Precision Marketing articles from July 2003

Precision Marketing archives from July 2003

Labour admits shortcomings of EU spam law.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... The Government has admitted that new European Union laws to combat spam are unlikely to have a major impact because of the huge scale of the problem. The admission, by e-commerce minister Stephen Timms, came at the Spain Summit, hosted by...

India contact centres face backlash over legal action.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... One of the top call centre companies in India, GTL, has been sued by a UK-based data firm after it refused to pay for data it had used in an aborted telemarketing campaign. The dispute, thought to be the first of its kind, is likely to send...

Lowe's Thomas to join Proximity.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Proximity London is poised to appoint former Lowe London boss Chris Thomas as chief executive, in a move which will allow Simon Hall to focus on his duties as chief executive of Proximity Worldwide. The appointment follows the recent...

British Heart Foundation calls four-way pitch for direct business.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is putting its direct marketing account up for grabs following an extensive review of its long-and short-term fundraising strategy. The charity has lined up four agencies to pitch for the retained...

Ipswich direct drive to target inactive savers. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Ipswich Building Society is embarking on a direct mail initiative targeting inactive savings customers to encourage them to do more business with it. The society has appointed Spirit IC to segment its customer base and develop...

DoT cycling safety blitz eves boys. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... The Department of Transport is spearheading a new campaign to promote cycling road safety among teenage boys with a raft of direct marketing activity. The drive, part of the Government's wider 'Think Road Safety' initiative, aims to...

Chrysalis stations in major SMS offensive. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Chrysalis Radio is rolling out a raft of SMS marketing this summer as part of plans to nearly double its customer databases and build loyalty among listeners. The push, which marks Chrysalis' biggest SMS activity to date, will see its...

Government plans to fine all 'nuisance' callers. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... The Government is raising the stakes in its crackdown on power diallers by extending proposals to fine companies and individuals to all 'nuisance' callers. The new remit put forward by Ofcom will include calls that mislead the user into...

ASA bans 'adult' insert over age of title's readers. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned an insert featuring a picture of a woman's bottom with 'Ur-anus Mobile Entertainment' superimposed on it amid fears it would be seen by minors. The insert, which advertised mobile phone...

Express Gifts in hi-tech push to bolster analysis. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Express Gifts, the Findel-owned shopping division, is overhauling its database management, as part of a strategy to cut costs and improve future campaigns. The company, which sells greeting cards, gifts and home and garden items, is...

DMA strikes back at claims of 'wasteful' financial firms. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... The DMA (UK) has hit out a new study which claims that financial services companies are wasting millions of pounds on mailings because they fail to keep mounting customer information accurate. The report, from the GB Group, analysed 4...

Cadillac picks up speed in European expansion drive. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Cadillac, General Motor's US luxury car, is preparing to launch a raft of direct marketing initiatives to muscle in on the European market led by BMW and Mercedes Benz. General Motors, which deals through Vauxhall Motors, is renewing its...

Stockton draws on festival to boost visitors. (News).(Stockton International Riverside Festival hires market research firm Rocket Science)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... The biggest free music festival in the North is using in-depth personal profiling for the first time, as part of plans to build a festival-goers database, and boost awareness and visitors to the region. Stockton International Riverside...

Hillarys hands direct account to Proximity. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... UK specialist Hillarys Blinds has appointed Proximity London its through-the-line agency as part of plans to step up its direct marketing activity. The appointment, which follows a three-way pitch against Harrison Troughton Wunderman and...

Sue Ryder kicks off test donor acquisition drive. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Sue Ryder Care is poised to launch its most ambitious and aggressive marketing relationship drive to date, as part of a strategy to recruit over 100,000 new donors by 2006. The move follows the charity's decision to invest over [pounds]3m...

Air New Zealand modifies targets for bigger catch. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Air New Zealand is overhauling its database marketing strategy and using its loyalty scheme to build in-depth profiles of its customers for acquisitions activity. The airline has hired agency Fox Kalomaski, which specialises in retail,...

Audi appeals to music lovers in new A3 push. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Audi is targeting alternative music fans as part of its strategy to develop a sophisticated relationship marketing programme based on its strapline 'New Attitude, New Audi A3.' The mailing pack promotes the new model Audi A3 and includes a...

Imperial Leather rolls out Foamburst activity. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Imperial Leather is launching a two-month sampling campaign to promote its Foamburst shower gel range. The activity, devised by Tequila/Manchester, will take place in over 40 venues in key UK cities. A team of sampling staff dressed in tight...

CACI adds 5 million to Consumer Register.(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Marketing and business intelligence company CACI is updating its Consumer Register with nearly 5 million new records. The revised Register incorporates data from the 2002 Electoral Roll and strategic partners such as Claritas. CACI developed...

RS Components launches acquisition drive. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... RS Components, the market leader and worldwide distributor of electronic, electrical and mechanical components, is embarking on a multimedia customer acquisition campaign. The campaign, devised by DMP, aims to recruit end-users within targeted...

Nearly half e-commerce sites 'are illegal'. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Some 44 per cent of UK e-commerce websites are operating illegally, and most fall short of the Distance Selling Regulation, according to a new report from the London Chamber of Commerce. The report highlights how many online retailers ignore or...

Hoseasons team secure MBD for expansion drive. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... The management team at Hoseasons Marketing Systems (HMS), the contact centre and telemarketing division of Hoseasons Holidays, have secured a buyout -- and plans to double turnover within five years. The move, spearheaded by founder Richard...

Volvo shake-up designed to bolster customer marketing programmes. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Volvo is planning to bolster its direct marketing by centralising customer information. The decision forms part of plans to boost targeting and fine-tune client relations. The move, being implemented by the Database Group, will help Volvo...

Remington unveils sexy viral push. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Remington is launching a discrete viral marketing campaign to promote its latest shayer, the Bikini Trim & Shape, with a website dedicated to bikini art. The company is targeting the Sex in the City generation and piggybacking Handbag.com...

02 integrates ad blitz in digital offensive to promote Active handsets. (News).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... 02 is bolstering its integrated push to promote the new Active handset by launching a digital campaign featuring the 'hooded' figures from the advertising blitz. The activity, devised by Agency Republic, consists of an online demonstration...

DMA ejects Infolink after unsolicited faxes warning. (International).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... New York: The US DMA has expelled Canadian company Infolink Technologies for flagrantly violating guidelines on unsolicited fax marketing in a major crackdown on members who breach the rules. The company, which provides business news to all...

Australia poised to ban SMS spam. (International).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Canberra: SMS spam is set to be banned under a new Australian Direct Marketing Association (ADMA) code of practice. The mobile marketing code will require companies to obtain permission before sending marketing messages to mobile phones and...

Japanese store chain calls in police over leaked data. (International).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Tokyo: More than half a million customer data records from convenience store chain Lawson have been leaked to a direct mail company, sparking a raft of unsolicited mailshots. The customer information includes name, address, gender, date of...

Dearth of data taxes Italians. (International).(Industry Overview)
July 4, 2003... Italy: Unlike the rest of Europe, the direct marketing industry in Italy is still in its infancy. Italy was the first to adopt the EC Directive on Data Protection, incorporating heavy restrictions. In effect, personal data and company data --...

Game-on for the text generation. (News Analysis).(Industry Overview)
July 4, 2003... As the gaming industry seizes on the advances of the digital age to embrace broadband the internet and mobile phones. Sarah Balmond asks what marketers will be doing to make sure they get their slide of the action. Gamers are no longer...

Why brands are making me hit screaming point.
July 4, 2003... Saying you have concerns about branding is like saying you do not believe in God. I promise I have not lost the faith -- it is just that brands seem so samey. When people reveal their brand pyramid, temple, onion, my cynicism starts to bubble;...

Letters.(letters to the editor)
July 4, 2003... Kwik-Fit's is a service, not a true relationship Fantastic customer service experience at Kwik-Fit is not unusual (Leader, PM June 6). I interviewed people at the company while at my previous job with Peppers & Rogers and the firm's focus...

If you don't attract the terrorists something must be going wrong. (Comment).
July 4, 2003... How much white mail does your business receive? (White mail being the term for ad hoc response from customers and prospects - normally received in white envelopes). In the aftermath of a product campaign, it is not unusual for recipients...

Not quite such a cheap option. (Leader).
July 4, 2003... Well, it didn't take long for the Indian call centre market to cock it up, did it? This week's news that one of the sector's major players, GTL, has been forced to pay a huge settlement after a disputed contract should literally set off alarm...

Door - step challenge.
July 4, 2003... The door-to-door market has witnessed huge growth over the past few years, with., expenditure now exceeding outdoor and radio. Concluding our current series, Simon Smith of Baber Smith and David Hodson of stream give their expert opinion on...

Going the distance. (Special Report: Customer Contact Centres).
July 4, 2003... DOES THIS SCENARIO sound familiar? The client needs a strategic partner to deal with customer interactions that are central to its customer relationship management (CRM) goals. Having stressed the importance of quality calls, the client...

Boundaries of outbound calls. (Special Report: Outbound Telemarketing).
July 4, 2003... Given the impending threat of hard-hitting legislative controls on business-to-business telemarketing calls, companies need to act now to ensure good practice. FOR DECADES, OUTBOUND business-to-business (B2B) sales calls have been as...

Health catalogue reveals female homeowner base. (List File).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Avongate has made the new Health & Comfort list of 41,346 mail order buyers of healthy products available. The catalogue sells a range of health, beauty, garden and home products. Some 65 per cent of the list are female, and the majority...

Animal charity lists prize draw ticket buyers. (List File).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), an organisation dedicated to caring for sick and injured animals, is unveiling its record of mail order buyers of lottery tickets through Cheryl Nathan List Broking. The lottery tickets cost...

FT to make big global investors record available. (List File).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Financial Times has released its World Investor Link file of 115,000 worldwide readers. The names consist of people who have requested annual reports of quoted companies. The file, which contains e-mail and postal address, also features...

WWAV Rapp Collins Media names director. (Moving People).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Ian Maynard, former Proximity Group board director, has accepted the role of director at WWAV Rapp Collins Media. He says: "Media has become central to planning total communications strategies in direct marketing, and, in doing so, opens up the...

RPM hires trio of new account managers. (Moving People).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... RPM has appointed three account managers to strengthen its team. Joining from agency Arc, Sarah Trumble will be responsible for tea brands Scottish Blend and PG Tips. Meanwhile, Hayley Davis is to work on Lipton Ice Tea. Wendy Tring, previously...

Agency.com selects art director and copywriter. (Moving People).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Agency.com has appointed Adrian Peters and Dave Wellington as art director and copywriter, respectively, in its London creative team. Both arrive from digital advertising company Glue, and will produce campaigns for clients such as BT. Managing...

Draft London appoints digital new business chief. (Moving People).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Draft London has recruited Rhydian Fisher to head new business in the digital arena. Fisher joins from I-D Media, a Web-based company, and has secured account wins including MTV, Flextech, Scottish Courage, Reebok, Puma and Levi's. Fisher says:...

Thomson's Whatley to head business info arm. (Moving People).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Thomson Directories, the local directory publisher, has promoted Mary Whatley to head its business information division. She will be responsible for enhancing the division, which provides direct marketing tools for business. Whatley, who joined...

ITraffic chooses Tom Gregory as designer. (Moving People).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... ITraffic, the interactive marketing and advertising agency, has appointed Tom Gregory as a designer to work across accounts such as British Airways, Freeserve and Heineken. He joins from WCRS, where he worked on the agency's BMW, Mini and...

Granby names McKinlay account manager. (Moving People).(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... Granby Marketing Services, a response-handling, fulfilment and data-capture provider, has made Marc McKinlay an account manager. McKinlay arrives from FWL Technologies, where he was a telemarketer, to develop client relationships and boost...

Dining with the good, bad and ugly. (Diary).
July 4, 2003... Ever wonder what lengths we go to to bring you this bloody column every week? Sadly, we doubt it. Not that we're feeling under-appreciated -- now that we're a senior member of the editorial team (well, if you hang around long enough it's bound...

On a promise. (Soundoff).(humorous article)(Brief Article)
July 4, 2003... You'll be pleased to know that my black eye is going down a bit -- currently a lighter shade of purple tinged with yellow. Bizarrely, I've had more than one creative director claiming responsibility after the awards last week, but I'd never...

Smith launches list management firm RSA Direct.(Rosemary Smith, former Prospect Shop chief)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Former Prospect Shop chief Rosemary Smith aims to combat "an exhausted list market" by launching list management firm RSA DIRECT. Smith, who has 15 years' experience in the list industry as managing director of Mardev and The Prospect...

Proximity scoops Royal Mail i-brief.(Proximity London)(Royal Mail Group PLC)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... ROYAL MAIL has handed its interactive account to Proximity London after a final four-way pitch. The agency will be solely responsible for interactive work for the next three years, after the client decided to consolidate work into one...

Mirror Group plans major direct assault.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) is planning to build its first comprehensive customer marketing database. The initiative forms part of a strategy that could see the company launch major direct marketing campaigns like rivals the Telegraph Group...

US telemarketers rocked as 20m sign to block calls.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... The US telemarketing sector is facing meltdown over the new Do Not Call register, which has already signed up an estimated 20 million consumers who want to block sales calls. The register, which is attracting more than 158 consumer...

Outdoor leads way as industry posts 6% uplift.(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... The DMA (UK)'s latest census figures reveal the industry remains strong despite an uncertain economic climate. The sector's worth has increased 6 per cent in the past year, and is now estimated to be [pounds sterling]11.85bn. Direct...

TPG Post hires Media Markets director Higham. (News).(David Higham)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... David HIGHAM, former publishing director of Royal Mail MEDIA MARKETS, is to spearhead Netherlands-based company TPG POST's assault on the UK delivery of bulk mail after accepting the position of development director. Higham, who spent ten...

Amnesty shakes up direct activity. (News).(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Amnesty International UK is revamping its database marketing activity to improve the efficiency of its campaigns. The global human rights charity has appointed Occam, a data solutions company that has worked with over 110 charities, to...

Pinocchio ads to fuel Tory mailing assault. (News).(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... The Conservative Party is planning a raft of hard-hitting direct marketing activity to exploit its new-found popularity among the UK electorate and attract new members to boost its fundraising coffers. The first direct campaign breaks this...

Red Cross uses emotive tack for donor drive. (News).(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... The British Red Cross is targeting existing donors with an emotive new direct mail campaign. The mailing, created by WWAV Rapp Collins West, is part of a drive to encourage current donors to give more to the charity. It is being sent out...

Breakthrough in iTV paves way for mass uptake. (News).(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Interactive TV advertising is set to be revolutionised with the launch of a new service which it is claimed will speed up the creative process. Developed by iTV advertising services company Press Red, initially on behalf of Sky...

Own-label food firm plans new branded range. (News).(Better Tasting Snack Foods)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Gourmet snack company Better Tasting Snack Foods -- which produces own-label foods for supermarkets -- plans to launch branded products through a direct marketing blitz. The firm has appointed Spirit IC to manage its integrated...

Peroni builds relationship strategy for Nastro brand. (News).(Birra Peroni)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Italian brewing giant Birra Peroni is poised to create its first UK database for the Nastro Azzurro brand as it embarks on a raft of direct marketing activity. The campaign, through Boomerang Media, kicks off with a responsive postcard...

Fiat takes humorous tack in two-way Seicento drive. (News).(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Fiat is launching a direct marketing campaign and online film to back its Seicento marque. Created by Arc, the mailpack and humorous online ad will support the Italian car giant's bid to improve sales of its Seicento Special Active Sport...

Guinness push targets 'loyal' summer drinkers. (News).(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Guinness is unveiling a major direct campaign to regular drinkers to support Draught Extra Gold. The initiative, developed by Tullo Marshall Warren (TMW), consists of a pocketsized 'Thirstometer' that allows consumers to take the...

Express Gifts to mail women in pre-Xmas work. (News).(launching direct mail campaign )(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Express Gifts is launching a direct mail campaign to preempt the Christmas rush. The Findel-owned mail order gift specialist is planning to boost orders from flagship titles Ace and Studio by targeting predominately female enquirers in a...

SeaFrance lines up nine agencies in direct review. (News).(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... SeaFrance, the only Frenchowned cross-Channel ferry to operate on the Dover-Calais route, is reviewing its direct marketing account. The company is seeking to distribute work across two agencies to create more coordinated campaigns and has...

VW tries power of interaction in V10 insert push. (News).(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Volkswagen (UK) is launching an interactive postcard insert in national motoring titles to back the launch of its V10 diesel model. Out-of-home media specialists Hive Associates have been commissioned by ad agency BMP DDB's production arm,...

MyTravelGroup seeks data group in niche bid. (News).(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... MyTravelGroup, owner of leading holiday brands Going Places and Airtours, is searching for a database management consultancy to develop campaigns for its new no-frills offering. MyTravelLite, a bargain online flights-only brand, is looking...

Macmillan Cancer Relief rolls out direct pack. (News).(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Macmillan Cancer Relief is launching a hard-hitting direct marketing pack targeting 50,000 existing supporters. The move forms part of its strategy to reposition the brand. The pack promotes awareness of Macmillan's self-help, financial,...

TfL puts out feelers for direct agency. (News).(Transport for London )(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Transport for London (TfL) has launched a review of its below-the-line business, thought to be worth more than [pounds sterling]5m. The account is currently held by Triangle Communications. The winning agency will be responsible for TfL's...

Carlson wins Hyundai multi-million UK account. (News).(direct marketing account awared to Carlson Marketing Group)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Hyundai has awarded its multi-million pound UK direct marketing account to Carlson Marketing Group, following a four-way pitch. Carlson will initially be charged with consolidating the car manufacturer's data planning and analysis and...

IDM and IPA link up for courses launch. (News).(Institute of Direct Marketing and Institute of Practitioners in Advertising )(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... The Institute of Direct Marketing and Institute of Practitioners in Advertising are jointly launching their first set of courses aimed at direct marketing agencies. Best Practice in Today's Agencies and Excellence in Account Handling will be...

Ascot steps up drive with door drop campaign. (News).(Ascot Racecourse is launching a direct marketing campaign)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Ascot Racecourse is launching a direct marketing campaign to raise awareness and attendance figures for the Ascot Summer Season. The door drop campaign, designed by Mercier Gray, will target more than 500,000 25- to 45-year-old prospects...

Radio Times marks direct return with mail blitz to boost readership. (News).(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Radio Times is embarking on its first direct marketing campaign for a year to boost retention and circulation and redefine its marketing database. Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy has been appointed to produce a targeted direct mail...

Hilton plans major regional online offensive. (News).(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Hilton International is poised to launch its most aggressive Internet activity to date, as part of a five-year strategy to update its online customer acquisition techniques. The company has appointed its first external interactive agency,...

Upmarket holiday company eyes over-50s for 2004 brochure push. (News).(Cox & Kings)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Cox & Kings, which claims to be the world's oldest travel company, is rolling out its first brochure-request drive. The move forms part of a long-term strategy to develop more sophisticated direct mailings and boost overall sales. The...

Top US retail chain hit by mass identity theft scam. (International).(Best Buy)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Washington DC: Best Buy, the electrical, home and entertainment retailer, is the latest victim of spam-related fraud, in what insiders claim is the largest identity theft case to emerge in the US. Market leader Best Buy claims thieves used...

Lowe wins direct India vodka work. (International).(Lowe Mumbai picks up direct marketing account for Vladivar Vodka and drink brand Veba from brewer Shaw Wallace)(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Mumbai: Lowe Mumbai has picked up the direct marketing account for Vladivar Vodka and pre-mixed drink brand Veba from brewer Shaw Wallace. Vodka sales are among the fastest growing in the Indian drinks sector. Shaw Wallace is looking to...

Ireland bars designer from screening religious site. (International).(Brief Article)
July 11, 2003... Ireland: The Data Protection Commission has waded into a religious debate on the Internet by preventing a Web designer from screening prayers that have been emailed to a website for nuns for illicit content. The commission was asked to...

Give big brands time to catch up. (International).
July 11, 2003... Scottsdale, Arizona: Sometimes the flashy new brand with the latest benefit and really cool website isn't worth switching to -- especially for purchases that are really important to us, like financial services and automobiles, and complex,...

Whatever happened to 'media neutrality'? (News Analysis).
July 11, 2003... Just over a year ago, the hype over media-neutral planning reached epidemic proportions but why are so few client companies actually doing it? David Reed uncovers the barriers to implementation. Is media neutral planning (MNP) an important...

Striking a chord with festival fans. (News Analysis).(marketing music festivals)
July 11, 2003... Summer music festivals provide a unique apportunity to capture the notoriously suspicious and cynical youth market. But firms need to employ sophisticated direct techniques to ensure the audience never grows weary. Sex, drugs and rock 'n'...

Nurturing healthy accounts-creative bonds. (The PM Surgery).
July 11, 2003... THE EXPERT In his monthly column, Jim Surguy tackles two problems facing the agency sector, while David Daly (below) hears a sad tale of a customer's not so personal banking trauma. Jim Surguy managing director, Results Business...

Loyalty only comes with the personal touch. (The PM Surgery).(a cas study)
July 11, 2003... THE CONSUMER David Daly reviews what happens when a company ditches individual communications for the call centre treatment. Duncan Wilkes managing director, RAC Business Solutions Although I live in Twickenham, my bank account is...

Sages can teach young upstarts a lesson or two.(marketing industry)
July 11, 2003... As every parent knows, children learn by example. On the whole, this is a good thing, but it is difficult to maintain the position of positive role model, and sods' law states that kids will most likely see and copy all the things we would...