Marketing articles from August 2005

Marketing archives from August 2005

Mackenzie quits Hewlett-Packard after one year.(Amanda Mackenzie)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Amanda Mackenzie, Hewlett-Packard's European marketing chief, has stepped down after just over a year in the job. It is understood that Mackenzie has another senior marketing position lined up. However, it is believed that she has not yet...

McDonald's axes veggie options in menu rethink.(McDonald's Corp.)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... McDonald's' experiment to offer vegetarians a range of Quorn-based meals and healthy options has backfired after it decided to axe 11 items from its menu, including the Quorn Premiere. The fast-food giant is cutting a swathe through its...

London activity slated as 'waste'.(promotional agencies Visit London and the Greater London Authority accused of wasting money on ad campaign)
August 24, 2005... The British Retail Consortium has accused Visit London and the Greater London Authority of wasting money on the 'Everyone's London' campaign aimed at getting people back to the city. Last week, the two organisations announced that they...

Persil suffers worst fall in Biggest Brands survey.(clothes detergent brand experiences sales decline)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Persil experienced the biggest sales decline of the UK's top 50 FMCG brands in the past year, according to Marketing's 15th annual Biggest Brands survey, compiled using data from TNS Superpanel. The survey showed that the Unilever laundry...

Heineken hands global brief to Strawberryfrog.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Heineken has hired Strawberryfrog to handle its pounds 70m global advertising account. The Amsterdam agency won the business in a head-to-head pitch against McCann Erickson, after WCRS had been knocked off the shortlist. ...

Portman targets seaside drinkers.(Portman Group ads to raise awareness of binge drinking)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... The Portman Group is targeting pubs and bars in seaside resorts with an ad campaign highlighting the dangers of binge drinking. The promotion, breaking in the run-up to the August Bank Holiday, marks the group's latest...

Shark develops premium vodka.(launches Slava)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Shark, the energy drink brand, is moving into the alcoholic beverage sector with the launch of Slava, a premium vodka. Slava will compete with Absolut in bars and the off-trade. Initially, it will be supported by a limited ad budget and...

Cosmos awards pounds 6m job to HDM.(Cosmos Holidays)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Cosmos Holidays, the UK's biggest independent tour operator, has hired integrated agency HDM to handle its pounds 6m advertising account as it bids to rejuvenate its brand. Already on Cosmos' roster, HDM has been briefed to create a...

New campaign: Seat Leon.(automobile advertising campaign handled by Athletico)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Seat is kicking off a pounds 2m TV ad campaign to convey the sporty image of its Leon five-door sports hatch. The promotion, which coincides with the launch of the latest model in the range, uses the slogan 'It's outback'. It seeks to...

First Choice eyes premium flyers.(First Choice Holidays)(advertising campaign created by Phoenix)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... First Choice Holidays is attempting to position its long-haul flights as more upmarket than those of its rivals by refitting its aircraft. The travel group has increased the leg room between seats and improved the quality of inflight...

Which? in school vending inquiry.(food in school vending machines)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Which? has called on the government and food industry to tackle the issue of vending machines in schools as part of a review of food marketing and standards in schools. Sue Davies, chief policy adviser at Which?, said: 'We believe the...

Cadbury extends masterbrand with Turkish bar.(launch of Cadbury Dairy Milk Turkish chocolate bar)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Cadbury is to expand its flagship Dairy Milk range with the launch of a single Cadbury Dairy Milk Turkish bar. The bar will contain a thin layer of Turkish Delight surrounded by chocolate. The variant is already available as a 200g...

Argos prepares to shift pounds 35m business to CHI.(Clemmow Hornby Inge)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Argos is on the verge of appointing Clemmow Hornby Inge (CHI) to handle its pounds 35m advertising account following a four-way pitch. The account, held by Euro RSCG for the past three years, was put up for review in June (Marketing, June...

Jeyes gives pounds 5m account to WARL.(Jeyes Group, WARL Change Behaviour)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... The Jeyes Group has shaken up the advertising arrangements for its Parazone and Bloo toilet cleaning brands with the appointment of WARL Change Behaviour. WARL won the business following a four-way battle. Poulter Partners, which has...

Teletext plans to create umbrella brand message.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Teletext plans to develop a single brand message for its portfolio following the appointment of Clemmow Hornby Inge to handle its pounds 3.5m ad business. Teletext is best known for its analogue text and holiday services on terrestrial...

Cancer Research UK introduces charity ring.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Cancer Research UK is trying to cut through the crowded charity wristband market with the launch of a charity ring. The charity hopes the ring, called The Pinkie, will raise awareness of its work on breast cancer in the run-up to Breast...

Jaffa plans return to TV after 25-year gap.(orange producer to launch television advertising campaign)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Jaffa is investing in its first TV ad campaign for 25 years as part of a brand relaunch designed to capitalise on growing consumer concerns about obesity. The campaign, due to break in January 2006, is being created by McCann-Erickson...

London college hunts ad agency.(London Metropolitan University)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... London Metropolitan University (LMU) is seeking an agency to handle its seven-figure global advertising business. The institution, like many 'new' universities, is aiming to increase its foreign student quota to boost both numbers and...

Diageo puts pounds 2m behind bourbon RTD debut.(introduction of ready-to-drink product)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Diageo is attempting to reinvigorate the sluggish ready-to-drink (RTD) sector with the launch of a bourbon-based drink called Slate 20. The drinks giant intends to back the September launch with a pounds 2m advertising campaign that will...

News brief: Sony backs launch of PSP.(Sony Computer Entertainment Europe)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Sony Computer Entertainment Europe is to back next week's launch of the PSP with a pounds 10m advertising campaign in the UK. TV ads created by TBWA\London will run in November highlighting the PSP's benefits both as a games player and...

News brief: Andrex print ads attract complaints.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Andrex Moistened's print ads featuring bare bottoms have attracted 25 complaints to the Advertising Standards Agency. It has yet to begin an investigation.

News brief: Wanadoo to launch outdoor campaign.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Wanadoo is to launch a heavyweight outdoor campaign featuring 'The Wanadoo Family'. Each will promote a different element of the Wanadoo package. The ads, created by M&C Saatchi, will appear on 12,000 sites.

News brief: Nintendo to launch GameBoy Micro.
August 24, 2005... Nintendo will launch the GameBoy Micro this November with the claim that it is the smallest games console on the market. The Micro marks Nintendo's latest bid to expand beyond its traditional youth audience.

News brief: Pizza Hut ends Simpsons sponsorship.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Pizza Hut has ended its sponsorship of The Simpsons on Channel 4, leaving the animation without a backer. Pizza Hut signed a 12-month deal to sponsor the show last October. The deal was negotiated by Starcom Motive.

News brief: Mintel report.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... British alcohol consumption increased by 5% between 1999 and 2004 to break the 8bn litre barrier, according to Mintel. In contrast, French consumption fell by 6% between the same period to just under 6bn litres.

News brief: Bentley Motors to revive Azure.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Bentley Motors will revive the Azure, which ceased production in 2003, as a four-seater convertible. The flagship of the Bentley range goes on sale in spring 2006.

News brief: Lloyds TSB confirms appointment.(hires Modem Media to handle digital marketing)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Lloyds TSB has confirmed the appointment of Modem Media as its digital agency, following a competitive pitch against a number of other agencies. Tequila/London and All Response Media also pitched and may be used by the bank in the future.

Sanex activity to court sportsmen.(Sanex for Men)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Sanex for Men will run a TV campaign this autumn as part of its strategy to target sporty men. The Sara Lee toiletry brand is also conducting a pounds 250,000 sampling campaign, which includes a 'Beat the Keeper' interactive penalty game...

Unwins wine concept outlets to go national.(Phillips Newman wine stores)(advertising agency Seventh Floor)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Unwins is laying down plans to expand Phillips Newman, its wine retail concept, both nationwide and overseas. Phillips Newman is unusual for a wine merchant in that it classifies wine by taste rather than region. Its two outlets, which...

New campaign: 'Toy Amnesty'.(Children's Society teams up with Walkers Potato Heads to promote toy donations)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... The Children's Society has teamed up with Walkers Potato Heads to promote a 'Toy Amnesty' campaign to encourage parents to donate old toys. Walkers figurehead Gary Lineker will front the campaign in newspapers and magazines including The...

RAC Foundation seeks traffic safety ad allies.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... The RAC Foundation plans to team up with a mobile phone operator and children's TV network to promote road safety to children who walk around paying more attention to phones and iPods than to traffic. The motoring charity wants the...

This week: Marketing news from the national press.(Rupert Murdoch seeks to bolster New Corporation's online presence)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Rupert Murdoch is eyeing two internet companies as he seeks to bolster News Corporation's digital interests. He is understood to be talking with search engine Binkx and video gaming company IGN - Financial Times BT has quietly scrapped a...

Media ABCs: TV Easy launch helps listings to 5% sales increase.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... The successful launch of TV Easy has helped grow the highly competitive TV listings market by more than 5% year on year. The magazine, launched by IPC in May with a pounds 10m war chest, has recorded a debut circulation figure of 340,018...

Media ABCs: Magazines Aimed at Over-35s Boost Women's Glossies Sales
August 24, 2005... Women's glossy magazines posted the biggest increase of any major magazine sector, with a year-on-year increase in circulation of 20.5% in the January-June 2005 ABCs. The boom was fed by the growing popularity of titles aimed at the 35-plus...

Media ABCs: IPC pounds 6m launch hits Bauer title.(women's magazine "Pick Me Up")(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... IPC's Pick Me Up, the women's weekly focused on real-life stories, which went on sale at the start of the year, has recorded its first ABC figure, with a circulation of 503,950. The pounds 6m launch appears to have hit sales of Bauer's...

Media ABCs: Sky stays on top with 2.8% growth.(customer magazines)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... An increase in digital TV subscriptions saw John Brown Citrus Publishing's Sky consolidate its position as the biggest customer magazine, with year-on-year growth of 2.8%. The title increased sales to 6,783,581. Publicis Blueprint's Asda...

Media ABCs: Emap titles haul in IPC celebrity gossip leader Now.(celebrity gossip magazines)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... The UK's appetite for celebrity gossip magazines shows no sign of abating, with the aggressively contested sector reporting healthy ABC figures. The march of the celebrity magazine seems unaffected by the increased focus of national...

Media ABCs: Men's mags boosted by weeklies' fight for share.(earnings for men's magazines, competition between "Nuts" and "Zoo")(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... The men's lifestyle magazine sector has posted a healthy year-on-year rise of 3.6%, bolstered by the battle between weekly titles IPC's Nuts and Emap's Zoo. Zoo's sales rose by 30.1% year on year to 260,317, but it still trails...

Media ABCs: Mojo takes lead in music sector.(music magazine)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... The cross-generational music scene helped Emap's Mojo to its highest-ever ABC as it overtook IPC's retro music title, Uncut. Mojo posted a 14.2% year-on-year increase in sales to 114,626, while Uncut was down 2.5%. Stuart Williams,...

Media ABCs: Teen category suffers as readers migrate to web.(teen magazines)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... The teen entertainment sector has suffered a huge circulation drop as young people turn to new media as channels for pop and showbusiness gossip. No magazines in the category posted a sales increase. The fortunes of BBC Magazines' Top of...

Media ABCs: Home-interest titles in decline.(sales of home improvement periodicals)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... A 5% fall in the home-interest sector could be an indication that public enthusiasm for home improvement is on the wane. Sales of IPC's Ideal Home, the market leader, fell by 8.9% to 247,006 year on year, while the circulation for The...

Branding News: Harmony in overhaul ahead of expansion.(hires design agency Elmwood London)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Harmony, the classic 70s hairspray brand famous for its 'Is she or isn't she?' advertising campaign, has hired design agency Elmwood London to update its look. The haircare brand, which is to be positioned as a versatile and affordable...

Branding News: KLM carrier eyes broader service.(Transavia. com appoints Landor to carry out brand review)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Transavia.com, the KLM-owned low-cost carrier, has appointed Landor to conduct a brand review as it seeks to reposition from an airline to a travel provider. The company is aiming to establish itself as a travel brand offering a range of...

Branding News: Bath gift brand set for UK debut.(Abahna, a brand from Croft + Croft)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Abahna, a bath brand from gift company Croft + Croft, is to launch in the UK later this year. The range, which will comprise three fragrances and includes bath foams and oils, soap, body lotions and scented candles, will hit shelves in...

Branding News: Design choice - Heineken H2.(author evaluates beer bottle design)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... It is always encouraging to see innovation in any product category, but particularly in beer. The Heineken H2 metallic bottle is no exception, providing a refreshing initiative. Its beer cask-inspired can also caught my eye, which made me...

Branding News brief: Branston Pickle undergoes makeover.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Branston Pickle has undergone its first makeover in 80 years in time for Christmas. The overhaul includes changes to jar shapes, price points and weights.

Branding News brief: Radox gets new look.(hires DJPA Partnership)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Radox has tasked DJPA Partnership with creating a new look for its bath range. The design will draw on the brand's position as the number one washing and bathing brand in the UK.

Branding News brief: JRW Design to handle campaign.(for Public Health Development Service, Manchester, England)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Manchester Public Health Development Service has appointed JRW Design to handle a campaign intended to urge the city to adopt a smoke-free policy by 2008. The agency will design a logo and advertising.

Branding News brief: 3i hires With.(3i Group PLC corporate identity review)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... 3i has hired creative communications agency With to carry out a corporate identity review. The global activity will include a review of 3i's existing identity to ensure it will fit with the company's business strategy over the next five years.

Branding News brief: Mothercare to launch Moda.(clothing line for pregnant women)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Mothercare is to launch Moda, a brand for women who want to remain fashionable throughout their pregnancy. Lewis Moberly has designed the identity, graphics and photography for the range.

Branding News brief: ELC overhauls branding.(Early Learning Centre Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Early Learning Centre has overhauled its branding through Parker Williams. The agency has redesigned packaging across a range of products including games, art and creativity and puzzles.

Branding News brief: Hambleton Ales to relaunch.(Yorkshire beer brand )(packaging desiged by Harris Cook Taylor)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Hambleton Ales, the Yorkshire beer brand, is to relaunch next month with packaging designed by Harris Cook Taylor. The new look will be rolled out across its five-bottle range and pump clip.

Branding News brief: Molton Brown to roll out latest men's product.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Molton Brown is to roll out its latest men's product, Thermal Salts Muscle Soak, in stores later this month, with packaging designed by Jones Knowles Ritchie.

Branding News brief: Comet appoints Venturethree.(for re-design of its brand)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Comet has appointed brand identity agency Venturethree to redesign the look of its vehicles, in-store signage and point-of-sale. The identity will be supported by an ad campaign.

Direct News: Kraft in shop search for Cote d'Or activity.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Food giant Kraft is seeking the first UK direct marketing agency for its Cote d'Or Belgian chocolate brand. The brand, which translates as Gold Coast, sits alongside Toblerone, Milka, Dime bar and Terry's Chocolate Orange in Kraft's...

Direct News: Dyno-Rod to run integrated work.(ad campaign developed by agency Blac)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Dyno-Rod, the drain clearance specialist, is preparing its first integrated ad campaign, following its acquisition by utilities giant Centrica, with the message 'One day you'll thank us'. The response-based activity is aimed at business...

Direct News: Nissan supports Murano launch.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Nissan is to promote the latest addition to its 4x4 range, the Murano, with a direct mail campaign through Tullo Marshall Warren. The mailing will go out to 20,000 prospective customers, who will receive a booklet of material swatches....

Direct choice: The Times Careers supplement.(author evaluates direct mail campaign)(Column)
August 24, 2005... When I start the day my mind is fresh and pretty much up for anything, but by the time I finish, it has been reduced to a mushy pea. After a hard day editing out the deluge of unwanted information foisted on it, it is not really that...

Direct News brief: Infobrokers creates online service.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Infobrokers has created an online service for public-sector tenders aimed at the advertising and marketing industry. The independent service will provide subscribers with email alerts when tenders are issued covering advertising, PR and...

Direct News brief: Olay targets female office workers and shoppers.(with campaign run by i2i Marketing, London, England)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Olay is readying an experiential marketing campaign through i2i Marketing, in central London, to promote its Total Effects Anti-ageing Blemish Care moisturiser. The campaign will target female office workers and shoppers.

Direct News brief: Primelocation.com hires Prospect Swetenhams.(f)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Primelocation.com has hired data-marketing company Prospect Swetenhams to manage its list, which contains 147,000 postal addresses and 155,000 emails of premium-property home-seekers.

Direct News brief: First Direct develops online chat service.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... First Direct, the online bank, has developed an online chat service to give customers access to representatives through its website 24 hours a day.

Direct News brief: British Gymnastics installs web-based management system.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... British Gymnastics, the national sporting body, is installing a web-based membership management system from Concentrix. It will enable its 127,000 members to join clubs, register for events and receive news online.

Direct News brief: MoS to launch StikAx.(Ministry of Sound, music and video mixer)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Ministry of Sound is to launch StikAx, a music and video mixer, through an interactive sampling tour. The mixer, created by High Andes, is being promoted through youth marketing agency Making Waves, with a customised sampling vehicle touring...

Direct News brief: Boden appoints HLB.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Boden, the upmarket clothing catalogue company, has appointed HLB to manage and broker its lists. Previously, the company used Prospect Swetenhams as its broker and Mokrynski as list manager.

Direct News brief: Docklands Light Railway launches campaign.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Docklands Light Railway is launching a pounds 500,000 integrated marketing campaign, including door-to-door mail-drops, highlighting the extension of its services to London City Airport.

Retail News: Argos in shop-floor revamp.(builds new store in Lakeside Shopping Centre, Essex)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Argos is building a store in Lakeside Shopping Centre, Essex, that features display areas dedicated to homewares and furniture, as it bids to improve the performance of its high-street operations. Central to the store's design will be a...

Retail News: Thorntons seeks to fend off Lindt.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Thorntons, the 94-year-old upmarket chocolate retailer, is taking the unusual step of launching a brand campaign to fight off the challenge of quality brands such as Lindt. The campaign, created by Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy, is...

Retail choice: TK Maxx Home.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Two desires are gripping British consumers: we have acquired an raging thirst for sleek designer gear, but want it for very little cash. On the whole, these two forces remained mutually exclusive - until, that is, the appearance of a blue...

Retail News brief: Space.NK launches own-label perfume.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Space.NK, the beauty products retailer, is launching an own-label perfume for Christmas. It is also looking to relaunch its Laughter, Stillness, Soulful and Enrapture fragrances.

Retail News brief: Konami appoints Channel Games.(for in-store campaigns)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Konami, the video-games publisher, has appointed field marketing specialist Channel Games to develop in-store campaigns to support its portfolio of releases until March 2006.

Retail News brief: TK Maxx relaunches website.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... TK Maxx has relaunched its website at www.tkmaxx.com. The site's new look, developed by Design UK and the retailer's in-house studio, will be updated on a regular basis.

Retail News brief: Screenselect.co.uk signs promotional deals.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Screenselect.co.uk, the online DVD rental service, has signed promotional deals with Time Out and Express Newspapers to offer their readers a free trial.

Retail News brief: Selfridges runs 'Black and White' promotion.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... Selfridges is running a 'Black and White' promotion to highlight the trend for this autumn/winter, with a display featuring a piano suspended from the ceiling. Separately, Chanel is opening a boutique within the London store.

Retail News brief: ASA upholds complaint.(Advertising Standards Authority, United Kingdom)(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld a complaint by Tesco and forced Asda to stop using the line 'officially Britain's lowest-priced supermarket' in ads. The claim was made in a number of press ads and one TV ad. Tesco said the word...

Retail News brief: The Link launches TV campaign.(Brief Article)
August 24, 2005... The Link, the phone retailer, has launched a TV campaign featuring Paul Whitehouse and Mark Williams playing their 'suit you' characters from The Fast Show. The ads, which use the line 'Phones to suit every pocket', focus on the retailer's...

Helen Dickinson on Retail: Stock-Outs Are Profits Down the Drain
August 24, 2005... Stock-outs must rank right up there as one of the most annoying aspects of shopping. Finding out that the item or items you were after are not in-store, or not available in your size, is guaranteed to annoy anyone. We have all been there: the...

News Analysis: Will Shoppers Return to London?
August 24, 2005... The terror bombings and rising travel costs have driven consumers away from the West End. James Quilter reports. Consumers who once visited London's shops regularly may be thinking twice about the journey following the recent terror bombings....

Raymond Snoddy on Media: C4 Cricket Hits Doomsayers for Six
August 24, 2005... Next month sees the Royal Television Society head off to Cambridge for its bi-annual meeting. Leading an impressive line-up of speakers are Yahoo! chairman Terry Semel, Blair Westlake, corporate vice-president of Micro-soft's media/entertainment...

Brand Health Check: Pot Noodle
August 24, 2005... How can the bad-boy snack recover from the Sudan 1 controversy with its market already in decline, asks Gemma Charles. Pot Noodle, the self-styled 'Slag of all snacks', was left reeling by the Sudan 1 food dye scare earlier this year. Most...

Mark Ritson on Branding: Boasts Lose Asda Its No-Claims Bonus
August 24, 2005... Robert Booth is a man with a very big secret. He is a director of Emaar Properties, the construction firm charged with building the Burj Dubai, soon to become the world's tallest building. The secret that Booth is carefully protecting is exactly...

One to Watch: Auctioning4u
August 24, 2005... Ever fancied selling unwanted goods online, but couldn't face the hassle? There is now a solution, writes Ed Kemp. Online auction site eBay is a great place to profit from the adage 'one man's junk is another man's treasure'. But clearing out...

Profile: Style with Substance - Anne-Marie Lavan, Head of Marketing, Emap Consumer Media
August 24, 2005... Anne-Marie Lavan is sitting pretty. A debut ABC of 155,157 for Grazia is an impressive result for a magazine that some thought may have been too daring an innovation at launch just six months ago. But now that the foundations of Britain's...

Adwatch: The weekly analysis of advertisement recall.(Illustration)
August 24, 2005... Q: Which of the following TV commercials do you remember seeing recently? Last Brand Agency/TV buyer % week 1 (-) Vauxhall Zafira Lowe/Initiative 72 2...