Precision Marketing articles from February 2007

Precision Marketing archives from February 2007

Government threat rocks industry.
February 9, 2007... Environment Secretary David Miliband's threat to force companies by law to get consumers to opt-in to receive direct mail has sent shockwaves through the industry. Miliband has pledged a 'war on junk mail' and says consumers should be...

Constable exits for Agency Insight role.(Julie Constable leaves AAR Group)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... Julie Constable has parted company with the AAR to take up a position at rival consultancy Agency Insight. She is leaving her job as head of direct marketing to take on the newly created role of senior consultant at Agency Insight, where...

Sightsavers appoints Burnett as direct shop.(contracts of Sight Savers International with Burnett Works)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... Sightsavers International, the charity dedicated to combating blindness in under-developed countries, is understood to have appointed Burnett Works as its direct agency. Sightsavers has recently worked with Watson Phillips Norman and...

IN BRIEF: FT hands direct brief to TMW.(contracts of Financial Times Ltd. with Tullo Marshall Warren)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... The Financial Times has appointed Tullo Marshall Warren (TMW) as its retained direct marketing agency for the EMEA region, following a threeway pitch against WWAV Rapp Collins and Harrison Troughton Wunderman. The agency will work on direct...

IN BRIEF: ID cards 'won't hold much data'.(Identification cards)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... Prime minister Tony Blair has revealed that the average store card holds more personal information on individuals than proposed identity cards. The information stored on the proposed cards will be the same as that on a passport, including basic...

IN BRIEF: OFT launches 'scam month'.(Office of Fair Trading services)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is launching 'Scams Awareness Month' to warn consumers about the increasingly sophisticated techniques used by rogue marketers, which it claims costs the public #3.5bn a year. Almost half of consumers have...

Christian Aid bolsters digital strategy to hit #100m target.(Christian Aid Mission)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... Christian Aid is overhauling its marketing strategy with a major shift online, aimed at raising up to #20m - a fifth of its overall #100m donation target - by 2010. The charity, dedicated to wiping out poverty across the world, wants to...

Grimes moves back to consultancy role.(Nigel Grimes leaves AirMiles)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... AirMiles customer insight director Nigel Grimes, who is leaving the company, is planning to return to consultancy after nearly three years at the loyalty company. Grimes joined the BA-owned business (PM December 10 2004) after four years...

Honda builds prospect strategy for car range.(advertising contracts of Honda Europe N.V. with Hicklin Slade and Partners)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... Honda is extending its 'More Forwards Please' campaign by developing a prospect management programme for the company's entire product portfolio. The programme will begin with inserts in key motoring publications, such as What Car and Top...

Camelot plans raft of National Lottery mobile phone games.(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... National Lottery operator Camelot is linking up with mobile phone giant Orange to develop a new range of lottery games and services for National Lottery players to access through their mobile phones. The partnership marks part of Camelot's...

Land Rover deals out mystic blitz.(ocntracts of BL PLC. Land Rover with Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... Land Rover is rolling out an integrated campaign to promote the latest Freelander 2. The initiative comprises a direct mail pack, created by Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel, exploring the TV ad's mystic theme. The ad, devised by...

BT in assault for paperless billing.
February 9, 2007... BT is teaming up with the Woodland Trust for a campaign designed to encourage customers to sign up to its paper-free billing service. The push asks customers to work with BT to do something for the environment. The Woodland Trust, the UK's...

IN BRIEF: LA Fitness in retention boost.(LA Fitness International contracts with MDS Global Consulting)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... Health chain LA Fitness is overhauling its customer retention strategy to reclaim lapsed customers and realign its database with recently acquired Dragons Gyms. The chain has appointed MDS Global Consulting and will be implementing...

IN BRIEF: ICO slammed for being 'too soft'.(Information Commissioner's Office)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... The Information Commissioner's Office has been criticised for being too lenient on those who breach data protection rules after it dropped a case against one company which ignored an enforcement notice. A notice had been issued against...

IN BRIEF: Dogs Trust runs Valentine's blitz.(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... Dogs Trust is launching a 'loving' direct mail campaign to coincide with Valentine's Day on February 14 in an attempt to tug at the nation's heartstrings. A mailpack created 141 Worldwide: London will be sent to warm donors from the Dogs...

IN BRIEF: Indy signs deal with AdLink.(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... The Independent newspaper has formed a major sales partnership with digital media house AdLink to provide exclusive online advertising sales representation. The companies will work together to maximise partnership opportunities and display...

BHF in Valentine link to boost patient care.(British Heart Foundation)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is launching a #1m Valentine appeal to help fund its care work for heart patients across the UK. The campaign aims to capitalise on the romance of Valentine's Day. The appeal is designed to help fund BHF...

TDA drive woos career-changers.(Training and Development Agency for School)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... The Training & Development Agency for Schools (TDA) is bolstering its efforts to attract young scientists and mathematicians into a career in teaching, with a direct marketing campaign. The push, produced by integrated agency Euro RSCG...

IN BRIEF: BBC TV Licensing hires UK Mail.(contracts of British Broadcasting Corp. with United Kingdom. Post Office)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... BBC TV Licensing services has appointed UK Mail to handle its postal contract, worth an estimated #8.1m, in a move which deals a further blow to Royal Mail. The Business Post-owned postal service will provide TV Licensing with downstream...

IN BRIEF: Crisis hands brief to WWAV.(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... Homeless charity Crisis is launching an integrated fundraising campaign to expose what it has dubbed 'the scandal of homelessness among single people'. It has hired WWAV Rapp Collins London to implement the strategy. The agency won the...

IN BRIEF: Four jailed for data protection scam.(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... Four men have been sent to prison for sending out fake data protection notices to businesses demanding they pay up or risk breaching the Data Protection Act 1998. The four were prosecuted by Liverpool Crown Court and face jail terms ranging...

Royal Navy guns for youth to boost ranks.(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... The Royal Navy is overhauling its marketing strategy to re-educate young adults about life in the armed forces in an attempt to boost recruitment. It is launching an integrated campaign and has revamped its website to target Web-savvy...

Cancer Research in 'together' push.
February 9, 2007... Cancer Research UK is to launch a major integrated campaign to communicate its new vision. The drive, created jointly by OgilvyOne and Ogilvy Advertising, aims to motivate the public to support the charity by reminding them that by...

Why magazines are a major integrated tool.
February 9, 2007... A couple of years ago, convergence became a buzzword in the global telecoms secto, fuelling a rush of M&A fever, with a few players emerging strongly with a one-stop shop offering. The change was as swift as it was irreversible, driven by...

Overseas call centre fears spark US revolt.(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... Minnesota Officials in the US state are pressing for legislation to be introduced that will allow people to request an American call centre if they are seeking personal or financial information. The move, fuelled by growing fears over the...

Canadian marketers plan direct spend rise.(Survey)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... Canada Direct marketing budgets are expected to continue to soar but growth might slow down, according to the ICA/Canada Post Survey of Marketing Budgets. All marketing budgets took an upward revision in the fourth quarter of 2006, which...

Dutch spam king fined over 9bn email blitz.(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... The Hague The Netherlands telecoms regulator has imposed its largest fine of E75,000 (#49,000) on a Dutch spammer for sending over 9 billion unsolicited emails to consumers. The Commission of OPTA, the Independent Post &...

Educationists must learn from UK sector.(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... "Education, education, education." This mantra of Tony Blair's early years is not only blindingly obvious for our Government. As an industry, we all understand the importance of training and knowledge in the ever more complex, multimedia...

ANALYSIS: Can DRTV really build brands better than image ads?
February 9, 2007... A new study claims to show that DRTV ads not only increase sales, they can boost a brand's image. As companies flock to embrace the medium, is it coming out of the 'creative cold'? If there is one phrase guaranteed to strike the fear of...

ANALYSIS: The Facts - DRTV.(direct response television)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... All you ever wanted to know about DRTV but were too afraid to ask * Monitoring of TV commercials by Thomson Intermedia estimated that 36 per cent are DRTV ads. Out of total TV advertising spend in the UK of #4.37bn, this means that DRTV...

Agency staff soar but white males still dominate.(Survey)
February 9, 2007... IPA member agencies have witnessed huge growth in staff numbers, fuelled by the rise of digital marketing. But are they attracting enough minorities? Charlie McKelvey The latest IPA Agency Census, released last week, will make...

Technology enthusiasts who embrace speed.
February 9, 2007... Technology is changing how people interact with one another and with organisations, especially as differing systems and channels converge. But who are the 'most connected' consumers? Over 60 per cent of UK households now have access to...

OPINION: Media storm proves that the party is over.(Brief article)(Column)
February 9, 2007... We all know about the media storm over junk mail. Don't let the facts - only 2 per cent of household waste is discarded mail - get in the way of a good story. We're an easy bash in the eyes of the press. But are we about to reach a...

LETTER: Skimp on email analysis and you risk missing out.(Letter to the editor)
February 9, 2007... I read with interest the recent news analysis, 'Email spend soars, but analysis is stuck in slow lane', (PM January 26), highlighting the growth of email marketing as a medium but, moreover, the often poor analysis which accompanies it. ...

LETTER: You get what you pay for buying lists.(Letter to the editor)
February 9, 2007... The use of niche lists is certainly on the rise for a number of reasons, (Is small so beautiful? PM January 26), the main one, I believe, is the fact that marketers have been forced to use their data more intelligently as consumers become more...

LETTER: Ofcom fines show it does have teeth.(Letter to the editor)
February 9, 2007... Like every other responsible supplier in the call centre industry, I was delighted to hear the news that Ofcom fined four companies #152,000 for breaking the revised guidelines. It is so encouraging to see Ofcom finally show its teeth and...

VIEWPOINT: 'Whiter than white' is crucial in blogosphere.(Viewpoint essay)
February 9, 2007... The rise of YouTube and MySpace is forcing marketers to relinquish control of their brands. This is heralding a new era where directness and honesty are paramount Late last year, Time magazine ran its 'Person of the Year' cover, as it has...

LEADER: An idle threat or the death knell for all?(direct mail advertising)
February 9, 2007... So, two weeks into her chairmanship and Rosemary Smith faces what threatens to be the biggest challenge direct marketing has ever faced. In fact, it is no understatement to say that, if implemented, it could wreck havoc, sending shockwaves...

PROFILE: Britton built on classical training.(Debbie Britton)(Norwich and Peterborough)(Interview)
February 9, 2007... Debbie Britton The head of customer marketing at Norwich & Peterborough knows consumers view financial services as daunting and arduous. Has she got what it takes to change this view? Jenny Hoffbrand "Who wants to spend an hour of...

Creative Critique: 09.02.07.
February 9, 2007... Olly Raeburn, Liquid Communications, London These items engage and draw the recipient in - they encourage the fast disappearing habits of browsing and reading...and are the better for it. Each is rooted in brand as opposed to tactic. So...

VERTICAL MARKETS - AUTOMOTIVE: All smoke and mirrors?
February 9, 2007... Environmental concerns have put car manufacturers on the back foot. What are they doing to reverse negative perceptions through their direct marketing campaigns? Climate change has suddenly registered so acutely on the public agenda that...

MAILING ISSUES: Mail on the back burner.
February 9, 2007... The highly personal nature of direct mail has always made relevancy challenging. But with consumer attitudes to the medium changing, can it still work as a hard-sell technique or will brands look for the slow- burn? David Reed Is this...

DATABASE MANAGEMENT: Breaking the speed trap.
February 9, 2007... Processing speed has always been a major advantage in the data industry. But these days a few seconds makes little difference - robust results are the true measure of success David Reed Speed kills. If you have a database application...

LIST/INSERT FILE: Hosiery firm reveals buyers.(service introduction of HCI Direct)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... HCI Direct, the international mail order company, has unveiled its Silkies database for rental through M&RS. The company is a retailer of fine hosiery and operates in Canada, Germany, France, and the US, as well as the UK. Profiling...

LIST/INSERT FILE: 12,000-Strong B2B file on offer.(business to business)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... The B2B Marketing Data Master file is available for rental through Prospect Swetenhams. The database offers the opportunity to target over 12,000 B2B marketing practitioners, who are key budget holders or budget influencers and are responsible...

LIST/INSERT FILE: Show visitors on the market.(introduction of Upper Street Events Masterfile)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... The Upper Street Events Masterfile, made up of attendees to a variety of shows held by Upper Street Events, is being released by Avongate The database consists of people aged 25 years and above, with high disposable incomes. These...

LIST/INSERT FILE: XFM tunes into listener database.(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... XFM has released its database of over 100,000 subscribers via Lloyd James Group. These suscribers receive XFM Plus, a monthly newsletter enabling clients to tap into a targeted audience on a one-to-one basis. The listeners are young,...

LIST/INSERT FILE: Cat lovers data put up for grabs.(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... The cat gallery, a mail order retail business, has unveiled its database through McCarthy O'Connor. The company markets a range of cat branded products, such as gifts, collectables, homeware, clothing, toys, books, stationery and games for pet...

MOVING PEOPLE: Momentum hires Leo Burnett creative chief.(appointment of Daniel Hennessy)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... Momentum, the integrated marketing agency, has appointed Daniel Hennessy executive creative director of its London agency. Hennessy will be responsible for increasing the quality and vision of Momentum's creative output, improving the thinking...

MOVING PEOPLE: WebTrends recruits marketing director.(appointment of Tim Kopp)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... WebTrends, the Web analytics and marketing performance management solutions company, has recruited Tim Kopp as chief marketing officer. Kopp will be responsible for all marketing and branding aspects of the WebTrends business and is to report...

MOVING PEOPLE: Miller Bainbridge appoints MB Analytics boss.(appointment of Giles Desforges)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... Miller Bainbridge, the full-service direct marketing agency, has appointed Giles Desforges as joint managing partner of MB Analytics. Desforges joins from Dunnhumby, where he worked as commercial director. He will be responsible for business...

MOVING PEOPLE: DNX boosts account management team.(appointments of Jo Lane, Ashley Barrell, Geminie Patel)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... DNX, the B2B agency, has added three recruits to its account management team. Jo Lane joins as senior account manager, while Ashley Barrell and Geminie Patel join as account executives. Lane was previously at Starcom International and will...

MOVING PEOPLE: Two join the Data Partnership.(appointments of Anthony Hessey and Adam Thorpe)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... The Data Partnership, a supplier of consumer lifestyle data, has appointed two account managers. Anthony Hessey joins from Legend Employment, a specialist recruitment consultancy. During his time at the company he sourced and cultivated...

MOVING PEOPLE: DS-J hands account role to Patrick.(appointment of Susannah Patrick)(Brief article)
February 9, 2007... Direct marketing agency DS-J has appointed Susannah Patrick to the role of account executive. Patrick joins from Nappi Nippas, a Cornwall-based manufacturer of baby products, where she worked as marketing development officer. Prior to this,...

Charities blast opt in 'lunacy'.(criticism of environment minister David Miliband)(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... The charity sector has hit back at Environment Minister David Miliband's threat to enforce direct mail opt in, with one expert branding it "hair-brained lunacy". "This will mean that another avenue is shut down and charities won't be able...

NS attacks 'no cold calling zones'.(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... The Newspaper Society (NS) has blasted local authorities over the 'no cold calling zones', imposed to deter rogue door-to-door traders, branding them illegal in a letter to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). The 'no cold calling zones'...

Centaur strikes deal with IDMF for PM Awards.(International Direct Marketing Fair)(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... Centaur Media has signed a three-year deal with Reed Exhibitions to combine the Precision Marketing Response Awards with the International Direct Marketing Fair Gala Dinner. The deal will result in the awards moving from June 21 to May 1,...

IN BRIEF: TNT launches CSR strategy.(TNT Post Group N.V.)(corporate and social responsibility)(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... TNT Post has revealed a corporate and social responsibility (CSR) programme for 2007 as it aims to improve its social and environmental impact on the communities in which it operates. The postal operator, which is the leading challenger to...

IN BRIEF: Esure takes data control in-house.(esure Insurance Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... Leading insurance provider Esure is to pull its data management in- house, after striking a deal with The Software Bureau to install its flagship software, Cygnus. The package enables users to interface with Cygnus technology, directly from...

IN BRIEF: MoonRiver sold to Arvata group.(acquisitions of MoonRiver Group and Arvato Services)(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... MoonRiver Group, the customer management specialist which has been on an aggressive acquisition drive, has been bought by outsourcing provider Arvato Services. Over the past few years, MoonRiver has bought contact management firm MBO (PM July...

John Lewis revamps online site as Web sales escalate.(John Lewis Partnership PLC)(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... John Lewis is overhauling its online strategy by implementing new search technology as part of an ambitious expansion plan to boost its home shopping and Internet business. The retailer recently revealed that its website, John Lewis Direct,...

TalkTalk pools direct business at WDMP.(WDMP Communication, TalkTalk Business)(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... TalkTalk Business has appointed WDMP Communications to handle its direct marketing account after a pitch against former incumbent Tequila\London. The appointment means the agency will now handle the whole TalkTalk account, as it already...

Lexus promotes use of 'thinking spaces'.(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... Luxury car marque Lexus is urging consumers to explore the thinking spaces they had as a youth, such as the teenage bedroom, in a new direct mail campaign to promote its latest saloon, the GS 450 Hybrid. The drive, created by Partners...

Over-50s insurer hires WPN to shake up direct strategy.(Watson Phillips Norman appointed at RIAS )(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... Rias, the over 50s specialist insurer, has appointed Watson Phillips Norman (WPN) to handle its #4m direct marketing account; the first time the company has appointed a single agency to handle its responsive business. WPN will have...

Parrot exploits mobile crackdown.(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... Wireless specialist Parrot is pushing its Bluetooth and hands-free mobile products to exploit new legislation that will see drivers face a #60 on the spot fine - as well as three points on their licence - if caught using their phone in ...

Ikea to expand loyalty scheme.(IKEA International A/S)(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... Ikea is rolling out its loyalty scheme, Ikea Family, after a successful pilot in three stores. Developed in partnership with The Quant Marketing Company - a division of Presky Maves - the scheme offers members a 25 per cent discount on a...

IN BRIEF: TNT Post in deal with retail group.(partnerships of TNT Post Group N.V. and British Retail Consortium )(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... TNT Post and the British Retail Consortium (BRC) have formed a strategic partnership to offer BRC members, including Tesco, Mothercare, Next and Sainsbury's, a range of postal services. BRC members will be able to use TNT Post's premier...

IN BRIEF: Mitsubishi rolls out SUV revamp.(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... Mitsubishi Europe is revamping the image of its flagship SUV, the Shogun, to attract new customers through a pan-European integrated campaign. The drive, created by Golley Slater, will run over 36 European markets and is to include direct...

IN BRIEF: MasterCard in new debit card.(MasterCard International Inc.)(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... MasterCard is launching an Oyster-style pay-as-you-go debit card, which can be loaded with up to #150, targeted at the youth market and those who do not have a bank account. The Prime Card is a joint venture between MasterCard and IDT...

Domino's gains from broadband and digital.(earnings of Domino's Pizza Inc.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... Pizza chain Domino's Pizza is attributing record profits for 2006 to the growth of home broadband and digital TV. The group has reported a 28 per cent increase in pre-tax profit to #14.3m, with e-commerce sales, which include online and...

Nationwide pushes home loans.
February 23, 2007... Nationwide Building Society is launching a campaign to drive business for its new range of mortgage products. The campaign, produced by TDA, consists of a raft of online and offline direct marketing activity. First-time buyers,...

IN BRIEF: Capital One hit by #175k FSA fine.(Financial Services Authority)(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... US-owned credit card giant Capital One has been slapped with a #175,000 fine for failures in its selling of payment protection insurance (PPI) and treating customers in an unfair manner. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) found that...

IN BRIEF: India acts to ease data theft fears.(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... The Indian outsourcing industry is aiming to quash fears over data theft by launching a self-regulatory body, designed to raise the bar in data security and privacy. Nasscom, the trade body which covers the IT and business process outsourcing...

English Heritage blitz for Battle of Hastings.(Meteorite)(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... English Heritage is heralding the opening of a major new #2.3m visitor experience at the site of the Battle of Hastings, featuring dramatic films, reconstructed fight scenes and a battle-site walkthrough. An integrated campaign, created...

VW gets family involved for MPV.(Volkswagen Touran)(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... Volkswagen is aiming to lure prospects to test drive the newly restyled family-sized seven-seater MPV, the Touran. Proximity London has devised an integrated blitz featuring a board game to encourage the whole family to engage with the...

As always in life, you get what you pay for.
February 23, 2007... The influx of new technology into the marketing mix over the past few years has challenged the status of traditional channels like direct mail and telemarketing. Nonetheless, contact centres are still flourishing and remain an essential part...

Do Not Mail proposal resurfaces in the US.(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... New York US direct marketers face the introduction of a national Do Not Mail file - modelled on the Do Not Call registry - amid claims it would decimate the US Postal Service (USPS). A bill, recently reintroduced by Republican David...

Creative components 'key to response lift'.(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... New York The creative components of a direct-mail campaign account for 25 per cent of total lift, according to a new survey by the US DMA. The study, entitled Getting Creative with Direct Mail, was carried out by the Research and...

Wegener sale ends links with direct industry.(Wegener Fieldmarketing)(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... Amsterdam Royal Wegener NV has finally disposed of its last remaining direct marketing division - Wegener Fieldmarketing - part of a long- term strategy which saw it sell UK arm Wegener DM to DLG last year (PM October 20 2006). SD Bril...

When 'can do' can do with a little planning.
February 23, 2007... Returning from a three-year stint in the US mid-west has allowed me to look at the UK creative scene with a fresh pair of eyes. What I've seen has been both invigorating and inspiring. Quite simply, the UK is the most creative country in the...

ANALYSIS: Why industry can't sweep Miliband 'under the carpet'.(David Miliband)
February 23, 2007... Environment Minister David Miliband's proposed 'war on junk mail' has sent shockwaves through the industry. But is direct mail opt-in looming or is it just political posturing? If you are seeking proof, look no further than DMIS figures,...

The Facts: Preference services.(Brief article)
February 23, 2007... All you ever wanted to know about preference services but were too afraid to ask * The Mailing Preference Service (MPS) was set up 20 years ago and is funded by the direct marketing industry to enable consumers to have their names and...

ANALYSIS: Marketers given more power to target ethnic groups.
February 23, 2007... Marketing to ethnic groups is likely to witness huge growth in the next 20 years, according to Experian. Does the launch of Mosaic Origins - designed for this purpose - fill a gap in the market? Brand owners and public sector...

ANALYSIS: Why a #75 outlay could have saved Nationwide #1m.(Nationwide Building Society)
February 23, 2007... The Nationwide Building Society was forced by the FSA to shell out nearly #1m after admitting customer privacy had been been breached by the theft of a company laptop. Will you be next? It is almost impossible to travel anywhere these days...