Precision Marketing articles from August 2006

Precision Marketing archives from August 2006

Industry faces cost of PIP ignorance.(pricing in proportion)(survey reports on the individual's understanding of the new postal rates)(Survey)
August 11, 2006... A third of marketers admit they still do not understand Royal Mail's new pricing in proportion (PIP) scheme, with just over a week to go before it is launched, according to exclusive research for Precision Marketing. Only ten per cent...

DM Authority cracks down on silent calls.(Direct Marketing Association)(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... The Direct Marketing Authority has ordered three DMA (UK) member companies to cut out persistent silent calls and curb the use of auto- dialling equipment, or face immediate suspension from the trade body. The three firms - Ant Marketing,...

Meteorite wins loyalty business for Jumeirah.(marketing of Jumeirah International )(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... Luxury hotel group Jumeirah International, which operates the world's only seven-star hotel, the Burj-al-arab in Dubai, is planning to ramp up its Sirius loyalty scheme. The company, which also runs The Carlton Towers in London, has...

Royal Mail under fire for 'greedy' D2D plan.(Royal Mail's agreement with postal workers )
August 11, 2006... Royal Mail's recent agreement with postal workers to increase the number of unaddressed items they deliver has sparked accusations of "greed" and fears that response rates will plummet. The deal, which has seen posties secure a 3.9 per cent...

Flora Omega 3 drink eyes health conscious.(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... Unilever UK Foods is to target the UK's fast-food generation with the launch of the Flora Omega 3 Plus mini drink, targeting both children and parents to encourage them to lead a healthier lifestyle. The push, which also promotes Omega 3...

Refuge rolls out 'bruising' assault.(awareness through advertising by Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel )(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... Domestic violence charity Refuge is trying to raise awareness of violence against women by sending out samples of fresh fruit and make- up as part of a fundraising campaign. The push, created by Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel, will...

Computeach appoints Golley Slater to bolster response.(contracts between Computeach and Golley Slater)(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... Computeach, one of the UK's biggest direct IT training provider, is aiming to promote its services as an effective way to bridge the skills gap affecting the sector. The firm, set up in 1964 and the longest established distance learning...

Virgin Trains to promote 'a change of scene'.(marketing)(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... Virgin Trains is urging UK consumers to explore new areas of the country, as part of a campaign to promote 'Value Advance' fares. The drive, created by Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel, includes press and online activity. This is to be...

Renault tests more targeted tack on back of 'Eye' push.(Regie Nationale des Usines Renault)(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... Renault is running a test campaign, using lifestyle data, against last year's 'Eye' initiative - made up of hundreds of images of cars in the shape of an eye - to gauge whether the strategy works better for specific models. The push,...

Barnardo's assault to track lapsed donors.(reports of donations)(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... Children's charity Barnardo's is looking to track down current and lapsed supporters it has lost touch with, as part of a drive to boost donations. It has tasked data-management specialist Celerity with supplying a solution and...

Mirror in ipoints reader trawl.(marketing of newspaper publishing)(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... The Daily Mirror is aiming to build a detailed picture of its readership by joining forces with online loyalty programme ipoints.co.uk for a Web-based prize-draw. Visitors to www.mirror.co. uk will be able to enter a draw offering the...

IN BRIEF: Ex-Proximity director joins Gyro.(appointment for Paul Neal )
August 11, 2006... Former Proximity new business chief Paul Neal has been appointed business development director at Gyro International. Neal, who left Proximity last month after nearly nine years (PM July 14), joins at a time of rapid expansion, with the agency...

IN BRIEF: Costa Coffee in Frescato online push.(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... Costa Coffee is launching an online drive to promote new iced beverage Frescato. The campaign, created by Meteorite, will target females and consist of ads on sites such as vogue.com and glamour.com, which click through to dedicated...

IN BRIEF: Energy Saving Trust targets councils.(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... The Energy Saving Trust (EST) is rolling out a campaign to encourage council leaders to optimise fuel efficiency and consider renewable alternatives. Tullo Marshall Warren has developed a two-part direct mail drive which is based on the...

P&G seeks insight in Pringles Euro assault.(Procter and Gamble Co.)(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... Procter & Gamble is aiming to build a pan-European database of Pringles' buyers on the back of a campaign to promote the brand's improved 'chrunchiness'. The drive will include TV and press ads and instore activity, created by Grey...

N&P savings plan eyes footie fans.(Norwich and Peterborough Building Society)(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... Norwich & Peterborough Building Society is targeting fans of more than 20 Football League and Conference clubs - including Millwall, Crystal Palace and Queens Park Rangers - to boost its Club Savers Account. Supporters can back a team by...

Email can lure 'coulds' as well as the 'shoulds'.
August 11, 2006... Email marketing is rightly considered a valuable weapon in any integrated marketer's arsenal. The medium, when executed properly, provides exceptional return on investment (ROI), because the only real costs are the list data and broadcast...

Acxiom revenue rise blocks ValueAct bid.(Acxiom Corp. contracts)(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... Little Rock, Arkansas Hedge-fund ValueAct Capital Partners' plans to secure seats on the board of Acxiom, to boost the group's performance, have been dealt a blow after the data giant's first-quarter figures showed record sales. Revenue...

S African Post Office to halt state subsidies.(South African Post Office)(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... Cape Town The South African Post Office (SAPO) is to axe its reliance on state subsidies by 2009, as part of plans to broaden its product range and improve customer service. The move comes as chief executive Khutso Mampeule revealed that...

Agency.com sets up digital arm in Dublin.(facilities of Agency.com Ltd.)(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... Ireland TBWA-owned digital agency Agency.com is expanding its international presence by launching a Dublin office. Agency.com Dublin will be based with Cawley Nea/TBWA and become the agency's digital marketing division. The interactive...

Why lavish trips are no longer enough in India.(trends in Indian loyalty programmes)
August 11, 2006... Mumbai The sales channel in India has never had it so good. With the explosive boom in the Indian economy and a clutch of companies in every sector offering near parity products and services, the sales channel is king. While companies...

ANALYSIS: Car insurers seek stand-out to beat pricing gridlock.(management of Car insurance companies)
August 11, 2006... Car insurance companies, faced with massive competition online, have wised up to the need to differentiate themselves on more than just price. So most are pulling out the stops in all channels Ask most people to sum up car insurance...

The Facts: Car insurance.(rules for automobile insurance)(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... All you ever wanted to know about car insurance but were too afraid to ask * Car insurance entered UK law in 1930, when legislation was introduced requiring every person using a motor vehicle on the road in the UK, or permitting others...

ANALYSIS: Does Barclays signal death of large agency rosters?(marketing of Barclays Bank Ltd)
August 11, 2006... Barclays Bank's decision to ditch its 'mega-roster' is part of a growing trend. But is client paranoia at the heart of this shift, or are companies simply arguing for a far more integrated approach? Barclays Bank has become the latest...

ANALYSIS: 'Laggards' hit Internet banking customer service.(usage of online banking)
August 11, 2006... With research revealing a significant downturn in online banks' customer service over the past year, the divide between the best- and worst-performing operations is growing ever wider As many businesses plough cash into their Web...

PROFILE: Enforcer sights rogue elements.(Charlie McKelvey John Bridgeman, Direct Marketing Authority's new head)(Biography)
August 11, 2006... John Bridgeman The former TA reservist is spearheading the Direct Marketing Authority's drive towards industry self-regulation by polarising reputable firms and weeding out disreputable companies Charlie McKelvey John Bridgeman has had a...

OPINION: Reward work that changes business.(analysis of direct marketing)(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... As many of you know, Tesco Clubcard recently scooped the PM Response Awards' Grand Prix of the Decade. But if we take a step back and look at the industry in general, it is hard to spot much in the way of decade-spanning strategies or...

LETTER: Increasing sales of data contradict Morgan view.(Letter to the editor)
August 11, 2006... I was surprised, no doubt along with many of my colleagues in the list rental industry, to read the comments of Acxiom's Charles Morgan, dismissing this industry as having a limited yield (PM June 16). I don't know if Charles is...

LETTER: Some of us up to speed with PIP.(Letter to the editor)
August 11, 2006... Many thanks to Proximity London's Amanda Phillips for her kind advice on how to seek help on pricing in proportion (PIP). But she shouldn't have worried. Long before Proximity even picked up the Royal Mail account WWAV Rapp Collins was...

VIEWPOINT: Judge creative ideas by consumer actions.(research on advertising agencies)
August 11, 2006... The recently published joint industry guide to judging creativity should have its greatest impact in developing more open client/agency relationships, with consumers having the final say on what works Will the publication of a joint...

OPINION: Complexity of PIP guarantees victims.(Royal Mail's pricing in proportion plan)
August 11, 2006... So, pricing in proportion (PIP) is finally upon us. But Monday August 21 will not only witness the biggest change in Royal Mail's history, it will signal the largest ever shake-up of the direct marketing industry. The arguments have raged...

Creative Critique: 11 August 2006.(internet advertising)
August 11, 2006... Creative Critique time again. A chance to phone a few mates, compare how fantastically well we are all doing, and beg a few 'nice' bits of stuff to review... Easy, eh? Unfortunately the footy's on 3 times a day and none of them...

DOOR-TO-DOOR: Behind closed doors.(UK Royal Mail's Home Delivery Service)
August 11, 2006... While door-to-door delivery and response mechanisms require meticulous planning, the internal workings of distribution companies are often inflexible in the short term. But extra capacity is on the horizon David Reed If you plan to...

LIST DEVELOPMENTS: Shopping list?(direct marketing database management)
August 11, 2006... As data sales tumble, suppliers must choose between expansion through mergers and acquisitions or adopting a niche positioning. But how can ambitious growth strategies tally with an over-supplied market? David Reed The sky is falling...

LIST/INSERT FILE: Adjustamatic offers database.
August 11, 2006... Adjustamatic, which offers adjustable beds to the affluent grey market, is releasing its updated list of over 200,000 names through Go Direct Marketing. Adjustamatic beds are claimed to provide relief from ailments such as poor...

LIST/INSERT FILE: Facilities chiefs list up for sale.
August 11, 2006... Integral Marketing is releasing a new file called Facilities Managers. Every contact on the database has been verified by phone as the decision-maker for facilities management. All of the businesses are major buyers of consumables and...

LIST/INSERT FILE: Niagara Therapy updates names.
August 11, 2006... The world's largest manufacturer of therapeutic products, Niagara Therapy, is offering its updated list of over 200,000 names, also through Go Direct Marketing. These highly responsive customers have purchased physiotherapy aids,...

LIST/INSERT FILE: Grey market file goes on market.
August 11, 2006... Coopers of Stortford is releasing its list through McCarthy O'Connor. The mail order catalogue offers a wide range of products, including clothing and accessories, garden and outdoor equipment, household, personal and health, and travel...

LIST/INSERT FILE: Recruiter reader data revealed.
August 11, 2006... Following Centaur Media's recent acquisition of Recruiter, the magazine's controlled readership is now available from Centaur Direct Marketing. The title reaches over 15,000 recruitment professionals. Recruiter names have been added to...

MOVING PEOPLE: Euro RSCG KLP hires marketing director.(Jenna Laxton been appointed)(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... Euro RSCG KLP has appointed Jenna Laxton marketing director. Laxton joins from Tequila\London, where she was business development director. For six years, she was part of the business development team at TBWA\GGT, which then merged with...

MOVING PEOPLE: 141 Worldwide/London names three recruits.(Marjon Bloemkol, Jason Harrison and James Clark are appointed)(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... 141 Worldwide/London has made three appointments. Marjon Bloemkol joins as business director, reporting to David Fox, global client service director. Bloemkol arrives from Grey Communications in Amsterdam, where she was client services...

MOVING PEOPLE: Exposure hands Mallison account director role.(Tyler Mallison )(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... Exposure has named Tyler Mallison account director at its Innovate business division, which specialises in new product development, brand strategy, brand innovation, consumer insights and trends. He will be responsible for developing brand...

MOVING PEOPLE: Occam chooses head of data strategy.(Occam has appointed Ian McNamara)(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... Occam has appointed Ian McNamara head of data strategy. McNamara will lead the analysis, list broking and data planning teams, and provide strategic direction and leadership for the company's data strategy. He has held senior positions at...

MOVING PEOPLE: Personal hires creative team Leighton and Kirk.(Debbie Leighton )(Jake Kirk)(Brief article)
August 11, 2006... Personal has expanded its creative department with the appointment of creative team Debbie Leighton and Jake Kirk. They join from WWAV Rapp Collins. Leighton has worked at several integrated agencies, including Proximity London and Clark...

MOVING PEOPLE: Retail Marketing Partnership picks Halstead.
August 11, 2006... Mike Halstead has taken over as managing director of the Retail Marketing Partnership (RMP), following the departure of Caroline Wilde to Arc. Halstead is to forge ahead with the agency's new RFID 'super- chip' product, Personal Shopper...

Industry must take control of digital or 'get left behind'.(warning to the marketing industry )(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... One of direct marketing's leading client marketers - former First Direct chief Peter Simpson - has issued a stark warning to the industry to stop 'dabbling' in digital marketing and take ownership of the #1.5bn sector. Simpson, who...

Mobile ticketing comes of age as DMA-backed trade body is born.(Direct Marketing Association)(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... The DMA (UK) is backing a new trade association which has been set up to help expand the market for mobile phone coupons and tickets, as well as stamp out cowboy firms. The International Mobile Coupon & Ticketing Association (IMCTA) is...

Tank plans data quality scheme with Transactis.(service introduction of National data quality best practice programme)(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... Financial services forum Tank is teaming up with Transactis to launch the industry's first 'National data quality best practice programme'. The initiative, pioneered by the Tank Data Action Group, is designed to highlight the importance...

Nectar gets personal in local map mailing.(management of Nectar Ltd.)
August 25, 2006... Nectar is embarking on its biggest personalised loyalty initiative to date, as part of a new customer management strategy. The scheme - to be rolled out with its quarterly points statements - will see customers receive a personalised map of...

Cats Protection adopts PBR to boost DRTV ads.
August 25, 2006... Cats Protection is overhauling its DRTV strategy in a move which sees it become the first charity to use a new payment by results (PBR) scheme. The charity plans to use the fundraising technique for its next DRTV ad - to air at the end...

Diageo raises Classic Malts spend.(marketing of whiskies)(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... Diageo is underlining its commitment to direct marketing by increasing its spend on the Classic Malts whisky portfolio, in a bid to double the 200,000 strong database over the next year. The activity, through EHS Brann, will hone the...

Halifax lifts spend in major Yahoo! deal to lure students.(Halifax Bank partnership with Yahoo! )(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... Halifax is teaming up with Yahoo! to launch the biggest direct marketing and customer management push to date for its Student Current Account. The plan is to engage new customers so that they remain with the bank after graduating. Dialogue...

Asda in TradeDoubler link to boost Web sales.(sales and awareness of the services )(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... Asda is ramping up its online strategy to drive sales and awareness of the services that are available on its website. In a bid to gain market share from rivals such as Tesco, the UK's second largest supermarket chain aims to boost sales...

Nissan integrated push offers first 48-hour test-drives.
August 25, 2006... Nissan is gearing up to launch an integrated campaign to promote its 350Z sports car and Murano SUV. For the first time, prospects are to be allowed to take a 48-hour test-drive. The push will target 30,000 prospects from its database who...

Tussauds eyes visitor groups with mail drive.(management of direct marketing)(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... The Tussauds Group is reviewing the way in which it communicates with visitor groups, in a bid to consolidate its direct marketing. Previous direct activity has been conducted on an ad-hoc basis by individual theme parks. Tussauds, which...

'Confusion reigns' as PIP scheme launches.(pricing in proportion)(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... The jury is still out over the success, or otherwise, of Royal Mail's controversial pricing in proportion (PIP) scheme which launched this week. The plans - first mooted over four years ago (PM April 5 2002) - have yet to lead to the...

National Trust in mailing assault.(Watson Phillips Norman contracts)(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... The National Trust is to mark the second anniversary of the Boscastle disaster with a direct mail drive for one of its largest annual campaigns: the Neptune Coastline Appeal. The charity has hired Watson Phillips Norman (WPN) to run an...

IN BRIEF: Cavers quits Publicis for Chemistry.(Mike Cavers is leaving the agency after six years to join Chemistry)(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... Publicis Dialog executive creative director Mike Cavers is leaving the agency after six years to join Chemistry. The independent shop is well- known for its planning and account handling, among other things, but Cavers aims to make creative...

IN BRIEF: Mitsubishi rolls out Grandis drive.(public service advertising)(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... Mitsubishi is launching the biggest ever family-focused integrated drive for its seven-seater Grandis. The campaign, created by Golley Slater, will include leaflets at UK Moto motorway petrol stations to target families as part of a...

IN BRIEF: PNC lures Opera Telecom chief.(Appointment of James McNab )(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... National telecoms provider PNC Telecom Services has appointed James McNab director of marketing. He joins from Opera Telecom, where he was head of corporate affairs. McNab's remit will include overseeing the marketing and communications...

INTEGRATION: Media rivalry barring integrated path.
August 25, 2006... Integrated marketing has been called everything from orchestration to the whole egg. But in nearly every case it has ended up being called virtually impossible. Despite the constant launching of agencies which supposedly offer integration, the...

Euro post firms slam full deregulation plan.(regulation of postal service)(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... Brussels Postal operators across the Continent claim European Commission plans to propose full postal deregulation throughout Europe by the end of the year are inoperable. The impact will vary from country to country, but the plans, which...

Optima Direct unveils start-up in Germany.(facilities of Optima Direct )(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... Dusseldorf Omnicom-owned tele-services and business process outsourcing provider Optima Direct is expanding its European offering by launching a German office. Optima Direct Germany will support the company's European presence and...

Virgin Mobile USA to bolster email targeting.(marketing of Virgin Mobile USA )(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... New York Mobile phone giant Virgin Mobile USA is overhauling its email marketing to target customers more effectively and boost loyalty. The company has appointed Experian-owned CheetahMail to handle its Web analytics programme, in a bid...

UK slow to embrace surging Philippines.
August 25, 2006... Manila Nestled 200 miles south of Taiwan and less than 20 miles east of Malaysia lies a collection of islands that are fast becoming marketing's next great outpost. Given that the Philippines has 87 million people and the third largest...

Is there mileage in targeting number-plate changes?
August 25, 2006... Bi-annual car campaigns which are designed to coincide with the release of new number-plates are in danger of becoming outdated, as other triggers come into play in driving showroom footfall It is a well-established fact that in the six...

The Facts: All you ever wanted to know about car number-plates.(market research)(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... * According to CCB's research, more than two-thirds of people (one per cent fewer than in March) were aware of how the number-plate system works, and when the plate changes take place. However, 15 per cent fewer than in March could select...

Direct approach to healthy eating stirring up prospects.
August 25, 2006... Unilever is exploiting the rising tide of interest in healthy eating with the launch of direct marketing campaigns which give the company 'more time to talk to people' about the benefits of new products As healthy eating continues to...

Does surge in UK loyalty schemes herald new era?(growth in loyalty programmes)
August 25, 2006... A recent survey among the leading 250 companies in six industries reveals major growth in loyalty programmes, but with penetration skewed towards certain sectors In the late Nineties, loyalty schemes were called into question by clients...

PROFILE: Old hand rallies young talent.
August 25, 2006... Peter Simpson First Direct's co-founder may have left it late to switch from the client side, but he doesn't plan to rest on his laurels. Simpson is determined to shake things up with new talent and lay claim to digital marketing ...

Spot talent early to fuel digital growth.(direct marketing industry )(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... In the past decade the direct marketing industry has grown rapidly. It employs thousands of people, creating millions of pounds worth of profit. Yet within the agency sector itself there are still many people who bemoan the fact that there is...

LETTER: Young recruits require a broad agency education.(Letter to the editor)
August 25, 2006... At this time of year, don't you just love graduates? Those fresh-faced, wide-eyed young men and women who all eagerly queue up to play their part in our dynamic and creative industry. Well, yes, we do. But over the past few years I've...

LETTER: Every household was alerted to PIP.(Letter to the editor)
August 25, 2006... "Is Royal Mail's PIP campaign too little, 'far too late?'" (PM July 14) In short, no. Royal Mail has communicated the changes extensively, particularly to the business audience. Last year, we ran one of the largest business...

VIEWPOINT: Consumer insight can choose medium for us.(analysis of consumer insights)
August 25, 2006... If clients hire agencies for their expertise, why is it that they are so often presented with a piecemeal offering as a result of shops' bias towards a particular media? There's a certain irony in the relationship between clients and...

LEADER: Time to grab a slice of integrated action.
August 25, 2006... Heard the one about the agency that described itself as purely a direct marketing shop? If you have, you've either got a very good memory or are eagle-eyed, as these days most call themselves anything but. 'Brand activation', 'brand...

Creative Critique.
August 25, 2006... Heart-stopping. Awe-inspiring. Ground-breaking. We've heard it all before, so are car marques telling us anything new? Well, I'm not convinced they are. Tonally there seems little to differentiate the mainstream manufacturers, apart from...

RETAIL: Fashioning change.
August 25, 2006... Online retailers must not only be quick to embrace technological change, they need full control over transactions on multiple systems, which is where mail order firms have the edge For years, it has been predicted that the Internet will...

DATABASE SOFTWARE: Taxing issues.(regulations of value added tax )
August 25, 2006... New VAT regulations from the European Commission are something database bureaux need to fear. Although they have time on their side, the ruling could seriously curtail their ability to lure new clients by exploiting current loopholes ...

EMAIL MARKETING: Open policy.
August 25, 2006... With email marketing volumes rapidly approaching those of direct mail, companies are being forced to employ the latest technology to assess customer feedback and demonstrate they are not sending spam Steve Hemsley A survey by online...

LIST/INSERT FILE: BrightMinds puts data on market.(introduction of mail order business)(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... BrightMinds, the mail order catalogue and online store which sells educational toys and software, is releasing its database through Fig Tree Direct Marketing. Products are aimed mainly at children aged between three and 11. The file's...

LIST/INSERT FILE: Windsor Group file up for sale.(Windsor sells a wide range of health and beauty products)(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... ListLab is operating an insert programme for mail order company The Windsor Group. Windsor sells a wide range of health and beauty products, beginner computer courses, garden products and cat-related books. Popular products include The...

LIST/INSERT FILE: World On A Plate offers buyers.(World On A Plate.com)(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... Online travel agency World On A Plate.com, which specialises in international business and consumer travel, is selling its list through McCarthy O'Connor. All of the names are opted in and have registered their details via the website to...

LIST/INSERT FILE: Time-Life unveils fresh database.(Time-Life is offering an insert programme through ListLab)(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... Mail order company Time-Life, which sells CDs, DVDs and books, is offering an insert programme through ListLab. The scheme provides an opportunity to target UK and European buyers through billpack mailings. There are about 24,375 inserts...

LIST/INSERT FILE: Smilechild file names updated.(mail order catalogue and website offers baby products)(Brief article)
August 25, 2006... Smilechild, a seller of Cornish organic toiletries, is releasing its database through Jaywing. The mail order catalogue and website offers fairtrade clothing and toys, gifts and organic luxury chocolates, and aims to promote awareness of...