Marketing articles from August 2004

Marketing archives from August 2004

Express Newspapers set to enter lads' mag fray.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... The battle in the lads' weekly market is set to intensify with the launch of KO! from Richard Desmond's Express Newspapers, scheduled for the autumn. Northern & Shell, the Express' parent company, registered the name KO! on June 11 in the...

Camelot to reveal single 'Be lucky' theme for ads.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Camelot is ditching its 18-month-old 'good causes' strategy in favour of an umbrella ad theme under the campaign strapline 'Be lucky'. The pounds 12m ad campaign, which breaks next month, will feature TV stars Graham Norton and Fay Ripley....

Kit Kat calls time on 'Have a break'.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Nestle Rowntree is to kill off Kit Kat's 47-year-old 'Have a break, have a Kit Kat' slogan as part of its ongoing rescue of the beleaguered brand. 'Make the most of your break' will become the brand's strapline from next month. It...

Hip hop impresario Damon Dash plans UK assault.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... US hip hop mogul Damon Dash is to make his first foray in the UK market with the introduction of his Armadale vodka brand. The vodka, already a success in the US, will be distilled by Scottish firm William Grant & Sons and go on sale in the...

Wales appoints W&K to pounds 6m tourism business.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... The Wales Tourist Board (WTB) has hired Wieden & Kennedy to handle its pounds 6m UK advertising account. W&K was handed the account following a pitch handled by the AAR, which also included a review of media and direct marketing, which...

Football League creates kids Cup.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... The Football League has developed a nationwide football competition for primary schools called the Community Cup, as it modernises its sponsorship structure to boost revenues. The League is searching for a sponsor for the competition, one...

New campaign: Boots.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Client: Boots Creative agency: Mother Media agency: MediaCom

Dove seeks 'real women' for ads.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Dove is to search for the next group of 'real women' to become the faces and bodies of its Dove Firming product campaign. The activity follows the success of the current advertising campaign that features six women of average size. ...

Lucozade to add 'drug-free' logo.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Lucozade Sport is set to reinforce its association with elite athletics by introducing a tick mark on its products that says they have been tested for drugs prohibited in athletics. The brand has developed a protocol to help ensure that its...

Sindy relaunches to battle Barbie.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Sindy, the 40-year-old British doll, is to capitalise on arch-rival Barbie's malaise with a major brand revitalisation. Following a radical make-over, Sindy relaunched in Selfridges and toy catalogues at the end of last month. The...

Lindt names top marketer for UK.(apointment of Andy Edge )(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Andy Edge, the former UK marketing director of brewer Holsten, has joined luxury chocolate maker Lindt as its top UK marketer. Edge, who spent six years with Holsten, will join in mid-August. He replaces Michael Kudera, who has left the...

Nationwide unites brand strategy under one role.(appointment of Peter Gandolfi )(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Nationwide Building Society has created a head of brand development position as it looks to revitalise its pounds 24m promotional strategy. The umbrella role will attempt to bring more cohesion to Nationwide's marketing by bringing together...

Kellogg to back All-Bran with pounds 3m Shatner ads.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Kellogg's All-Bran is embarking on its biggest promotional drive in four years with a pounds 3m advertising campaign featuring former Star Trek actor William Shatner. The 'Feel great in a fortnight challenge' highlights the health benefits...

Sony Ericsson fills global post.(appointment of Andrew Warner)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Sony Ericsson has poached Microsoft UK digital marketing chief Andrew Warner to become its worldwide brand guardian. Warner takes the role of global brand director, which has been vacant since Dee Dutta was promoted to vice-president of...

Macallan seeks youth appeal with mixer range.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Single malt whisky brand The Macallan is to break with tradition by introducing a range of whiskies designed for mixers and cocktails. The Macallan Fine Oak, the most ambitious extension in the brand's 180-year history, will be launched...

Jaguar backs Coventry City stadium in pounds 7m deal.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Jaguar is ploughing pounds 7m into a sponsorship deal that gives the car manufacturer naming rights to Coventry's new 32,000-seat sports and events stadium. The pounds 113m state-of-the-art arena will be completed by August 2005, when it...

WH Smith orders pounds 1.5m cuts to aid recovery bid.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... WH Smith is looking to save pounds 1.5m a year in marketing costs as part of a pounds 30m efficiency drive to turn around the ailing retailer. Stephen Clarke, who takes up the post of marketing director this week, will oversee the...

Tic Tac supports V music festival.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Ferrero-owned mint brand Tic Tac is moving into music sponsorship with a deal to back the V Festival. Under the partnership, a Tic Tac marquee will be set up at the festival, which takes place in Chelmsford and Staffordshire from 21-22...

Kinder extends into 'sharing' market with Friends.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Kinder is taking on Masterfoods' Celebrations and Cadbury's Heroes in the twist-wrap market with the launch of Kinder Friends. The confectionery company is expanding its portfolio to target families and young adults, while retaining its...

Nestle puts pounds 1m behind giveaway.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Nestle is giving away chocolate bars in a pounds 1m on-pack promotion for Aero and Double Cream that is likely to provoke disapproval from anti-obesity lobbyists. Called 'Try me free', the initiative is intended to drive trial of the bars....

Bid-up.tv signs BBC star for ads.(David Dickinson )(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Bid-up.tv, the live television auction channel, has signed up David Dickinson, star of BBC show Bargain Hunt, to front a pounds 2m brand awareness campaign. It is the first time the channel, which competes against home-shopping giant QVC,...

A&L creates pounds 5m comparative ads.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Alliance & Leicester is targeting competitors' customers with an aggressive pounds 5m integrated campaign promoting its recently launched Premier Plus current account The activity claims that Premier Plus offers 50 times more interest than...

Wanadoo links with Time for distribution.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Wanadoo has signed a distribution deal with computer manufacturer and retailer Time Group. The internet service provider, which rebranded from Freeserve in April, previously had a partnership with PC World which it lost to rival AOL. Under...

People moves: City & Guilds.(appointment of Nigel Moore)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Nigel Moore has left his position as Royal Mail's director of retail and consumer business to join City & Guilds as head of group marketing. Moore replaces Jo Causon, who left the qualifications body in May to join brand consultancy...

People moves: 3.(appointment of Margaret Burke)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Mobile network operator 3 has hired Margaret Burke, formerly general manager of brand development and communications at One2One, as director of customer marketing. Burke will report to Graeme Oxby, 3's product development and propositions...

People moves: Warner.(Julie Gould leaving Warner)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Julie Gould, sales and marketing director for adults-only holiday brand Warner, is to leave the company after three years. She would not confirm her plans, but will stay on until October to oversee Warner's planning for 2005. The Bourne...

People moves: Wolsey Securities.(appointment of Mark Higgins)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Mark Higgins has been appointed to the new role of marketing director for Wolsey Securities, an independent finance group for house-builders. Previously, Higgins was marketing director for property firm Chesterton.

People moves: Mumm Champagne.(appointment of Anna Adsetts)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Anna Adsetts is to become senior brand manager for Mumm Champagne. Reporting to Vincent Gillet, UK country manager for Allied Domecq Wine UK, she will oversee the development of new marketing strategies for the brand here. Adsetts...

People moves: JP Morgan Fleming.(appointment of Jennifer Russell)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Jennifer Russell is joining asset management company JP Morgan Fleming as head of European marketing. Russell moves from Fidelity Investments, where she was marketing director for central marketing in the UK and Europe. She replaces...

News brief: Prince Tennis re-signs Guillermo Coria.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Prince Tennis has re-signed 2004 French Open finalist Guillermo Coria to an exclusive endorsement deal. The Argentine will play with and promote the Prince Tour NX-Graphite racquet.

News brief: BBC World Service hires Agency Republic.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... BBC World Service has hired Agency Republic to promote its bbcnews.com service in the US, following a three-way pitch. The work will back the site's international news and analysis.

News brief: Dollond & Aitchison sponsors marathon runner.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Dollond & Aitchison is sponsoring marathon runner Tracey Morris in her Olympic bid. Morris, who works for the high-street optician and was the fastest British female finisher at this year's London Marathon, will wear the D&A logo on her...

News brief: Product of the Year closing deadline.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Product of the Year, the FMCG marketing awards scheme, sponsored by Marketing and TNS, has a closing deadline for all entries of 18 August. For more details, go to www.productoftheyear.co.uk.

News brief: Penhaligon's launches Imperial Paw.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Penhaligon's is to launch Imperial Paw, a luxurious range of products for pets. The line, which includes dog bowls, biscuit jars, luxury blankets and shampoos, will go on sale nationwide from September.

News brief: Orange promotes photo messaging service.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Orange is promoting its photo messaging service through an interactive art exhibition at London's Goldsmith College. The exhibition, called Phonebrainz, features mobile phones displayed in sculpted heads 'talking' to each other through their...

News brief: Michelob Ultra signs triathletes.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Michelob Ultra, the low-carb beer, has signed UK triathletes Michelle Dillon and Stuart Hayes to a two-year sponsorship, as part of an ongoing tie-up with triathlons and promotion of a healthy lifestyle.

News brief: LA Fitness targets office workers.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... LA Fitness is targeting office workers with a 'baton' campaign, to coincide with the Olympics. The database-building initiative involves a relay baton being passed around a company until 30 names and their contact details have been collected....

Dr Martens puts focus on London.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Dr Martens is putting London at the centre of its first promotional activity in four years as it seeks to boost sales by 10%. The brand, traditionally aimed at teenagers, is being repositioned to target 18- to 35-year-olds. The global...

Brylcreem plans pounds 1.5m expansion.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Brylcreem, the men's hairstyling brand, is to introduce a range of products, backed by a pounds 1.5m campaign, to tap into the booming male grooming sector. The products, which will go on sale this autumn, are a Rock Hard Wax, a Natural...

Asda backs budget electrical line with price cuts.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Asda is to take on Dixons and Comet by introducing Wal-Mart's low-cost Durabrand electrical products into the UK. The line, which will complement Asda's electrical range, is being rolled out in 235 of its 260 stores. Asda is promoting the...

Chupa Chups links with Coty for perfume range.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Chupa Chups, the lollipop maker, is extending into fragrances to target urban teenage girls. The brand has teamed up with cosmetics firm Coty to launch the range, which will be called the Chupa Chups I Love Me collection. The line will...

Npower ties with cancer charity.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Npower is embarking on a corporate social responsibility (CSR) drive by becoming the headline sponsor of Macmillan Cancer Relief World's Biggest Coffee Morning, taking place next month. The tie-up is Npower's first association with the...

Electrolux sets up film-making brand initiative.
August 4, 2004... Electrolux is inviting leading film schools to make short movies about its brand, as it seeks to give its online marketing a more creative edge. The company has set up Ad-Venture, an initiative aimed at producing online films that embody...

Renault to back dealers online.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Renault is promoting its retail network online for the first time to fend off competition from independent car dealers. A dedicated retail website at www.renaultretail.co.uk goes live this week, which will enable potential purchasers to...

Safeway work goes to Morrisons agency.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Morrisons has appointed BDH\TBWA to handle the creative brief for Safeway, ending Clemmow Hornby Inge's two-year incumbency. BDH\TBWA already handles the Morrisons brand and the move will fuel speculation over Safeway's brand future. The...

Star Alliance selects shops for loyalty job.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Star Alliance, the airline consortium, has hired Harrison Troughton Wunderman and International Customer Loyalty Programmes (ICLP) to oversee a frequent flyer scheme that links into member airlines' loyalty schemes. The agencies won the...

New campaign: NACF.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Client: The National Art Collections Fund Creative agency: Partners Andrews Aldridge

This week: Marketing news from the national press.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Asda is set to overtake Marks & Spencer as Britain's biggest clothing retailer by the end of the year, thanks to its George label. Figures for the past three months showed Asda's 8.9% market share closing on M&S's 9.1% - The Sunday Times ...

Media News: Elle shrinks to fit travellers' needs.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Hachette Filipacchi's Elle is launching a handbag-sized version, to be sold in travel outlets from 6 August. The UK edition of the high-fashion magazine is the first of Elle's international editions to be produced in a compact size. ...

Media News: National radio audience rises.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... National radio stations increased their audiences in the second quarter of 2004, with Classic FM, Virgin Radio, talkSPORT, Jazz, Kiss and Heart all achieving growth. According to last week's Rajar results, national stations' share of total...

Media News: Agency chief trio to boost ITV CRM team.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... ITV Sales has strengthened its advertiser relationships team as it prepares for a major client marketing drive to improve its image. ITV has hired three agency account directors and is seeking another senior agency figure to head the...

Media choice: Bliss.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Having closed J17, Emap has relaunched its remaining teen title, Bliss, with more grown-up content and greater aspirational tone. The revamp packs in nearly 30 pages of fashion, offering a range of styles and ideas, from the 'Top 30...

Media News brief: Associated Newspapers set to enter celebrity weekly sector.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Associated Newspapers is believed to be planning a launch in the celebrity weekly sector. Hello!, which is distributed by Associated, has denied involvement in the project. Separately, The National Magazine Company's Project Reveal celebrity...

Media News brief: Channel 4 outbids Five.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Channel 4 has outbid Five for the UK broadcast rights to US comedy series Desperate Housewives. It has also bought the rights to action thriller Lost. The two series will air on Channel 4 next year.

Media News brief: Royal Mail offers discount on postage cost.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Royal Mail is offering a 25% discount on the postage cost of subscriptions to weekly magazines. Royal Mail hopes publishers will use the savings to increase their subscription marketing budgets.

Media News brief: Goodyear moves to Media Planning Group.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Goodyear has moved its global media planning and buying business out of PHD into Media Planning Group. The decision follows the appointment of Havas stablemate Arnold Worldwide to its creative account.

Media News brief: Future Publishing marks 50th issue.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Future Publishing is marking the 50th issue of Official PlayStation 2 Magazine, on sale on 12 August, with four collectable covers featuring female characters from wrestling game Smackdown v Raw.

Media News brief: UK cinema admissions for June highest in 35 years.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... UK cinema admissions totalled 14.7m in June, the highest June figure for 35 years and a 57% increase on June 2003. However, the first six months of 2004 were up just 5.6% overall.

Media News brief: Ford renews headline sponsorship.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Ford has renewed its headline sponsorship of Mela 2004, the UK's biggest Asian lifestyle exhibition, to be staged at NEC Birmingham from 8-10 October. Zee TV and ITV Central are the joint media partners.

Media News brief: Eidos to sponsor fantasy football game.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Eidos is sponsoring Times Online's fantasy football game to promote its Championship Manager game. The deal includes credits on The Times' website and email activity. Early fantasy football registrants can win a copy of the game.

Branding News: Pot Noodle moves to calm obesity critics.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Government pressure on food companies to act over the obesity crisis has forced Unilever Bestfoods to drop its child-oriented Pot Noodle Fun Pot range. It is replacing the line with a range called Pot Noodle Mini Pot, which will target...

Branding News: Cobram olive oil plans UK roll-out.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Australian olive oil producer Cobram Estate is to launch its range of extra-virgin oils in the UK. The oils, which are priced from pounds 4.99 a bottle, are being rolled out in Tesco nationwide. The brand is also in talks with Fortnum &...

Branding News: History Channel set for overhaul.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... The History Channel is updating its global brand identity to fight off increased competition from rival digital channels. The channel's fresh look, created by branding agency Lambie-Nairn, will be applied on- and off-air to create a...

Branding News: Design choice - Canon Compact Photo Printer CP-220.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Canon bills its Compact Photo Printer CP-220 as the 'dream of every digital camera owner', allowing instant home printing without the need for a computer. While I am yet to be persuaded that this invention can really be part of anyone's...

Branding News brief: Tetley extends ice-tea brand.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Tetley is extending its T of Life ice-tea brand with a peach and orange flavour, which it will support with a summer poster campaign in the London region. Footage from a roving camera crew dressed in fruit costumes will be screened on a...

Branding News brief: Tennent's rolls out redesigned bar font.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Tennent's Lager is rolling out a redesigned bar font across Scotland next month. Created by branding agency Design Bridge, the font uses concrete and resin to reflect the architecture and environment of Glasgow.

Branding News brief: Bottlegreen Drinks launches Tiger White.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Bottlegreen Drinks, the soft-drink company, is launching Tiger White, a dairy-alternative drink based on the Spanish beverage horchata de chufa.

Branding News brief: Plymouth rebrands.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Plymouth, the city, is rebranding in a bid to increase business and tourism revenue. The city's new identity and brand strategy were created by Brand Architecture International. The branding will launch in November to coincide with National...

Branding News brief: Silentnight Beds develops range of bedsteads.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Silentnight Beds has developed a range of 19 bedsteads called Imagine, designed for different styles of home. The bedsteads will be priced from pounds 399 to pounds 999.

Branding News brief: Sisley gets global image overhaul.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Sisley, the fashion label, is positioning itself as a risque, upmarket brand in a global image overhaul that will be rolled out across press ads, point-of-sale material, posters and catalogues.

Branding News brief: Masterfoods plans Christmas version of Maltesers.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Masterfoods is planning a green and red Christmas version of its Maltesers selection pack. It will also introduce a number of range extensions for the brand over the festive period; details have yet to be revealed.

Branding News brief: Digestive Disorders Foundation rebrands.(as Core )(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... The Digestive Disorders Foundation has rebranded as Core and is introducing the strapline 'Fighting gut and liver disease'. The charity plans to extend its remit beyond medical research into raising awareness of the disorders. The identity was...

Direct News: L'Oreal plans beauty brands CRM rethink.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... L'Oreal is gearing up to review its main beauty brands' direct marketing. Although a L'Oreal spokeswoman denied the company was holding a pitch, Marketing has learned it has con-tacted several direct agencies about developing integrated...

Direct News: Honda develops customer mag.(Dream magazine)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Honda is to produce a quarterly customer magazine to strenghthen customer relationships and brand loyalty. Dream magazine which launches this week, will be sent to 150,000 Honda UK customers. The magazine, which previews Honda products...

Direct News: Skoda highlights extras for Fabia.(with direct campaign )(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Skoda is highlighting the range of extras available on its latest Fabia model with a direct campaign targeting 15,000 consumers. The mailing, created by Archibald Ingall Stretton, plays on the Skoda brand's self-deprecating attitude and is...

Direct choice: Sight Savers.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... I receive at least one charity mailing every week. Because of this, the vast majority goes in the bin after a cursory glance. All are trying to pull on your heart strings enough to make you put your hand in your pocket, and, in most cases, they...

Direct News brief: Marketing agency directors unaware of Corporate TPS.
August 4, 2004... Seventy per cent of directors at marketing agencies are unaware of the Corporate Telephone Preference Service, according to data consultancy Alchemis. The service prevents businesses from receiving unsolicited telemarketing calls.

Direct News brief: King's College Hospital hires TDA.
August 4, 2004... King's College Hospital has hired direct marketing agency TDA to help it raise pounds 40m in donations. TDA's brief includes running an appeal for the Institute of Clinical Neuroscience. The activity will target consumers and businesses.

Direct News brief: Sir Martin Sorrell confirmed as next chairman of judges.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... WPP chief Sir Martin Sorrell has been confirmed as the next chairman of judges for the DMA's annual awards ceremony.

Direct News brief: Dulux to run 'Scratch & Win' promotion.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Dulux is running a 'Scratch & Win' promotion for products sold in DIY chain Wilkinson in England and Wales.The competition, created by direct agency SMP, offers prizes such as room makeovers and trips to Center Parcs.

Direct News brief: DMA names new chairman of Scottish office.(David Metcalfe)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... The DMA has named Lloyds TSB marketer David Metcalfe as chairman of its Scottish office. Metcalfe, who is head of wholesale banking development at Lloyds TSB Scotland, replaces Gillian Lyall, who chaired the organisation for three years.

Direct News brief: Alliance & Leicester highlights interest rates.(Alliance and Leicester Commercial Bank PLC and TDA Advertising and Design)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Alliance & Leicester is highlighting its deposit account interest rates in an integrated campaign targeting businesses. The work, created by TDA, will include mailings, press and online ads, and telemarketing.

Direct News brief: Bradford & Bingley teams up with Thomas Cook.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... Bradford & Bingley has teamed up with travel company Thomas Cook to create an in-branch promotion to encourage consumers to open savings accounts. Participants will receive pounds 100 off any Thomas Cook, JMC, Style, Club 18-30 or Neilson...

Direct News brief: NHS Professionals hires Haggie Hepburn.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2004... NHS Professionals, which provides temporary staff to the NHS, has hired integrated agency Haggie Hepburn to urge more healthcare professionals to volunteer for the scheme. The activity will include direct mail and advertising.