Precision Marketing articles from March 2006

Precision Marketing archives from March 2006

Fines 'won't kill silent calls'.(telecommunications regulations)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... The Government's tenfold increase in fines for firms found culpable for silent calls - from #5,000 to #50,000 - will not kill off the menace, according to the DMA (UK)'s Contact Centre Council chairman John Price, who claims consumers will...

WWAV unveils spin-off with DDB.(WWAV Rapp Collins )
March 3, 2006... Omnicom shops WWAV Rapp Collins and DDB are launching a spin-off joint agency to handle integrated accounts, although both refute suggestions that it is a precursor to a full merger. The new venture, DDB WWAV Rapp Collins, sees a core...

Parcelforce shortlists four direct shops.(direct marketing agency)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Royal Mail courier service Parcelforce is hunting a direct marketing agency. It has drawn up a shortlist of four which will fight it out for a specific project. However, it is thought that the victorious agency will eventually be...

Thomson creates '1m mailpack variations'.(marketing impact)
March 3, 2006... It is a tricky time to be a travel operator. Competition is fierce. The Internet has opened the market to a host of cut-price operators, while the growth of budget airlines offering implausibly low fairs has enabled travellers to assemble...

BenQ-Siemens eyes young in major drive.(campaign by Spinnaker)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... BenQ Mobile is rolling out an integrated campaign for the launch of its latest BenQ-Siemens handset, in a bid to target young, fashion- conscience consumers. The campaign, created by London agency Spinnaker, centres on the SL75's smooth...

VW picks Leith for Seat fleet task.(Volkswagen Group )(The Leith Agency )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Volkswagen Group is to devise its first fleet marketing strategy for the Seat brand. The automotive giant has appointed The Leith Agency to handle the account. It will be responsible for developing a strategy for all models, including...

Unilever carves out direct strategy for Dove products.(through Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Unilever is stepping up direct marketing activity for its Dove brand and has extended two of its roster agencies' briefs. The packaged goods giant has awarded Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel a brief for its Dove soap bar. This is...

Kwik-Fit to keep tabs on Web visitors' moves.
March 3, 2006... Kwik-Fit Insurance Services is looking to maximise the value of its online activity by implementing an email marketing solution. The firm has enlisted RedEye to supply it with technology that will enable it to segment its database of...

SimplySwitch plugs into NI data for mutual promotions.(News International)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Price comparison service SimplySwitch has been given access to News International databases to broaden its target market. The company has entered into a two-year partnership with News International, which will yield several integrated...

O2 shower cap mailing pushes overseas calls.(through Archibald Ingall Stretton)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Mobile phone network O2 is using direct mail to encourage its customers to make international calls. The mailing, created by Archibald Ingall Stretton, will run throughout the year. It features a shower cap mounted on a card along with...

UIA poised to return to AIS for DRTV blitz.(UIA Insurance )(Archibald Ingall Stretton )(direct response television)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... UIA Insurance is set to perform a major U-turn in its direct marketing strategy by reappointing Archibald Ingall Stretton (AIS) to run a DRTV campaign, less than nine months after handing the account to Draft London. It is unclear how...

Business school lures executives.(London Business School )(Tequila\London given marketing contract)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... London Business School has appointed Tequila\London to handle its integrated account, following a three-way pitch. Tequila beat Saatchi & Saatchi X and Publicis Dialog to the brief. The agency will handle marketing for the school's...

IN BRIEF: British Gas renews price freeze pledge.(through campaign by WWAV Rapp Collins London)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... British Gas is launching a London-wide campaign reinforcing its Price Protection message for customers wanting to freeze the cost of their energy for the next three years. The campaign, created by WWAV Rapp Collins London, marks the tail-end...

IN BRIEF: Ogilvy launches Neo@Ogilvy shop.(OgilvyOne Worldwide)(Peter Meyers will appointed for London branch of Neo@Ogilvy)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... OgilvyOne Worldwide has launched a global digital and direct media network called Neo@Ogilvy. The network will deal with direct response print and mail, email marketing, search marketing and newer forms of digital activity such as blogs and...

IN BRIEF: Coral Betting in pre-Cheltenham push.(promotion by 141 Worldwide/London)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Coral Betting is rolling out an integrated campaign to promote the annual racing event at Cheltenham, with a view to luring customers into betting before the festival starts on March 14. A mailing, created by 141 Worldwide/London, will be sent...

IN BRIEF: Publicis hires group marketing chief.(Will Hamilton joins Publicis UK )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Publicis UK has appointed Will Hamilton group marketing director. He will report to group chairman Tim Lindsay. His key focus will be on marketing and new business, working with the management team to drive growth, sharpen the group...

Honda puts trust in TOCA 3 for Civic mailing offensive.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Honda is seeking to bolster its prospect database with a direct mail campaign that offers recipients the chance to win a computer game. The pack, created by Hicklin Slade & Partners, promotes the new Honda Civic using the strapline 'This...

Cancer Research 'Race for Life' targets #46m.
March 3, 2006... Cancer Research UK is launching an integrated campaign to encourage entries for its annual 'women-only' 'Race for Life' this summer, in a bid to raise #46m. The national campaign, created by WWAV Rapp Collins London, includes 30- and...

T-Mobile lures young with in-game ads.
March 3, 2006... T-Mobile is launching a viral campaign to promote its 'Mates rates' tariff to young gamers. In-game advertising group IGA Worldwide has been charged with developing the game, which will be sent to 100,000 cold prospects aged between 15...

US book club hit with Do Not Call penalty.(United States)(telecommunications compensation)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... New York: A book club has become the latest company to fall foul of the national Do Not Call (DNC) register. Earlier this week, the Federal Trade Commission announced that bookseller Bookspan will pay a $680,000 (#391,209) civil penalty...

Thorn push to target high-value customers.(by using solution from EuroDirect)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Electronics group Thorn, which operates Radio Rentals in the UK, has implemented a new solution from data company EuroDirect in an effort to improve the targeting of its acquisition marketing. The company, which de-merged from Thorn EMI...

Australians in uproar over data sell-off.(database marketing)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... The Australian government has come under fire for selling the details of 120,000 senior citizens to a US-based direct marketing company. Senior Card-holders on a state government database, which was sold for an estimated Aus$30,000...

Global similarities as telling as differences.(customer data and consumer traits)
March 3, 2006... My role as global missionary for the correct use of customer data takes me to many far-flung locations around the world, and on my return colleagues and friends often ask me what I found different about a place. What I'm never asked is what I...

Wake up to RSS before it makes a monkey of you.(Really Simple Syndication)
March 3, 2006... A new system that enables consumers to select the relevant content from websites is creeping into the consciousness of direct marketers. Don't let your brand be too slow to see the benefits of podcasting Ricky Gervais' weekly dose of...

The Facts: RSS.(podcasting)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... All you ever wanted to know about RSS but were too afraid to ask * There is currently a paucity of research into the effect of RSS on the UK market. However, a recent US study by Ipsos Insight and Yahoo! revealed that awareness of RSS...

Why Net is bringing mainland Europe closer to home.(direct marketing)
March 3, 2006... Pan-European direct marketing campaigns used to be highly problematic, especially when trying to tailor mailings. But digital technology and the Web have created a level playing field Parlez-vous Francais? No? Well join the club. Most...

Is the media right to be throwing the book at BCA?(Book Club Association)
March 3, 2006... BCA is continuing to suffer from damaging media exposure revealing disgruntled customers' experiences, despite claiming it has cleaned up its act and got compliance back under control If you were watching BBC1 on Tuesday February 21, you...

OPINION: Why you must keep your critics close.(direct marketing)
March 3, 2006... 'Abandon hope all who enter here.' There are many who believe this motto should be placed above the marketing department's door. Media fragmentation has destroyed the ability to achieve mass impact, while digital channels have apparently...

VIEWPOINT: Taking risks stops us from being ignored.(market trends and consumer behavior)
March 3, 2006... Consumers are deserting the direct industry in droves. So, do we have the courage to reject convention, or have we finally lost our bottle? How many times in the past year has something landed on your doormat, or in your inbox, which...

LETTER: Lack of legal compliance rendering email useless.(Letter to the Editor)
March 3, 2006... The DMA (UK)'s study of the lack of boardroom understanding of email marketing is timely ('Boardroom obstacle to email marketing' PM February 10). However, it should also be highlighted that this lack of understanding may rapidly turn into...

LETTER: Coalition loyalty drives lift spend.(Letter to the Editor)
March 3, 2006... I agree with most of Lisa Thomas' Viewpoint on loyalty marketing (PM January 27). But she significantly underestimates the impact of value for money on consumer choice and spending patterns. A large proportion of consumers state...

LETTER: Firms must attain data by stealth.(Letter to the Editor)
March 3, 2006... Excellent customer management can only be attained if organisations gather accurate, up-to-date information on customers from every touchpoint: sales, finance, marketing, service and support. Yet wrestling that information from employees,...

OPINION: Time to bin sector's 'big bad wolf' image.(recycling direct mail to meet government recycling targets)
March 3, 2006... So, after much huffing and puffing over the industry's ability to meet Government recycling targets, it's heartening to see the DMA (UK) is cautiously optimistic of reaching the revised first step of recycling 30 per cent of direct mail by...

Creative Critique.
March 3, 2006... Cordell Burke, Executive creative director, OgilvyOne WorldwideThankfully, an increasing number of agencies and their clients are demonstrating and understanding that 'DM' stands for 'direct marketing', not direct mail. Here are three examples...

VERTICAL MARKETS: Travel agents on the web trail.
March 3, 2006... Booking a holiday used to involve trudging down to your local high street on a wet Saturday afternoon and spending hours with a travel agent planning your trip - and paying a premium for the pleasure. But, with more people now using the...

PAPER & ENVELOPES: Wastage opportunity.
March 3, 2006... The industry is cautiously optimistic that it has met the Government's first recycling targets. But the next set could prove far more difficult to reach. Are all sides - agencies, clients and suppliers - up to the challenge? Michele...

LIST/INSERT FILE: Hotline reveals buyer database.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Hotline, a database of 905,000 mail orders buyers, is being made available through Howse Jackson Marketing. The file is updated every quarter, with names recruited via competitions, sweepstakes and product-led promotions. Customers have...

LIST/INSERT FILE: Property chiefs list up for rent.
March 3, 2006... The 82,929-strong Workplace Intelligence file is being released through McCarthy O Connor. The data has been collected through one-to-one interviews with facilities and property decision-makers at leading UK companies. The broker claims...

LIST/INSERT FILE: Museums title unveils readers.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Mail order catalogue Museum Selection is making its database available for the first time, through Prospect Swetenhams. The list consists predominantly of affluent women homeowners who are aged over 55 and have an annual income of more...

LIST/INSERT FILE: Grove & Dean offers car data.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Insurance intermediary Grove & Dean is releasing its car insurance database for the first time, through Caspian List & Data Management. The file, created from its online brands, contains over 100,000 individuals who have requested a quote...

LIST/INSERT FILE: House of Bath releases file.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... The House of Bath Group has made its Beau Bath file of 50,000 records available through JD Williams. The catalogue specialises in luxury clothes, accessories, fine furnishings and household goods. The database consists of women with...

MOVING PEOPLE: Spires rises to Group360 managing director.(appointment of Sunara Spires)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Group360's direct agency Communique360 has promoted Sunara Spires to managing director. She worked as client services and strategy director of the agency's advertising arm for nine years. Her appointment is part of a revision of the Group's...

MOVING PEOPLE: Proh and Liggins made DS-J account managers.(Davison Smiley-Jones appoints Paolo Proh and Samantha Liggins )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Direct marketing agency Davison Smiley-Jones (DS-J) has appointed Paolo Proh and Samantha Liggins account managers. Proh moves from Tullo Marshall Warren, where he was project manager on the Thomas Cook Signature, Institute of Direct Marketing...

MOVING PEOPLE: Joshua recruits Menhinick to head data.(appointment of John Menhinick )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Joshua has hired John Menhinick as director of data planning. He joins from WWAV Group, where he was a director of data consultancy Identex. Menhinick has been working in a variety of data and strategic planning roles for the past 15 years,...

MOVING PEOPLE: RMG Connect makes round of appointments.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... RMG Connect has made eight appointments to absorb an expanding workload from current clients. Terence Bly and Simon Panton join as group heads on HSBC. The duo worked with chief creative officer Trefor Thomas and creative director Guy...

MOVING PEOPLE: Top Blue-Chip jobs for Hardie and Prentice.(appointment of Kyle Hardie and Claire Prentice)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2006... Blue-Chip Marketing has appointed Kyle Hardie managing director and Claire Prentice account director. Hardie has been with the company for 11 years and takes over from Fiona Laurie, who takes up the position of chairman. Prentice joins from...

EC to block shop tagging plan.(European Commission)(Brief article)
March 10, 2006... Brussels mandarins are considering enforcing new data-protection legislation to combat the rise of 'KGB-style' electronic tagging technology, which gives direct marketers the potential to track shoppers instore, as well as trace goods once...

Former Time-Life chiefs launch direct marketing consultancy.(Time-Life )(Brief article)
March 10, 2006... Four former Time-Life bosses, led by the DMA (UK)'s first chairman, Joanna Reynolds, have joined forces to launch a direct marketing consultancy specialising in international strategic advice. Reynolds was most recently European chief...

Data Locator bosses secure #25m buyout.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Data Locator Group has been bought out by its management, led by chief executive Jeremy Whitaker, in a #25m deal which sees the team wrestle control from founder Simon Johnson. Under the deal, secured in conjunction with private equity...

REaD Group revamps consumer choice site.
March 10, 2006... The REaD Group has unveiled a service that will enable consumers to communicate their mailing preferences direct to brand owners. Itsmypost.com is being launched on the back of company's acquisition last year of My Right To Be Private. The...

Telewest 'threesome' blitz for core services.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Telewest is to promote its three core offerings - telephone, digital TV and broadband - in an integrated campaign. The drive is to encompass press and TV ads, direct mail and door-drops. The work, to be produced by Rapier, features...

Mercedes offers #5,000 discount.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Mercedes-Benz UK is rolling out a direct mail campaign to offer an exclusive list of prospects a #5,000 discount on its latest CL-Class and SL-Class ranges. The mailing, created by Claydon Heeley Jones Mason, targets 6,000 affluent warm...

Land Rover plugs 'technical prowess' of new Discovery.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Land Rover is looking to bolster its database with a multichannel drive for its latest model, the Discovery 3. The campaign, created by Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel, comprises direct mail and email activity that will target cold...

STA Travel to probe Web visitors for insight.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Student and youth travel company STA Travel is looking to build a more comprehensive picture of its online customers in an effort to increase its yield from digital activity. The company has appointed analyst WebTrends to track its site...

UIA hands Draft digital brief to boost online presence.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... UIA Insurance is looking to bolster its Web presence and online sales with the appointment of a dedicated digital creative agency. Draft London has been tasked with developing a fully integrated website for the firm, as well as working on...

Wales Tourist Board pushes golfing breaks.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Wales Tourist Board is embarking on a direct response drive to promote the country as a destination for golfers. The campaign, created by Partners Andrews Aldridge, comprises inserts in all major golfing titles. The inserts include a...

CACI links with rivals to form consumer file.(Brief article)
March 10, 2006... CACI has teamed up with 20 leading data suppliers to create a product sourced from over 100 million records. Ocean is a comprehensive national consumer file that combines CACI's existing data with external information from outfits such...

EHS Brann partner heads for RMG.(Graham Bentham )(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... EHS Brann managing partner Graham Bentham is leaving the agency to join RMG Connect as client service director, as part the company's expansion. Bentham will report to chief executive Jonathan Harman and lead the HSBC and Shell accounts....

IN BRIEF: Nestle in Trinny and Susannah drive.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Nestle is launching a #4.1m on-pack promotion for its Nescafe brand, in a bid to drive sales and build its customer database. The brand is teaming up with BBC fashion presenters Trinny and Susannah to offer women the chance to win a #10,000...

IN BRIEF: Bupa in DRTV recruitment push.(British United Provident Association Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Bupa is launching a DRTV campaign promoting the benefits of its private medical insurance cover. The 40-second ad, created by WWAV Rapp Collins Leeds, is designed to touch on issues that matter to consumers. It features the voices of a...

IN BRIEF: Mercedes-Benz refreshes direct tack.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Mercedes-Benz has created a core communications team within incumbent direct marketing and advertising agencies the Zulu Group and CDD, to oversee its integrated communications. Zulu agency Claydon Heeley Jones Mason will handle direct...

IN BRIEF: Integrated shop Together launches.(direct shop)(Brief article)
March 10, 2006... A new integrated agency, Together, launches this week with a roster of clients including Nivea, Thomas Cook and The Tussauds Group. The direct shop has been founded by Jason Burrows, Nick Honey and Jonathan Turner. The three previously owned...

Austin Reed lures customers with new credit card upgrade.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Retailer Austin Reed is launching a direct mail campaign to persuade its customer base to sign up to its new credit card. The mailing, created by Geoff Howe Marketing Communications, will be sent to 60,000 account card holders,...

Renault push targets Clio at older prospects.
March 10, 2006... Renault is launching an email and direct mail push to promote its new Clio to older consumers. The campaign will target 200,000 cold prospects aged between 45 and 65. It follows on from the theme of TV advertising, by using a 'twinned...

Craik Jones rejig to bolster senior team.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel has promoted Caroline Parkes to planning director and added five new members to its board as part of a renewed focus on creativity and growth. Parkes has been promoted from the role of deputy planning...

Virgin drive pushes Walt Disney Florida.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Virgin Holidays is launching an integrated campaign to promote holiday packages to the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. A mailpack, produced by Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw, will be sent to warm prospects who have previously ordered...

Leger Holidays in Past Times deal.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Leger Holidays is joining forces with high-street retailer Past Times in order to sell its breaks to a wider audience. The firm, which specialises in escorted tours of former European battlefields tours, will start selling its holidays via...

INTEGRATION: Planners paramount to media neutrality.
March 10, 2006... The IPA's latest Bellwether Report, released earlier this year, is a mixed bag for integrated specialists. The bad news is that marketing budgets for the last quarter of 2005 were cut for the third consecutive quarter and at the sharpest...

NEWS ANLAYSIS: Connecting with broadband users at 'tipping point'.
March 10, 2006... If broadband providers want to catch consumers' attention, they need to come up with a truly unique proposition that will set them apart from the multitude of suppliers that are springing up When it comes to looking for a new broadband...

NEWS ANLAYSIS: The Facts - broadband.(Brief article)
March 10, 2006... All you ever wanted to know about broadband but were too afraid to ask * Broadband is the term used to describe a wide range of technologies that allow high-speed, always-on access to the Internet. This is most often delivered via a...

NEWS ANLAYSIS: Ogilvy seeks share of direct media landscape.(digital and direct media )
March 10, 2006... As the first of its kind to be launched by a direct agency, Neo@Ogilvy is planning a string of acquisitions to 'build the biggest international search network' and exploit the new responsive media sector While the direct marketing...

NEWS ANLAYSIS: Will telemarketing 'double whammy' break silence?
March 10, 2006... While tough new measures to clamp down on silent calls are to be welcomed, opinion is split over whether the industry can rebuild its tarnished image after more than four years of relative inaction Ofcom boss Stephen Carter claims he now...

PROFILE - ANDREW RAYNER: Travelling off the beaten path.(Thomson)
March 10, 2006... Andrew Rayner Thomson's marketing director has his work cut out. In a fiercely competitive market, the company's multichannel strategy must build brand loyalty among customers who traditionally make contact just once a year Jessica...

CLIENT VIEW: Putting your heart into direct spending.
March 10, 2006... Septamus Jones, my granddad, was a man of simple pleasures. However, he taught us "value for money does not always mean the cheapest price" - hence his Rolex, Crombie overcoat, sole on a Friday, and Bang & Olufson TV. This attitude can be...

VIEWPOINT: Direct industry must make digital its own.
March 10, 2006... If direct marketing agencies want to retain their reputation for having something unique to offer, they need to harness digital disciplines - and quick What are direct marketing folk to do? Those bastard digital geeks are stealing both...

LETTER: Fleet car marketing is a different proposition.(Letter to the Editor)
March 10, 2006... I enjoyed reading about the importance of car manufacturers keeping customers loyal (Vertical Markets, PM February 3). However, let's not forget that 55 per cent of all new cars in the UK last year were purchased as company cars. ...

LETTER: Retention should rule automotive.(Letter to the Editor)
March 10, 2006... As a former member of the Daewoo team that challenged the establishment with its 'That'll be the Daewoo' campaign, and then oversaw the rebrand to Chevrolet under General Motors, I read your Vertical Markets feature (PM February 3) with...

LETTER: An alternative take on the story.(Letter to the Editor)
March 10, 2006... Just thought it worthwhile clarifying a couple of points made in the Meerkat Culture article (PM February 17). Firstly, I left Meerkat eight months ago, at the time of the Culture merger. Since that time, the company has been run by...

OPINION: Brace yourself for wireless revolution.(broadband mass-market )
March 10, 2006... 'So far, just 145,000 homes are using digital subscriber lines, compared with nearly 2 million in Germany. The latest price cuts mean that broadband will still cost more than #30 a month - which won't exactly give it mass-market appeal.' Ask...

VERTICAL MARKETS: Beyond the business facade.
March 10, 2006... In the 1994 action movie True Lies, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a dull husband, Harry Tasker, living a double life as a secret agent. Whichever role he is fulfilling, his underlying personality traits and lifestyle preferences never change....

RESPONSE AWARDS: Young guns run free.(DM Futures)
March 10, 2006... Nurturing young talet is essential to building any industry, and direct marketing is no exception, as a look at previous winners of the Precision Marketing DM Futures awards reveals When Precision Marketing hatched the idea to uncover the...

RESPONSE AWARDS: Young talent - hide it or lose it?(DM Futures )(Brief article)
March 10, 2006... I am working with the best young crop of direct marketers that I have witnessed for years. In fact, I strongly suspect that I will be working for them in the not too distant future. The dilemma is how to keep them? How do I stop them from...

EMAIL MARKETING: Out of sync?
March 10, 2006... With email data providers insisting on carrying out any broadcasting to those addresses themselves, marketers are seeing recruitment activity fall out of step with retention messages. Factor in multiple suppliers and the lack of...

LIST/INSERT FILE: Vitamins Direct updates buyers.(Vitamins Direct )(Health4U )(Brief Article)
March 10, 2006... Vitamins Direct & Health4U is making its updated file of 67,000 customers available through Jaywing. The list contains data on customers who have bought products over the Internet or through off-the-page ads and direct mail. Details...