Brand Strategy articles from July 2002

Brand Strategy archives from July 2002

Valuing intangible assets. (Leader).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Other connoisseurs of Chris Macrae's apocalyptic prose (BS June 2002) will enjoy re-reading the sentence "Combine this with the fact that propaganda about the primacy of shareholder value and the needs of the largest shareholder constituency is...

Brand licensing challenge. (Leader).(Easyjet)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... "Easyjet does not own the `easy' trade mark," says the company's report on its acquisition of Go. It notes the importance of keeping Easyjet informed of other developments with which `easy' is involved, and the licensee monitoring Easyjet's use...

Getting rid of corporate smokescreens. (Leader).(British American Tobacco)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... How can a company whose products kill millions be considered socially responsible? British American Tobacco (BAT), the second largest tobacco company in the world, has ruffled feathers with the controversial launch of the industry's first...

Helena Christensen is to star in a new poster campaign for Carlsberg-Tetley's premium lager brand, Carlsberg Export. (Marketing).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Helena Christensen is to star in a new poster campaign for Carlsberg-Tetley's premium lager brand, Carlsberg Export. The campaign will appear on 1,600 sites nationwide from mid-July and is aimed at young, urban lager drinkers.

Britvic Soft Drinks. (Marketing).(advertising campaign)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Britvic Soft Drinks has embarked on its first TV campaign for adult fruit drink J2O. The 1.5m [pounds sterling] campaign is aimed at the brand's core audience of 25-25 year olds. The ads' premise is that adults can enjoy the drink in a sociable...

Audi will be the third brand to use outdoor media company JC Decaux's new `Chameleon' poster. (Marketing).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Audi will be the third brand to use outdoor media company JC Decaux's new `Chameleon' poster. The poster's image changes according to whether it is day or night and will run on Decaux's 250 sites across the UK. In the latest campaign, the new...

Royal Mail. (Marketing).(stamp promotion)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Royal Mail is hoping to boost Christmas sales of first class stamps with a promotion linked to the latest installment of Lord of the Rings. Stills from the film will feature on gamecards which can be obtained by purchasing a book of 12 first...

Cadbury. (Marketing).(new campaign)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Cadbury is launching a new SMS campaign linked to its sponsorship of the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games. The `Txt 4 Gold' campaign is being managed by SMS specialists 12snap and invites consumers to text a code on the inside of the wrapping...

Cusson's soap brand Imperial Leather has also sponsored the Games. (Marketing).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Cusson's soap brand Imperial Leather has also sponsored the Games with an investment of 2m [pounds sterling] which includes advertising, pack promotions, PR, roadshow and a dedicated website.

Yorkshire Forward. (Marketing).(promotional campaign)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency for Yorkshire and Humber, has begun a three-year, 1.8m [pounds sterling] campaign to promote business in the area. Leeds-based marketing communications agency Brahm has kicked off the project...

Asda. (Marketing).(new Well Being concept)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Asda is piloting a new `Well Being' concept to challenge the dominance of the `super chemists' in the health and beauty market. The treatments will reflect Asda's price promise positioning, with a full manicure charged at less than half that of...

NatWest is to capitalise on its sponsorship of international cricket with a microsite developed by Zentropy partners. (Marketing).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... NatWest is to capitalise on its sponsorship of international cricket with a microsite developed by Zentropy partners. Natwestseries.com includes headlines, live scorecards and commentary by Darren Gough. The site will capture customer data and...

British Gas. (Marketing).(new corporate social responsibility campaign)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... British Gas is launching a corporate social responsibility campaign targeting the UK's seven million carers. The company has set up a telephone advice line where carers can seek information about the resources and benefits available to them....

Diary.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The Food and Drink Summit 2002 London 12-13 September 2002 New product development (NPD) is the central theme, examining how to react to consumer attitudes and incorporate research into bringing a product to market. Can involving the...

South African Breweries. (Appointments).(Mark Sherrington named global marketing director)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Mark Sherrington, chairman of Tempus Worldwide and co-founder of Added Value, is to take up the position of global marketing director at South African Breweries, the world's second largest brewer. He will be based in London and will report to...

Vodafone UK. (Appointments).(Lance Batchelor named marketing director)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Amazon head of worldwide marketing, Lance Batchelor, is set to leave the US to join Vodafone UK as marketing director. He will lead strategy in product management, brand/channel marketing, handset purchasing & logistics and corporate marketing....

Met Office. (Appointments).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The Met Office has appointed ex-JCB global corporate marketing manager, Jonathan Hearth to the post of marketing director responsible for strategy and implementation.

Ryanair. (Appointments).(Sinead Fin named sales manager)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Ryanair has appointed Sinead Finn, formerly Ryanair sales manager for Italy, to take over the position of sales and marketing manager from Tim Jeans.

Kellogg's UK. (Appointments).(Michael Allen named marketing director)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Kellogg's UK has appointed Michael Allen as marketing director. He arrives in the UK from his previous post as vice president US marketing (ready to eat cereals) and will report to UK managing director Paul Norman.

Toni&Guy. (Marketing).(TV station trial)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Toni&Guy hairdressing salons are to trial a proprietory TV station, with a view to rolling it out across the 200-strong salon network in October. The system is being provided by Connect TV and will contain bespoke content for Toni&Guy customers...

Procter & Gamble (P&G) is to extend its Pampers nappy brand with the addition of flushable toilet wipes. (Launches & rebrands).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Procter & Gamble (P&G) is to extend its Pampers nappy brand with the addition of flushable toilet wipes. The Kandoo wipes, aimed at three to seven year-olds, were developed to encourage children to complete the whole toilet ritual without the...

Take Five is a new direct mail campaign aimed at busy women from P&G. (Launches & rebrands).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Take Five is a new direct mail campaign aimed at busy women from P&G. Taking the form of a bi-monthly audio magazine, the initial mailing will go to one million homes across the UK and will contain features about health, children and holidays,...

British European airways is relaunching its brand under the name flybe. (Launches & rebrands).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... British European airways is relaunching its brand under the name flybe. The new look airline plans to introduce a number of new customer initiatives which see it moving away from standard industry practice. These include abolishing overbooking,...

Safeway is launching a new range of on the move products linked to its existing `Eat Smart' range. (Launches & rebrands).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Safeway is launching a new range of on the move products linked to its existing `Eat Smart' range. `Eat Street' has been developed to accommodate the fast food, urban culture. The brand identity, name and packaging have been developed by...

Nestle and L'Oreal have signed an agreement to join forces in developing a global market for cosmetic nutritional supplements. (International).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Nestle and L'Oreal have signed an agreement to join forces in developing a global market for cosmetic nutritional supplements. Nutritional research from Nestle and dermatological research from L'Oreal will be pooled to develop these products...

The European Court has settled a dispute between Philips and Remington over the former's insistence that the three-headed rotary shaver should remain an exclusive trademark within the Philips shaver brand. (International).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The European Court has settled a dispute between Philips and Remington over the former's insistence that the three-headed rotary shaver should remain an exclusive trademark within the Philips shaver brand. A statement from Remington claims that...

EU and World Trade Organisation. (International).(protection of regional brand values)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The EU and the World Trade Organisation have ruled to protect the brand values of geographical and regional products, following the European Court's finding that Parmesan cheese (parmegiano reggiano) must have attained a degree of quality and...

Branding success lies in a dose of healthy hedonism; Jenny Adams, marketing analyst with brand consultancy The Value Engineers tells us about the art of seduction. (Trendspotter).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Live life for the moment... but do it in moderation. Living life to excess or under a strict health regime was the rule in the 1980s, but now people seem more concerned with balancing the two. Consumers are seeking health benefits from...

If I could get my hands on NASA ...; Liz Tinlin, director of Brand Vision at Added Value looks to the stars and imagines the NASA brand rocketing skyward. (In An Ideal World).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... What comes to mind when you think of NASA? The moon landings of 1969? American achievement? Or perhaps the negative associations of the Cold War, the Challenger disaster of 1986 and other failed missions and political wranglings. ...

Cult brand extinction: the Aztec chocolate bar: Ruth Mortimer looks at the launch and relaunch of the Aztec; was it anything more than a poor relation to the Mars Bar? (That Was The Brand That Was).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Cadbury's tribute to the inventors of chocolate lasted ten years. The Cadbury Aztec--named after the ancient Mesoamerican culture thought to have first used cocoa--was introduced in 1968. By 1978, the bar was itself consigned to history. ...

Brandspeak.(Astroturf Organising)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Astroturf Organising--the term for fake grassroots organising or other acts of political activism that appear to be conducted by groups of ordinary citizens, but are actually engineered by PR specialists. www.culturefreak.com

Festivals, films and friendly chips. (Brand Stunt Of The Month).(Doritos)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Walkers' Doritos crisp brand is planning to shake up the traditional festival `mud and guts' feel this summer with the roll out of a pilot festival-film-festival. Linking up with Dolby Laboratories, Doritos will be organising and...

Brand mot: Channel 4 is a brand of conflicts. The main channel remains profitable, but its other ventures have amassed huge debts. The broadcaster posted a total deficit of around 20m [pounds sterling] in April--its first loss in ten years.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Its celebrated film-making division, FilmFour, has been closed down after a year's operating loss of 5.4m [pounds sterling]. Ruth Mortimer finds out what advice a broadcast brand consultant, academic, media planner and consumer will offer to...

Shaken by ad aftershock: Morag Cuddeford Jones questions whether shock tactics build brands--spark of genius or last chance saloon? (News Analysis).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Complaints about ads to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) are on the rise with 10,000 ads coming under its scrutiny in the last 12 months alone. Shark energy drink has the latest campaign to fall foul of regulations for suggestions of...

Scandals, vandals and corporates in shambles: Ruth Mortimer investigates how to rebuild brands and restore investor trust after a corporate disaster. (News Analysis).
July 1, 2002... It seems like everybody's at it. The financial accounting scandals revealed at companies such as WorldCom and Xerox last month wiped 37bn [pounds sterling] off the London stock market in a single day. And the stories of corporate disaster keep...

Managing global brands: David Wethey recommends a different process for international clients and agencies to follow in global campaigns. (Opinion).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Brand valuation experts place a high premium on internationality. David Andrew in Interbrand's publication Brand Valuation says: "Brands which have proven international acceptance and appeal are inherently stronger than national or regional...

Froth versus substance: Jeremy Bullmore argues that the unbranded financial services sector reminds us why we need marketing. (Opinion).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... I believe that, at the very centre of every great brand, if it is to remain a great brand, there needs to be a product champion: a constructor, a maker, an engineer, a chemist, a brewer, a butcher, a product designer, a chef, an editor, an...

The age of innocence and healthy living: Richard Reed, the 29 year-old entrepreneur has built a popular brand in the juice sector, without spending his cash on advertising. Elen Lewis discovers the appeal behind the quirky innocent label. (Profile).
July 1, 2002... There are two Fresian cows grazing outside Fruit Towers, the headquarters of innocent, the juice company. Hardly unusual, except that this is in Shepherd's Bush, London and the cows are flamboyantly decorated delivery vans. Their exhaust...

Petroleum and principles: Elen Lewis talks to Raoul Pinnell, Shell's vice president of global brands and analyses how the Shell brand has reinvented itself to fit in with the expectations of its stakeholders in today's society. (Shell).
July 1, 2002... It's the brand equivalent of turning around a colossal oil tanker. Over the last eight years, Royal Dutch/Shell, the $190bn (122bn [pounds sterling]) oil conglomerate, has been mopping up its human rights and environmental spillages and...

A spoonful of branding: Morag Cuddeford Jones examines why the pharmaceutical industry's resistance to branding prescription drugs may be about to break down and how the discerning consumer is changing the doctor/patient roles. (Pharmaceutical Branding).
July 1, 2002... Ask someone's advice for a good, over the counter (OTC) painkiller and you'll often be greeted by the response `Oh, I swear by X'. Common analgesics, cold remedies and skin creams often command a ferocious brand loyalty among consumers and yet...

Nicorette is no cold turkey: Morag Cuddeford Jones assesses how Nicorette became one of the most successful `FMCG' drugs available. (Pharmaceutical branding: case study).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... There are over 13 million smokers in the UK, up to 70% of whom state that they wish to give up. Despite the wide range of aids--patches, gum, inhalators and nasal sprays, the path to a smoke free life most commonly chosen is cold turkey and...

A fruity brand extension: Ruth Mortimer tracks the strategy behind the first non-cereal brand extension from Kellogg's. The ostensibly healthy snack may appeal to kids but does the Real Fruit Winder have sticking power. (Kids).
July 1, 2002... Brand stretching has been flavour of the decade for FMCG marketers. Just think of Coca-Cola clothing or McDonald's Hotels. So it was little surprise in 1997 that cereal brand Kellogg's moved out of its traditional sector and created Nutri-Grain...

Lifestyle brands get smarter: Ruth Mortimer looks at an automotive brand that goes beyond putting wheels on the road. Daimler-Chrysler's Smart car is an environmentally friendly vehicle with a distinct personality--and we're not talking Knight Rider. (Special report: cars).
July 1, 2002... Smart by name, smart by nature. The Daimler-Chrysler Smart car brand has driven beyond the traditional car market to position itself as a lifestyle brand. The pint-sized city vehicle has tackled brand extensions and is now creating customer...

Driving sales to women: Ruth Mortimer analyses whether car brands are appealing to the women sitting behind the wheel. (Special report: cars).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... We've all heard the jibes about women drivers. But what makes it more shocking that the sexist jokes still exist, is that there will be as many as 18.6 million female drivers in the UK by 2005, according to the 1998 Lex Report. It is also...

Technology shifts a gear: Gavin Winter from Maritz Research examines the new technological opportunities for automotive brands. (Special report: cars).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... In the automotive industry, the product is king. Customer loyalty is only as good as the car on offer. If the loyal Ford buyer discovers that the Renault is practical, better priced and more attractive to look at, then the consumer is likely to...

Building social contracts: with 51% of the British population believing they can make a difference to how responsibly a company behaves, Linda Bishop urges brand managers to set higher ethical standards. (Brand Papers).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Brands are an easy target for direct action, political pressure and explicit consumer boycotts in the name of environmental concerns, anti-globalisation and human rights abuses. In the face of strong pressure, managers cannot afford to be...

Creating good impressions: Sergio Zyman, former chief marketing officer at the Coca-Cola Company ron the key rules on packaging and why your product's image on the shelf is the last point of defence for competitors. (Brand Papers).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Packaging your product or service is exactly the same as going on a blind date. You spend a lot of money on a gorgeous picture to post online (let's call that your 30-second commercial). You hire a writer to craft exquisite emails (call those...

A confusion of tongues: Jason Ross from AMR Interactive in Sydney asks how instant messaging will affect brand communication and advertising. (Brand Papers).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... It took email just 20 years to become the world's fastest communication tool. On current projections, Instant Messaging (IM) is set to outstrip even this rate of adoption over the next five to 10 years. So what opportunities do IM channels...

Globalisation--phase 2: Nick Barham shakes off the stigma attached to globalisation and urges brand owners to see it as an opportunity to understand and respond to cultural differences with creative Ideas. (Brand Papers).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... 2001 was the year that critics of globalisation got famous. Globalisation became a dirty word, an umbrella term representing a host of problems and wide scale cultural pollution. Yet globalisation can represent a diverse and stimulating...

Pinning your colours: Jacqueline Irvine from Bird & Bird law firm reveals some good news for sports clubs--that a badge of allegiance or loyalty may be enforceable as a trade mark. (Brand Papers).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Football is big business for brands. The large fan bases of national clubs and international football teams create ready pools of consumers keen to buy flags and strips to support their chosen team. It is fitting then, that the courts have...

Losing out on sponsorship: get connected with your target market. Ben Stobart warns that brands risk wasting millions of pounds on sports sponsorship if it is not integrated with promotions. (Brand Papers).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... A McDonald's World Cup promotion almost transformed the company into an unwitting benefactor to thousands of consumers. Unfortunately for the fast food giant, this was due to a miscalculation rather than the innovative mechanic of its...

Care in the community. (Trends).(corporate responsibility)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * High street retailers are failing to develop clear corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies and are not participating fully enough in the life of the local community. CSR consultants Corporate Re:Action analysed websites belonging to...

Kids with pulling power. (Trends).(children and media)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... Children are just as glued to the TV now as they ever have been according to a recent ChildWise report. The explosion in ownership of games consoles, PCs and mobile phones and the fact that children watch nearly four hours of TV every day,...

Message in a bottle. (Trends).(popularity of premium packaged spirits)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... * The popularity of premium packaged spirits (PPS) goes from strength to strength. Research from AC Nielsen shows this category encroaching on the popularity of the UK's traditional favourite tipples: lager and wine. The popular Bacardi...

Concerts pull the right strings. (Research).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... * Pop and rock concerts and festivals are the most popular forms of live music entertainment. It is one of the few industries that continues to generate revenue above the rate of inflation. The pop and rock genres account for almost 75% of...

Neutraceuticals: a pill for every ill. (Research).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... * The neutraceutical market is growing rapidly in the US. The sector covers herbal and vitamin supplements and enriched food and drink. It has been born out of a weight-watching trend which saw low calorie food and drink and appetite...

It's a game of two installments, Dave. (Last Word).(Barclays Bank FC)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Unique sponsorship opportunities may soon arise following the launch of Barclays Bank FC. With a number of recent signings from top division clubs such as Leeds United and BoRon Wanderers, sponsors are guaranteed maximum exposure by their...

Insurance firm calls a spade a spade. (Last Word).(Scottish Widows)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Psychics say business is booming but we're not sure they meant as financial advisers. Scottish Widows has been living up to its name by trying to sell health insurance to the dear departed. While this shows an admirable faith in the restorative...

Chinese mail out. (Last Word).(post office sending e-mails to those without computers)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... If Allan Leighton fails to pull off his latest salvo of `cost cutting' efficiency drives for the struggling Post Office, he might want to look East for some ideas. China is trying to connect the wired with the wireless, by using both email and...

Deo-redundant. (Last Word).(new t-shirt)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... A German company has discovered an interesting by-product of a new line of shirts developed to protect pacemaker wearers from the effects of electromagnetic waves. The 5% silver content not only protects the wearer from sudden death, but also...

Dispensing with loyalty: the assumption that loyal customers are more profitable is debatable--companies need to focus on mutual benefit.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Will we ever really get to grips with the word `loyalty', or would it be better to dispense with it altogether? The big idea behind loyalty--as first put forward by pioneers like Bain & Co's Fred Reichheld--is that loyal customers are more...