Precision Marketing articles from December 2008

Precision Marketing archives from December 2008

LEADER: Don't wait to act.
December 15, 2008... We cross the threshold into 2009 in a precarious state. Jobs are disappearing at an almighty pace across every sector and our industry is far from immune. Whether you're an agency head, a busy chief executive in the world of data or a...

NEWS ROUNDUP: Direct mail biggest charity complaint.
December 15, 2008... Complaints about direct mail made up a third of all complaints received by the Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) last year, its new report shows. In its first ever-annual report, the self-regulatory scheme calculated that of the 8,434...

NEWS ROUNDUP: TalkTalk poaches top marketer.(appointment of Michele Lockwood )(Brief article)
December 15, 2008... TalkTalk has appointed marketer Michele Lockwood as its head of direct marketing. Lockwood joins the telecoms provider from Debenhams, where she was also head of direct marketing. Lockwood joined Debenhams in October 2006 and was charged...

NEWS ROUNDUP: Ryanair launches first ever prepaid programme.
December 15, 2008... Europe's largest airline Ryanair is launching its first ever Prepaid programme that will be the largest mass market multi-brand prepaid programme ever launched. The new scheme will offer members access to a wide range of discounts all...

NEWS ROUNDUP: Recession to hit ad spend hard.
December 15, 2008... The recession is expected to hit the advertising and marketing industry 'deep and sharp' resulting in a tough climate in 2009, the Enders Analysis report predicts. Press advertising expenditure will fall by over 30 per cent and structural...

NEWS ROUNDUP: Lida and Table 19 scoop Carphone Warehouse #6.5m account.
December 15, 2008... The Carphone Warehouse has appointed Lida and Table 19 to handle its #6.5m direct marketing account. The mobile retail giant has revised down its #8m direct marketing budget that was previously handled by WDMP. The agency repitched for the...

NEWS ROUNDUP: Centaur launches exhibition for the UK marketing industry.
December 15, 2008... Centaur Media is launching the Data Marketing Show, a trade fair for the data marketing industry that will be supported by Precision Marketing and Data Strategy. It will be part of a brand new larger exhibition, Marketing Week Live, designed...

NEWS ROUNDUP: Sainsbury's helps cash strapped customers.
December 15, 2008... Sainsbury's is producing a credit crunch campaign in a bid help customers through the festive season, as part of its CRM strategy. The drive called 'Spend and Save 26 Christmas' is being delivered to homes around the country. A direct mail...

NEWS ROUNDUP: Help the Aged in Christmas push for ethical gift website.
December 15, 2008... International charity Help the Aged is launching an integrated online campaign encouraging people to purchase Christmas presents from its ethical gift website Cows 'n' Things. Direct-to-digital agency TDA has devised the online donor...

NEWS ROUNDUP: TUI Ski ramps up online.
December 15, 2008... TUI Ski, part of TUI Travel, is boosting its online CRM strategy across its portfolio of businesses. The travel giant has appointed Propellernet to provide a range of ongoing strategies and services. Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd....

NEWS ROUNDUP: Dobson steps down.
December 15, 2008... EuroDirect managing director John Dobson is stepping down to become new business development director. Broadsystem chief executive Caroline Worboys will succeed Dobson as MD but continue to head up Broadsystem, EuroDirect's sister company and...

NEWS ROUNDUP: Lib Dems reveal data security plan.
December 15, 2008... Liberal Democrats have called for a "fundamental re-examination" of how the NHS deals with personal data after unveiling a dossier of cases of lost and stolen health information. The party issued a five-point plan for information security,...

NEWS ROUNDUP: Huw Davis Partnership poaches News International exec.(appointment of Chris Mitchell )(Brief article)
December 15, 2008... Huw Davis Partnership has appointed Chris Mitchell to the role of Insight development director. Mitchell previously worked as head of data acquisition and planning at NI. Mitchell has been signed up to support the growth of Huw Davis' UK client...

NEWS ROUNDUP: DMA forms first data partnership with Equifax.
December 15, 2008... Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is unveiling its first data partnership with Equifax in a bid to promote the data services sector within the industry. The global leader in credit and business information will assist members with data usage...

NEWS ROUNDUP: Experian cuts 300 jobs.
December 15, 2008... Experian is the latest casualty to be hit by the credit crunch as it announces a cull of nearly 10 per cent of its UK and Ireland workforce in a bid to save $130m (#86m). Despite a 13 per cent rise in revenue, the data giant will shed 300...

NEWS ROUNDUP: DLG secures new investor.
December 15, 2008... Data giant DLG has secured funding from DM plc after its previous Icelandic private investor Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander (KSF) went into administration. DLG has retained 30 per cent of the business. The deal worth #72.5m was handled by KSF's...

ANALYSIS: Intermediaries for the data industry?
December 15, 2008... Intermediaries Some say it is time for intermediaries to act on behalf of the data industry. But will suppliers pay for this service? With an increasing number of brands recognising data as an essential part of their marketing mix,...

ANALYSIS: Tesco should let data be its saviour.
December 15, 2008... With sales down at Tesco some are saying they have taken their eye off the ball. Using their Clubcard data now is the time to send out targeted offers to its customers The newspapers filled their pages with coverage of Tesco's 'blip' last...

ANALYSIS: Lower numbers available from electoral roll.
December 15, 2008... The Government will not be blocking access to the electoral roll. However, the overall number of names available continues to drop as people opt out The Government's decision to kick a decision on blocking access to the electoral register...

CONSUMER INSIGHT: Pensioners with free time and the money to enjoy it.
December 15, 2008... Old age is not a daunting prospect for comfortably-off senior citizens with above average levels of savings. They are active and have a broad range of leisure interests How they came about? These are comfortably-off retired people...

OPINION: Bridging creativity and technology.(Column)
December 15, 2008... Creatives have good ideas, as do data experts... but they rarely listen to each other. How possible is it, I wonder, to bridge the gap between a tech solution focus and creativity? At present, there appears to be little understanding...

LETTER: Being open to competition.(Letter to the editor)
December 15, 2008... I disagree with your comment that, "New licence holders have shown no interest in full competition, only in picking off high-volume, predictable and profitable activities like transactional mailings" ('Time to put the clocks back' 23 October)....

LETTER: Generating quality leads.(Letter to the editor)
December 15, 2008... Lead generation is indeed 'the perfect marketing opportunity' (Precision Marketing, November 08) but the debate over volume or quality misses the point. Quality is only quality when it matches the client's brief. That's the governing...

LETTER: Give affiliate activity credit.(Letter to the editor)
December 15, 2008... Your opening position in the article on affiliate marketing suggesting that it is a channel punching below its weight in the digital sector ("Picking the right partner" Nov 08) is based on data collected from the E-Consultancy/R.O. EYE...

VIEWPOINT: Search loses its security.(Best Practice Funding )(Viewpoint essay)
December 15, 2008... A cool wind of change is set to blow through search agencies in the New Year, following Google's decision to cease Best Practice Funding (BPF) at the end of 2008. Until now, agencies could expect up to 8 per cent commission on their...

OPINION: Where is the opportunity?(Column)
December 15, 2008... It is now an undisputed fact that the slowdown has impacted both marketing departments and advertising budgets. With corporate advertisers looking to make immediate cost savings, marketing departments have started to rationalise and relocate....

Creative critique: December 2008.
December 15, 2008... Dave Woods, creative director, RMG Connect I was always taught that before any great wedding (of customer and brand) there needs to be engagement. Well, this week's bag is a real pick'n'mix (Rest In Peace, Woolies), so let's have a look...

MEASURING SUCCESS: A measure of success.
December 15, 2008... In the current economic climate demonstrating ROI to key decision makers is critical. This means using reliable metrics that can be used to measure success This should be the time when we're all making a killing. Us, the Queens, Kings and...

MEASURING SUCCESS: CASE STUDY - Intercontinental hotel group.
December 15, 2008... The value of loyalty? Strange as it might be to hear the world's biggest hotels group describe itself as 'a marketing services company' that's what the senior vice president for global corporate affairs at Intercontinental Hotel Group...

DATABASE MARKETING: Can data bureaux take flight?(Company overview)
December 15, 2008... Increasingly clients want clean, structured data and marketing advice on how to use it. Can data bureaux cover two disciplines and metamorphose into more creative businesses? If you were starting up a marketing services company now, it...

EMAIL MARKETING: Time to can spam and get personal.
December 15, 2008... Deliverability is still the main issue facing email marketing as it attempts to move away from its image as a form of spam. More creative quality, specialist agencies and personalisation will help As they seek to enhance their email...

TRAVEL: From brochure to browser.
December 15, 2008... As more consumers search for their holidays online it makes sense for tour operators to focus on brochures when cutting costs. However, for certain groups the brochure will still have a role The Christmas presents have been eaten, broken...