Precision Marketing articles from June 2005

Precision Marketing archives from June 2005

Ex-Claritas boss to head Bounty data services.(Appointed Dean Epton as services director)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Former Claritas UK managing director Dean Epton has joined Bounty as data services director. He will be responsible for developing the company's database, including the recently launched Baby Suppression File, which helps marketers to...

Stapleton blasts 'laughable' Royal Mail #2bn loss claim.
June 3, 2005... Postcomm chairman Nigel Stapleton has dismissed as "laughable" Royal Mail's claim that its proposed price freeze will slash #2bn off the company's market value. The regulator's review of price and service regulations for 2006 has...

Experian buys Future Foundation.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Experian has acquired strategic consultancy and think-tank Future Foundation Group, which will form part of its Business Strategies division. Future Foundation has carried out research on behalf of the DMA (UK) to help it to understand...

UIA Insurance hands account to Draft London.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Mutual insurance firm UIA Insurance has appointed Draft London to handle its #3m marketing communications account. Draft is understood to have pitched against Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw, Lida and Personal - the direct division of...

US lighting giant appoints Keevill Barton Kershaw.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... The company that illuminates sites such as the Statue of Liberty and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is enlightening UK consumers about its products with a direct campaign. Lutron Electronics has appointed independent, London-based agency...

Asthma UK launches 'suffocating' campaign.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Asthma UK, a charity for sufferers of the respiratory condition, is appealing to 25,000 existing supporters with a direct mail initiative to raise funds and generate awareness of its work. The campaign, created by Claydon Heeley Jones...

Asda Opticians in reminder push.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Asda Opticians is aiming to catch the eye of existing customers with a direct mail campaign reminding them when their next sight test is due. The Ashley Bolser Agency, which is behind the drive, will send existing Asda Opticians...

DMA gives backing to online Fraud Bill.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... The DMA (UK)'s legal team is throwing its weight behind a government bill aimed at clamping down on identity theft. The Fraud Bill, presented to Parliament last week, is designed to strengthen existing laws and make it easier to prosecute...

Door-drop blitz pushes Historic Scotland events.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Historic Scotland is launching a door-drop campaign to encourage individuals to visit sites across the country. The Union is handling the initiative, which will endorse a jousting tournament taking place at Linlithgow in July. The door-drop...

Hilton in Amex mail initiative to push resorts.(Hilton Worldwide Resorts)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Hilton Worldwide Resorts is targeting 150,000 customers and American Express members in a direct mail blitz to boost summer and autumn bookings. A two-piece glossy mailing reveals 14 new resorts in exotic locations which Hilton has...

Carte D'Or builds loyalty with three-year drive.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Carte D'Or, the Unilever-owned ice-cream brand, is seeking to scoop rivals with a three-year customer management drive. The initiative aims to build loyalty among 160,000 ice-cream lovers, as part of a #6.5m marketing strategy. Craik...

Scandinavian Airlines picks Liquid to lift direct assaults.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... SAS Scandinavian Airlines is overhauling its data operations to enhance integrated communications. Liquid Communications has been appointed to handle data analysis and integrated marketing - taking over from Fox Kalomaski and Red Cell...

Which? hands WPN #6m task to boost subscribers.(Consumer rights organisation )(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Consumer rights organisation Which? is shaking up its direct arrangements to boost magazine subscribers. The association has appointed Watson Phillips Norman (WPN) to handle its #6m account, following a four-way pitch. The agency will be...

Panasonic hires Inbox to bolster online insight.(Inbox Digital)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Panasonic UK has appointed a dedicated digital agency to handle its online customer management strategy. Swindon-based shop Inbox Digital has won the business after a four-way pitch. The brief is to provide a communications strategy, data...

YMCA signs up for donor profiling tool.(Young Men's Christian Associations)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... YMCA is among the first charities set to benefit from DonationPlus, a Web-based subscriber acquisition and retention service created by data specialist CCB. The system works on a pay-as-you-go basis, with a monthly subscription rate...

EuroDirect to launch online credit finder.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... EuroDirect, supplier of data and technology solutions, is launching an online direct response service to help consumers find credit card or loan offers most suited to their circumstances. MyCreditZoo.co.uk can be used to match details...

Sunsail expands base with major viral push.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Sunsail, a sailing holiday company owned by travel giant First Choice, is unveiling an online viral game to develop customer loyalty. The drive is to target over 100,000 customers through Sunsail's monthly e-newsletter. It will carry a...

Save The Children taps donors for added giving.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Save The Children is launching a supporter upgrade campaign, asking donors to increase their donations to #15 a month, and join Child Link, a fundraising initiative that helps thousands of children in a region of the giver's choice. TDA is...

ATOC makes dual agency appointments.(Communique 360)(Association of Train Operating Companies )(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) has hired Communique 360 and McCann-Erickson to lead a three-month integrated drive aimed at small travel groups, offering three or four tickets for the price of two. Communique 360 is...

AA hires I-level for digital projects.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... The AA has enlisted I-level to handle media planning and buying for its digital media account. The agency will be responsible for developing return on investment for digital channels within the company's core business sectors - roadside...

EHS Brann to lead Barclaycard global activity.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Barclaycard International has appointed EHS Brann its lead agency for strategic marketing planning and advice, across new and existing international markets. Data division EHS Brann Discovery will handle data planning. The agency will offer...

Experian unveils customer lifetime gauge.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Experian is rolling out Lifetime Value Score, a product developed for the home-shopping sector to score prospects according to their expected lifetime value. The product is powered by up to 6,000 variables and spans the entire UK adult...

Royal Mail eyes kids in Trooping Colour offensive.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Royal Mail is launching an integrated campaign to promote a series of stamps celebrating the 176th anniversary of Trooping of the Colour. A mailing to 45,000 homes will kick-start the drive, which primarily targets parents and...

Louis Vuitton data revamp to drive consumers online.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Louis Vuitton is overhauling its customer management strategy by driving online sales of its luxury brands. It has appointed software provider ATG to manage data and track customers via its website. The software will provide Louis Vuitton...

Catchpole quits HTW to launch own agency.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Chris Catchpole, an associate creative director at Harrison Troughton Wunderman (HTW), has quit to form integrated agency Catchpole &friends. The shop is backed by PR firm Blue Rubicon, a minority stakeholder. Catchpole has worked there...

VSO mailing focuses on plight of disabled children.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... VSO is targeting 35,000 homes with a mailing to encourage people to help disabled children to survive in the developing world. The campaign, created by Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw, targets existing donors, highlighting the continuous,...

Australian DMA supports national Do Not Call list.(Australian Direct Marketing Association )(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Sydney: The Australian Direct Marketing Association (ADMA) is backing government recommendations for the creation of a national Do Not Call register. Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis has argued in favour of the idea, which would mirror...

OFT halts deceptive Dutch mailing.(Office of Fair Trading)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Eindhoven: The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has banned a Dutch marketing company from publishing and distributing misleading mailings in the UK. DC Direct Communications Venk conned thousands of residents into believing they had won cash...

Business Action for Africa in bid to build presence.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Djibouti: Creative marketing agency Folk is to devise a brand identity and website for Business Action for Africa, an international coalition comprising over 250 businesses aiming to end poverty on the continent. Companies from across...

Turkey emerges as online power.
June 3, 2005... Istanbul: In Turkey, online advertising and other digital media are relatively new, but steadily growing. Measured by its economic, political and social structure, Turkey's an emerging country, and, with its young population, an important...

ANALYSIS: Stapleton stands firm over postal wrangles.
June 3, 2005... Recent weeks have seen bitter complaints levelled at Postcomm by Royal Mail, Postwatch and direct marketers alike. So chairman Nigel Stapleton has a tough job trying to find some middle ground. Sebastian Burford reports By anyone's...

Profile - Don Peppers: Peppers finds life after CRM.(customer relationship management)
June 3, 2005... A leading light in the CRM movement, direct guru Don Peppers is set to unsettle the industry once more with his latest ideas about customer worth. David Reed reports Mention the name Don Peppers to direct marketers, and you will get two...

Letter: Postcomm prevarication over PIP behind protests.(Letter to the Editor)
June 3, 2005... As someone who attended the recent Postcomm forum on pricing in proportion (PIP), I can testify to the accuracy of your coverage (PM last week). Tempers did indeed flare. And Postcomm chairman Nigel Stapleton did appear to lose patience with...

Letter: No grounds for PIP objections.(Letter to the Editor)
June 3, 2005... I read with interest the Profile on Judith Donovan (PM May 20). Judith knows that Royal Mail has machines that sort A4 items, and has been investing in state-of-the-art machinery. Over the last two years, it has spent #30m on flat-sorting...

You can learn a lot by following visitors' online search behaviour.
June 3, 2005... COMMENT: JIM STERNE If websites are to achieve optimum hit levels, marketers must take the time to decipher how consumers go about finding a site, and how they search within it However brilliant your website might be, consumers won't...

Letter: Suppression so often a letdown.(Letter to the Editor)
June 3, 2005... Each week seems to herald the arrival of yet another suppression file which claims to be the solution to all targeting ills. Last month was no exception (PM May 6), as Acxiom announced its entry into the market. Oh joy - another solution to...

Letter: Westgate seems like 'sore loser'.(Letter to the Editor)
June 3, 2005... I agree wholeheartedly with Heather Westgate's observations about the "time- and money-wasting pitch process" (PM May 20). We recently pitched - unsuccessfully - for a piece of business, only to find out subsequently that we were up against...

LEADER: Would you want Stapleton's job?
June 3, 2005... Is there anyone out there who was remotely surprised to see Allan Leighton jump out of his pram over Postcomm's new price-freeze proposals, which, according to the Royal Mail chairman, are a "kick in the teeth" for his people. "They destroy...

Creative critique.
June 3, 2005... Steve Stretton, Archibald Ingall Stretton If you've got something to say, say it quickly. If you can, in one word British Heart Foundation Most people know EHS Brann's anti-smoking campaign - and this is its follow-up to people...

SPECIAL REPORT - SUPPRESSION: Spoilt for choice.(pressure being put on file owners to reveal their sources)
June 3, 2005... The rise of suppression files on the market is doing little to satisfy list-owners. With no clear answers on why results vary so drastically from one tool to the next, and their owners being unwilling to divulge their sources, clients don't...

SPECIAL REPORT - VIRAL MARKETING: Too much information.
June 3, 2005... Viral marketing campaigns must have sufficient appeal and relevance for recipients to spread the brand's message. But can marketers further exploit the medium to prise data from consumers at the same time? David Reed reports Read this...

SilverMinds unveils list of over-50s.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Mail order music company SilverMinds Direct has released its list of 26,767 customers through Prospect Swetenhams. The company specialises in CDs featuring songs from the Fifties to the Eighties, and the audience is predominantly over-50,...

IIR offers info on customers.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Industry skills adviser IIR has released information on its 511,040 customers through Wyvern Direct Response. IIR advises companies throughout the world, on conferences, training, seminars, consultancy work and exhibitions. The firm has...

Preference data file on market.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... The Preference Service has gained its 7-millionth customer. The provider of consumer preference data has built a consumer database containing details of preferences, attitudes and demographics, as well as requests for specific offers. ...

Firebox reveals buyer database.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Mail order company Firebox has unveiled details of its 148,972 customers through EDM Media. The firm offers a range of quirky gadgets, gifts and toys. Research shows that customers are mainly ABs who earn over #25,000 a year. Some 75...

Rosie Nieper updates names.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Rosie Nieper is releasing its updated list of nearly 70,000 names through Go Direct Marketing. The niche catalogue offers a range of funky, amusing and fun T-shirts for adults and children. It owns a wide selection of brands, including...

Snowball lures Team Spirit's Rendall.(appointed Jenny Rendall as account executive)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Independent marketing agency Snowball has appointed Jenny Rendall account executive, to work across a range of clients. Rendall joins from promotional marketing specialist Team Spirit, having worked on brands such as Clinique, Givenchy and...

FirstAssist names Totty group commercial director.(appointed Martin Totty as group commercial director)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Health and well-being specialist FirstAssist has named Martin Totty group commercial director. The newly created job will make Totty responsible for sales and marketing. He will draw on 25 years' experience and a background in the packaged...

Dynamo picks two group account directors.(Appointments)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Dynamo Marketing has hired two new group account directors to strengthen its senior team, and boost client development and strategic marketing initiatives. Nicola Barr will be responsible for key clients including Unilever, Nectar and...

Nice work: Clare Morgan, Acxiom.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2005... Name: Clare Morgan Company: Acxiom UK Department: Services sales Job title: Client executive Responsibilities: Leading the UK multi-industry services sales team. I am responsible for selling Acxiom services to new customers...

Norwich Union overhauls data to slash waste.(Norwich Union PLC customer management system through suppression file)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Norwich Union is bolstering its direct marketing operation, to slash the number of mailings it wastes on customers who have moved house. The company has adopted Experian's Absolute Movers suppression file for its customer management...

BP hires 20:20 London to launch viral drive for Ultimate brand.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... BP has appointed 20:20 London to launch an Internet and mobile marketing push for 'green' petrol brand Ultimate. An online viral campaign, and accompanying micro-site, will break this week, supported by mobile marketing. 20:20...

Carr turns up heat on Royal Mail.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Postwatch chairman Peter Carr has waded into the row over Postcomm's pricing proposals, tongue-lashing Royal Mail for claiming the price- freeze would starve the company of cash. The watchdog maintains that the plans allow a minimum...

Industry rocked by insurance rate hike.(direct marketing)
June 10, 2005... Direct marketing indemnity costs have soared by 400 per cent in the past four years, leading brokers to label the discipline 'riskier than promotions'. Agencies are suffering from the rocketing cost of insuring direct campaigns against...

Wegener DM lures Purdie to director role.(appointment)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Consumer data specialist Wegener DM has appointed Rob Purdie to the newly created role of data solutions director. Purdie previously ran his own customer management consultancy, with Wegener being a major client. His background is in...

Guinness mail offensive backs Lions NZ tour.(New Zealand)(marketing)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Diageo is revealing a direct initiative to back Guinness as the official beer of the British & Irish Lions rugby tour in New Zealand. The drive, created by Tullo Marshall Warren (TMW), aims to raise the drink's profile among die-hard...

Peugeot mailing lures 807 marque prospects.(marketing)(EHS Brann London)
June 10, 2005... Peugeot is aiming to boost sales of its extended 807 range with a mailing campaign targeting buyers who have recently expressed an interest. EHS Brann London has put together the campaign, which will break this week, targeting 15,000...

Direct shop Yellow Submarine folds.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Direct marketing agency Yellow Submarine, set up 11 years ago, has been placed into administration due to mounting debts and the loss of key clients such as travel services company First Rate. Fourteen permanent jobs have been lost, with...

Business Post chief targets #1bn share.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... The boss of Business Post - one of the firms vying for a slice of the UK postal service - has predicted that private companies will battle it out for #1bn-worth of business in the deregulated market. Speaking at The Logistics Event...

Volvic teams up with charity in V festival drive.(21st Century Leaders)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Volvic, the Danone-owned water brand, is splashing out on a wave of direct marketing to take advantage of the growing popularity of summer music festivals. The firm is unveiling a data-capture initiative on over 30 million bottles, to...

Refugee Action backs women in donor appeal.(TW Cat)(marketing)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Refugee Action, a national charity dedicated to helping refugees rebuild their lives, is throwing the spotlight on the plight of women from war-torn countries. The organisation is working with donor recruitment specialist TW Cat to raise...

Migraine Trust taps sufferers for donations.(marketing)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... The Migraine Trust, a medical research and patient support charity, is targeting sufferers of the condition in a direct push to raise funds. The organisation has appointed Cheltenham-based agency TDA to develop its direct marketing...

Tequila retains Prudential brief after three-way pitch.(marketing contracts)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Prudential has retained Tequila\London for its #10m life assurance and pensions direct marketing business, following a review culminating in a three-way pitch. The financial services provider demanded a final shoot-out between Joshua,...

US sports TV giant urges UK viewers to subscribe.(MC and C)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... North American Sports Network (NASN), a TV broadcaster dedicated to US sports, is kicking off a direct marketing drive to boost its UK subscription base. NASN is now in its third year of UK broadcasting, screening National Football...

VisitScotland to push kids' fun in schools blitz.(marketing)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... VisitScotland is launching an insert campaign to promote its Essence Guides, which push activities for kids during the summer holidays. WWAV Rapp Collins Edinburgh has created the programme, which will be included in a 'Bags of info'...

Wrigley's data blitz plays on music links.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Wrigley's is rolling out its biggest ever onpack promotion as part of a data-capture drive offering customers the chance to win an iPod. The initiative is set to run across Wrigley's entire Extra chewing gum and mints range, and builds...

Bounty secures deal for joint research plan.(Bounty and Research Now)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Parenting group Bounty and Research Now, a European online fieldwork specialist, have joined forces to develop an online panel of new and expectant mothers. Mums' Opinions will provide insight into expectant and new mothers' thoughts...

DfT launches summer drink-drive offensive.(Department for Transport)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... The Department for Transport (DfT) is launching the summer phase of its drink-drive warning campaign Think! with an integrated campaign in partnership with pubs, bars and off-licences. Integrated agency Iris has been tasked with handling...

Spinnaker wins bingo association brief.(marketing)(National Bingo Game Association)(Spinnaker)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... The National Bingo Game Association has appointed Spinnaker to manage a raft of direct activity. The primary objective is to communicate changes to the game, provide marketing support to member clubs, promote The National Bingo Game and find...

Acxiom considers takeover proposal.(of ValueAct Capital Partners)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Acxiom is the subject of a $2bn (#1.1bn) takeover bid by its largest shareholder, San Francisco-based investment firm ValueAct Capital Partners. The company is reported to be offering $23 a share. Acxiom company leader Charles Morgan says...

Ex-Hicklin Slade chief arrested in fraud case.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Hicklin Slade & Partners' former finance director Sharon Bridgewater, has been arrested over alleged involvement in a #1m fraud operation. Bridgewater and a man in his 30s were questioned at an Essex police station and bailed to return in...

Open University unveils rebrand.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... The Open University is unveiling an integrated brand response campaign, created by FCBi London, to highlight its brand repositioning. The multichannel drive, entitled 'Powering people', is based on the organisation's offer of accessible...

Trafficmaster embarks on direct activity.(marketing)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Trafficmaster, the traffic information and satellite navigation specialist, is testing a raft of direct work after appointing Personal. The brief features four different mailings to 60,000 affluent 35- to 55- year-olds, and 600,000 inserts in...

Butlins updates image in push for new hotel.(marketing)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Butlins is rolling out an integrated campaign to tempt visitors to its latest beachside hotel at Bognor Regis. The drive, created by Clark McKay and Walpole (CMW), is designed to help the brand to shake off perceptions of being outdated,...

Asda plans major offensive to market child trust fund.(Asda Financial Services)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Asda Financial Services is unveiling a mailing initiative to nurture its Child Trust Fund (CTF). Some 100,000 parents of young children are being targeted with the mailing, which details the incentive of #25-worth of George vouchers. ...

Telewest drive lures customers to broadband.(Telewest Broadband)(marketing)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Telewest Broadband is unleashing a direct campaign to convince 300,000 dial-up customers to switch to Blueyonder. The Internet services provider has previously targeted direct mail at BSkyB customers, as it seeks to engage the rapidly...

Volkswagen 'illusions' mailshot promotes Golf Plus.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Volkswagen is launching a direct mail drive to build awareness of the Golf Plus and explain new features. Proximity London is behind an initiative that uses the advertising strapline: 'The new Golf Plus. A Golf, just a little bigger.' ...

Experian details US firms in B2B marketing service.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... California: Experian is launching a Web-based research service enabling business-to-business marketers to download and sort data on more than 12 million US firms. Subscribers to BizInfo Online will pay an annual fee to access up to...

Aussie young are easier to target.(marketing)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... Sydney: The Australian Direct Marketing Association (ADMA) is backing the findings of a study which reveals age and technological experience are key factors in consumers' acceptance of direct media. The report, launched in association...

Survey finds US population 'hooked on the Web'.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2005... New York: US residents are email 'junkies', so hooked on the Web that they check for messages while in the bathroom, at church or driving. A survey carried out by Opinion Research among 4,000 people, aged 18 and over, found the average...

Wait is over for Irish postcodes.
June 10, 2005... Dublin: For many years, Ireland's direct marketing industry has invested considerable time and money in lobbying the Irish government to introduce postcodes. In late May this year, we finally got the answer we were waiting for. Albeit...

NEWS ANALYSIS: Direct action joins the music festival line-up.
June 10, 2005... Music festivals offer organisers and sponsors the perfect opportunity to capture data on thousands of people - predominantly the youth market. According to Jessica Phillips, they are grabbing it with both hands The sprawling, mud-filled...

PROFILE - NIGEL GRIMES: Data and the life of grimes.(Biography)
June 10, 2005... While consumers are busy collecting AirMiles, it is director of insight Nigel Grimes' job to see that their personal details are banked. He talks to Sebastian Burford about the value of being truly customer- centric Ask most people how...

STUART ARCHIBALD: Account people must rediscover the creative love.
June 10, 2005... I sometimes wonder what it was that attracted me to this industry. I'll admit to having a naive expectation that it would be full of beautiful people, expensive lunches and long-distance travel, but one thing stood out above all the other...