to a database of salon...

IN BRIEF: Marvel licenses comic characters to casinos.(CryptoLogic, Marvel Enterprises Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... The first superhero-themed casino games licensed by Marvel are due to be launched on UK sites this month. This follows an exclusive multi- year licensing deal last year between Marvel Enterprises, the comic book firm, and casino software firm...

Virgin Money begins digital and TV push for credit card with viral.(Virgin Money Personal Financial Service Ltd., Glue London (United Kingdom), contract)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Virgin Money is entering the New Year with a major digital advertising drive. Richard Branson's financial brand will kick off with a viral campaign in the run-up to Christmas, following on from the company's 'Plastic surgery' campaign...

Zurich to run major online campaign for Europe.(Zurich Financial Services, Publicis Ltd., contract)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Zurich Financial Services is to begin an intense period of digital advertising as part of an international integrated brand campaign. The digital aspect has been designed and implemented by the Parisian arm of Publicis and will promote the...

Cheapflights appoints Unanimis as sales house for all sites.(contract)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Independent travel site Cheapflights has appointed Unanimis as its third-party sales house, as it plans to raise its ad inventory by a third. Unanimis will sell ad space across Cheapflights sites and manage their ad serving. The contract...

Morgan Stanley fits card site to audience.(new service i24card.co.uk)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Morgan Stanley has unveiled a site for its new premium i24 credit card. The US bank is working on a digital campaign to go live in 2006, of which the Web site is the first stage. Patrick Muir, head of marketing for Morgan Stanley UK,...

Airbus promotes passenger jet in business-targeted campaign.
December 1, 2005... Airbus is taking its battle with rival Boeing online with a trade campaign this month to promote its new A350 twin-engine passenger jet. The campaign, which runs until 4 December, is part of a wider offline drive targeting business and...

ANALYST SPEAK: Ad copy testing has its place online too.
December 1, 2005... Online ad spend in the UK is expected to hit the #1bn mark this year, according to the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers. While that still equates to a relatively small portion of the overall advertising pie when...

IN BRIEF: Sony launches n-CD for disc-based marketing.
December 1, 2005... Sony has launched n-CD, a new format for disc-based marketing that can be personalised towards individual customers. By using a secure Web link, the unique identifier in each n-CD can offer specific incentives or bonus content, then track...

IN BRIEF: Echovox unveils m-boost mobile content service.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Mobile applications and services provider Echovox has launched m-boost, a white-label 'storefront' to let Web site site owners earn money from mobile content, including the latest ringtones, Java games, screensavers and wallpapers. The...

IN BRIEF: Cube:80 first to accept Ukash vouchers.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Cube:80, the mobile commerce solutions provider, is to become the first mobile company to accept Ukash vouchers, on its TribalText platform. Ukash effectively allows consumers to spend up to #100 on downloadable content, services or physical...

Sky chooses Infoserve for local business search listings on TV.(Sky Television PLC, Infoserve International, contract)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Sky has selected local business marketing company Infoserve to provide a local search service on its new ebusiness portal launching this month. Branded as Searchlocal, the Infoserve service will allow people to access business listings,...

Eyeblaster and Headland offer campaign management tools.(new product Advertising Campaign Manager)(Headland Group PLC)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... The market for campaign management software had two new entrants this week, each with their own very different take on the vogue for 'dashboard'-style tools. Rich-media marketing specialist Eyeblaster has launched its Advertising...

Skype callers able to use WeeMee virtual characters.(WeeWorld, Skype Technologies S.A.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Avatar software firm WeeWorld has signed a deal that means callers with Internet telephony firm Skype can personalise their online identity using irreverent WeeMee characters. WeeMees are visual identities that can be completely...

Analysts agree online seasonal retail revenue will soar in 2005.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Online retail revenue in the UK will soar to between #3bn and #5bn this Christmas, according to reports from separate analysts. Interactive Media in Retail Group predicts online retail will be worth #5bn this Christmas, while Lycos...

Over one-third of marketers to spend online in 2006.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Over a third of marketing managers intend to include Internet marketing in their budget for 2006, a report by business information company AP Information Services has concluded. The survey of 5,000 marketing managers also revealed that...

Almost a quarter of PPC sales don't convert until later visits.(pay-per-click)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Up to 23% of pay-per-click (PPC) sales conversions occur after the initial search, highlighting a possible gap in marketing strategy throughout the industry, according to research by search agency Spannerworks. The report found almost a...

IN BRIEF: 'Kingdom of Heaven' most pirated film in October.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Kingdom of Heaven, starring Orlando Bloom, was the most popular film for illicit copying online in October, reports Internet security company BayTSP. The film was copied 38,566 times on P2P networks, although this was lower than the 51,291...

IN BRIEF: Europeans flock to online recruitment sites.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Recruitment sites are gaining huge audiences all over Europe, research by Nielsen//NetRatings has revealed. 29m Europeans visited a recruitment site between July and September, an increase of 25% on the same period in 2004. Monster was the top...

IN BRIEF: Silver surfers miss out on online communities.(survey)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Many 50-65-year-olds remain ignorant of many functions of the Internet despite being online more than ever, according to research by digital agency Panlogic. The study found that despite the age group being increasingly socially and...

ANALYSIS: IASH defends its stance on blind networks.(Internet Advertising Sales Houses)
December 1, 2005... The new body for Internet ad sales houses has hit back at criticisms that it's not paying enough attention to chain buying and that it has rushed into partnership with ABCE Members of the newly-founded body the Internet Advertising Sales...

WHY NOT THE IAB?(Internet Advertising Bureau)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... One of the key arguments that some industry watchers have levelled against the setting up of IASH is that there's already an industry body that should deal with advertising issues: the Internet Advertising Bureau. But the sales houses'...

COMMENT: Mobile marketing works best when it acts on impulse.
December 1, 2005... Last September saw the UK's biggest ever mobile marketing campaign, with more than 5% of the population texting in numbers from Walkers crisp packets in an attempt to win an iPod Mini. So it's hardly surprising that, speaking in our Profile...

Government sees the benefit of converging media platforms.(United Kingdom. Culture, Media and Sport Committee)
December 1, 2005... FELL ON GOVERNMENT Increasing consolidation in the creative technology sector keeps the term 'convergence' on the tip of everyone's tongue. The proposed revisions to the Television Without Frontiers directive have been a wake-up call to...

Letter: Google will give Web analytics a higher profile.(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2005... I read with interest your take on the launch of Google Analytics (NMA 17.11.05) and thought I'd put a more positive spin on the story. I firmly believe that Google's decision to distribute the Urchin Web measurement tool for free is a...

Letter: Better off persevering with outsourcing.(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2005... The fact that many firms are now choosing to bring outsourced projects back in-house illustrates a maturing of the sourcing industry. In-sourcing is an option that many firms are likely to consider at some point. This could be for what we...

Letter: Making WAP ads worthwhile to users.(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2005... The worst mistake the mobile industry could make is to think that what's tolerated online will be accepted on a mobile phone. Before WAP can be sold as an advertising opportunity it first has to be accepted by consumers as a useful service in...

OPINION: E-government should make contact with councils easier.(Column)
December 1, 2005... With the 2005 e-government deadline soon to be yesterday's news, local authorities can refocus their attention on providing an appealing citizen-focused interface. Because without good communications, take-up will be disappointing, however...

AD WATCH: Slick direction for American Pie: Band Camp's viral seed.
December 1, 2005... Chestnuts roasting by an open fire, re-runs of It's a Wonderful Life, Christmas presents under the tree... believe it or not, some people are left cold by all of the above. To a small but noisy section of the populace (think Jez in Peep...

PROFILE - ALEX MEISL: Winning over big brands.(Interview)(Biography)
December 1, 2005... Having just run a hugely successful text-and-win campaign for Walkers, Alex Meisl of Sponge tells Justin Pearse how traditional agencies are starting to take note of mobile At various points throughout his career Alex Meisl has been held...

STRATEGIC PLAY - FLEXTECH: Spirited moves.
December 1, 2005... Flextech may have been making the news recently over its potential new owner, but it has also been making a mark with its mobile TV offering. Sean Hargrave reports Flextech, owned by Telewest, likes to think of itself as a broadcaster...

BRAND TRACKING: Looking deeper.
December 1, 2005... If online is going to prove itself as a medium for brand building, it needs to show that its ability to raise awareness goes beyond specific ad campaigns, reports Nic Howell What is a click worth? This basic unit of currency is being...

US BRAND TRACKERS SHOW SUCCESSFUL RESULTS.
December 1, 2005... The problem of measuring online's effect on brand was recognised by media owners in the US two years ago. In conjunction with the US Internet Advertising Bureau, 12 major brand owners, including McDonald's, Kraft, P&G and Ford, commissioned...

WIRELESS: Shake, rattle and call.
December 1, 2005... Some of the latest innovations in mobile handset technology are to do with how you interact with your phone. Peggy Anne Saltz enters a world of sound and movement As users lose their fascination with mobile phone features like imaging...

WIRELESS: REACHING OUT WITH DIGITAL GRAFFITI.
December 1, 2005... Do you ever wonder what's on at the club around the corner? Or want to inspire a spontaneous public gathering of friends and then some? A new application from researchers at Siemens in Munich could bring an exciting new dimension to...

What is Icstis doing to earn the title of premium rate regulator?(services)(Column)
December 1, 2005... Anyone who believes that regulating the premium rate industry is an easy job is either ill-informed or insane. It's a very difficult task, as technologies and business models move rapidly and there are some that show great ingenuity in...

SITE REVIEW: Lack of content strikes a bum note for Rachel Stevens site.(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2005... Rachel Stevens WAP site Text `go rachel' to 85080 Client: Universal Agency: Graphico Platform: WAP Billing: Bango Universal's latest foray into the world of wireless Internet is on behalf of pop belle Rachel...

Moves: Alistair Wightman Agency.(Glen Saxton and Graeme Rochester appointed)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Digital marketing agency Alistair Wightman Agency has appointed two senior producers. Glen Saxton moves from communications company Real Affinity Group to work in online advertising while Graeme Rochester joins from agency PoulterNet to work on...

Moves: Unanimis.(Donna Duguid and Alistair Jensen appointed)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Donna Duguid and Alistair Jensen have joined ad sales house Unanimis as campaign managers. Duguid will work with clients such as Loot, Ticketmaster, Channel 5 and the AA while Jensen assumes responsibility for the BBC and London Stock...

Moves: Opera Telecom.(Paul Wolf appointed)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Mobile company Opera Telecom has hired Paul Wolf as director of operations. Prior to this he was founder of software company Ripeco. Wolf will work with the sales and product development teams and work on opportunities to expand the company....

Moves: DGM.(Melanie Clark appointed)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Online marketing group DGM has hired Melanie Clark as agency sales manager where she will lead the sales team covering affiliate and search marketing products. She previously worked for MSN. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and...

Moves: PocketThis.(Tom Arthur appointed)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Tom Arthur has been appointed CEO of mobile company PocketThis. He joins from network security company Arbor Networks, where he was president and CEO. He will be based at the company's HQ in California. Copyright: Centaur Communications...

Moves: Ofcom.(Philip Graf, Sean Williams and Polly Weitzman appointed)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Ofcom has recruited Philip Graf as non-executive deputy chairman. He will now resign his post as chairman of the Broadband Stakeholder Group, a government group appointed to promote broadband services. He will take up his Ofcom role in January...

Moves: Accentus.(Stewart Davies appointed)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Stewart Davies has moved from BT to become CEO at technology licensing company Accentus. Previously, he worked as CEO of BT's technology division BT Exact having spent 30 years at the company. Davies is also chairman of the East of England...

Moves: Bloom Media.(Rob Herd and Mike Beatham appointed)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Leeds-based digital design agency Bloom Media has moved to larger offices in North Leeds following nine appointments in recent months. The latest recruits include Rob Herd, who joins as business development manager from accommodation company...

Site inspection: Present Aid.(presentaid.org)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2005... Present Aid presentaid.org Owner: Christian Aid Agency: Randommedia Content 17/25 Usability 22/25 Branding 20/25 Monetisation 21/25 Total 80/100 It's better to give than to receive, they say,...

Site inspection: World AIDS Day.(worldaidsday.co.uk)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2005... World AIDS Day worldaidsday.co.uk Owner: National AIDS Trust Agency: Edelman Interactive Solutions Content 20/25 Usability 21/25 Branding 21/25 Monetisation 15/25 Total 77/100 The National...

Site inspection: Bench.(bench.co.uk)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2005... Bench bench.co.uk Owner: Bench Agency: I-Clinic/Small Japanese Soldier Content 15/25 Usability 12/25 Branding 20/25 Monetisation 10/25 Total 57/100 This site has everything you could want...

Fulfilment: clinique.co.uk.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2005... clinique.co.uk Founded: Transactional site launched November 2005. Selection The full range from the beauty brand, from haircare to skincare and make-up. Technical problems: None. Navigation Very straightforward. A...

Coca-Cola believes mobile ads have potential to upstage TV.
December 8, 2005... Coca-Cola UK has publicly stated for the first time that it views mobile as being a potentially more powerful medium than TV. The brand believes the growing importance of mobile as an advertising medium means it should be spending 50% of...

BBC commissioners seek indies' help.(British Broadcasting Corp. BBC News, management)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2005... BBC New Media is turning to the independent production community to help it overhaul its commissioning process, in a further move to improve its profile in the run-up to Charter Review next year. As part of an ongoing effort to meet the 25%...

Agencies sign to viral ad code of practice.
December 8, 2005... Some of the UK's biggest digital agencies have signed a statement from the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) outlining best practice for viral ad campaigns, in a bid to stave off a clampdown from the Advertising Standards...