New Media Age articles from June 2007

New Media Age archives from June 2007

Vodafone on mobile internet offensive.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Vodafone is set to launch a multimillion-pound integrated marketing campaign to reposition itself as a mobile internet provider. The Vodafone Live portal is being completely overhauled to incorporate partnerships with some of the largest...

UK ad networks set for move into mobile.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Over the next few months a whole host of UK ad networks will attempt to claim a share of the growing mobile advertising market. Unanimis, Adviva and Media Run have all confirmed that they're at advanced stages in the process of opening...

Auto Trader targets young drivers with 'Stig' contest.(Auto Trader Digital)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Auto Trader is planning its biggest marketing push aimed at the youth market with a six-figure initiative. The as-yet-unnamed campaign will involve a good driving competition in which participants will be asked to complete an online test...

Tesco backs green initiative to promote carbon control to kids.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... In a bid to improve its environmental reputation, Tesco has thrown its financial weight and marketing power behind a new Royal Society of Arts green website for children. The supermarket giant has joined forces with the Department for...

Engine Group forms Altogether from merger of digital agencies.(Engine Group has merged Meme, Eyefall and DC Interact)
June 7, 2007... The Engine Group has merged Meme, its digital creative agency, and Eyefall, its search arm, with recently acquired DC Interact to create Altogether. The combined company will represent Engine's first full-service digital agency. The move...

Guinness assures digital pitch won't harm UK agencies.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Guinness has moved to reassure its UK agencies that they won't be affected by a reported global digital review. Last week the global brand issued a statement to its roster of agencies assuring them that they would be unaffected by a 'small...

CBBC reviews online activity for greater integration with TV.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... The BBC's multi-channel children's network CBBC is undertaking a major overhaul of its online activities. The complete review is part of plans to more closely integrate its online properties. The CBBC Interactive team is developing...

Courvoisier creates elite social network.(Courvoisier S.A. contracts with Publicis Dialog)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Luxury drinks brand Courvoisier is making its first foray into the Web 2.0 world by creating a premium social network of 500 of the UK's brightest business stars. Applicants, who must complete an online application form to prove that...

Cheapflights awards revamp of digital marketing strategy to GT.(Cheapestflights.co.uk contracts with Good Technology Ltd.)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Online flight comparison site Cheapflights has appointed GT, the new brand of digital agency Goodtechnology, to completely overhaul its entire digital marketing strategy. GT won a competitive pitch to handle all UK digital creative...

War Child charity maximises position as music destination.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Charity War Child is to overhaul its web properties as it looks to become a key music destination site. The charity, which aids child victims in war-torn areas, is to revamp its War Child Music site and utilise its existing links with the...

HMV to integrate online and offline data.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... HMV is battling to integrate its online and offline data in a bid to bring in further revenue from the digital space. Under the guidance of new deputy MD Roy Capon, Euro RSCG 4D Digital is completely transforming its CRM system, which...

Nivea creates girl group for 'Goodbye cellulite' campaign.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Nivea has begun the second phase of its 'Goodbye cellulite' campaign, developing a new girl group to use in a viral video element. The Six Chicks are an offshoot of the Nivea campaign from March which featured a 30-strong choir. They...

Ford and McCain join Channel 4 for relaunch of its mobile portal.(Channel Four Television Company Ltd.)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Channel 4 has unveiled its new mobile portal complete, with advertising from Ford and McCain and content from shows like Hollyoaks and Popworld. The portal has been developed from its basic original format to be a much richer version....

Uniqlo launches first UK online store.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Uniqlo has released its first UK transactional online store as the Japanese clothing brand seeks to develop a wider footprint nationwide. The company is in the process of extending its reach outside London, with a store opening recently in...

Orange World uses 'Shrek the Third' to unite mobile and web.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Shrek the Third will be given a cross-platform promotion on Orange World, both mobile and online, featuring Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake. The two stars of the Paramount Pictures animated blockbuster have agreed to answer questions...

Dunhill uses digital for Father's Day push.(Dunhill Holdings PLC contracts with Preloaded)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Digital agency Preloaded has designed a campaign site for luxury goods brand Dunhill to promote its product range in the run-up to Father's Day later this month. The 'D is for dad' campaign, which will also includes a digital marketing...

Ecommerce expert says etailers should pick affiliates with care.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Etailers should be looking to work with a select group of affiliates if they are to maximise the potential of the affiliate channel, according to Baugur ecommerce advisor Michael Ross. Affiliates remain an integral part of the etail...

Emap integrates FHM teams to strengthen multimedia offer.(Emap Consumer Media)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Emap Consumer Media is in the process of integrating its FHM print, online and mobile teams into one unit, as the publisher looks to strengthen its flagship brand's multimedia position. At the centre of this integration is the official...

Steel designs viral game to drive traffic to lawyer mag site.(Lawyer2B contracts with Steel)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Digital agency Steel has designed a viral game for legal publication Lawyer2B, encouraging its readers to visit and register on its website. Lawyer2B, published by NMA's owner Centaur Media, recently launched its website lawyer2b.com and...

Airline Silverjet focuses online via tie-up with StyleCity guides.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Recently launched British business class airline Silverjet is to ramp up its online offering via a series of tie-ups. The first partnership will be with Thames & Hudson, a publisher of illustrated books including the Hip Hotels series. It...

Kent Council sets up video channel.(with Ten Alps Digital)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Kent County Council and awardwinning production house Ten Alps Digital are developing what is believed to be the first internet video channel for a local council. The new site, kent.tv, will feature videos made by Ten Alps, independent...

Early Learning Centre to roll out customer reviews section.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Early Learning Centre (ELC) is to roll out a customer ratings and reviews service on its site. The customer forum will open in early July and encourage shoppers to leave feedback on toy ranges. Earlier this year underwear etailer...

HP adds user review facility to Euro sites.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Computer giant Hewlett-Packard is allowing consumers to add their own reviews to its European websites. The decision has been taken after a "surprising" number of consumers took up the opportunity in a US trial, according to Ted Speroni,...

E.On uses podcast and blogs to engage customers with energy.(E.ON UK PLC)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... UK power company E.On is boosting its online profile, using blogs and podcasts to engage its customers. E.On launched its first podcast last week, covering its sponsorship of the FA Cup plus energy-saving tips. The company will...

Analyst Speak: Which social network is the most popular?
June 7, 2007... Much has been debated over the last month about the state of social networks in the UK, particularly the big three: MySpace, Bebo and Facebook. Which is the biggest, which is growing the fastest and who is really using them? In the UK, the...

Mobile content to top #1bn even though most users refuse to pay.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... The UK mobile content market was worth #661m in 2006 and is expected to become a multi-billion-pound industry, found Informa Telecoms & Media. In association with Orange UK and media agency Starcom Mediavest, it discovered that half of...

ANALYSIS: Labels focus on direct-to-consumer sales.
June 7, 2007... With Warner selling music directly to consumers and Sony BMG offering mobile tracks, music labels are broadening their reach to lessen their dependence on third parties It emerged last week that Warner Music International and Sony BMG...

COMMENT: Ad networks jump aboard mobile.(Editorial)
June 7, 2007... One of the biggest debates at the judging sessions for the upcoming NMA Effectiveness Awards was over the definition of multi-channel. Originally chosen to reward the integrated use of mobile, web and interactive TV, the judges agreed that...

Understanding the regulations behind the issuing of e-money.
June 7, 2007... Making payments using electronic money is becoming increasingly popular, with more and more businesses seeking to put digital money capabilities in place. The regulatory regime behind e-money is complex and is also an area of increasing focus...

LETTER: Google fails to answer monopoly concerns.(Letter to the editor)
June 7, 2007... From Phil Nott, sales director, Adrevenue Google UK MD Dennis Woodside failed to address the concerns of Microsoft and much of the online industry that it's creating a monopoly within the online ad industry (NMA 19.04.07). First, it's...

LETTER: Is the internet up to providing on-demand TV?(Letter to the editor)
June 7, 2007... From Kieron O'Brien, CEO, PacketExchange NMA recently discussed the opportunities for advertisers posed by on- demand TV services like 4oD and Joost (NMA 10.05.07). The potential for developing interactive and rich-media ads is clearly...

LETTER: Ad acceptance isn't affected by duration.(Letter to the editor)
June 7, 2007... From Paul Blunden, CEO, Foviance "Pre-roll advertising could become as loathed by consumers as pop-ups," according to Jill Orr (NMA 17.05.07). And the remedy? To impose a 15- second rule. This is exactly the type of knee-jerk reaction...

LETTER: Downed website loses you money.(Letter to the editor)
June 7, 2007... From Jonathan Robinson, NetBenefit News of telegraph.co.uk being shut to users for a day and a half last month confirms once again how vulnerable any company's online presence can be. Research we conducted recently showed that one in...

OPINION: Profiling unrelated behaviour is no way to know your users.(Column)
June 7, 2007... Google has reportedly drawn-up plans to compile psychological profiles of millions of web users by monitoring the way they play online games. But it's very ambitious to expect to be able to determine how people behave in real life based on...

AD WATCH: Adidas site helps you to do the impossible in your own movie.
June 7, 2007... A good way to spoil a creative working environment in the interactive ad industry is to send a creative to participate in the juries of all major award shows in one year. After going through around 8,000 online campaigns, you simply stop...

ETAIL SPECIAL: Trolley dash.(online sales growth increases)
June 7, 2007... Online is now a major shopping channel for consumers and one that no retailer can ignore, says Greg Brooks Last month online retail body the Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG) announced that British shoppers had spent #100bn online...

ETAIL SPECIAL: Vendors.(e-commerce software vendors )
June 7, 2007... Off-the-shelf ecommerce solutions are driving down technology costs by offering more companies the chance to trade online, opening up competition in the market. Here are a few of the options available. Full ecommerce Snow Valley Muse,...

ETAIL SPECIAL: eTail UK.(online retail sales growth)
June 7, 2007... 12-14 June 2007 Le Meridien Piccadilly, London The UK retail sector is one of the most competitive and dynamic in the world, and the battle for customers had moved online. Online retail has become a mass-market activity for a fast-growing...

ETAIL SPECIAL: New sectors move online.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... As the market explores new technology at one end, it's easy to forget that there are still many businesses yet to take their first steps on the ecommerce ladder. Value fashion retailer New Look has only just selected partners to create its...

ETAIL SPECIAL: Sales man.(Michael Ross)
June 7, 2007... When it comes to online retail, there's no success without failure. That's the belief of Michael Ross, founder of Figleaves.com and now ecommerce advisor to Icelandic retail behemoth Baugur. For him, the only way to build a successful etail...

MOVES: Inbox Digital.(Lydia Walker, Sally Bennett, John Adams, Ed Whatton and Adrian Hill appointed)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Digital communications agency Inbox Digital has appointed three account managers. Lydia Walker joins from Lida, Sally Bennett moves from advertising and design agency Home, and John Adams joins from Broadsystem. Meanwhile, Ed Whatton, former...

MOVES: Microsoft's Online Services Group.(Cynthia Crossley and Jonathan Hulse appointed)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Microsoft's Online Services Group has announced two senior appointments to further strengthen its leadership team. Cynthia Crossley, formerly director of the Microsoft Windows Business Group, will become director of search. Jonathan Hulse,...

MOVES: Pitch Entertainment Group.(Kate Barry promoted and Natalie Chandler and Yuli Yang appointed)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Global mobile entertainment company Pitch Entertainment Group has promoted Kate Barry from business development manager to head of operations. In addition it has made two appointments to the business team. Natalie Chandler joins as business...

MOVES: MissionFish UK.(Nick Aldridge appointed)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... MissionFish UK, the charity that facilitates and verifies donations on Ebay, has announced the appointment of Nick Aldridge as CEO. He joins from the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations. Copyright: Centaur...

MOVES: Dog Digital.(Kevin McCloskey and Richard Kelly appointed)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Digital marketing agency Dog Digital has made two appointments. Kevin McCloskey joins as senior account manager while Richard Kelly starts as digital marketing manager. Both join from online marketing agency Equator. Copyright: Centaur...

MOVES: WebAds UK.(Jonas Jaanimagi, Alan Walker and Chris Cochrane)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Digital sales agency WebAds UK has announced three hires from Digital Look. Jonas Jaanimagi joins as head of operations. His responsibilities include dealing with client campaigns and providing client customer service. Alan Walker starts as...

MOVES: Blowfish Digital.(Richard Gwynn appointed)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Online marketing agency Blowfish Digital has hired Richard Gwynn as business development manager. He has held similar positions at DC Interact, Internet Dreams and GBnet. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

MOVES: MCPS-PRS Alliance.(Mechnical Right Collecting Society/ Performing Right Society appointed Jez Bell and Andy Rock)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... The MCPS-PRS Alliance, the not-for-profit UK collecting society, has announced two appointments in its broadcast and online teams. Jez Bell has been promoted to the newly created role of broadcast and online licensing director, while Andy...

MOVES: Lightstone.(Phil Hammett appointed)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Lightstone, which provides corporate web services for businesses, has appointed Phil Hammett as project manager. He has previously worked at Mortgages plc and Abbey. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

SITE INSPECTION: Look at my Crazy Shoes.(Footshop)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Lookatmycrazyshoes.com Owner: Footshop Agency: in-house Content 23/25 Usability 22/25 Branding 21/25 Monetisation 22/25 Total 88/100 Crocs are those fluorescent clogs that...

SITE INSPECTION: Homes & Property.(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Homesandproperty.co.uk Owner: Homes & Property Agency: Red Snapper Content 15/25 Usability 20/25 Branding 20/25 Monetisation 20/25 Total 75/100 I love watching those...

SITE INSPECTION: C-change.(The Woodcraft Folk)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Switchonswitchoff.org Owner: The Woodcraft Folk Agency: in-house Content 20/25 Usability 20/25 Branding 20/25 Monetisation 10/25 Total 70/25 Climate change...

FULFILMENT: cotswoldoutdoor.com.(Cotswold Co.)(Website overview)(Brief article)
June 7, 2007... Founded: 2003 Selection Everything for the discerning camper and outdoor enthusiast, from the basics (tents, sleeping bags, walking boots) to the more adventurous (climbing gear, GPS systems and, er, world music). Technical...

Game becomes first store to offer PC games for download.
June 14, 2007... Game, one of the big three gaming retailers, has unveiled a PC games download store, the first in the UK. The move is a significant step for the games industry, and it's understood that it will soon be followed by Virgin and HMV, the...

BBC ties with YouTube in UGC film move.(user-generated content)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... The BBC has revealed details of its biggest use of user-generated content, as part of the forthcoming Summer of British Film season. A new site, built by digital agency Illumina Interactive, will see amateur film-makers uploading their...

O2 finally ready to offer full-track music store.(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... O2 is on the verge of at last joining the other major operators and launching a full track download store on its Active portal. Warner, Universal and Sony BMG are among the labels, along with up to 4,000 independents, understood to be...

Social network site aimed at kids bans use of Playboy logo.
June 14, 2007... A social network that has a quarter of the country's primary school children as members has banned all images relating to Playboy, most significantly its famous bunny logo. The move highlights the growing question of social and corporate...

Fremantle and ITV test video-upload site for 'X Factor'.(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Fremantle Media and ITV are set to launch a consumer-facing video- upload site for this summer's The X Factor. The system is currently being used for Britain's Got Talent, but the videos are not for public consumption. The current...

Wilkinson Sword creates site for women's sins on MySpace.(Wilkinson Sword contracts with MEC Interaction and Them)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Wilkinson Sword is set to launch a MySpace campaign to encourage women to use a new confessional site. Working with MEC Interaction and ad agency Them, the brand has set up a page called 'The Confessional' where other users, known as...

Pepsi uses online in festival sponsorship.(Pepsi-Cola UK contracts with Graphico New Media Ltd.)(Hyde Park Calling festival)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Pepsi has rolled out an online campaign to support its co-sponsorship of the Hyde Park Calling festival on 23 and 24 June. The drinks brand has launched an email campaign offering free tickets, while a dedicated section within the...

Ringtone sellers place faith in mobile ads as print sales drop.(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Ringtone vendors are pinning their hopes on mobile advertising following a decline in sales via traditional marketing channels. Promoting ringtones in print is no longer bringing in sales in sufficient quantities for vendors to justify...

Channel Films updates service following further content deals.(contracts with Soda Pictures and Peccadillo Pictures)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Cult, classic and foreign film specialist Channel Films has revealed a host of strategic changes. The company is planning to scale up its downloading service with a raft of new content deals from production companies including Soda...

Ministry of Sound targets women on 3.(Ministry of Sound Holdings Ltd. contracts with Hutchison 3G UK Ltd.)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Ministry of Sound has begun targeting a female-specific audience with ad-funding mobile content on operator 3. The dance music brand is targeting women using 3's gender-based ad platform, which allows advertisers to address subscribers...

Lexus reveals new site to take on BMW in fleet car market.(Lexus GB Ltd.)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Lexus has unveiled a revamped UK company-car site as the Toyota-owned luxury car brand looks to take on BMW in the fleet car market. The site, within the main UK site, has been developed to coincide with the launch of four Lexus models...

ITN Source to create dynamic portal for digital video content.(contracts with Interesource)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... ITN Source has taken on Interesource to redevelop its website as it looks to create a more dynamic and engaging portal for its users. The agency, which specialises in digital communities, will reskin the video content provider's site. ...

Total Greek Yoghurt adds Flash to site.(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Total Greek Yoghurt has overhauled its website to include Flash animation and nutritional information. The previous site had been in place for the past five years but has now been relaunched by parent company Fage as part of a brand...

JD Sports cuts down on etail clicks via transactional e-zine.(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... JD Sports has begun publishing a transactional e-zine to streamline process of online shopping. The interactive sports and fashion magazine, titled Best of the Best, is to be sent quarterly to JD's subscriber base, which runs to...

Channel 4 to post annual review online.(Channel Four Television Company Ltd. contracts with Preloaded and NB Studio)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Channel 4 has taken its annual review online for the first time. The broadcaster has appointed Preloaded, working with above-the-line agency NB: Studio, to take on the project following a three-way pitch. The site will allow viewers...

Gambling firms may move ads offline following ban by Google.(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Online gambling and betting companies say that they are likely to move advertising expenditure offline to offset last week's blanket ban by Google on their advertising on AdWords. Gaming advertisers and agencies are furious over Google's...

Lastminute to email holiday suggestions.(Lastminute.com PLC contracts with Steel)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Lastminute.com has launched a new summer marketing campaign called 'Don't forget your suitcase', encouraging users to consider their summer holiday options. Digital agency Steel has designed and built the campaign based around the...

Man Utd focuses online with three site launches in Far East.(Manchester United)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Manchester United is making its online presence the cornerstone of a reinvigorated Far Eastern marketing push, with the launch of official club sites catering for its Chinese, Japanese and Korean fans. The launch of each of the three...

Shepherd to step down from Yahoo!(Lloyd Shepherd resigned from Yahoo! Europe)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Yahoo!'s director of News, Sport and Information for Yahoo! Europe, Lloyd Shepherd, is leaving the media giant at the end of June. He returned to Yahoo! in March 2006 after five years at Guardian Unlimited, having previously been...

UCAS ties up with Glastonbury Festival to push social network.(UCAS Media and Yougofurther tie-up for Glastonbury Festival)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... University application processing organisation UCAS has tied up with Glastonbury Festival to push its social network, Yougofurther. The site will be offering students the chance to win a pair of tickets to the sold-out summer festival by...

Jaeger puts catwalk shows onto website.(Jaeger Holdings contracts with Design UK)(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... Jaeger, the high-end British fashion brand, is using vodcasts of catwalk displays as it looks to provide consumers with greater interaction with the products they're looking to buy. The company is taking clips from in-store events online,...

Online treasure hunt directs players to advertisers' sites.(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... An online treasure hunt competition with a prize of $1m, aiming to drive traffic to participating brand sites, goes live next month. The Golden Jigsaw will encourage web users to scour advertiser sites in search of jigsaw pieces to win...

ANALYST SPEAK: Why media owners will never make DRM work.(digital rights management)
June 14, 2007... Media companies claim DRM is necessary to ensure rights holders, publishers and artists all get paid. In reality, it's about media companies ensuring they get paid, multiple times, for the same content. Consumers, aided by the pervasive...

Top online advertisers account for less than 7% of display ads.(Brief article)
June 14, 2007... The UK's top 20 online advertisers from January to April 2007 accounted for less than 7% of all online display ad campaigns, according to research by Nielsen//NetRatings. The report illustrates the health of the online display sector. ...

COMMENT: Social networks have a duty of care.(Editorial)
June 14, 2007... In August 2005, Croydon schoolgirls picketed WHSmith to protest about its sale of Playboy-branded stationary that was being targeted at teenage girls. This month Intuitive, which runs social networks reaching over a quarter of primary-school...

Social networking doesn't have to be just for one group.
June 14, 2007... I've been asked a lot recently about whether social networks are still worth investing in. The theory behind the question, I suppose, is that MySpace and Facebook have reached proportions so large that there's no room for new entrants. ...

LETTER: Why single out legitimate gambling firms?(Letter to the editor)
June 14, 2007... From Peter Karsten, CEO, Cecure Gaming Alcohol advertising is governed by strict legislation to ensure that drink brands aren't promoted as making the drinker more popular or attractive. Ads mustn't encourage irresponsible behaviour or...

LETTER: Bournemouth students show surprising promise.(Letter to the editor)
June 14, 2007... Andrew Henning, MD, Redweb Last week I visited the London leg of the Bournemouth University New Media degree show and was very impressed. The work the students were displaying was current and imaginative, but also demonstrated a strong...

LETTER: Trading isn't only about getting ads cheap.(Letter to the editor)
June 14, 2007... From Mauricio Leon, board director, Zed Mike Teasdale painted a picture of online trading directors as ruthless creatures who are only looking for the cheapest deal (NMA 24.05.07). While I agree that clients deserve the best possible...

LETTER: Pitching process doesn't just affect creatives.(Letter to the editor)
June 14, 2007... From Jonathan Kay, MD, RedEye I'm putting my hat in the ring with the creatives asking for a rethink on pitching processes. Time and again companies are expected to pitch their apples against another's pears in tender documents that are...

OPINION: Traditional advertising phases out as digital takes the focus.(Column)
June 14, 2007... Blimey, did I pick the right time to get out of advertising. I've long detected a certain froideur in these pages for the industry that dare not speak its name. The flow isn't going their way, of course, but the clack of knitting needles...