Precision Marketing articles from January 2003

Precision Marketing archives from January 2003

Cornhill Direct Life appoints Entire.(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Cornhill Insurance-owned Cornhill Direct Life is enhancing customer analysis and modelling after appointing a new agency to its estimated [pounds sterling]30m direct marketing account. Entire has been awarded the insurer's planning and...

RAC launches into personal injury market.(DRTV campaign by WWAV Rapp Collins)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... The RAC has become one of the first established brands to enter the highly competitive personal injury market, through the launch of a major DRTV campaign. The organisation has offered Accident Solutions to its members since 1908, which...

Media Markets team loses out in shake-up.(Royal Mail Media Markets restructures)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Royal Mail Media Markets' directors have received a "slap in the face" in the restructure of the organisation's marketing department, with only one of former managing director Adam Novak's team -- Richard Roche -- having so far secured a...

Watson opens agency with ActionAid recruitment account.(John Watson, Watson Phillips Norman)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Former WWAV group chairman and founder John Watson has opened the doors to his new agency this week by winning the direct marketing donor recruitment account for ActionAid. The charity--traditionally one of the leaders in child...

OU revamps strategy with [pounds sterling]7m initiative.(Open University direct marketing campaign)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... The Open University is overhauling its direct strategy with the launch of a [pounds sterling]7m integrated campaign promoting the aspirational value of its courses. The strategy will replace the university's previous 'Stand out from the...

The Salon to develop C4 customer links. (News).(Channel 4)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Channel 4 is aiming to strengthen its fledgling customer marketing database on the back of its new fly-on-the-wall series The Salon, which will encourage interactive viewer participation. The show, which will launch on January 13, is...

Volkswagen set to boost image of diesel fleet. (News).(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Volkswagen is aiming to challenge negative perceptions of diesel cars while bolstering its fleet database with a targeted below-the-line campaign. The activity, through Proximity London, includes a mailing, which will rollout to 12,000...

Charities hit back as study exposes [pounds sterling]13m mail waste. (News).
January 10, 2003... Businesses waste over [pounds sterling]85m mailing deceased or gone-aways according to a new report. Charities are the worst offenders on [pounds sterling]13m-so who is to blame? Emma Rubach reports. Charities are being accused of...

Bupa launches health portal to boost database. (News).(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Bupa is embarking on a major online push in a bid to boost the quality of its customer database and discover which products and services are of most interest to Internet consumers. The launch of the MyHealth portal will offer information on...

Black Sun picks 02's ex-CRM chief for new role. (News).(Black Sun hires Richard Dixon as knowledge management director)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Richard Dixon, former head of customer relationship management (CRM) at mobile phone operator O2, has joined Black Sun in the new role of knowledge management director. Dixon spent 12 years at O2 (then BT Ceilnet), initially as a...

AMP poised to pool 5 million accounts in group offensive. (News).(plans to create group-wide customer database)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Financial services giant AMP--which owns Pearl, NPI and London Life--is planning to create its first group-wide customer database, holding more than 5 million accounts. The project, which is being handled by Alterian and MarkIT as part of...

DMA in the North set to give region greater voice. (News).(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Direct marketers in the North of England are set to benefit from a new voice with the launch of a DMA (UK) regional council serving the region. The move recognises the growing roll of northern agencies in UK direct marketing, drawing on...

Next Directory sales overtake those at stores. (News).(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Clothing mail order company Next Directory outperformed its 292 stores in terms of like-for-like sales in the last six months of 2002, according to its latest trading statement. Sales at Next Retail for the 23 weeks from 28 July 2002 have...

Iceland launches e-CRM drive to boost Web sales. (News).(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Iceland is fighting to turn around its ailing fortunes and boost its online sales with a major e-CRM programme. The supermarket, which is lagging behind rivals such as Tesco (which announced record online sales of [pounds sterling]10m a...

Morse Group set for B2B strategy. (News).(Sun division to launch business-to-business integrated marketing campaign)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... The Sun division of the Morse Group is embarking on a business-to-business (B2B) integrated marketing campaign to communicate the value of its storage solutions and boost acquisitions. The initiative, which is being handled by The Black...

Royal Mail aims to raise awareness of Sameday. (News).(customer acquisition campaign to be launched)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Royal Mail is embarking on its first nationwide customer acquisition campaign to ensure the vital success of its Sameday delivery service. The postal operator, which faces questions over its long-term stability, is planning to raise...

M&S names marketing and e-commerce chief. (News).(Marks & Spencer appointed Alice Avis director of marketing and e-commerce)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Marks & Spencer has appointed Alice Avis as director of marketing and e-commerce with effect from January 20. Avis will report directly to chief executive Roger Holmes and will sit on the group operating committee. She has previously worked for...

The Home Office hires 23red for Web push. (News).(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... The Home Office has appointed 23red to develop a campaign for Child Protection on the Internet, following a three-way pitch. The scheme was set up in 2001 to promote safe Internet use for children using chat rooms, while also encouraging them...

HFC consolidates media into Starcom Motive. (News).(HFC Bank)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... HFC Bank has consolidated its [pounds sterling]6m media planning and buying business into Starcom Motive, following a three-way pitch. HFC, which owns the Marbles and GM credit cards, previously used a roster of media agencies including The...

One.Tel appoints EHS Brann's London arm. (News).(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Gentrica-owned telecoms provider One.Tel has consolidated its through-the-line business into EHS Brann's London agency. The move will see EHS Brann manage both online and offline activity across One.Tel's portfolio of fixed-line, mobile and...

Holiday homes firm bids to lure affluent women. (News).(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... HPB Management, the UK supplier of holiday homes across the globe, is refining its strategy and targeting all its below-the-line activity at professional women. The company, with 1,130 luxury holiday homes and privately-owned villas in 61...

Budget Insurance set to overhaul database and boost conversions. (News).(Budget Insurance Services )(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Budget Insurance Services is planning a major push to build its 750,000-strong database and improve the conversion of prospects, and has appointed a new associate director to oversee the activity. John Cole, former Deutsche Bank...

Ogilvy Interactive unveils in-house SMS system. (News).(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Ogilvy Interactive is poised to unveil an in-house SMS delivery and tracking system as part of an ongoing strategy to expand its interactive capabilities. The delivery of text messaging campaigns and subsequent tracking for detailed...

Survival International launches initiative to save Kalahari bushmen. (News).(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Survival International is stepping up its campaign to save the Kalahari bushmen with a wave of responsive press activity. The charity, which campaigns on behalf of persecuted indigenous people, is running ads in broadsheets asking people to...

United Airlines in [pounds sterling]31m drive to head off crisis. (International).(loyalty and direct marketing drive planned)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Chicago: United Airlines (UA) is planning a $50m ([pounds sterling]31m) loyalty and direct marketing drive, despite filing for bankruptcy protection before Christmas. The struggling airline is enduring one of the most expensive tailspins...

Ireland moots postcode system. (International).(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Dublin: Ireland is considering introducing a postcode system in an attempt to reduce the number of late and lost deliveries suffered over the Christmas period. The country is one of the few European Union member states which does not have...

First USA forced to pay out over 'deceptive' telesales. (International).(First USA Bank)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... New York: First USA Bank has agreed to pay $1.3m ([pounds sterling]0.8m) as part of a settlement with 28 states over the way telemarketing firms sold products and services to its customers. First USA, the US' largest issuer of Visa credit...

Pay-TV merger good for us all. (International).
January 10, 2003... Australia: The recently-approved content merger between pay-TV providers Foxtel and Optus TV will benefit all Australians. While the two pay-TV companies have struggled to connect just over 20 per cent of households between them, the merger...

2003: more stress, more work, more fun. (News Analysis).
January 10, 2003... As we enter a new year PM asks what 2003 will bring the direct industry. While there is some optimism many remain remarkably pessimistic - but will we really see a Direct Marketing Academy? During the Christmas party season Precision...

Looking forward to another year of Web-filled fun.(Column)
January 10, 2003... The new year has arrived with new challenges, the biggest issue for me being the continuing fragmentation of traditional media, and therefore possible information sources. I can't be the only person who found themselves watching obscure...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
January 10, 2003... X mas cards need to be tailored to individuals Our industry goes into overdrive with Christmas cards, but an awful lot of people out there miss the point. Christmas cards are no different to any other form of direct marketing and therefore...

Why brokers need to expose the idiocy of avoiding repeat mailings. (Comment).(Column)
January 10, 2003... Advertisers are told to continually bombard people with their messages, so why are direct marketers warned mailing previous usage? Asks Amaya Tasker. If an ad agency promised to never show an ad more than once every six months for fear of...

Work through the clampdown. (Leader).(prospects for direct marketing in 2003)(Column)
January 10, 2003... For many of those working in direct marketing the prospects for 2003 are best summed up by the following verse: "The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in, meltdown expected, the wheat is growing thin..." Yet, while London Calling by The...

Door-step challenge.(discussion about Iams' pet food advertising)
January 10, 2003... Iams Response type: Phone number, online sign up Itemised content: Letter, main insert, second insert, envelope B&Q Response type: Phone number, online sign up Itemised content: Main insert Andy Annett, managing...

Communing with data: as the data co-operative market expands, generic versions are being superseded by niche offerings. But trust between data owners remains an issue. (Special Report: List Developments).
January 10, 2003... DATA CO-OPERATIVES are a familiar concept in the list industry. As a practical demonstration of karma--what you get is equal to what you give--they prove that direct marketers are not just ferocious competitors out to beat the other guy. ...

Paying for time: in today's competitive market, it seems commission-based payment systems for list brokers are becoming increasingly out of date. (Special Report: List Developments).
January 10, 2003... MANY OF THE PRODUCTION and data processing procedures for direct mail have changed immeasurably over the past 20 years or so, but plenty of the underlying practices have a reassuringly time-honoured quality about them. One such area is...

Icons.com provides list of 85,000 names via EDR. (List File).(Electronic Direct Response)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Icons.com, the official site for professional footballers, has released its names of subscribers and buyers of signed merchandise through Electronic Direct Response (EDR). The site, featuring footballers such as Dennis Bergkamp, Marc...

Casino Games to Go Direct in inserts drive. (List File).(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Scratchcard winners' prize despatch file operator Casino Games is making its insert opportunity available through Go Direct, with products and cash prizes worth up to [pounds sterling]25,000. All winners entered the competition by phoning a...

Best Direct offers 220,000 file with ListLab. (List File).(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Sky Digital's health and self-improvement mail order shopping channel, Best Direct, has made its file of 220,000 individual buyers available through ListLab. The new list on the market contains direct response TV buyers who have bought...

Lexicon creates new direct mail role. (Moving People).(Allan Lloyd named direct mail executive)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Lexicon, the billing and communications provider, has recruited Alan Lloyd as direct mail executive. Joining from print company Waddington, where he was a business development executive, Lloyd will be responsible for developing direct mail...

Digital Impact hires Pixelpark chief for CRM post. (Moving People).(customer relationship management)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... E-mail marketing specialist Digital Impact has appointed Stuart Tait as an account director to implement online and offline customer relationship management (CRM) activities. Tait arrives from Pixelpark, where he was head of direct marketing...

FDS appoints Bluewater account manager. (Moving People).(FDS Field Marketing)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Jon Brickell has accepted the position of account manager at FDS Field Marketing. He will specifically work on the T-Mobile account, co-ordinating employees, merchandising and in-store promotions. He joins from The Bluewater Agency, where he...

Salesforce.com/foundation turns to Amnesty. (Moving People).(names former Amnesty International campaigner its European director)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Salesforce.com/foundation has named former Amnesty International campaigner Isabel Kelly as European director. The sister organisation to online CRM specialist salesforce.com has appointed Kelly to develop socially-responsible practices as the...

Acxiom names group leader for Europe. (Moving People).(Cindy Truyens)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Acxiom Corporation has taken on Cindy Truyens as group leader for Europe. The former business unit leader will oversee operational sales. She says: "My ambition is to make the business even more profitable through a strategy of sustained...

Nice work...is a monthly column dedicated to those people who are happy at work. Don't think it's possible? Read on.(Ben Swift of Tequila\Manchester)(Brief Article)(Interview)(Column)
January 10, 2003... Name: Ben Swift Company: Tequila\Manchester Department: Traffic Job title: Traffic manager Responsibilities: Scheduling and co-ordinating all creative and studio production, plus commissioning freelances. Job perks:...

New year, time to move to Hull. (Diary).
January 10, 2003... The Diary is now a changed man, and it's all thanks to our buxom mistress Hannilora--and an experienced salon specialising in 'male grooming'. Yes, you've guessed it, the first mission she sent us on in 2003 was to go get our 'back, crack and...

Learning the tricks of 'Arry's trade. (Diary).
January 10, 2003... While the Diary was busy making another tactical location blunder, 'Arry the Bastard spent some quality time reintroducing himself to his family over the festive period, buying his nine-year-old son 'The Getaway' computer game for his...

Forthcoming events.(Calendar)
January 10, 2003... The Financial Services Forum Annual Members Conference will be held on February 26. Speakers will include Janet Connor (Abbey National), Nick Bowyer (First Direct) and Lucian Camp (CCHM). Members can attend free of charge, and a limited number...

Love is all around. (Soundoff: Hunter's Tale).(2003 predictions for KillerShark)(Brief Article)(Column)
January 10, 2003... So how was your fortnight break? Please don't tell me you were sad enough to actually go into work. I spent my time very wisely--successfully rebalancing my work/life ratios--giving my liver its well-deserved annual work out. The hospitality at...

Smirnoff launches first reward programme.(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Diageo-owned Smirnoff is rolling out nationwide reward activity for the first time in the history of its relationship management programme. Following a viral acquisition drive in December to attract new members to the loyalty club, the...

Help the Aged in agency talks amid rethink.(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Help the Aged is reviewing its direct marketing account as part of an overhaul of its marketing and fundraising operations. Incumbent agency Target Direct has held the brief exclusively for the past seven years, repitching and winning the...

Harley gears up for Euro loyalty assault.(Harley-Davidson builds on its flagship loyalty club)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Harley-Davidson is building on the capabilities of its flagship loyalty club, the Harley Owner's Group (HOG), with the aim of increasing its database of potential owners of second or third motorbikes. HOG members in Europe -- and soon...

WWF begins hunt for head of marketing.(World Wide Fund for Nature)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... WWF-UK is hunting for a marketing chief as part of a restructure of the charity's marketing department which will see head Tania Reed take on another role within the global organisation. The move has already seen head of company fundraising...

New Sports Loyalty Card bids to end TeamCard's dominance.(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... A new football-based loyalty scheme, Sports Loyalty Card (SLC), is aiming to break TeamCard's stranglehold on the market by launching a card which offers rewards from over 100 retail partners. The initiative, which is being launched this...

Oxfam aims to secure donors for food crisis. (News).(Oxfam GB direct mail campaign regarding Southern African food shortage created by WWAV Rapp Collins London)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Oxfam is responding to the Southern African food shortage crisis with a direct mail campaign designed to highlight the severity of the problem. Oxfam's campaign comprises over 450,000 mailings to its database of active donors, and shows...

Labour Party plans fundraising blitz. (News).(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... The Labour Party is planning to bolster its direct marketing activity for fundraising campaigns as part of a pledge to cancel its outstanding debt of [pounds sterling]9m this year. The Labour Party, which mortgaged its headquarters in Old...

Charles Tyrwhitt to boost direct activity. (News).(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Charles Tyrwhitt, the upmarket shirt retailer, is extending its direct marketing campaigns in response to the growing popularity of its women's range. Since the launch of the women's range, CT Woman, six years ago, the Female mail order...

Furniture firm unveils debut online initiative. (News).(Strachan Furniture Makers creates interactive Web site)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Strachan Furniture Makers is going online for the first time with the creation of an interactive website which will increase its routes to market in the face of strong competition from Hammonds and Neville Johnson. Ahead of the official...

Stock Exchange to educate private investors. (News).(London Stock Exchange launches campaign)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... The London Stock Exchange is taking the unusual step of launching a campaign to educate private investors about a specific product, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). Responsive ads have been placed in relevant publications such as Financial...

Age Concern to launch first big donor initiative. (News).(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Age Concern is launching its first large-scale integrated donor recruitment campaign to test the public's response to a mixture of media. Previous Age Concern recruitment drives relied on PR and direct mail, but this hard-hitting campaign,...

Sainsbury's hatches plan to grow littleones brand. (News).(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Supermarket chain Sainsbury's is planning to boost its direct information service for pregnant and new mothers-littleones--by increasing its routes-to-market and raising awareness. The company is embarking on a responsive campaign, using...

Royal British Legion kicks off direct agency review. (News).(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... The Royal British Legion is reviewing its direct marketing account and has created a shortlist of agencies, including incumbent Target Direct, which has held the business for the past five years. Legion director of fundraising and marketing...

HBOS creates top-level management team. (News).(HBOS PLC)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... HBOS Retail Bank is undergoing a top-level restructure within its new customer management team in an attempt to offer its 20 million personal customers clear and transparent value. The bank is in the midst of creating the 24-strong customer...

New Star backs ISAs with SMS advertising drive. (News).(New Star Asset Management)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Fund management specialist New Star is launching a text campaign to promote its ISAs. The drive will include poster and press ads aimed at attracting a larger chunk of the retail investment market. The text-to-e-mail response mechanism on...

Savoy Group unveils drive to lure rich US travellers. (News).(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... The Savoy Group is embarking on a direct mail campaign aimed at American Airlines customers in a bid to take advantage of the expected travel boom in 2003. The mailings, created by Spirit Integrated Communications, will target the 75,000...

Hills and Austin launch agency. (News).(Affordable Talent launched by Mike Hills and Paul Austin)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Affordable Talent has been launched this week by former Miller Bainbridge head of copy Mike Hills and Crazy Horse creative director Paul Austin, with the intention of reducing the cost of creative work for direct marketing clients. The...

Relaxation firm set to target UK consumers. (News).(Water Pillow Co. launches ads for its Mediflow water pillows)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Relaxation firm The Water Pillow Company is breaking into the UK market by testing off-the-page ads for its Mediflow water pillows. The company, which claims to be a bestseller in its range in the US, Germany and Japan, is embarking on a...

Masterfoods embarks on voucher promotion. (News).(for flagship brands Twix, Mars and Snickers)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Masterfoods' flagship confectionery brands Twix, Mars and Snickers are joining forces for the company's biggest multibrand voucher promotion, designed to build an understanding of its customer base. The promotion will feature special codes on...

Virgin Holidays launches drive to boost sales. (News).(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Virgin Holidays is running a [pounds sterling]1.25m campaign to promote its range of worldwide destinations. The four week initiative, developed by Claydon Heeley Jones Mason, will feature 48-sheet posters and responsive press and radio ads....

AOL UK creates interactive strategy chief role. (News).(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... AOL UK has appointed Greg Paine of McCann-Erickson Russia to the new post of director of strategy for interactive marketing. He will be responsible for advertising and commerce agreements, planning, sales strategy and trade marketing. Paine...

Lycos seeks to improve portal loyalty. (News).(launches instant win game)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Lycos is aiming to boost portal loyalty with the launch of its latest instant win game Perfect Match. Players are presented with a female or male game card and Lycos the dog randomly selects their perfect matches from a grid of photos; players...

Pharmacia links with charities in health campaign. (News).(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Pharmacia is teaming up with In Contact and the Continence Foundation charities to launch a public health campaign raising awareness of the issue of incontinence. The press ads direct readers to www.bladderzone.com, a website for people...

Tourism Ireland embarks on drive to encourage visitors to the region. (News).(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Tourism Ireland (TI) is consolidating its belowthe-line activity and bolstering its database with an integrated campaign designed to encourage visitors to the region. Established in 2001, to market both Northern Ireland and the Republic,...

RSPCA tests DRTV for affinity card promotion. (News).(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... The RSPCA is expanding its use of media by testing its first DRTV activity for its affinity card through HFC Beneficial Bank. The work for the RSPCA Platinum Mastercard is due to rollout at the beginning of February. It will run on Five, as...

Walkers Snacks launches debut SMS initiative to boost pub sales. (News).(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Walkers Snacks is making its first foray into text messaging in an attempt to boost sales of its crisps in pubs and bars throughout the UK. Kicking off at the end of January, the four week promotion will offer incentives to consumers to...

GlaxoSmithKline stamps out online drug exports. (International).(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Ottawa: Manitoba's booming Internet pharmacy industry is under threat from one of the world's largest drug companies, which wants to put an end to export sales. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has sent letters to the province's Web-based pharmacies...

Australian Finance in CRM rollout. (International).(customer relationship management)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Perth: Mortgage wholesaler the Australian Finance Group has completed the first phase of a $6m ([pounds sterling]3.7m) nationwide customer relationship management (CRM) rollout. The company has migrated its proprietary administrative and...

Vietnam to issue 'first' e-commerce regulations. (International).(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Hanoi: The Vietnamese government is to this year draw up e-commerce legislation in an attempt to increase use throughout the region. The country has no regulations governing e-commerce, except for an article in the Trade Law that accepts...

France top for online potential. (International).
January 17, 2003... France: The future of online marketing has never looked so bright, especially in France. While it's been an important part of our armoury, until now it has failed to captivate clients sufficiently to warrant a significant slice of the ad...

TV channels bed down viewers' relationships. (News Analysis).
January 17, 2003... In the now severely crowded broadcasting marketplace channels are being increasingly forced to engage their viewers in person to have a realistic chance of attracting for retaining them. When it comes to what to watch on the television, the...

RAC taps into blame culture. (News Analysis).(RAC)
January 17, 2003... The personal injury claims market has always been dogged by bad press. But following the demise of Claims Direct will the RAC help the industry to clean up its act? The RAC's move into the personal injury claims market with a raft of DRTV...

How to avoid a punch in the face from your client.
January 17, 2003... A slightly fractious client sat in my office recently and groaned: "The next person that mentions customer relationship management (CRM), I'm going to punch in the face." Extreme, perhaps, but to be honest I'd have been tempted to help. ...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
January 17, 2003... DMA needs to stop rise of poor quality entries John Watson makes some interesting points regarding the use of technology to implement a different way of judging the DMA (UK) awards (PM December 20, 2002). Where his argument falls down is in...

Why we need to view customer data in a more thoughtful manner. (Comment).(Column)
January 17, 2003... The effective use of data is vital for the success of our industry, but it seems there is now too much focus on quantity, not quality It's funny that it takes a downturn for us to see where we're being inefficient in terms of our marketing...