Marketing articles from April 2006

Marketing archives from April 2006

Orange ditches pounds 10m 'Animals' work after month.(advertising budjets)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Orange is to axe its pounds 10m 'Animals' ads after just four weeks in favour of promoting its global rebrand from France Telecom. The press and poster work for Orange UK, created by Mother, used various creatures to represent the types...

Diet Coke launches into energy sector with Plus.
April 26, 2006... Coca-Cola is planning the global launch of an energy-drink variant of its flagship Diet Coke brand, called Diet Coke Plus. The activity follows news that Coca-Cola is to introduce its calorie-free Coke Zero drink, which is aimed at young...

Asda suppliers rail at demands.(ASDA Group Ltd marketing funds)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Asda has been slammed by suppliers after it asked them for upfront payments to help fund its marketing activity. One own-brand supplier criticised the supermarket for coming up with an arbitrary figure based on the turnover of his company...

Government slashes Child Trust Fund TV budget.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... The government is to dramatically reduce the level of TV activity promoting its Child Trust Fund, despite criticism that not enough parents know how the scheme works. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is scaling back the marketing budget for...

KFC selects Haygarth to handle pounds 4m direct work.(direct marketing)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... KFC is planning to step up its direct marketing activity and has appointed Haygarth to handle the account. The agency won the business, thought to be worth pounds 4m, following a three-way pitch against Tullo Marshall Warren and...

Nurses challenge value of DoH ads.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) will this week call for the government to scale back healthcare promotions and redirect the cash into patient care. The RCN's annual Congress will debate whether the Department of Health's...

Ready Brek flags health benefits.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Weetabix is relaunching its Ready Brek porridge brand in a bid to highlight its health credentials. The revamp marks a shift in strategy for Ready Brek, which was previously advertised as 'central heating for kids'. The brand will now be...

Aquascutum to review account.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Luxury clothing brand Aquascutum is looking to appoint an advertising agency ahead of a Christmas campaign to revitalise its 155-year-old brand. The decision follows last week's appointment of former Pringle of Scotland chief Kim Winser...

New campaign: Bacardi-Martini.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... George Clooney is to star in his second Martini vermouth ad campaign, which breaks in the debut episode of the second series of Channel 4's Lost on 2 May. The ad shows the actor struggling to start the engine of his luxury motor boat....

McDonald's rethinks menu as deli sandwich flops.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... McDonald's has been forced to refocus on its core menu in the UK after additional products such as Toasted Deli Sandwiches failed to boost sales. 'I am not overly impressed with how Toasted Deli Sandwiches have rolled out in the UK,'...

Sandeman Port freshens image.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Sandeman, the 216-year-old port brand, has been given a global makeover. The port has refreshed its logo and labels and reshaped bottles with a leaner design. The work was handled by Wren & Rowe. The update is intended to give the...

Birds Eye extends kids' range ahead of sell-off.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Unilever is planning to extend its Captain Birds Eye children's frozen-food range into snacks and fruit drinks, as part of its attempts to sell off the Birds Eye brand. Sources claim that this product innovation strategy, coupled with...

T-Mobile Flext ad escapes censure.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Criticism that a T-Mobile ad featuring a man falling backward off the edge of a building would encourage copycat behaviour has been rejected by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which received nearly 60 complaints about the ad. ...

Government consults gambling body on ad code.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... The Department of Culture, Media and Sport is in consultation with the Gambling Commission and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice in an attempt to draw up a code governing TV advertising by gambling establishments. The...

BA to focus on frequent flyers.(British Airways PLC)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... British Airways is overhauling its loyalty scheme to offer more bonuses to its most frequent business passengers. The airline is seeking to differentiate itself in the crowded travel loyalty market by giving extra miles to frequent...

Snapple debuts white tea range.(Snapple Beverage Group Inc)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Soft-drinks brand Snapple is to launch a range of white teas in the UK to attract health-conscious women. The line, which is already available in the US, will include apple and raspberry variants, and will compete with brands such as...

Avis appeals for input from staff.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Avis is calling on its staff to contribute to a forthcoming pounds 7m ad campaign by coming up with suggestions as to how it can improve its service. The car-rental company has provided employees with notepads on which to write their...

Coca-Cola to place emphasis on niche products.(marketing planning)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Coca-Cola has revealed plans to grow profits in developed markets, including the UK, through low-volume niche products such as energy drinks and its fruit-flavoured water Aquarius. Competitors had expressed confusion over the company's...

Retailers face threat of backlash on 'food miles'.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... 'Food miles', the distance a product has travelled before reaching its final point of sale, are set to become a major issue for both manufacturers and supermarkets, according to marketers. The industry is currently negotiating a strategy...

Carling Live 24 in Xfm ad offensive.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Carling is backing its Carling Live 24 music event by buying every ad break on Xfm for a 24-hour period. Between 7pm on 28 April and 7pm on 29 April, Carling will own all the commercial airtime on the indie-rock radio station. The...

Fortune Brands hires Publicis Dialog for Beam job.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Beam Global Spirits and Wine, the operating arm of US drinks group Fortune Brands, has appointed direct agency Publicis Dialog to work on the brands it acquired from Allied Domecq in 2005. Following its pounds 7.4bn purchase of Allied...

T-Mobile to back Soccer Aid show.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... T-Mobile is sponsoring ITV1 charity football show Soccer Aid as part of a push backing its first official sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup. The campaign, which uses the theme of bringing fans closer to the World Cup, includes the...

Hiscox readies pounds 10m mainstream move.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Specialist insurer Hiscox is seeking to shake up the UK insurance market by boosting its marketing spend from pounds 400,000 to pounds 10m as it branches out into mainstream insurance. Hiscox will break the traditional mould of insurance...

Tesco awards sports scheme duties to Arc.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Tesco is set to step up its rivalry with Sainsbury's following the appointment of Arc UK to handle the second phase of its 'Sports for Schools and Clubs' programme. Tesco launched its scheme in September in response to Sainsbury's...

News brief: Appointment at National Savings & Investments.(Peter Cornish as interim marketing director)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... National Savings & Investments has appointed head of customer offer Peter Cornish as interim marketing director following the departure of Karen Jones at the end of last month.

News brief: Enjoy England hires MediaCom.(marketing contracts)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Enjoy England has hired MediaCom to handle the communications planning for a pounds 1.2m drive encouraging the English to take domestic holidays. MediaCom beat Carat and ZenithOptimedia in a pitch handled by the COI.

News brief: The Co-operative Group enters legal-services sector.
April 26, 2006... The Co-operative Group, which owns Co-operative Insurance and online bank Smile, has entered the legal-services sector by offering will-writing, conveyancing and accident-management services.

News brief: Macmillan Cancer Support hires Squeeze.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Macmillan Cancer Support has hired digital agency Squeeze to recruit donors and raise awareness following its recent rebranding. The charity, formerly known as Macmillan Cancer Relief, is also running a poster campaign to flag up its change...

News brief: DfT to renew ad relationship with COI.(Department for Transport)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... The Department for Transport (DfT) is to renew its advertising relationship with the COI, but will retain a great degree of independence. The DfT will be able to use the COI's creative agency roster, but unlike other departments, will develop...

News brief: Nivea recruits members of the public.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Nivea has recruited eight members of the public to promote its Sunkissed Skin self-tanning moisturiser. The women will compete in four teams over four weeks to secure maximum brand coverage for the launch.

News brief: Purely Mortgages hires WARL Group.
April 26, 2006... Purely Mortgages has hired WARL Group to handle its advertising. The agency has created a campaign using the strapline 'Purely Mortgages. Straight answers'.

News brief: Ryvita expands Minis range.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Ryvita is expanding its Minis range with the launch of Caramel and Apple flavours this May. The variants, which mark the brand's first foray into the sweet snacking sector, will be backed by a significant marketing campaign.

People moves: P&G Family Health.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Susan Arnold, vice-chairman of Procter & Gamble Beauty, and Bruce Byrnes, vice-chairman of the P&G Household Care board, are to share the duties of P&G Family Health board vice-chairman R Kerry Clark, who has left the company after 32 years....

People moves: Lego.(Helene Venge has left Levi Strauss)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Helene Venge has left Levi Strauss after seven years, four of them as head of digital marketing for Europe, to take a role with Lego. The Danish toy company has hired Venge to help develop its interactive business.

People moves: Nominet.(named Phil Kingsland director of marketing)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Nominet, the internet domain name registry, has named Phil Kingsland director of marketing and communications. He joins from technology consultancy Axon Group, where he was head of marketing and commercial support.

People moves: JP Morgan Asset Management.(promoted Jane Nicholls as marketing director)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... JP Morgan Asset Management has promoted Jane Nicholls to the new role of UK marketing director. At the same time, Keith Evins joins as head of retail marketing, reporting to Nicholls. He was previously marketing director at Investec Asset...

People moves: Ubisoft.(appointment of Dean Evans as senior brand manager)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Games maker Ubisoft has expanded its UK marketing team with the appointment of Dean Evans as senior brand manager. He has previously held roles at Rockstar Games and Virgin Interactive.

Luminar gives pounds 7.5m work to Beechwood.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Entertainment group Luminar, whose nightclub and bar brands include Chicago Rock Cafe and Jumpin' Jaks, has hired Beechwood to handle its pounds 7.5m advertising account. Beechwood is the first agency to be hired by Luminar and was...

Panda to roll out healthier drinks.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Panda, the budget soft-drink brand owned by Nichols, is relaunching this month with a fresh look emphasising its health credentials, and a range of flavoured still water. The revamp comes in response to consumer demand for healthier...

Unilever in umbrella Sport Relief activity.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Unilever is launching its first multiple-brand, cross-promotional campaign to back Sport Relief 2006, the fund-raising initiative run by the BBC and Comic Relief. The campaign, called 'You buy u give', will run in association with...

New campaign: Breakthrough.(Breakthrough Breast Cancer)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Breakthrough Breast Cancer is marking the 10th anniversary of its Fashion Targets Breast Cancer initiative with an ad campaign featuring models including Helena Christensen, Jerry Hall, Lily Cole, Yasmin Le Bon and Eva Herzigova. The...

This week: Marketing news from the national press.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Carphone Warehouse is being investigated by the Advertising Standards Authority following 40 complaints about ads for its 'free' broadband internet access. Objections have been raised to the pounds 30 connection fee to the TalkTalk service...

Media News: Former Sky director joins Freedom Media.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Mark Wood, the former commercial director of Sky, has joined branded-content company Freedom Media, which is responsible for the annual MasterCard Priceless Evening music event, shown on Channel 4. Wood, who left Sky last year after a...

Media News: Asda manager to run Kinetic retail.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Outdoor media specialist Kinetic has hired Graham Gordon, Asda Wal-Mart's marketing manager, as its head of retail. Kinetic's retail unit forms part of its Destination Media Group, which specialises in creating out-of-home advertising...

Media News: Great Ormond St refreshes mag.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Children's charity Great Ormond Street Hospital is aiming to boost donations with the relaunch of its free magazine Lifeline. The charity has hired River Publishing to redesign the title, which is sent to 140,000 supporters three times a...

Media choice: Suburban Shootout.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... With an extensive personal TV repertoire already, I was reluctant to get sucked into yet another series. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the dark comedy Suburban Shootout, the first joint venture between Five and Paramount Comedy....

Media News brief: Unilever to advertise on truck-sides.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Unilever is to promote its Colman's, Flora, Hellmann's, PG Tips and Knorr Vie shots brands on truck-sides for the next six months. Agripa Fleet Media has fitted the vehicles with the promotional messages, which are printed on PVC mesh.

Media News brief: Setanta Sports hands account to Feather Brooksbank.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Setanta Sports , which holds the TV rights for Scottish Premiership football, has handed its media planning and buying account to Feather Brooksbank. The digital channel's business was previously held by MediaCom.

Media News brief: GCap names programming director for Capital.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... GCap has named Australian Scott Muller as programming director for Capital Radio. He joins from Sydney station Nova 969, and replaces Nik Goodman who, along with managing director Keith Pringle, stepped down last week.

Media News brief: Ofcom to remove restrictions.
April 26, 2006... Ofcom is to remove the restrictions on pay-TV channels being broadcast on the Freeview platform.

Media News brief: BBC names stars of Dragon's Den.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... The BBC has named Australian investor Richard Farleigh and Weststar Holidays millionaire Deborah Meaden as the new entrepreneurial stars of BBC2 reality TV show Dragon's Den. They replace Doug Richard and Rachel Elnaugh.

Media News brief: Hello! launching digital edition on website.(launch of digital edition of its magazine)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Hello! is launching a podcast and digital edition of its magazine on its website, as it marks its fifth anniversary. The weekly podcast will feature the latest celebrity news.

Media News brief: Denis Norden to retire.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Denis Norden, host of ITV's It'll Be Alright on the Night and Laughter File, is retiring after 30 years with the channel. His departure will be marked by a special show called All the Best from Denis Norden, to be broadcast in May.

Media News brief: IPC Media names advertisement director.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... IPC Media has named Joanne O'Hara as advertisement director of its home interest group, which includes titles such as Ideal Home, Livingetc, Homes & Gardens and 25 Beautiful Homes. She was previously acting advertisement director of Marie...

Branding News: Makebelieve unveils premium tan range.(Makebelieve Beauty, Nude Brand Creation and Wizard)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... High-end self-tan brand Makebelieve Beauty is making its debut with a range of products that eschew the competitive sector's design conventions. The packaging, by Nude Brand Creation, avoids the functional, clinical imagery of many...

Branding News: Canderel backs designer range.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Canderel, the low-calorie sweetener, is to embark on a sampling campaign following the introduction of limited-edition packaging created by British fashion designers including Julien Macdonald. The idea behind the Slim Packs is that it...

Branding News: Fentimans plays on Victorian past.(Leith London uses Victorian typefaces)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Fentimans, the adult soft-drink manufacturer, is promoting its credentials as a traditional brand with a press campaign that uses authentic Victorian typefaces. The first execution, created by Leith London, is for Fentimans Traditional...

Branding News: Design choice - Sac Freres.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Football-associated goods are rarely classy affairs. I've bought plenty of replica shirts in my time, and while special to me, I realise their sartorial appeal may be lost on others. Clingy nylon was never the best thing to disguise even...

Branding News brief: Toonami unveils new look.(Fold7)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Toonami, the children's TV channel, has unveiled a new look following its move to a different slot on Sky Digital. The identity, created in-house, features animated characters and a refreshed logo. Fold7 developed the style guidelines.

Branding News brief: El Rocio sherry redesigns bottle.(Gonzalez Byass y Compania Ltd. and Brandhouse WTS)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Gonzalez Byass sherry El Rocio has redesigned its bottle, label and point-of-sale material. The activity was handled by Brandhouse WTS, which also worked on the relaunch of Tio Pepe for Gonzalez Byass.

Branding News brief: Sqezy targets cash-and-carry sector.(Charteredbrands)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Sqezy washing-up liquid is targeting the cash-and-carry sector with a 500ml bottle and six-pack, created by charteredbrands. The agency has also lined up a range of 750ml trigger cleaners under the Sqezy/Pow brand.

Branding News brief: Tiger Beer revamps logo.
April 26, 2006... Tiger Beer has revamped its logo and packaging through Design Bridge. The company is backing the rebrand with a pounds 5m promotional budget.

Branding News brief: Braces Baker relaunches white bread range.(FLB )(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Braces Bakery has relaunched its sliced white bread range, with seven lines, including thick, XXX-thick and half loaves, being given a makeover by design agency FLB.

Branding News brief: Louis Jadot hands brief to Amphora.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Louis Jadot, the wine-maker, has tasked Bath design agency Amphora with creating the livery for its new Pinot Noir, Les Climats. The distinctive design has a clean look to stand apart from the traditional Louis Jadot livery.

Branding News brief: Scottish mental health association gets rebrand.(IfLooksCouldKill contract)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... The Scottish Association for Mental Health has appointed IfLooksCouldKill to handle its rebranding. The agency is to create a quirky design for the charity, which supports people with mental health problems and related issues such as...

Branding News brief: East End Film Festival gets fresh look.(Tower Hamlets Film Office contract with Boldstudio)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... The East End Film Festival has been given a fresh look by design agency Boldstudio. The festival, which is run by the Tower Hamlets Film Office, appointed the agency to create its branding and marketing tools, including a catalogue and...

Direct News: Creston group to buy TMW.(Tullo Marshall Warren)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Creston, the diversified marketing services group, is to acquire the UK's biggest independent direct marketing agency, Tullo Marshall Warren, in a deal worth up to pounds 38m. TMW clients include British Airways, Diageo, Nissan, T-Mobile...

Direct News: LA Fitness plans 'nudes' mailing.(contract with Kitcatt, Nohr, Alexander, and Shaw)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Gym operator LA Fitness is using images of discreetly concealed naked gym-goers as the focus of its first major promotional offensive to boost UK membership. The ads - using the slogan 'Enjoy your body' - will run in three waves throughout...

Direct choice: asrecommended insurance.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... As a creative person it's easy to think that creativity exists only in the execution or lush design and typography. This idea won't win awards for art direction, but it will win over Mrs Jones in Acacia Avenue. It appeals to a different...

Direct News brief: Lexus backs launch with mailing.(Lexus GB Ltd. contract with Partners Andrews Aldridge)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Lexus is backing the launch of its GS 450 performance hybrid model with a mailing through Partners Andrews Aldridge. It uses the line 'The balance of power is changing'.

Direct News brief: BBC commissions Still Waters Run Deep.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... The BBC has commissioned Still Waters Run Deep to design and develop a series of primary and secondary school direct marketing communications. The work will span three academic terms from this autumn.

Direct News brief: CAB mails details of AdvisorNet.(Citizens Advice Bureau)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... The Citizens Advice Bureau is mailing details of its AdvisorNet system to external customers for the first time. The information system, which covers issues such as welfare benefits and housing, is used by 17,000 CAB advisers.

Direct News brief: The Dogs Trust sends out mailing.(contract with 141 Worldwide/London )(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... The Dogs Trust, the dog welfare charity, is sending out a mailing called 'Safe hands' to promote responsible ownership. The work, by 141 Worldwide/London, will target previous donors.

Direct News brief: Hypoxi-training launching website.(contract with Tamba Internet)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Hypoxi-training, the weight-loss system used by celebrities such as Robbie Williams and Kerry Katona, is launching a website to promote its holistic weight-loss therapies throughout Europe. The site, vacunaut.co.uk, was created by digital...

Direct News brief: Sports Industry Group launches magazine.(Passion)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... The Sports Industry Group is launching a quarterly magazine called Passion. It will be mailed to the group's 2500 stakeholders: brands, media, sports bodies and commercial sports agencies. The first issue will debut at the Sports Industry...

Direct News brief: Macmillan appoints Cocktail Marketing.
April 26, 2006... Macmillan, the book publisher, has appointed Cocktail Marketing to handle partnership marketing for its latest titles. Cocktail will also create a series of cross-promotions.

Retail News: Asda awards Inferno pounds 10m in-store work.(ASDA Group PLC)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Asda has handed Inferno the pounds 10m consolidated account for its in-store communications, as it plans to refocus on the consumer experience. The retailer invited Inferno and fellow roster agencies The Marketing Store and Gratterpalm...

Retail News: Dreamworks in DVD promotion.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Dreamworks Universal is planning an in-store campaign to support the DVD launch of romantic comedy Just Like Heaven. The activity, created by Coutts UK, will include display units, counter packs and shelf wobblers. It will run from 8 May....

Retail News: Currys Digital to extend offering.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... DSGi is to introduce online terminals in its 190 Currys Digital stores, to extend their offering to white goods. The stores, rebranded from the now-defunct Dixons chain, will give high-street customers access via an online catalogue to...

Retail choice: Zara, Knightsbridge.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... In my 20s, the arrival of Emporio Armani suggested that one day there might be an entire Armani department store to fulfil my dreams. But, at 40, it's not Italy that I look to for inspiration, but Spain, and Zara delivers like no one...

Retail News brief: H&M announces fall in l-f-l sales.(H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... H&M has announced an 8% fall in like-for-like sales for the year to 30 March. The Swedish fashion chain blamed cold weather and a late Easter for the decline.

Retail News brief: MFI chairman to step down.(MFI Furniture Group PLC)(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... MFI chairman Ian Peacock is to step down this year. In a statement to shareholders, the ailing retail group said Peacock's successor is likely to be an independent non-executive director from outside the company.

Retail News brief: London retail sales outperform rest of UK.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... London retail sales have outperformed the rest of the UK, according to the British Retail Consortium. Sales in London during March were up 5% on the same period in 2005.

Retail News brief: Pfizer launches campaign for hair-loss product.(Brief article)
April 26, 2006... Pfizer is launching a campaign for hair-loss product Regaine for Women on The Pharmacy Channel, the in-store TV network that runs in independent chemists. The product will be advertised around the channel's women's health programmes.