Precision Marketing articles from October 2004

Precision Marketing archives from October 2004

Cramm Francis Woolf founder returns to US.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Cramm Francis Woolf co-founder Paul Woolf is moving back to the US to explore new business opportunities. Kevin Allen will take on the role of managing director. Woolf is to remain chairman of the agency which he co-founded in 1993. ...

Swap Forum launches call to arms.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... List chiefs behind The Swap Forum--launched to clear up widespread confusion over list swapping--are calling on other industry players to join them in 'grasping the nettle' to improve sector standards. In a thinly veiled swipe at the DMA...

AA ditches magazine to boost online drive.(Ask, magazine)(Automobile Association(United Kingdom))(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The Automobile Association (AA) is scrapping customer magazine Ask, amid a marketing strategy review. The motoring organisation has cancelled the autumn issue of the magazine, which was produced by Forward Publishing. The AA has no plans...

Catalogue bosses slam discount scheme cuts.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Angry catalogue bosses have accused Royal Mail of slashing the Tailor Made Incentives (TMIs) discount scheme, claiming it will spark a decline in business mail volumes. According to catalogue industry experts, although TMIs have not been...

Charities laud 'revolutionary' Internet service.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Some of the UK's largest charities, including the RSPCA, are hailing the arrival of a service that is set to 'revolutionise' traditional fundraising methods. The initiative, claimed to "give power back to marketers", is being launched...

RSPCA launches push to support weekly lottery.(Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty To Animals)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The RSPCA is embarking on a raft of direct marketing to support the launch of a weekly lottery, as it seeks to bolster its portfolio of fundraising activities. The organisation is rolling out a 400,000-strong mailing drive to target both...

Mobile info exchange in Net drive.(news)(Kwickee)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Kwickee, which claims to be the UK's first mobile phone information exchange, is teaming up with Hutchinson Encyclopaedia to offer access to an array of content. The publisher will release sections of its encyclopaedia to be downloaded at...

IFAs slam campaigns as 'waste of money'.(Independent Financial Adviser)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Financial advisers have slammed the direct marketing material that financial services companies send to their customers as "a waste of money". A survey by Government-backed National Savings & Investments (NS&I) among 2,500 UK financial...

HBOS enters offices to promote convenience.(TDA)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... HBOS is launching a campaign to promote the bank's convenience to the UK workforce. The drive, called the 'Take five concept', will give staff the opportunity to do their banking without leaving the office. Liaison managers are to make...

TES forum to address pupils' bad behaviour.(news)(Times Educational Supplement )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The Times Educational Supplement (TES) is launching a direct marketing initiative to promote the launch of its weekly Behaviour Forum. It draws together experts, including celebrity psychiatrist Raj Persaud, headteacher Mike Kent and a...

Cranks kicks off sampling push to spread brand.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Cranks, the vegetarian food specialist, is embarking on its first sampling drive to raise the profile of its sandwich range and boost sales. Tile push will see sandwiches distributed throughout London, and is to enable the brand to gather...

Teachers' TV hands direct business to Kitcatt Nohr.(Kitcatt, Nohr, Alexander and Shaw)(Teachers' TV)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Teachers' TV, a 20m [pounds sterling] digital channel funded by the Department for Education & Skills, has awarded its direct marketing business to Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw following a three-way pitch. Kitcatt Nohr will be tasked with...

20th Century Fox pushes top films ahead of Baftas.(news)(Spinnaker)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... 20th Century Fox is unveiling an online campaign to promote its films in the run-up to this year's Orange British Academy Film Awards (Baftas). The push, which has been devised by start-up direct and digital marketing agency Spinnaker,...

Bowling giant rolls out campaign for families.(news)(Tenpin)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Tenpin, one of the UK's largest bowling operators, is launching a marketing blitz to attract families and students. The company, which owns Megabowl and Tenpin, is embarking on a series of integrated campaigns featuring online marketing,...

Magic FM gets women tuning in via live draw.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Magic FM is rolling out an integrated campaign to lure women listeners and bolster its database. The station is embarking on SMS, email, online and field marketing activity, all devised by Angel. The campaign targets 25- to 44-year-old...

Fuel-saving Ecotab targets UK drivers.(news)(Ecotab)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Ecotab, a fuel-saving tablet for motorists, is set to launch in the UK with a raft of direct marketing. The tablet, known as Dyno-tab when it launched in the US eight years ago, is being unveiled through a leaflet campaign. Thorne...

Birch takes on senior position at Dunnhumby.(news)
October 1, 2004... Dunnhumby, the customer insight and marketing specialist, has appointed Steve Birch marketing director as part of its international expansion plans. Birch will be responsible for the growth of all areas of Dunnhumby's UK business,...

SMS updates bolster Mobo Awards interest.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The Music Of Black Origin (Mobo) Awards, the urban music prize ceremony, is boosting its mobile marketing in a bid to build an opted-in SMS subscriber database for ongoing promotion of the event. Fans are being encouraged to register their...

Avon launches male-based products in US.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Avon is launching its first male grooming catalogue. The mail order brochure, called M, will be unveiled in the US this month, before it is rolled out in other countries, including the UK next year. Meanwhile, the cosmetics company has kicked...

Bombay Sapphire devises glass design contest.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Premium gin brand Bombay Sapphire is aiming to deepen its emotional connection with drinkers in an on- and offline customer management drive. The campaign, created by Draft London, is to be based around a glass design competition, and includes...

TV Licensing bids to raise student registration.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... TV Licensing is unveiling a campaign to persuade more students to register. Proximity London has produced an integrated drive, featuring inserts in university literature, on-campus posters, door-drops, mailpacks and online activity, using the...

Marketing Society unveils Summer Campus 2005.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The Marketing Society is set to hold its first Summer Campus between June 7 and 9 next year. The two-day event will provide senior marketing members with an environment to study and debate key issues relating to their businesses. It is to take...

LBM reveals buoyant turnover.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... LBM, the call centre to data company, has reported a 71 per cent increase in turnover to 28.92m [pounds sterling] in the 12 months to May. The company also had an operating profit of 5.25m [pounds sterling] and is poised to open its London...

Volkswagen to roll out 'value' Passat mailing.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Volkswagen is sending out a mailpack to promote its Passat Trendline model. The campaign plays on the disparity between the marque's cost and its features, carrying the strapline: 'At first glance, it doesn't add up.' The mailing also...

BSkyB steps up voting for celebrity reality TV launch.(British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... BSkyB is ramping up its viewer voting systems ahead of the launch of its reality TV football series The Match. Broadsystem, the data-driven customer communication specialist, has been appointed to handle the voting lines for the Sky One...

Bupa to build membership via DRTV offensive.(news)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Bupa, the private healthcare insurer, is rolling out a new DRTV campaign to highlight the practical benefits of taking out a policy. Created by WWAV Rapp Collins North, the spot concentrates on features of Bupa's offering, such as choice of...

Jaguar launches E-type fanclub to enhance loyalty among buyers.(Jaguar)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Jaguar is backing an international fanclub for its E-type marque. The scheme's founder, author and enthusiast Philip Porter, hopes to build on the success of his existing Jaguar XK Club. The club is to roll out alongside a new monthly...

Canadian officials warn public over lottery scam.(international)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Toronto: Canadian authorities are visiting the UK in a bid to crack down on fraudsters exporting direct marketing scams. Thousands of UK residents have already been conned by groups promising winnings from the Canadian national lottery, in...

BBC News pushes website to US.(international)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Washington DC: BBC News is launching a marketing campaign in the US to promote its online current affairs service. The Web initiative, featuring the strapline 'World news, global views', will promote the site in the run-up to the US...

Canon embarks on B2B assault to bolster presence.(business-to-business)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Dublin: Canon is rolling out a pan-European business-to-business campaign to position itself as a leader in the imaging solutions market. The technology giant has appointed Tequila\Hakuhodo to create the drive. Media edge:eia is to handle...

Pinning down might of online.(international)
October 1, 2004... Montabaur: While Germany is still in the midst of a homemade economic depression, Internet usage is at an all-time high and among the most prolific in the world. Germany is up there with its European counterparts when it comes to online...

Do brief agency spells keep charities fresh? Charities seem to be shortening the time they spend working with single agencies, and opting for more frequent rotation. But does this strategy inspire revival, or make for a waste of time and resources all round?(news analysis)
October 1, 2004... Soaring competition is putting the squeeze on the third sector, and, with 200,000 UK charities all vying for donations, it is easy to see why. Like commercial clients, charities are being forced to adopt more sophisticated direct marketing...

Swabey seeks fresh horizons: Scotts of Stow chief Nigel Swabey has come a long way since the Innovations days. But, ever ambitious, he is ready for his next challenge.(Scotts of Stow)(Nigel Swabey)
October 1, 2004... Nigel Swabey has not got where he is today by taking it easy. And, as chief executive of mail order company Scotts of Stow, he is still working seven days a week. "I only need another 40m [pounds sterling] to be able to slow down," he...

Why do so many force creativity into back seat?
October 1, 2004... Something has been troubling me over the last few months--is the direct marketing industry ambivalent towards the importance of creativity? I have heard descriptions of campaign activity many times that put creativity very low down on the...

Marketers should all be tracing workplace data.(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... Mitchells & Butlers' view on the newly launched Mosaic Daytime classification (PM last week) is good news. It is encouraging to see marketers analysing and targeting people according to where they work as well as where they live. However, it is...

Alert public to mail economy.(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... I read Martin Phillips' letter with interest (PM September 17). Direct mail has always suffered from image problems, unlike off-the-page and TV advertising. I believe that most people understand the relationship between advertising and...

Prevention not cure is the action industry needs for eco-revolution: while industry moves to tackle recycling are all well and good, the sheer volume of waste is a far more pressing concern. It is time direct marketers acted on it.(comment)
October 1, 2004... The DMA (UK) has made a commitment to ensure that 30 per cent of direct mail is environmentally friendly by the end of next year. That is an ambitious target, given the level of real information that exists in the market about recyclable or...

Why consumers appreciate D2D.(letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... Door-to-door (D2D) activity should not be seen as the direct marketing industry's poor relation, and it is encouraging to see that more marketers are beginning to realise its value as a brand-building tool in its own right ('Going the...

Tough times for 'charidy' work.(leader)
October 1, 2004... 'Their direct marketing is a complete shambles. They always want to use the same tired, old creative. They rarely test one mailing against another, let alone a control pack. They've dabbled in face-to-face, but it didn't work very well; they've...

Creative critique.(telecommunication industry, advertising)
October 1, 2004... Orange Premier Feels different, doesn't it. Though not particularly different, I like the simplicity of this understated mail piece. The small, black envelope's made of suede-effect paper. Inside, you're offered a very personal welcome to...

Mind over matter: if marketers had a personality sketch of targets at their fingertips, they would have the advantage of matching product offers according to attitude as well as purchasing history. But is it possible to obtain such granular details on a large scale?(Special report: list developments)
October 1, 2004... MISS MARPLE has an enviable clear up rate when it comes to solving murders. Fans of Agatha Christie's elderly sleuth will know that she always identifies the culprit, even if it is Scotland Yard that makes the arrest. What makes her so...

Policing the crisis: with moral panic over data privacy at its height, clean lists should be a priority. Yet there is nowhere near 100 per cent compliance, leaving the industry open to further ridicule and censorship. Richard Simpson asks what it will take to weed out the bad seeds?(Special report: list developments)
October 1, 2004... DESPITE THE STRICTURES of the Data Protection Act (DPA)--not to mention industry self-regulation initiatives like the List Warranty Register--there is still plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that list managers are supplying data that is...

Over-50s title details subscribers.(list file)
October 1, 2004... Active Life, a magazine for the over-50s, is unveiling its list of 100,000 annual subscribers through Evolution Direct Marketing. The magazine covers travel, finance, health, leisure and charity promotions. The renders are...

Ailments firm reveals buyers.(list file)
October 1, 2004... Independence, a privately owned mail order company providing a wide range of products designed to help people with minor ailments, is releasing its file of 34,000 mail order buyers through EDM Media. Buyers of chiropody items, specialist...

Nature's Range lists over-45s.(list file)
October 1, 2004... Nature's Range, which produces herbal nutritional items, is unveiling its list of over 90,000 names for the first time through Avongate. The company sells Joint-ease, designed to help people with osteoarthritis, and Protease, aimed at...

Puzzler data goes on market.(list file)
October 1, 2004... Cheryl Nathan List Broking is launching its Prize Magazine file. The data includes names of those who have recently purchased Prizes Galore!, Puzzles Galore!, Lucky Break, Prize Quest and Prizes & Puzzles Special magazines. All the...

Card company unveils records.(list file)
October 1, 2004... Mail order greetings card company Greetings Direct is releasing its updated file through Independent Direct Marketing (IDM). The list comprises 83,000 buyers and 20,000 respondents. Customers have been recruited through direct mail and...

Kitcatt Nohr takes on Lucke and Vigar.(moving people)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw has strengthened its creative team with two appointments. Christina Lucke joins as senior art director, and James Vigar (left) as senior copywriter. Both have extensive industry experience across a variety of...

Chapman to oversee Deutsche Post domestic sales.(moving people)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Deutsche Post Global Mail has hired Neil Chapman as UK domestic sales manager. He will be responsible for building the company's mail products business, and is to report to sales director Paul Galpin. Previously, Chapman worked on one of the...

Ambergreen recruits Hood as technology manager.(moving people)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Ambergreen, one of the UK's top search marketing companies, has appointed Andrew Hood to the new position of technology manager. Bringing a background in IT to the role, he will be responsible for research and development. Hood was formerly an...

Nice work ... is a monthly column dedicated to those people who are happy at work. Don't think it's possible? Read on.(Brief Article)(Column)
October 1, 2004... Name: Alice Garton Company: WDMP Department: Account management Job title: Account director Responsibilities: Senior management and heading up three Accounts Job perks: The office is By the river in Richmond, providing a...

Cool Britannia ... you havin' a laugh?(marketing)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... This week, dear readers, you find us in fine fettle. There's nothing quite like seeing Ms Diary being fed-up (PM last week) to put Mr Diary in a great mood. And, just to complete it, we've discovered that, according to marketing company...

Forthcoming events.(Calendar)
October 1, 2004... Loyalty World Europe 2004 will gather the sector's leading minds from across the continent to share their expertise in creating profitable loyalty campaigns. It will draw on leading consultants and high-profile case studies from across all...

Fatty loose buckle.(Soundoff: hunter's tale)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The strength of public opinion's heard once again, with the new, svelte Little Chef brand icon being rejected almost as quickly as he was introduced. Despite the 'best' advice from brand consultants ('yah, Nigel, we really do need to distance...

Interflora picks WWAV North as first direct shop.(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... Interflora, the global flower delivery specialist, has hired WWAV Rapp Collins North as its first retained direct marketing agency. The agency will be charged with database development and handling direct customer communications programmes....

Experian buys QAS for 'strategic fit'.(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... Experian has snapped up QAS, one of the UK's leading suppliers of address management solutions, for 106m [pounds sterling]. The acquisition will allow both companies to work with more than 10,000 clients, rolling out a range and scale of...

CCHM signs merger deal with rival Ping.(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... CCHM and Ping Communications are merging to create one of the UK's biggest independent specialist financial services agencies. The deal will create CCHM: Ping--an agency with more than 60 staff and projected billings of around 8m [pounds...

IDM chief slams DMA for provoking turf war.(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... IDM co-founder Derek Holder has hit out at DMA (UK) bosses, accusing them of reneging on a 'memo of understanding'--signed in the Nineties by Holder and former DMA president Colin Lloyd--to avoid an industry turf war. In a letter to...

Drive to bolster QMP profile at mailing houses.(British Accreditation Bureau)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... The British Accreditation Bureau is launching a marketing blitz to raise awareness of mail production quality standard QMP among mailing houses. The initiative follows research suggesting that up to 90 per cent of direct mail clients have...

Random House rolls out mobile Good Pub Guide.(news)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... Random House is seeking to boost reader interaction with its latest Good Pub Guide through a mobile marketing blitz. The publishing group is offering a location marketing service to allow individuals to find their nearest hostelry by...

Apacs plans attack on online fraud.(Apacs)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... UK payments association Apacs is launching a website to combat the increasing threat of online fraud. Apacs plans to promote www.banksafeonline.org.uk to ensure widespread awareness of the latest scams and threats, as well as enable...

WWAV spin-off cuts healthcare red tape.(news)(WWAV Rapp Collins )(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... WWAV Rapp Collins Group is to officially unveil dedicated healthcare division Rapp Collins Consumer Health. The hub has been set up to establish the European agency network's relationship marketing credentials, enabling medical companies...

PruHealth launches blitz to 'shake up market'.(news)(Prudential and Discovery Health)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... Prudential and Discovery Health are teaming up to launch a major drive for their 'groundbreaking' insurance product PruHealth. The companies claim the private medical insurance service will 'shake up the market' and challenge the likes of...

Lastminute.com 'degrading' ads escape ASA ban.(Advertising Standards Authority)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has rejected claims that Lastminute.com's 'Miss Hot Beach' email campaign was degrading to women. The push shortlisted ten of the world's 'hottest' beaches for the prestigious title of Miss Hot...

Cats Protection adopts tougher direct strategy.(news)(Cats Protection)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... Cats Protection, the feline welfare organisation, is testing a fresh approach to its direct marketing with a campaign featuring hard-hitting images. The push demonstrates how the charity helps many cats that have experienced injury,...

Mail spend to be 'squeezed' as marketing budgets swell.(news)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... Direct mail expenditure is set to be squeezed despite a continued rise in marketing budgets, according to the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). Firms are planning a 4.9 per cent leap in overall spending during the current financial...

Shell in global offensive to bolster lubricant sales.(Shell U.K. Ltd.)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... Shell is launching a global marketing campaign for its range of industrial lubricants. Proximity London has been handed the task of producing online activity, sales material and corporate literature. The agency was awarded the...

Otto UK gives catalogue range online boost.(news)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... Home shopping group Otto UK is planning a campaign to boost online sales for its catalogue portfolio. The company has appointed Tequila\Manchester to work on sites representing Freemans, Grattan, Look Again and Montage. Customers will...

O2 to introduce discount offer via friends quiz.(news)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... O2 is embarking on a viral digital blitz with data capture elements to promote awareness of its latest mobile package, Friends Service. The offer allows customers to save up to 50 per cent on calls, SMS and MMS to three selected friends....

BT unveils launch of broadcast venture.(news)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... BT Broadcast is making its first foray into the retail broadcast market, with the launch of a channel that is to allow companies to show tailored ads featuring consumer promotions. The company has signed a three-year deal with...

Npower probes performance of online activity.(news)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... Npower, one of the UK's leading providers of gas and electricity, is preparing to ramp up its online marketing activity to drive customer acquisitions. The company is implementing eCRM agency Red-Eye's technology to measure the success of...

DMA North builds call centre 'care' scheme.(news)(Golley Slater )(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... The DMA North is undertaking telemarketing research in a bid to build its understanding of membership activity and overhaul its events schedule. It has appointed integrated marketing services agency Golley Slater to handle the task. ...

Army devises DRTV recruitment drive.(news)(Publicis)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... The Army is running a DRTV campaign to recruit support staff. The drive, on terrestrial and satellite stations, is designed by Publicis, and is aimed at 16- to 24-year-olds in further education. It uses military vehicles to convey the hi-tech...

London South Bank University lures students.(London South Bank University)(The Windmill Partnership)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... London South Bank University is rolling out a marketing drive to prospective students across the capital. Created by The Windmill Partnership, the campaign comprises newspaper ads in The Guardian and Evening Standard, which are being supported...

RNID rolls out appeal on Magic FM.(Royal National Institute for the Deaf)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... RNID, the charity that supports deaf people, is embarking on a fundraising drive using a responsive radio ad. The organisation hopes that the Magic FM spot, created by direct marketing agency Watson Phillips Norman, will drive a significant...

Combat Stress hires TW Cat for direct activity.(TW Cat)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... Combat Stress, the mental health charity for forces veterans, has recruited direct marketing agency TW Cat to develop a campaign to implement its fundraising strategy for the next year. Donations will be used to help those suffering from...

Goldsmiths' Company to build sales with mailing.(news)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... The Goldsmiths' Company is promoting its designer jewellery and silverware fair with a marketing initiative through The Pulse Group. A mailing to 18,000 prospects is to be supported by ads in magazines including Vogue, Vanity Fair and Tatler,...

UK companies alert to emails 'bounce-back'.(news)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... Argos, B&Q and Lastminute. com are among leading UK brands to expose the problem of email deliverability, claiming it is one e-marketing's major issues. Concerns were brought to the fore during a series of roundtable discussions run by...

LA Fitness data overhaul to revive lapsed membership.(news)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... Health club chain LA Fitness is carrying out its biggest data cleaning operation to date amid plans to target lapsed customers. The company has appointed data solutions specialist GB Group to handle the activity. It is charged with...

Irn-Bru revamps site to lure older prospects.(news)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... Barr Soft Drinks is revamping online marketing for its Irn-Bru brand in an effort to target an older age group--including teenagers--and boost its database of drinkers. Irn-bru.co.uk is being relaunched to offer visitors an experience of...

WWF creates 'body parts' mailpack for endangered tigers appeal.(World Wildlife Fund)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... WWF is launching a direct mail cash appeal to help it tackle the plight of Sumatran tigers. The wildlife charity has tasked WWAV Rapp Collins London with highlighting the threat of extinction to the species, which now has only 500 animals....

Microsoft to join Amazon in anti-spamming lawsuit.(international)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... Washington DC: Microsoft and Amazon.com are joining forces to bring lawsuits against spammers who have been spoofing computer websites to target consumers with 'phishing' scams. The companies hope to eliminate email seams affecting Internet...

EU hails industry self-regulation.(international)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... Brussels: The direct marketing and advertising industries' system of self-regulation is being presented to Europe's Single Market Observatory (SMO) as a successful example of simplifying EU legislation. Christopher Graham, chairman of the...

Mazda launches websites to Scandinavian markets.(international)(Brief Article)
October 8, 2004... Oslo: Mazda Motor Europe (MME) is launching an integrated campaign to target the Scandinavian car market for the first time. It is rolling out three websites in Norway, Denmark and Sweden to promote the Mazda 3 and 6 marques. It is the...