New Media Age articles from March 2006

New Media Age archives from March 2006

3 Earns more than #1.2m from user-generated video content.
March 2, 2006... 3G mobile operator 3 has earned over #1.2m in just four months from its See Me TV channel of user-generated mobile video content. The operator revealed this week that it has seen over 4m downloads of the 30,000 videos sent in by...

Philips runs World Cup branding drive.(Philips U.K. Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Electronics giant Philips is launching a multi-million-pound global online marketing offensive, giving consumers the chance to win tickets to the World Cup final in Germany. The digital drive forms part of a major through-the-line branding...

Anger as late ad copy charges arrive early.(Association of Online Publishers )
March 2, 2006... A row erupted this week between agencies and media owners over plans to fine media agencies for delivering online ad creative late. ITV and Wanadoo began sending out letters this week informing media agencies that they intend to fine them...

Amex expands tourist podcast after Turin Olympics success.(American Express Co.)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... American Express is to roll out a multi-million-pound tourist 'Travelcast' campaign to cash in on the podcasting phenomenon, after trialling it at the Turin Winter Olympics. The financial services giant will allow tourists to download maps...

Directgov plans make-or-break campaign to raise awareness.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Directgov, the portal set up to become the central point for citizens to access government services, is launching a make-or-break ad campaign this month to meet its target. Despite being launched almost two years ago, Directgov is only...

BA appoints first dedicated email agency.(British Airways PLC, e-dialogue)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... British Airways is bolstering its commitment to online marketing by appointing e-dialogue as its first dedicated email services provider. The move is part of a radical overhaul of BA's marketing strategy, sparked by a staff reshuffle...

AKQA's launch of mobile arm throws down gauntlet to rivals.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... AKQA has become one of the first major interactive agencies to launch a mobile arm, a move that could see mobile marketing further adopted by brands such as Nike and Sainsbury's. The launch of AKQA Mobile is likely to have a significant...

Wanadoo and Orange to integrate campaign offers.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Brands and media agencies will soon be able to run integrated online and mobile ad campaigns across portal Wanadoo and operator Orange. Wanadoo is preparing its ad sales teams to work across Web and mobile following its rebrand to Orange...

Auto Trader boosts online ad spend to reach new audiences.(Auto Trader Systems Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Auto Trader is boosting its online ad spend by a quarter, to #12.5m, in an effort to establish itself as the leading online brand for new and used cars. It plans to use online to aggressively grow its share of key new markets, including...

BBC pushes public to Creative Archive.(British Broadcasting Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... The BBC is spearheading the rollout of the next phase of the Creative Archive Licence, an online scheme whereby content from the BBC, the British Film Institute, Channel 4 and the Open University is made available to the public. ...

BREAKING: Conservatives produce manifesto Web sites.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... The Conservative Party has launched six Web sites covering the six key challenges that new party leader David Cameron feels the UK faces. The sites cover economic, social justice, quality of life, public service, global poverty and security...

BREAKING: EasyMobile link puts handsets on high street.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... EasyMobile.com, part of easyGroup, is making its debut on the high street through a tie-up with mobile retailer The Link. The move will mark the first time the company's phones have been available to the public on the high street, with prices...

BREAKING: MSN Messenger hosts Pink Panther campaign.
March 2, 2006... 20th Century Fox is running an MSN Messenger campaign to promote the release of the new Pink Panther film, starring Steve Martin as Inspector Clouseau. The deal sees a raft of emoticons, backgrounds, voice clips and branded display pictures...

BREAKING: Hypertag announces international campaigns.
March 2, 2006... Interactive mobile outdoor ad company Hypertag has announced a series of international campaigns with Adidas and Ford. France will be using Hypertag in JC Decaux posters along the Champs Elysees letting consumers download ringtones from its...

IN BRIEF: HP appoints Proximity London in deal worth $6m.(Hewlett-Packard Co.)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... HP, the electronics giant, has appointed marketing agency Proximity London as marketing services agency for its preferred partner network. The deal, worth $6m (#3.44m) a year, will see Proximity make available services including direct...

IN BRIEF: Three MPs to release regular podcasts.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Three MPs are following in the footsteps of George W Bush and Ricky Gervais by releasing regular podcasts. Ed Vaizey (Con, Wantage), Shahid Malik (Lab, Dewsbury) and Jo Swinson (Lib, East Dunbartonshire) are the first British MPs to produce...

IN BRIEF: Utarget to expand into Germany and Australia.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Online ad specialist Utarget is expanding its operations to Germany and Australia in a bid to capitalise on these countries' emerging contextual advertising markets. The company will launch its behavioural targeting product Utcontextual in...

IN BRIEF: Yahoo! boosts content with two new recruits.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Yahoo! Europe has hired two directors to develop its online services. Simon Gunning joins as director of entertainment and games from Celador International where he was director of interactive media and Lloyd Shepherd joins from Guardian...

Pact warns solution to digital media rights could take a year.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Broadcasters and independent producers could take up to a year to reach a workable agreement over digital media rights, according to TV industry trade body Pact. This could cause the UK's biggest commercial players to lose millions of...

OFT targets Internet scams.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... The Office of Fair Trading has hired former Bad Girls actress Claire King to launch an international 'Scam awareness' campaign. The government agency is conducting a sweep of the Internet with consumer protection agencies from 21 countries...

Agency Republic staffs up for expansion.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Agency Republic has snatched ten new staff from rival agencies as part of the expansion of its media, creative and technical teams. Republic's new talent director, Mark Ridley, has wasted no time stamping his brand of management on the...

IF.com uses online campaign to push mortgage range.(Dialogue DLKW)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Halifax Bank of Scotland's direct banking arm, IF.com, is launching an online campaign to promote its mortgage range. The campaign, costing around #100,000, will focus on offset mortgages and targets both new and existing customers with a...

Nectar commits 20% of total marketing budget to Internet.(Blue Barracuda)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Loyalty scheme Nectar has increased in its commitment to the Internet by shifting 20% of its total ad budget into online marketing this year. It's also planning to syphon part of the increased budget into a customer acquisition drive for...

Good Technology founder back with mobile video play.(Ontheterraces)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Good Technology founder Richard Davies has resurfaced after leaving the agency last summer, with a new mobile service offering video services on the O2 and 3 networks. Ontheterraces is the first offering from Davies' agency Vexed and...

Virgin Money plugs credit card as part of #7m+ digital spend.(Virgin Money Personal Financial Service Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Virgin Money and its online creative agency, Glue London, have launched an online campaign to promote the Virgin Credit Card, accompanying the current offline push. Launched today, it follows the 'Say yes' TV campaign and is part of the...

iPod video mag launches interactive ads.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Mooky, the iPod video magazine, has become one of the first UK podcast services to launch interactive advertising, with online retailers Boystuff and Koyono the first advertisers. Viewers on any computer can click an ad as it plays to be...

IN BRIEF: IPA restructures Digital Marketing Group.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... The IPA has restructured its Digital Marketing Group, rebranding the interactive arm IPA Digital to focus more closely on issues shaping the sector. The move is designed to position the IPA as a more effective presence as digital marketing...

IN BRIEF: River Island launches Flash ecommerce site.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... High street clothing chain River Island is launching its first ecommerce Web site built completely in Flash. The site, created by Bumblebee Design, employs Flash throughout the shopping process, from browsing collections to adding items to the...

IN BRIEF: Ebookers and Travelbag target new advertisers.(Travelbag Holdings)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Online travel agencies Ebookers and Travelbag are launching a campaign site aimed at encouraging marketing directors and media agencies to advertise with them. Created by digital marketing agency Halpern Cowan, the site will be supported by...

IN BRIEF: Martin King joins DNA.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... DNA, the digital agency acquired last year by Avenue A/Razorfish, has appointed Martin King as its new head of media client services. King joins from his own media consultancy and will oversee the media side of the business. ...

Trouble extends Web presence to let viewers influence shows.(Trouble TV)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Flextech-owned youth TV channel Trouble has become one of the first broadcasters to extend its brand with the launch of a Web-based user- generated content (UGC) network. The Homegrown initiative will let viewers go online or use their...

PointRoll arrives from US to pep up UK rich-media market.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... US rich-media specialist PointRoll has formally opened for business in the UK and Europe, promising to shake up the UK online ad industry with its emphasis on creativity. PointRoll has been quietly signing up clients in the UK since last...

Preloaded rejigs for offline client work.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Digital agency Preloaded is making its first move offline, working with Esure to extend the insurance brand's Mr Mouse marketing character. The agency has restructured to underline its shift of focus from online games to large Web...

Modem Media wins global GSK account.(GlaxoSmithKline PLC)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... GlaxoSmithKline has chosen a global online ad agency to work across such brands as Aquafresh and Sensodyne. It's believed to have appointed Modem Media to the account, which is likely to involve a spend of several million dollars on global...

Cheeze opens new division to exploit next generation of Web.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Media agency Cheeze has launched a division to capitalise on the rise of Web 2.0, to help clients cash in on phenomena such as blogging. Web 2.0 is the ongoing transition of the Internet from a collection of Web sites to a computing...

Analyst Speak: Poker sites must learn to keep their customers.
March 2, 2006... With the recent news that leading online poker provider PartyGaming is severing all partnerships with its white-label operators and making major acquisitions, including Empire Online for #250m earlier this year, intense competition is expected...

IN BRIEF: Homechoice speeds up entry-level broadband.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Homechoice is doubling its entry-level broadband speed for customers to 2Mbps. The increase in speed will happen for existing customers automatically from 1 March and won't cost any extra. homechoice.co.uk Copyright: Centaur...

IN BRIEF: Pitney Bowes appoints Intercea for extranet.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Office supplies company Pitney Bowes has chosen technical agency Intercea to develop an extranet for its Secap dealer channel. Dealers will use the extranet across ten countries. intercea.co.uk Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd....

IN BRIEF: MSN launches streaming video-only channel.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... MSN has launched a dedicated streaming service, MSN Video, targeted at affluent customers and technology enthusiasts. The new channel is a self-contained video-only portal but will be integrated into the MSN portal via cross channel and...

IN BRIEF: Call for dedicated radio band for mobile TV.(Broadcast Mobile Convergence Forum)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... The Broadcast Mobile Convergence Forum, which comprises mobile handset makers, operators and broadcasters, has asked the EU to help establish a specific radio band for mobile TV services throughout Europe. Analogue broadcast signals will...

IN BRIEF: New tools for Vista OS.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Microsoft will include new search tools and parental controls with its Vista operating system, due later this year. It will integrate search throughout the operating system. microsoft.com/windowsvista Copyright: Centaur...

Ofcom to boost consumer trust in voice-over-Internet services.(Office of Communications)
March 2, 2006... The voice-over-IP (VoIP) industry has welcomed the move by Ofcom to introduce a set of guidelines for consumer VoIP services in the UK, to boost confidence in the service. Ofcom is holding a consultation on VoIP services with the aim of...

Lycos launches iQ search tool with results supplied by users.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Lycos has launched a community-based search tool, Lycos iQ, which invites users to ask questions and submit responses to form a database of answers. The tool went live in the UK this week and is set to roll out across Europe in the next...

UK Net Guide aims to make reviewed sites searchable.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Online consumer guide UK Net Guide has begun indexing its database to build a walled garden of family-friendly, human-reviewed Web sites. The aim is to offer UK Net Guide's 1.1m unique monthly users a search- based method of accessing...

Information sites most likely to be visited by over-50-year-olds.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... The highest proportion of users of etail and financial service sites are in their 30s, while information sites are visited most by the over- 50s, according to a report by Nielsen//NetRatings. The study examined audience composition for a...

Mobile data revenues overtake fixed-line as MMS use rockets.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Revenues from mobile voice and data services overtook those from fixed- line telephony for the first time in 2005, reaching #13bn in the UK, according to mobile aggregator Netsize's 2006 guide to the mobile industry. 3G services...

IN BRIEF: Winter Olympics boosts Web searches for sports.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Searches for 'curling', 'skiing' and 'ice hockey' have rocketed as a result of the Winter Olympics, according to research by Hitwise. 'Curling' saw the most pronounced increase, with five times as many searches taking place than two weeks...

IN BRIEF: Pirate downloads shift to quality over currency.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Nip/Tuck was the most pirated TV show in January and Elizabethtown the most pirated film, figures released by BayTSP show. The most pirated software was Microsoft Office XP. The ratings are based on the number of copies available for...

IN BRIEF: Third of US users still on dial-up connections.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Almost two in every five Internet users in the US still go online via a dial-up connection. A study by research company Yankee Group revealed that almost half of those on dial-up regard broadband as too expensive, while almost a third don't...

NEWS ANALYSIS: Charges for late ad copy anger agencies.
March 2, 2006... As media owners begin to warn agencies that they're to start charging for ad copy delivered late, debate rages over whether it's the creative or media agencies at fault A row erupted this week over the decision to blame media agencies...

COMMENT: Those who fail to innovate will become extinct.
March 2, 2006... Triple and quadruple play was the talk of this year's 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona last month. The ability to offer broadband, cable TV and telephony, whether mobile or fixed or both, is increasingly seen as the perfect formula to...

Will the Budget offer a stable environment for innovation?
March 2, 2006... The Budget is less than a month away and behind the scenes Chancellor Gordon Brown is burning the midnight oil in Number 11, crunching figures as the days pass until 22 March. The lights are also burning long into the night in Hollywood for a...

LETTER: We must educate users on behavioural targeting.(Letter to the Editor)
March 2, 2006... I was surprised that your article 'Following footsteps' on behavioural targeting (NMA 16.02.06) didn't mention the potential pitfalls. Many Internet users are increasingly uneasy with such forms of highly targeted marketing. I believe...

LETTER: BIMA closest to all-round digital representation.(British Interactive Media Association)
March 2, 2006... At the last count, back in 2004, there were about 54,000 people working in the UK interactive industry. No doubt this figure is far larger now. Most of these people work in small or micro companies, about 85% full time (source: Skillset)....

OPINION: Providing satisfaction is the key to consumer loyalty today.
March 2, 2006... The Internet allows people to search, communicate and compare, to find the best service, the best deal, the best price. But this very nature of new media has the potential to undermine brands and discourage customer loyalty because it...

AD WATCH: COI employs stalking smiley to reach kids where they hang out.(Central Office of Information)
March 2, 2006... This month we have a mix of blackcurrants, German cars, scary stuff online and sex. Well, halfway to pornography, to be perfectly honest. Naturally I'm referring to the latest contribution to the Agent Provocateur range of viral...

PROFILE - STEPHEN BALKAM: Perpetual notion.(Internet Content Rating Association )(Biography)
March 2, 2006... Getting sites to rate their content is a never-ending task for ICRA's Stephen Balkam. Clare Goff asks him if technology's speed of change makes it an impossible mission This month a loophole was found within certain mobile phone networks...

EMAIL MARKETING: Special delivery.
March 2, 2006... With Yahoo! and AOL opting to charge brands for delivering emails, Ben King finds out how this will affect the future of email marketing for brands, agencies and users When AOL and Yahoo! recently revealed plans to charge companies to...

EMAIL MARKETING: Citroen tracks online behaviour.(Citroen U.K. Ltd.)
March 2, 2006... Citroen has been sending its customers emails for years, but felt it could do more than just build brand awareness. More than 80% of car buyers research their purchases online, so by tracking their site visits, Citroen could learn about them...

WIRELESS: One to watch.
March 2, 2006... Everyone's excited by mobile TV. But rather than worrying about how it's provided, operators and channels need to focus on producing content consumers want to view At this year's 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, most of the buzz in the...

BARRACK ON WIRELESS: 3G could benefit from adopting broadband pricing.
March 2, 2006... At the 3GSM World Congress last month, Vodafone CEO Arun Sarin identified handset costs as a barrier to the adoption of 3G. He may have a point, but there's another problem that's more fundamental. A famous TV commercial described 3G as...

SIT REVIEW: Guardian news service goes for Java over mobile Internet.
March 2, 2006... Guardian guardian.co.uk/on2go Client: Guardian Unlimited Platform: Java Guardian Unlimited's mobile news service scores highly for content, but will its chosen platform reach a wide audience? Using On2go's Java application, Guardian...

WIRELESS: New directions.
March 2, 2006... Already popular in Japan, the use of mobiles for getting local and travel information is set to take off here. Michael Fitzpatrick asks if this is the end of the travelbook Technology is coming to the aid of tourists, with pioneering mobile...

Moves: Vividas Group.(appoints Richard Collins)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Richard Collins has been hired as chief executive of Vividas Group, the video streaming developer. Previously he was global CEO of search marketing agency mSearch and jobsite.co.uk. Collins also founded Tempest Online Marketing. ...

Moves: Modem Media.(appoints Paul Richardson-Owen)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Paul Richardson-Owen has joined digital marketing agency Modem Media as media planner, supporting Gareth Mulryan and Neil Vincent. He'll mainly work with client LloydsTSB and arrives from Internet marketing agency Outrider, where he was...

Moves: Jamster.(Tobias Brinkhorst appointed)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Digital content provider Jamster has recruited Tobias Brinkhorst as director of marketing for UK, Ireland and Australia. He previously worked as a consultant to Siemens and Vodafone (Germany and International). Copyright: Centaur...

Moves: Thomson Directories.(Keith Pelling appointed)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Thomson Directories has appointed Keith Pelling as its new business development manager for database licensing. He has worked at Thomson Directories for 20 years, most recently as senior national account director within the national sales...

Moves: Mobile Streams.(Mark Carleton appointed)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Mobile content provider Mobile Streams has taken on Mark Carleton as non-executive director. The appointment follows the company's recent strategic alliance with investment company Liberty Media, where Carleton is currently senior executive....

Moves: FreeStyleGames.(Chris Lee appointed)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... FreeStyleGames, the Warwick-based games developer, has appointed Chris Lee as commercial director. He moves from Criterion Software where he was VP. FreeStyleGames' first game is due for release later this year. Copyright: Centaur...

Moves: Blue Barracuda.(Stuart Glass appointed)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Digital communications agency Blue Barracuda has recruited Stuart Glass as a new media executive. He arrives from digital marketing agency Tequila\London, where he worked in the customer insight team. Copyright: Centaur Communications...

Moves: Lewis Silkin.(Cliff Fluet appointed)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Cliff Fluet has joined solicitors Lewis Silkin as partner. He arrives from Capital Radio, where he was director of legal affairs and company secretary. He has joined the firm's Media, Brands and Technology group. Copyright: Centaur...

Moves: Eyeconomy.(Eyeconomy Holdings PLC appoints Simon Jasinski, Nicole Holtsmark)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Digital media agency Eyeconomy has strengthened its workforce with the appointment of two new members of staff. Simon Jasinski, previously of Jobsite, will be looking after rugby advertising space. Nicole Holtsmark joins to manage the...

Moves: DoubleClick.(Toby Dawson, Vaughan Denny, Dominic Earl, Dean Peart and Allyson Hohman appointed)(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... Digital advertising company DoubleClick has taken on five new members of staff as it looks to gain new business. Toby Dawson joins as UK sales director, having previously been sales manager at Ask Jeeves. Vaughan Denny is the new account...

Site inspection: Subliminal Records.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... subliminalrecords.com Owner: Subliminal Records Agency: Beatport Content 25/25 Usability 20/25 Branding 21/25 Monetisation 20/25 Total 86/100 Traffic to...

Site inspection: Sky HD.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... sky.com/hd Owner: BSkyB Agency: AllofUs Content 20/25 Usability 20/25 Branding 20/25 Monetisation 20/25 Total 80/100 Sky has created this Web site to encourage potential...

Site inspection: MY Talitha G.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... talitha-g.com Owner: Talitha G Agency: Pixelwork Content 24/25 Usability 21/25 Branding 24/25 Monetisation 0/25 Total 69/100 Built in 1927 and renovated in 1994, the MY Talitha G is a...

Fulfilment: granta.com.(Granta publishing )(Brief Article)
March 2, 2006... granta.com Founded Originally set up in 1889, Granta has been going in its current guise since 1979. Selection Books from the Granta publishing house covering most genres, from art to travel and literary fiction. Extracts...

MPs slam McDonald's for using MSN to advertise to children.
March 9, 2006... McDonald's has come under fire from MPs and consumer watchdog Which? for using MSN Messenger as a marketing tool to reach children online. The burger giant has signed a deal with MSN UK to offer MSN Messenger users the chance to brand...

Virgin Radio brings podcasts to mobile.(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... Podcasts are coming to mobile phones for the first time, allowing millions of people from across the UK to receive audio downloads such as The Ricky Gervais Show. The launch of these 'mobcasts' looks set to take the current downloading...

Nescafe backs offline promo with iVillage partnership.(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... Nescafe has partnered with women's portal iVillage to launch a portfolio of branded content supporting its #4.1m campaign featuring fashionistas Trinny and Susannah. The online campaign is tied into the current #4.1m above-the-line...

Lack of reliable data on online ad spend is crippling growth.(market research)
March 9, 2006... The growth of the online advertising market is being crippled by the lack of reliable ad spend data from Nielsen, making it harder for media agencies to persuade clients to move budgets from offline media. Search advertising in particular...

Friend Reunited signs biggest ad deal for T-Mobile campaign.(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... Friends Reunited has signed its biggest advertising deal since its acquisition by ITV in December last year. It will run ads for T-Mobile across the home pages of its 13m registered users. The deal is also the first time the reunion site...

E*Trade appoints Play as its first dedicated UK digital agency.(E*TRADE Financial Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... US online stocks and shares brokerage E*Trade is making an aggressive push into the UK, signalled by the appointment of its first UK dedicated interactive agency, Play. This is a significant win for Play, which was formed last year in...

Adidas launches branded RSS desktop feed for footie updates.(adidas-Salomon AG)(Brief Article)
March 9, 2006... Adidas has become one of the first companies to launch a branded desktop RSS player, enabling football fans to receive news feeds from Radio 1, Yahoo! and Sky through a desktop David Beckham. Adidas is an official World Cup sponsor and the...