Precision Marketing articles from April 2005

Precision Marketing archives from April 2005

Early Learning Centre appoints Mike Colling.(Mike Colling & Company )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The Early Learning Centre (ELC) is bolstering its direct arrangements by appointing media agency Mike Colling & Company (MC&C). The high-street network of 273 stores, owned by Eagle Retail Investment, aims to build a stronger relationship...

Bounty launches baby suppression file for bereaved families.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Bounty, the maternity data specialist, is launching The Baby Suppression File to help marketers to avoid contacting families which have lost an infant or unborn baby. Bounty describes the suppression file as the first of its kind. The only...

Acxiom purchases Digital Impact.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Acxiom is making a foray into the online arena after buying specialist agency Digital Impact for $140m (#74m). The deal, brokered in the US, will see Acxiom take over 280 staff. It is unclear how the acquisition will affect the company's...

Carr attacks Royal Mail for 'cheating'.(Peter Carr )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Postwatch chairman Peter Carr has accused Royal Mail of "cheating", claiming it has reneged on a deal to give the direct industry 12 months to implement the proposed size-based pricing scheme. Carr says the 12 months will now start at...

Financial group selects JDA as sole direct shop.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The financial services group behind Dial4ALoan is to unleash a direct marketing push for its four main brands. The company has appointed The JDA Group as its sole direct marketing agency, following a five-way pitch. The Leeds-based shop...

Lakeside builds presence via magazine rejig.(Lakeside Shopping Centre )(Square One)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Lakeside Shopping Centre is relaunching its customer magazine Inspire to enhance loyalty and drive reappraisal of the centre. An initial 200,000 copies will be distributed throughout the centre, as well as with the June edition of New...

Volvo targets fleet managers in 'key' mailing.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Volvo is extending its consumer contact strategy to businesses following impressive returns on its direct marketing. The mailing campaign, which has been designed by EHS Brann Cirencester, targets fleet managers. It propagates the...

D&A launches hunt for CRM chief.(Dollond & Aitchison)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Retail chain Dollond & Aitchison (D&A) is seeking a head of customer relationship management (CRM) as part of new chief executive Andy Ferguson's plans to boost loyalty among its core customer base. The role, reporting to commercial...

WPP bolsters 141 with Tarantula deal.(WPP Group )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... WPP Group has bought direct marketing agency Tarantula and is merging the shop with global network 141 Worldwide. Tarantula chief executive Steve Harding will take on a similar role at 141 in London, overseeing 130 staff. He will report...

Air Canada 'gets personal' with corporate drive.(by it's direct campaign )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Air Canada is launching a two-stage direct campaign in a bid to attract more business customers to the skies. The first stage of the drive will use telemarketing to contact 5,000 corporate travel bookers who frequently organise business...

Carers charity hires Flourish to raise profile.(Princess Royal Trust for Carers )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The Princess Royal Trust for Carers is ramping up its donor recruitment in a summer mail drive. The charity has appointed Bristol-based agency Flourish to launch the initiative in June. The agency will mail 100,000 households selected at...

RNLI employs shock tactics in DRTV offensive.(Royal National Lifeboat Institute )(Direct Response Television (media) )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) is launching its first DRTV drive in five years. The commercial, created by Proximity London, uses a first-person perspective to place the viewer in the middle of a force-eight gale, together...

Esure appoints Red Cell to overhaul mailing strategy.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Esure has appointed its first dedicated direct agency to handle mail campaigns, after removing the responsibility from its inhouse team. The company has appointed Red Cell Response following a five-way pitch. Esure was unable to...

Hotmail to issue warnings in major spam crackdown.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Microsoft is planning a blitz on unsolicited emails by posting warnings on Hotmail messages that fail to meet its anti-spam standards. The crackdown will target spam and 'phishing' scams, in which users are asked to enter personal details...

Oxfam petitions public in celebs fair trade drive.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Oxfam is unveiling a postcard marketing campaign in support of its Big Noise Petition to promote fair trade for developing countries. The push forms part of the charity's worldwide strategy to feature celebrities who support fair trade....

Brewers Fayre rolls out 'classic' dishes.
April 1, 2005... Brewers Fayre is serving up an integrated marketing campaign to back the launch of its Great British Classics Rediscovered menu. Marketing agency Meteorite has created the drive, which includes direct mail, online activity, press ads and...

Txt4 promotes SMS offering to marketers.(Short messaging service)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Txt4, an SMS-response service provider, is revealing a direct drive to attract clients. London-based agency Alcone has won a #1m contract to handle Txt4's business communications. It will provide an integrated campaign targeting...

DfES appeals to teens with 'Aim Higher' blitz.(Department for Education and Skills)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) is sending out a rap CD to promote its 'Aim Higher' initiative, which encourages teenagers to participate in higher education. The strategy is to target children with no history of university...

British Heart Foundation reviews agencies.(EHS Brann and Euro RSCG London)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... The British Heart Foundation is reviewing its direct marketing account, currently held by EHS Brann. The charity is also overhauling its #7m advertising business held by Euro RSCG London, despite the impact made by the agency's 'Give up...

Abbey searches for digital agency.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Abbey is looking for an agency to handle its digital business, which is set to increase significantly. The move comes as the bank prepares to rebrand its 760 stores nationwide after its takeover by Spanish banking group Grupo Santander....

All Response Media opens Leeds shop.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... All Response Media, a customer acquisition media company, is launching a Leeds office. It will be run by managing partner Eliot Lowe, previously at Zed Media, Carat Direct and Intermarketing, and Phil Walsh, formerly at Zed and Mediacom...

118 888 In drive to boost enquiries.(Conduit launches campaign for telecom services)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... 118 888, the directory enquiry service owned by Irish telecoms firm Conduit, is launching a #10m campaign in a bid to make up ground on market leaders BT and The Number's 118 118. Tequila\London has been appointed to handle the brief, which...

Vauxhall creates online game to push VXR.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Vauxhall has commissioned a Web-based racing game to mirror the popularity of the 2005 British Touring Car Championship and promote its new VXR high performance brand. The car manufacturer has chosen subscription-based gaming site Freeloader,...

Lloyds TSB mail push to promote product range.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Lloyds TSB is targeting customers in a direct marketing blitz to promote its integrated banking services. The campaign, created by WWAV Rapp Collins, will roll out at the end of this month. It comprises 3.2 million chequebook and bank...

P&G launches online 'diary' in Olay Regenerist assault.(Procter & Gamble)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Procter & Gamble is launching an online diary for anti-aging cream Olay Regenerist, to help consumers monitor its effect over time. The website, which is produced by Fullsix, promotes the brand's promise to produce younger-looking skin in...

IAC bolsters offer with Ask Jeeves purchase.(IAC/Interactive Corps )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Ask Jeeves is aiming to boost its presence in the search engine market following its acquisition by US company IAC/Interactive Corps (IAC) for $1.85bn (#987m). IAC has bought the website - which helps consumers to locate services across...

Sight Savers International targets over-35 women in DRTV drive.(Direct Response Television (media) )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Sight Savers International, a charity that helps to prevent blindness in the developing world, is unveiling a DRTV campaign. The 90-second ad - created by Watson Phillips Norman (WPN), with media through Starcom MediaVest - aims to...

US direct industry boosts revenues to $2.3 trillion.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... New York: The US DMA has revealed that total sales and non-profit contributions generated by direct marketing last year reached an estimated $2.3 trillion (#1.2 trillion). John Greco, president and chief executive of the DMA, presented the...

Industry demands Can-Spam funds.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... New York: The US DMA is calling on Congress to build on the government's recent anti-spam successes by allocating additional funds for further initiatives. The trade body says that while spam has been reduced, the amount received by...

Johnnie Walker in 'signature' data-capture drive.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Seoul: Whisky brand Johnnie Walker is embarking on a data-capture drive to highlight its premium Blue Label brand's point of difference. When a customer buys a bottle of the Diageo-owned brand, their signature and details are entered into...

SMS servicing Indian targeting.(Short messaging service)
April 1, 2005... Mumbai: With mobile connections showing double-digit growth year on year, India now has over 50 million subscribers to mobile marketing services, making it one of the fastest-growing markets for the medium. In fact, text messaging is set to...

Clients eye postal deals as competition hots up.
April 1, 2005... As clients start to test the water in the deregulated postal services market, Royal Mail must relinquish at least some of its stronghold. But will those that switch like what the competitors have to offer? David Reed reports One year...

PROFILE - RICHARD WEBBER: Webber offers lasting legacy.
April 1, 2005... Richard Webber - the man behind Acorn and Mosaic - could never have foreseen that the systems he developed would still be having a major impact on the marketing landscape of today. By Sebastian Burford Richard Webber, hailed as the father...

CHRIS GORDON: Better targeting proves that less is definitely more.
April 1, 2005... There are, so the saying goes, lies, damned lies and statistics. But one recent statistic from the pages of this august journal deserves comment. Direct mail volumes fell in 2004 (albeit by only 0.4 per cent). This is largely due to an 8...

Letter: GE Money MasterCard is exempt from inquiry.(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... We were disappointed by the way in which Precision Marketing reported the pilot launch of the GE Money MasterCard (PM March 4). You stated that the GE Money MasterCard could be relevant to the Competition Commission's inquiry into...

Letter: How to ensure a good impression.(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... It was a real pleasure to read the words of Gerald Eastwood, director of Snowball, on the subject of luxury brands (PM March 18). He said how "simple things like addressing people properly make a difference". This is surely true when it...

Letter: Above the line not higher plane.(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... In view of the swathes of books being launched to remind us of our roots and heritage, and derivations of everyday sayings - such as the marvellous Red Herrings and White Elephants - I thought it appropriate to remind the marketing fraternity...

Regulating online ad impression measurement not a given winner.
April 1, 2005... COMMENT: PAUL CARYSFORTH The introduction of a standard measure for online ad impressions sounds like a blessing in theory, but its implementation will be crucial to how well it performs I was delighted to hear the announcement of a...

Letter: We can't pass bad data buck.(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... The letter from Terry Hiles ("Insensitive mail can be crushing", PM March 18) makes a valid point regarding mistargeted direct mail campaigns, citing the `For my girlfriend' Valentine's road-safety campaign. Sending mail to deceaseds will...

Letter: Hand-in-hand strategy needed.(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... Heather Westgate makes some valid points about the agency/procurement relationship, but we have to move beyond a 'them and us' mentality (PM March 18). The procurement department's involvement is here to stay, and, for the relationship to...

LEADER: Opening up post reveals benefits.(Editorial)
April 1, 2005... "For a market which is facing the biggest shake-up in its 500-year history - within a matter of weeks - most of the companies which are planning to capture a lucrative slice of the postal sector have been strangely quiet. In fact, many...

Creative critique.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Bob Nash, Creative director, Clark McKay and Walpole Client: The AA Agency: Rapier Copywriter: Dave Prideaux Art director: Kevin Bratley I am just fascinated by the launch of the new AA insurance campaign. Dazzlingly...

SPECIAL REPORT - EMAIL MARKETING: Moment's notice.
April 1, 2005... The rise of email marketing is all about timing. While well-targeted messages, used in conjunction with other media, can prove highly cost- effective, consumers are wising up to inbox management. By David Reed Personality is not something...

Charity to list over-65 prospects.(through database marketing specialist Occam)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Age Concern England has updated its list of 124,000 prospects, offered for rental through database marketing specialist Occam. The charity campaigns on issues affecting older people, and provides services such as lunch clubs, day centres...

Decision-maker details revealed.(McCarthy O'Connor )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... McCarthy O'Connor is making its Workplace Intelligence records available. The file offers a selection of key property decision-makers, including facilities managers, health and safety officers, training, finance, telecoms, human...

Silkies unveils hosiery buyers.(through Media & Response Specialists)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Direct marketing company Silkies is releasing its list of customers through broker Media & Response Specialists (M&RS). Customers on the list have requested the Trial Hosiery Service, comprising a free pair of tights, followed by a...

Winners Club offers database.(managed by Evolution DM)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Direct mail competition specialist The Winners Club is putting its database of 500,000 buyers onto the market, managed by Evolution DM. The list broker claims that the majority of the prospects have responded to at least two sweepstake...

Bonmarche refreshes data.(through Independent Direct Marketing)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Bonmarche, the women's affordable clothing retailer, is offering its updated list of over 1,200,000 names through Independent Direct Marketing. Typical customers are women aged 45 and over, with an average household income of #15,000,...

Liquorice names Burdon digital chief.(Drew Burdon)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Marketing communications agency Liquorice is expanding its digital offering, appointing Drew Burdon to head its digital department. Burdon joins from BD Network, where he has been head of digital for the past five years. He was responsible for...

Skipton Information lures senior consultant.(Mike Nalder )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Skipton Information Group, the marketing intelligence, credit referencing and market analysis specialist comprising EuroDirect, Callcredit and GMAP Consulting, has hired Mike Nalder as senior consultant for financial services. He joins from...

Clark McKay chooses creative group head.(Mark Greenwood )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Clark McKay and Walpole has promoted art director Mark Greenwood to creative group head. He will take on responsibility for art direction across the creative department. Greenwood joined the agency with creative partner Mark Blanchard in 2003....

Nice work: Roberto Simi, Moonfish.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2005... Name: Roberto Simi Company: Moonfish Department: I'm integrated across all of them Job title: Managing director Responsibilities: Day-to-day management of the business, ensuring it meets strategic goals and performs to its...

HHM rebrands as The Nursery after online poll.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... HHM's online poll to find a new name (PM January 7) has led the agency to rebrand as The Nursery. The names on the shortlist included Good Medicine, Kitchen and Stir. The Nursery emerged as the favourite among clients and other agencies....

LBM creates 750 jobs in Belfast call centre.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Data and outsourced services provider LBM is opening a contact centre in Belfast, creating 750 jobs. Some 300 posts will be created immediately, with the rest being added in the next 12 months. The Manchester-based firm is expanding...

Buckley to head AIS digital agency.(Archibald Ingall Stretton)(Dias)(Jonathon Buckley)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Archibald Ingall Stretton (AIS) has launched digital interactive agency Dais, which is opening its doors with clients including O2, Skoda, Moet Hennessy and Scope. The shop, which expects a turnover of more than #1m in its first year,...

Donovan lashes out at PIP 'dog's dinner'.(Judith Donovan )(pricing in proportion )(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Postwatch North chair Judith Donovan has slammed Postcomm for turning Royal Mail's proposed pricing in proportion (PIP) scheme into a 'dog's dinner' by declaring this week that it is "minded to accept the scheme". Donovan, a DMA (UK)...

Direct assaults key to General Election result.(Labour Party)(Experian Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... The three main political parties are unleashing major direct offensives to win votes on May 5, spearheaded by widespread telemarketing campaigns. Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have all adopted Experian's Mosaic...

TNT Mail team in position for market assault.(appointments)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... TNT Mail has completed its senior management line-up with the appointment of operations director Theo Hoenders, to lead its attack on the deregulated UK postal market. Hoenders will be responsible for developing the company's operational...

Telegraph leads in e-marketing news sector.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... The Telegraph Group dominated email marketing campaigns in the news and information publishing sector last month, according to digital direct marketing solutions provider IPT. Of 208 messages sent by 13 different companies in March, the...

Click-through rates 'defy spam tag'.(Internet marketing)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Online marketers are confident they can shake off the medium's 'spamming' image after email delivery rates improved to 90 per cent in 2004. According to an annual report by global marketing analytics provider DoubleClick, the EMEA region...

DMA trustmark to boost online firms.(Direct Marketing Association)(WebTraderUK)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... The DMA (UK) is launching WebTraderUK, a trustmark scheme allowing online companies to demonstrate to consumers that they are legitimate traders. Businesses are being invited to sign up to the initiative in a bid to boost consumer...

Rugby Union in direct push to attract support.(Madhouse Associates Limited)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is kicking off a direct campaign to highlight a weekend of events at Twickenham Stadium. Matches on June 4 and 5 are to feature the International Rugby Board Sevens and World Cup-winner Martin Johnson's...

Scottish Widows evokes uni life in mortgage drive.(Teamspirit)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Scottish Widows Bank is launching an integrated campaign to promote its new Graduate Mortgage. The product offers up to 102 per cent loans to graduates aged 21 to 35. Financial services specialist Teamspirit has been appointed to...

RSPCA glossy inserts relate to young women.(Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to animals)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... The RSPCA aims to appeal to young women in an insert campaign to recruit regular donors. The drive will feature in glossy magazines such as Elle, Glamour, Company, Heat and Closer. Developed by charity specialist Whitewater, the...

DTI hunts chief to succeed Postwatch chairman Carr.(Department of Trade and Industry)(Peter Carr)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Peter Carr is to step down as Postwatch chairman at the end of the year, sparking the hunt for a successor. A Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) spokeswoman says it is too early to comment on Carr's retirement, after six years in the...

CACI lures ex-Arc boss to exploit direct expertise.(Arc Worldwide)(appointments)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... CACI has appointed former Arc Worldwide data strategy director Shelagh Regester as client services director at its direct marketing group. The new role has been created to take advantage of Regester's direct expertise. She will liaise...

Go-Cat mailing blitz to target busy mothers.(Nestle Purina PetCare)(Geronimo Marketing and Communications)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Nestle Purina Petcare is targeting 216,000 households nationwide in a direct mail drive to raise awareness of dry-food brand Go-Cat. Cat owners will receive nutritional information in a wallet which features five photographs of a playful,...

Industry group acts to ward off threats.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... The DMA (UK) has established the Future-Proofing Working Party to identify and act on key threats to the direct marketing industry. Set up as an offshoot of the trade body's Data Council, the committee is to meet for the first time on...

Co-operative Travel Group in mag redesign.(Co-operative Travel Trading Group)(River Publishing)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... The Co-operative Travel Trading Group is overhauling customer magazine Traveller to improve relationships and persuade more people to book holidays. River Publishing has been awarded the contract to produce the magazine, offering...

Meteorite snaps up MRM senior creative.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Independent agency Meteorite has poached senior creative director Ed Prichard from MRM Partners, amid of a shake-up at the Interpublic-owned agency. Prichard developed the creative team at MRM, which recently restructured to push digital...

Abbey appoints Grand Union to digital account.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Abbey has hired Grand Union to oversee its digital marketing business, worth around #7m, after a competitive pitch. The agency won the brief from incumbent Tequila\London, and the decision forms the first part of a wider review at the bank,...

Spinnaker to lure youth to Siemens.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Siemens Mobile has appointed direct and digital agency Spinnaker to develop a UK customer management strategy. The brief involves creating data-driven initiatives to help improve the company's image among the youth market, targeting existing...

Friends Reunited embarks on 'curiosity' drive.
April 8, 2005... Friends Reunited is rolling out a customer acquisition drive through Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw. Executions are based on the theme of wondering what old schoolfriends are up to, and feature a picture of a young man, alongside questions such...

Trade bodies refresh direct model contract.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... ISBA, MCCA, IPA and Chartered Institute of Purchasing Supply have joined forces to launch an updated model contract for direct and promotional agencies, and their clients. Updating the previous contract drawn up four years ago, it provides a...

Thomson and Gala Bingo in prize-draw venture.(SP Partnerships)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Thomson, the holiday company, is launching a promotion in conjunction with Gala Bingo. The drive, set up by SP Partnerships, will see the companies unveil a travel prize-draw and special Thomson holiday offers to persuade more people to...

Milk council to target girls in 'beauty' assault.(Milk Development Council)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... The Milk Development Council (MDC) is rolling out a drive to boost the consumption of milk, cheese and yogurt among girls, as part of a 'daily beauty regime'. Only a quarter of 11- to 16-year-olds are eating the recommended amount of...

EA Games spreads virus to push TimeSplitters release.(20:20 London)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Entertainment giant EA Games is promoting the release of TimeSplitters 3 with an interactive viral campaign. Created by 20:20 London, the online drive features mocked-up 'sonic mail', replicating the computer game's time-travel concept....

CheetahMail UK appoints first creative team.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... CheetahMail UK, the Experian-owned email marketing company, is appointing a creative team to build a one-stop shop for campaign design, delivery, management and analysis. It has put in place a trio of dedicated digital designers, led by...

Onetel plays on rivals' anger in 'splattering' cheap line rental drive.(Centrica Telecommunications)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Onetel, the telecoms provider owned by Centrica, is launching a national campaign to push its low-cost line rental. EHS Brann has put the drive together, which has already featured a 'dodgeball-style' game at London Victoria mainline...

Schiavo's parents allow sale of supporter names.(Terri Schiavo's case)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Clearwater, Florida: Direct marketers are to be allowed access to details of donors to the campaign aimed at keeping Terri Schiavo alive, although critics have branded the move 'ghoulish'. The parents of Schiavo, the US woman who died last...

US homes receive record mailings.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... New York: The average US household received 68 credit card offers last year, with a record 5.2 billion pieces being mailed, according to tracking service Synovate, the market research arm of Aegis Group. The volume of offers was 22 per...

Japanese data-protection law sparks list broker chaos.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2005... Tokyo: The Personal Information Protection Law has thrown the Japanese list-broking industry into confusion, after taking a seemingly contradictory stance to the selling of names. The law prohibits companies from providing personal...

Finding the best policy in China.
April 8, 2005... Shanghai: After years of heavy government restrictions, the insurance industry in China will finally be able to invest directly into the stock market. And, since the end of 2004, China has opened the local insurance market to foreign firms,...

PROFILE - PETER CARR: Carr draws up final battle plan.
April 8, 2005... Postwatch chairman Peter Carr has used his experience in the retail world to force Royal Mail to put the customer first. As his reign comes to a close, Jessica Phillips asks who else will defend user needs so fearlessly For most men on the...