New Media Age articles from June 2004

New Media Age archives from June 2004

Mobile industry must unite to beat WAP scam.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Mobile network operators are warning the content market could be irreparably damaged unless the industry co-operates in cracking down on a new seam where consumers' WAP settings are hijacked. Detected for the first time two weeks ago, the...

Location-based services held up by kids' charities.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... The development of mobile location-based services (LBS) is being stalled by concerns from children's charities worried 'inappropriate contact' may be made with children. The concerns raised have caused mobile operators to place a ban on...

Media owners critical of online creative standards.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Online media owners are once more calling for better creative work to attract advertisers to the Internet. The issue was brought to the fore at the Digital Artworks creative seminar and awards at D&AD Congress last week. Fru Hazlitt, MD at...

DoubleClick restructures in effort to fight off rivals.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... DoubleClick is overhauling its European operations to focus on its core target markets as competitors believe they can assail its number one spot for the first time. The ad serving technology firm is in the process of employing new...

Ofcom plans classification system across all content.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Media regulator Ofcom has outlined plans for a common content labelling system to be used across all interactive platforms and broadcast channels, which could help raise public awareness about electronic content. In coming weeks, the...

ITV Online to be absorbed into ITV Sales section.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... ITV's online production operations have been absorbed within the ITV Sales business in the aftermath of the Carlton and Granada merger, a move triggering the departure of Mark Peatey, head of ITV Online. Responsibility for the creation of...

Boots Web pharmacy clears way for UK e-prescriptions.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Pharmacy drugs went on sale online this week on Boots.com, along with a prescription ordering service, in preparation for the Government's plans to make electronic prescriptions available by 2005. Customers will be able to add...

Tesco set to offer online law service.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Online supermarkets could revolutionise legal services this year, as Tesco.com becomes the first to launch a self-help law channel. The online grocer has teamed up with legal publisher Law Pack, and will offer legal books, kits and software...

Internet firms targeted by data protection scam.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Internet and IT companies are the target of a new data protection scare, with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) warning businesses to be vigilant of bogus agencies which are requesting more than 100 [pounds sterling] to register them...

IPT creates charity recruitment portal.(IPT teams with Pell & Bales)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Email marketer IPT has teamed up with telemarketing agency Pell & Bales to create a recruitment portal for charities, capturing email addresses of potential donors. The E-recruit scheme will appear on IPT's customer acquisition site...

Sky Bet taken on to run Big Brother iTV betting.(Breaking)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Channel 4 has picked Sky Bet to provide interactive TV betting for this year's Big Brother show, which began at the weekend. The deal means that digital satellite viewers will be able to use their remote to place a bet on which housemate they...

Inspired Broadcast to run pub networked game tournament.(Breaking)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Inspired Broadcast networks, the digital arm of gaming machine giant Leisure Link, has launched what it claims is the UK's first networked games tournament to run in pubs. The service uses Inspired's broadband nationwide network to enable...

BHF offers interactive CD-ROM.(Breaking)(British Heart Foundation)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... The British Heart Foundation has developed an interactive CD Rom for participants in its current 'The Big Red Fightback' campaign. The disc was developed by interactive agency DNA and contains dietary and exercise tools and tips. It's part of...

ITV first to integrate MMS into terrestrial programme.(Breaking)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... ITV1 show Speed Sunday will this week become the first UK terrestrial TV show to integrate MMS into broadcast. The presenters will ask viewers to send in photos to be broadcast during the show. Each message sent will be reverse billed via SMS...

Company Barclaycard reaps reward of Web site overhaul.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... The corporate credit card firm Company Barclaycard says online applications have increased fourfold in the past year after it completed an overhaul of its Web operations. Company Barclaycard has brought in online financial services specialist...

Hutchison Whampoa denies it is to pull out of UK operator 3.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Hutchison Whampoa has issued a statement denying market speculation that it's considering exiting from its UK 3G operator 3. It categorically denied the rumours and stated that it's confident of EBITDA break-even in 2005. Meanwhile 3 has tied...

Kellogg's signs deal with MTV to promote Pop-Tarts.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Kellogg's has signed a deal with MTV to promote its Pop-Tarts brand on-air and online. MTV's specially created 'Dumb Ass' strand, a collection of shows including Jackass and Viva La Barn, will run across MTV and MTV2. On-pack promotions will...

Totesport offers viral game to push Euro 2004 betting.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Totesport is launching a viral game next week to promote betting around the Euro 2004 Championships. The new 'Beat the Wall' game is based around the user taking free-kicks for England. Skive Creative has designed the Shockwave game, following...

Channelbay closes down while Mindhouse expands.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... The mixed fortunes of the interactive TV industry have been highlighted this week with Channelbay going out of business and Mindhouse securing first round funding to finance its expansion. The two companies joined forces last year as part...

Speculation continues over future of betting exchanges.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Betting exchanges could have to face up to tougher regulations when Tessa Jowell gives her response to the recent parliamentary report on gambling, according to a government insider. There has been some press speculation that the exchanges...

Agencies form international body.(Viral and Buzz Marketing Association)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... New media agencies from six countries, including the UK, have joined together to form the Viral and Buzz Marketing Association. The new grouping is hoping to encourage international collaboration and allow members to take advantage of...

Timms supports self-regulation.(Stephen Timms)
June 3, 2004... DTI minister Stephen Timms has called for continued self-regulation of the online identity authentication market, and has said he has no plans to invoke direct regulation during the final 'test' year of the Electronic Communications Act. ...

Government reveals Web site costs after Tory probe.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... The Foreign Office and the Department for Education and Skills have emerged as two of the highest spending government departments on the Internet. Both say they will spend 10m [pounds sterling] this year on their online efforts, compared...

Cornwall aims to attract new media.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Cornwall has embarked on a fresh drive to attract new media companies to the south west corner of the UK, with a promise to make broadband available to all businesses. The county has launched a new campaign, Cornwall Pure Business, in a...

New e-gov head faces civil service scepticism.(Ian Watmore)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... The new head of e-Government, Ian Watmore, has a serious task on his hands to persuade public sector workers of the value of Whitehall's online efforts. Watmore (pictured), who's currently the UK MD of consultancy firm Accenture, was...

Nissan moves extreme ads onto Web.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Nissan has moved its latest ad campaign onto the Web after it was deemed unsuitable for TV. Created by TBWA, the ads feature people going to extremes in everyday activities with the strap line, Leave the Extremes to Nissan X-TRAIL. The...

Lastminute.com launches area-specific deals on O2.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Lastminute.com has launched a new service on O2 Active to allow users to locate deals in specific areas through their phone. The DealFinder service gives real-time access to the Lastminute database of deals on hotels, restaurants and other...

Lufthansa starts campaign to push online booking.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Lufthansa has launched a new digital media campaign aimed at raising further awareness about the benefits of booking online. The campaign, which runs for the next five weeks, will include banner and skyscraper placements across sites such as...

Redbus Interhouse to appeal against court ruling.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Redbus Interhouse, the hosting company, has suffered a set-back in a legal battle over its former Luxembourg site. Last week a local court ordered Redbus to pay an advance of 600,000 [euro] (400,000 [pounds sterling]) to cover outstanding...

Foreign Office offers online travel tips for Euro 2004 fans.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... The Foreign Office has developed an online animation to give travel tips to English football fans heading to Portugal this summer. It was created by digital media agency Lungfish Studio and links in with the Foreign Office's 'On the ball in...

Synthetix toolkit fits site functionality into banner.(Technology)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Software developer Synthetix has designed an interactive ad toolkit that integrates microsite functionality into a banner ad format. The technology, called SmartAgent iA (interactive Ad), is an extension of Synthetix's existing virtual...

Metronomy trials free PC for viewing ads.(Technology)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Metronomy, a company providing free PCs to home users in return for them promising to watch ads on the computers, is to start a live test of its service. The company says it had over 150,000 applications from people interested in the offer...

Pocket Group offers cult TV and film clips for mobiles.(Technology)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... A retro TV and film clip service for mobiles has been developed by the Pocket Group, allowing users to download movie content and images through a WAP browser. The service will feature clips from Thunderbirds, Joe 90 and Stingray as well...

BT launches new wholesale services for ISPs.(Technology)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... BT has launched a new wholesale service for ISPs, allowing end users to set up fixed line telephone calls through an online Web directory. The product, called Wholesale Web Call Connect (WWCC), carries voice calls over the standard telephone...

Mint to roll out mobile ticketless car parking scheme.(Technology)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Swedish mobile transaction firm Mint is planning to roll out a ticketless mobile parking payment service in the UK this autumn. The technology will operate on all mobile networks, and will target non-barrier pay-and-display zones. Users will...

Macromedia launches Linux version of Flash Player 7.(Technology)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... A Linux version of Macromedia Flash Player 7 has launched, to create a consistent cross-platform experience for developers. The new Internet client is bundled with Linux operating systems distributed by Novell, Red Hat, Sun Microsystems, and...

Oakley joins Zed Media as business director.(Agencies)(Charmaine Oakley)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Media agency Zed Media has strengthened its digital team with the appointment of a business director. Charmaine Oakley will head an account group that works with clients including Littlewoods and Toyota. Oakley, formerly media director at...

Arnold Interactive takes on Capon as account director.(Agencies)(Roy Capon)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Arnold Interactive has appointed Roy Capon as account director to oversee the Expedia, Thistle and Avis account teams. Capon was previously group account director at LIDA, direct and digital arm of M&C Saatchi and account director at Draft...

Celtel.(Agency Wins)(Zentropy Partners)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Celtel, an international mobile telecoms company focusing on Africa, has appointed Zentropy Partners to roll out Web sites across 11 African nations as part of its expansion. Zentropy had originally won the online corporate brief to rebrand the...

Dare has been taken on by Cafeslim, the personalised online slimming programme, to redesign its portal and attract traffic to the site through online advertising.(Agency Wins)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Dare has been taken on by Cafeslim, the personalised online slimming programme, to redesign its portal and attract traffic to the site through online advertising. Cafeslim is a new brand which is positioning itself as a rival to the likes of...

Panlogic makes first move into Web design and build.(Agencies)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Panlogic has opened a Web design and build arm for the first time. as part of a restructuring that sees the digital marketing consultancy focus on four key offerings. CEO William Makower said the restructure will see its consulting...

DNA and Leith join forces for integrated ad approach.(Agencies)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Interactive agency DNA has teamed up with advertising agency Leith to launch a new joint venture that aims to give clients an integrated marketing approach. Chris Perry, joint MD at DNA, said that the new venture, DNA at Leith, would...

Quantum Media sets up Qi division.(Agencies)(Quantum Intelligence)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Digital agency Quantum Media has set up a new arm, called Quantum Intelligence (Qi), focusing on offering analysis and research services. These include trend analysis, market forecasting, site auditing and bespoke research. Quantum MD...

Peugeot launches virtual showroom for 407 model.(Marketing)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Peugeot has launched its biggest interactive TV push to date, with a virtual showroom as part of its campaign for the new Peugeot 407. It's the third iTV campaign from the French car company and, as with its previous efforts, is being run...

Toyota in deal with Sky to place i-ads on Biography and History Channels.(Marketing)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Toyota has become the first advertiser to launch an interactive TV ad campaign on The History Channel and The Biography Channel. after the two broadcasters struck a deal with Sky. The car manufacturer is using its latest i-ad to promote the...

European brands support use of mobile campaigns.(Marketing)(Yves Rocher, Club Nokia)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Cosmetic brand Yves Rocher and Club Nokia have thrown their weight behind mobile marketing with new campaigns in France and Turkey. Mobile marketing company Aerodeon has revealed the significant client wins from its French and Turkish...

Warner Bros launches second interactive ad for Harry Potter.(Marketing)(Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Warner Bros has launched its second interactive TV ad campaign in as many months, following its red button trailer for Troy with the same proposition around the new Harry Potter film released this week. The Harry Potter and the Prisoner of...

Hallmark Channel launches 'pass the parcel' viral game.(Marketing)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... The Hallmark Channel has launched a 'pass the parcel' viral email game this week, developed by Skive Creative. The campaign relies on a virtual gift-wrapped present emailed to Hallmark's consumer and business databases offering them the chance...

Hamleys signs Ambergreen for search marketing push.(Marketing)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Hamleys has signed up Ambergreen to increase its Web site traffic levels and sales through a search engine push. The toy retailer is running a pay-per-click campaign on Goggle, Overture, Espotting and Mirago, covering Hamleys' products as well...

Digital Media Communications launches viral for IFAW charity.(Marketing)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Digital Media Communications has launched a second online viral marketing campaign for the International Fund for Animal Welfare charity. It uses a video clip called 'For fox sake' which was created by Velocity Advertising and produced by...

Number of UK users banking online approaches 10m.(Trends)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Almost 10m Britons bank online, shows data from Internet research company Nielsen//NetRatings. It claims that during March, 9.6m people visited a retail bank or credit union Web site, making the finance sector the sixth most popular online...

Mobile operators' spending on technology down in past year.(Trends)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Mobile operators' spending on network technology decreased by 12% last year, according to analyst Gartner. It showed that operators worldwide spent $40bn (21.7bn [pounds sterling]) on radio access, switching, applications and infrastructure in...

Media buyers seek ABC proof.(Trends)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Half of media buyers look for ABCE's certification mark when planning an online spend. Independent research conducted on behalf of the digital auditer found that those wanting third-party verification of a site's claims by using ABCE had risen...

Agencies slow to accept viability of SMS marketing.(Trends)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Advertising agencies are missing an opportunity to capitalise on SMS marketing, mistakenly believing that consumer acceptance of the medium is much lower that it is. A recent survey by mobile technology provider Empower Interactive reveals...

Visa reports online sales doubled in Q1.(Trends)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Online shopping is booming, according to Visa, whose figures show that UK e-commerce sales are doubling year on year. In Q1 of 2004, sales from Internet transactions made with Visa cards increased by 123% compared with the same period in...

TV loses out as broadband takes people online for fun.(Trends)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Entertainment has become the main reason for people going online in the evening, with broadband starting to erode TV consumption in the home, according to new research by Wanadoo. Its Fishbowl 2 study found that UK broadband users are...

FTSE 100 sites fail on accessibility.(Trends)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Over two-thirds of FTSE100 company Web sites are failing to meet industry accessibility standards, says independent research from digital design agency Nomensa. Two out of three companies, including Tesco, Allied Domecq and Safeway, are...

TV companies must embrace broadband.(Analyst Speak)
June 3, 2004... Rapid growth in broadband usage is leading to a significant decline in TV viewing, according to recent Strategy Analytics research. Broadcasters are beginning to recognise the threat, but few currently have any idea how to respond. In our...

Search statistics in the Broadband sector.(Trends)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... The information below represents searches carried out through April on Overture's search network, which reaches 88% of the UK online population *. Overture provides advertising-based search results to sites such as MSN, Yahoo!, Freeserve,...

Ad tool firms seek to make search more manageable: adding keyword bidding into their management platforms puts search on a par with other forms of marketing, say ad servers.(News Analysis)
June 3, 2004... The decision by Atlas DMT and DoubleClick to integrate bid management tools for search campaigns into their ad management platforms (NMA 27 May) reflects the growing importance of bid management, and could significantly change the dynamics of...

One voice is better in the fight against scams.(Leader)(Editorial)
June 3, 2004... Eleven years into the life of the commercial Internet and it's now commonplace for people to talk about a maturing industry. In some ways they're right, with recent figures for take-up and usage showing that interactive media have become mass...

Content will succeed because of delivery.(Letters To The Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
June 3, 2004... Gary Corbett, MD, Opera Telecom Half of the planet's population will be using a mobile phone by the end of the next decade, according to figures from Nokia. More than 1.3bn people have mobile phones today, and that figure will balloon to...

William Hill is good news for TV gambling.(Letters To The Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
June 3, 2004... Daniel Winner, director, Digital Television Solutions The announcement that William Hill is to launch a digital TV channel is a welcome development. On the surface it's a vote of confidence in the potential of TV gambling. However, it masks...

New media must learn from past mistakes.(Letters To The Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
June 3, 2004... Julian Wakeley, Healthworks Europe I was struck by your leader article in this week's issue (NMA 27 May). I agree with most of your comments, as someone who has been doing, designing and managing this stuff called new media since 1982...

Too many budgets can spoil a sensible solution.(Walley on media)(Column)
June 3, 2004... After spending my last two columns examining the nitty-gritty of technology regulation. I stood back for a moment before writing this and reflected on the nature of the editorial that surrounded it. I couldn't help noticing that, in one...

Social networking wins more friends.(Opinion)
June 3, 2004... Imagine a business where the cost of acquiring customers is zero. No costly ads and marketing campaigns, no sales force--just relax, sit back and watch your customer base grow. This isn't a dream, this is social networking. Social...

Nurturing instinct: a series of business successes has propelled Mel Morris into the Sunday Times Rich List. Now he's content to offer the wisdom of his experience, along with the cash, to other would-be entrepreneurs.(Interview)(Biography)
June 3, 2004... Mel Morris was dubbed one of Britain's most successful entrepreneurs when he reached number 568 (out of 1,000) in this year's Sunday Times Rich List. Not bad for someone who began his career in the IT department of a pork pie firm. With...

Marketing communications agency The Pulse Group has taken on Ebony Carroll.(Moves)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Marketing communications agency The Pulse Group has taken on Ebony Carroll. as business development manager. She previously worked at graphic design consultancy Mercier Gray, where she held a similar role. The Pulse Group's clients include...

Match.com.(Moves)(Keith Cornils)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Match.com, the online dating company, has promoted Kevin Cornils, formerly VP of business development and online marketing, to the post of VP and MD for EMEA. He will oversee and co-ordinate Match.com's business in the region.

Buy.at.(Moves)(David Revett)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... David Revett has joined community fundraising Web shop provider Buy.at as fundraising executive. He previously spent nine years working at radio stations in the Midlands and North of England, presenting sport and travel news.

Forbes.com.(Moves)(Charles Yardley)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Business Web site Forbes.com has recruited Charles Yardley as regional sales manager for EMEA. He joins from the Financial Times Business, where he worked in international sales across magazines, events and online divisions.

All Response Media.(Moves)(Stephen Ward)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Digital agency EHS Brann's media agency All. Response Media has appointed Stephen Ward as a media assistant. He loins the planning/buying team from DMS Data Systems, where he worked as a sales and marketing associate. Ward will work on accounts...

Ebookers.(Moves)(Michael Healy)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Ebookers, the online travel agency, has announced the appointment of Michael Healy as CFO. He was formerly CFO and finance director of telecommunications investment and management company First Pacific.

Sift.(Moves)(Lawrence Clarke)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Sift, provider of online community management services, has taken on Lawrence Clarke to develop its pre-and post-sales consultancy business, advising clients on how to use Internet technologies effectively. Clarke has over 10 years' experience...

Nowwashyourhands.(Moves)(Lisa Mesztig)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Lisa Mesztig has joined interactive agency Nowwashyourhands as project manager. She previously worked at creative agency Suparama Supamonkey, and also at new media companies Channel A and Park Online. Mesztig will coordinate the agency's key...

Newsplayer Group.(Moves)(Stephen Williams)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Stephen Williams has joined cross-platform media enabler Newsplayer Group as sales director for EMEA. He will be responsible for generating revenues from content distribution to the mobile network operator and ISP/portal market. Williams joins...

Intuwave.(Moves)(Kelvin Clibbon)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Intuwave, the mobile software specialist, has recruited Kelvin Clibbon as VP of engineering. Clibbon will direct the development of the company's solutions for mobile network operators and Smartphone manufacturers. He joins from electronic...

Battle to keep history alive: the Imperial War Museum is working hard to present more of its collection online. But will its imminent new Web site succeed in drawing in more visitors?(Strategic play: Imperial War Museum)
June 3, 2004... There's probably no more fitting example of an online exhibition embodying the original remit of a museum than the Imperial War Museum's commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of D-Day. The museum was set up shortly before the end of World...

Hanging up: the Chinese government was expected to start issuing 3G licences this year, but now looks like backing off from the technology. Without state support, what's the future for the world's largest mobile market?(Industry Overview)
June 3, 2004... Companies looking to cash in on the Chinese mobile market--and there's an increasing number of them--are starting to become extremely worried. The concern follows recent statements from the advisor to the Chinese telecoms regulator, The...

Fresh blossoms: gardening sites flowered early in the dotcom spring and looked like being a perennial. But only the hardiest survived the winter years. Now they're ready for renewed growth.(Industry Overview)
June 3, 2004... Visitors to the Chelsea Flower Show last week would have told you that in the world of gardening patience isn't just a virtue, it's essential. It's the same for the many gardening sites that sprang up three years ago. Only the hardiest have...

Traffic manager training adds up: opinion is positive that the IAB's plans for a training course for ad traffickers will reduce measurement discrepancies.(NMA Advertising)
June 3, 2004... The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) has announced plans to run a training course for online ad traffic managers. How far will this go to addressing the problem of discrepancies in ad serving statistics? WAYNE ARNOLD MD, Profero; vice...

Destruction Derby Arenas.(Case Study)(Sony Computer Entertainment Europe)
June 3, 2004... Client: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Agency: Skive Creative BACKGROUND: As a flagship title for the PlayStation in the late 1990s, sales of the Destruction Derby game series had topped 3m by 2003. When Sony planned to launch the...

Paul Banham, creative director, itraffic.(Ad Watch)
June 3, 2004... Finally the sun has got his hat on, the deckchairs are out and the cricket is in full swing. So let's see if anyone stepping up to the crease can hit us for six. To open the order, we have some creative offerings for Expedia which work off...

Widening your circle of friends: somewhat eclipsed by search marketing, affiliate marketing is still making its own strides forward.
June 3, 2004... Affiliate marketing, arguably the original pay-for-performance advertising model, has been somewhat overshadowed in the past year by the much-hyped pay-per-click search model. Search has not only seen significant growth--it now accounts for...