Marketing articles from February 2005

Marketing archives from February 2005

PepsiCo purchases PJ Smoothies in juices focus.(acquisition)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... PepsiCo is boosting its portfolio of healthy products with the acquisition of PJ Smoothies for an undisclosed sum. The smoothie brand, which will sit alongside the Tropicana and Copella juice brands, will form a key part of PepsiCo's...

Minute Maid's UK launch signals Coke fightback.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Coca-Cola is to introduce the Minute Maid orange juice brand into the UK this summer to take on rivals PepsiCo, Britvic and GlaxoSmithKline in sectors where it has had a low-key presence. In 2003, Coke announced it was to establish Minute...

Dixons explores finance services.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Dixons Group is seeking to recoup lost revenue from the clampdown on extended warranties by introducing co-branded insurance and other financial products to its high-street chain. Marketing has learned that the retailer has held talks...

AA hires DLKW for pounds 20m roadside business task.(Delaney Lund Knox Warren and Partners)(marketing contracts)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... The AA has appointed Delaney Lund Knox Warren & Partners (DLKW) without a pitch to handle its pounds 20m advertising and direct marketing account, as it prepares to relaunch its core roadside business. The AA plans to scrap its 'Just...

Coke takes on Lucozade with Powerade addition.(advertising)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Coca-Cola is to launch a Powerade-branded sports water to cash in on a near-pounds 400m sector and attempt to break the dominance of UK market-leader Lucozade. The pan-European product launch marks the first extension of the Powerade...

FMCG brands set up RFID coalition.(radio frequency identification)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Unilever, Procter & Gamble and Gillette are among the FMCG companies that have joined forces to form GS1, an international organisation to spearhead the introduction of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. GS1 aims to...

Expedia to back C4 weather news.(Channel 4 Television Co.)(sponsorships)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Expedia is making its television sponsorship debut with a multimillion-pound deal to sponsor Channel 4's weather reports. The 12-month sponsorship, which begins at the start of March, covers lunchtime and evening bulletins and will run...

New campaign: British Airways/Kylie.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... British Airways (BA) has signed up as the headline sponsor for Kylie Minogue's global tour, which starts next month. The airline is planning to use its first music sponsorship to boost awareness of its Australia route. According to head...

B&B axes group marketing post.(Bradford and Bingley PLC)(appointment)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Bradford & Bingley has axed the role of group marketing director Mark Howe following the reorganisation of its business and the closure of its MarketPlace brand last year. Howe, who joined Bradford & Bingley in 1999 and was the architect...

Unilever in global detergents pitch.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Unilever has called a winner-takes-all global pitch for its pounds 140m premium flagship laundry detergent, known as Persil in the UK. The pitch, overseen by the Haystack Group, includes Persil, which is handled by WPP's JWT, and Omo,...

Lloyds TSB to ditch Create affinity card business.
February 23, 2005... Lloyds TSB is poised to axe its affinity credit card business Create Services to focus solely on its own-brand credit cards. The move is part of a wider review of several of the bank's non-core brands and will affect its partnerships with...

NSPCC campaign to put case against smacking.(National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... The NSPCC is launching a high-profile TV campaign to raise awareness of its opposition to the limited smacking legislation that came into force in January. The updated law allows parents to smack their children mildly, although it bans...

P&G's Polman to retire in summer.(Retirement)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Paul Polman, president of Procter & Gamble Western Europe, is to retire in June after serving 25 years with the company. He will be replaced by Laurent Philippe, currently president of P&G Greater China. Until his retirement, Polman...

F1 offers mobile rights package.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Formula One Management (FOM) is to put its mobile and wireless rights out to tender for the first time. The F1 commercial rightsholder, majority-owned by Bernie Ecclestone, is thought to be looking for pounds 70m-pounds 80m for a...

O2 bolsters music focus with Prince's Trust deal.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... O2 is attempting to strengthen its position in the youth market by seeking to become the headline sponsor of a series of Prince's Trust concerts in London this summer. The mobile firm is poised to strike a deal with the charity to...

P&O ads to push pricing changes.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... P&O Ferries has hired leisure and tourism-focused agency Designate to handle its advertising as part of an effort to simplify its offering. The ferry operator is planning to fight back against low-cost airlines by introducing an...

Ministry of Sound extends into branded toiletries.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Ministry of Sound is considering entering the toiletries market with a range of products for men and women. The nightclub operator is in talks with a number of manufacturers about developing the range and plans to launch the products by...

Nintendo puts pounds 5m into DS pre-launch activity.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Nintendo is to embark on its biggest UK marketing campaign with a pounds 5m promotion to build awareness of the forthcoming launch of its DS handheld games device. The marketing blitz, based on a 'Touch me' theme, has been developed to...

Seat to rethink direct business.(direct marketing)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Seat has begun a review of its direct marketing business to improve its targeting of the youth market and exploit the brand's 'sporty' credentials. The car marque uses direct marketing agency FCBi London to produce its mailings. Seat...

Sony in MTV link for EyeToy Chat.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Sony PlayStation is to launch the first advertiser-funded programming for its EyeToy brand with MTV in a bid to attract more female gamers. In a deal brokered by Manning Gottlieb OMD, a series of animated films will run on MTV's music...

Time Out hunts agency to sell autumn redesign.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... London listings magazine Time Out is hunting for an advertising agency as it gears up to run a campaign to back its relaunch later this year. The magazine is planning to unveil its new look in September. The relaunch will see it develop...

House price site seeks ad agency.(nethouseprices.com)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Nethouseprices.com, a website that offers free access to UK house prices, is searching for its first ad agency ahead of a planned pounds 1m campaign. The site, which has recorded 50m hits in the six weeks since its December launch, is...

Peugeot Citroen set for digital emphasis.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Peugeot Citroen is creating a digital agency roster for its two car marques as part of plans to expand its use of new media. Future campaigns will be developed by agencies working across both brands. Previously, Citroen's digital...

People moves: RAC.(Appointment)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Nick Hughes has been appointed managing director of the RAC's consumer services business. Hughes will join the RAC in May from American Express, where he was European head of marketing. He will be responsible for growing the RAC's...

People moves: Warner Bros International Television Distribution.(Appointment)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Becky Diver has joined UK marketing for Warner Bros International Television Distribution in the new role of director of UK marketing. She joins from BSkyB, where she was head of marketing.

People moves: Earls Court & Olympia.(Appointment)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Mark Rodol, the former chief executive of Ministry of Sound, has been appointed by Earls Court & Olympia to the new role of director of entertainment. Rodol will be responsible for launching a joint venture company, Trend and Culture, as well...

People moves: American Express.(Appointment)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Laurel Powers-Freeling has been hired by American Express in the new role of head of its UK consumer and small business credit card business. She will report to European regional president Massimo Quarra. Powers-Freeling was previously chief...

People moves: L'Oreal.(Retirement)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Lindsay Owen-Jones, chief executive officer of L'Oreal, is to step down next year. He will be replaced by Jean-Paul Agon, who is currently the president of the beauty giant's US business. Owen-Jones will stay at the company as a non-executive...

People moves: Schwan's Consumer Brands.(Appointment)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Mark Rehborg is to relocate from Schwan's Consumer Brands in the US, where he is director of customer marketing, to become marketing controller in the UK. He will report to Chuck Weum, managing director consumer brands Europe. Rehborg's move...

People moves: Advisory Committee on Advertising.(Appointment)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Bernard Balderston, associate director, UK and Irish Media, at Procter & Gamble is one of five new members appointed to the Cabinet Office's Advisory Committee on Advertising (ACA). The other new members are: Jayne O'Brien, British Airways...

News brief: EasyMobile vows to fight Orange in court.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... EasyMobile has vowed to fight Orange in court after the mobile giant insisted it would block its rival's plan to use the colour orange in its branding. Stelios Haji-Ioannou said the SIM-only mobile venture would launch in March despite the...

News brief: COI Communications shorlists agencies.(Central Office of Information)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... COI Communications has shortlisted five agencies to pitch for its pounds 20m radio buying contract in March - Carat, Starcom, ZenithOptimedia, MindShare and OMD.

News brief: Wilkinson Sword granted preliminary injunction.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Wilkinson Sword has been granted a preliminary injunction against certain commercials for Gillette's M3 Power in Australia. Gillette has been prohibited from claiming in its ads that, when shaving with the product, micro-pulses cause the...

News brief: BP signs as sponsor for radio show.(British Petroleum Company PLC)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... BP has signed up as the sponsor of Virgin Radio's Drivetime show. It will use the show to promote its Ultimate high-performance fuels.

News brief: Nestle Rowntree to revitalise Aero.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Nestle Rowntree has unveiled plans to revitalise the Aero brand by increasing marketing support from just under pounds 1m last year to pounds 6m. It is also undertaking a radical brand extension by launching a bite-size chocolate ball range...

News brief: Nuts to launch branded beer.(Nuts Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Nuts, the IPC-owned lads' weekly magazine, is to launch a branded beer. Nuts, which has tied up with Marston's brewery, will offer the 4.5% abv beer to readers in a series of competitions this year and has commissioned an initial 200 cases.

News brief: Lee Jeans shortlists agencies.(LG&F)(180 Amsterdam)(VF Jeanswear Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Lee Jeans has shortlisted Farm, Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest, LG&F and 180 Amsterdam to pitch against incumbent Storakers McCann. The pitch is being overseen by Agency Assessments International.

News brief: Premier Foods plans marketing drive.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Premier Foods is planning a marketing drive to rebuild perceptions of safety surrounding its products following news that certain lines containing Worcester sauce had been contaminated by the cancer-causing dye Sudan 1.

Lucozade to launch rally driving contest.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Lucozade Energy is launching an on-pack competition on 60m bottles to find the best amateur rally drivers. The contest will build on its global sponsorship of the World Rally Championship. The Pop Idol-style search offers winners the...

Mouton Cadet in deal with Old Vic.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Mouton Cadet is to extend its sponsorship focus beyond film by becoming the official wine brand for London's Old Vic theatre. Baron Philippe de Rothschild, the company behind the label, will use the sponsorship as a springboard for...

Government to invest pounds 12m in climate drive.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... The government is ploughing pounds 12m into the development of a national marketing programme intended to tackle public apathy about climate change. The funding will be used to create an overarching communications strategy that will tie...

New campaign: Halifax.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Halifax staffer Howard Brown is returning to TV screens this week for a two-month campaign to promote the launch of its market-first Moneyback Current Account. The account will give customers 1% cashback on debit-card purchases. In the...

This week: Marketing news from the national press.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Dolce & Gabbana is to continue as a fashion label despite the split of partners Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce, who have been in a relationship for the past 19 years. They will keep control of the company, worth pounds 350m - The Times...

Media ABCs: Women's Glossies Post Rises across the Board
February 23, 2005... Another impressive result from Glamour, Cosmopolitan's best ABC in 24 years and a turnaround in the fortunes of the relaunched Marie Claire evidenced a boom in the women's glossy market. The eight bestselling titles all posted increases in...

Media ABCs: Closer Finds Room in Cluttered Sector
February 23, 2005... A crowded celebrity sector proved no hindrance to Emap's Closer, which posted a massive 31% year-on-year ABC gain and burst through the 500,000 mark, showing there is still room for growth. Closer recorded a 43.5% gain in the last ABC audit....

Media ABCs: Opinion - Use ABCs to Back Ads Case
February 23, 2005... Publishers must be wondering what they must do next to convince advertisers to shift more spend into magazines. The millennium began with advertisers and media agencies justly criticising publishers for a lack of invention. There were too many...

Media ABCs: TV listings circulation hit by concern over pricing.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Expectations of further price cuts in the TV listings sector were fueled by ABC results that saw IPC's market-leading What's On TV continuing to lose sales to H Bauer's cheaper TV Choice. Sales of What's On TV, which sells at a 5p premium...

Media ABCs: Q maintains rock music titles lead.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... The rock music sector, up 1.8%, benefited from activity at Emap with a relaunch of Q and cover-mount of a free CD with every issue of Mojo. The market-leading Q, which had turned off rock fans with covers featuring Beyonce and Britney...

Media ABCs: Loaded in slump as FHM holds mens' mag crown.(men's magazine sales)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... A 16.4% year-on-year crash by Loaded has benefited Maxim and Men's Health, both of which overtook the original lads' mag for the first time. Loaded, which will unveil a revamp in the next few weeks, was consigned to fourth place in the...

Media ABCs: NatMags enjoys homes increase.(magazine sales)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... An 18.3% year-on-year increase for The National Magazine Company's House Beautiful was the highlight of some mixed results in the home interest sector, which was down 1% overall. House Beautiful's result followed a 24.4% gain in the...

Media ABCs: Bliss closes in on Sugar at top of teen mag table.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Hachette Filipacchi's Sugar is close to losing its teen market leadership for the first time in nearly a decade, after Emap's Bliss narrowed the gap to just 10,000 copies. The relaunch of Bliss in May 2002 with a handbag size and racy...

Branding news: Filofax puts fashion to the fore in revamp.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Filofax, the iconic 80s brand, is to relaunch with a fashion focus to encourage women to buy products from its extended range. Holding company Letts Filofax has worked with brand communication consultancy CDT Design to develop a new...

Branding news: Edrington plans whisky gift lines.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Scotch whisky distillery The Edrington Group has hired brand consultancy Futurebrand to work on a range of gift products it is creating. Futurebrand has been asked to develop a number of brand extensions that will be sold internationally...

Branding news: World Duty Free adds two stores.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... World Duty Free, the airport-based retailer, has appointed design consultants Dalziel and Pow to work on two concept stores as part of the extension of Heathrow's Terminal One. The BAA-owned chain has hired the consultancy to design the...

Branding news: Design choice - KEF Instant Theatre.(KEF Electronics Ltd.)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Surrounding yourself with sound hasn't, until now, been the easiest experience. Previous installation of home cinema systems has left me overwhelmed by speakers, stands and cables - and that's before I've spent hours positioning each speaker...

Branding news brief: Nestle Rowntree introduces breath freshener products.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Nestle Rowntree is introducing two breath freshener products as Polo sub-brands. Polo Liquid Orbs are packs of 30 sugar-free spheres filled with liquid mint, while Polo + Vivazol, available in standard roll packs, contains plant extracts.

Branding news brief: Learning and Skills Council adds design consultancy to roster.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... The Learning and Skills Council has added design consultancy Hunter Lodge to its national roster of design and marketing agencies. The 55 agencies on the roster are available for all Learning and Skills Councils in the UK to work with over...

Branding news brief: Glenmorangie appoints Tayburn.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Glenmorangie, the Scotch whisky distillery, has appointed communications consultancy Tayburn to develop a new corporate identity.

Branding news brief: Yeo Valley launches one-litre ice cream packs.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Yeo Valley is launching one-litre packs of its Organic Vanilla and Frozen Strawberry ice creams to capitalise on consumer demand for bigger tubs of luxury ice cream. They will cost pounds 2.99 each.

Branding news brief: P&G develops Lenor Sleep Sensations.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Procter & Gamble has developed a Lenor fabric conditioner variant for use with bed linen. Lenor Sleep Sensations, which releases a fragrance said to help users sleep, will be supported by a pounds 4.6m ad campaign by Grey London.

Branding news brief: Alloy links up with Genius Consulting.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Alloy, the product design firm, and entrepreneur group Genius Consulting have linked up to create Genus, a brand that will be used to launch a range of music and communications products. The first item, a portable DAB radio and CD player,...

Branding news brief: Kerrygold Spreadable Butter rebrands.(Kerrygold Softer Butter)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Kerrygold Spreadable Butter has rebranded as Kerrygold Softer Butter to achieve greater standout in the market. The revised look will flag up the fact that Kerrygold Spreadable contains 100% butter.

Branding news brief: Richardson Sheffield revamps identity.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Richardson Sheffield, the kitchen utensils brand, has revamped its identity through branding agency Elmwood London and introduced the Richardson Sheffield, so-eat and Homestuff sub-brands to better differentiate its range.

Direct News: Deliverance readies UK expansion drive.(marketing contracts)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Deliverance, the premium home-delivery food service, has appointed Diametric as its first direct marketing agency to help it expand the business beyond London. Deliverance generates much of its business through supplying companies in the...

Direct News: Post Office sets up direct roster.(marketing)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... The Post Office has drawn up a roster of direct agencies to promote its range of products and services to staff. Publicis Dialog, Rodgers & Rodgers and Meerkat Marketing Communications have been appointed following a six-way competitive...

Direct News: Adnams activity to focus on CRM.(customer relationship management)(online marketing)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Adnams, the Suffolk brewer, has hired integrated agency Liquorice to handle its on-trade marketing and develop a customer relationship management programme. The agency has been briefed to develop targeted activity supporting Adnams'...

Direct choice: Peugeot 307.
February 23, 2005... Driving a Peugeot 307 can be a dodgy experience, according to the TV ads. Their owners, we are told, must be careful, as there are lots of people out there who have committed a deadly sin, because they are envious that 'they don't drive a...

Direct News brief: English Heritage hires Mail Marketing.(marketing contracts)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... English Heritage has hired Mail Marketing (Scotland) to help it improve its direct marketing to more than 500,000 members. The agency won the three-year contract following a pitch against a number of undisclosed agencies.

Direct News brief: Macdonald Hotels & Resorts runs days out campaign.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Macdonald Hotels & Resorts is running a 'Great days out' campaign created by Aztec Marketing. Anyone staying at a Macdonald hotel on selected breaks will be given a booklet of money-off vouchers, redeemable at more than 300 attractions.

Direct News brief: BUPA launches direct campaign.(British United Provident Association Ltd.)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... BUPA is launching a direct campaign this month to promote its 'Feel better' integrated brand positioning. Created by direct marketing agency WWAV Rapp Collins Leeds, the work includes DRTV, mailings and inserts.

Direct News brief: LifeScan UK hires two agencies.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... LifeScan UK, a Johnson & Johnson company, has hired two agencies to handle its OneTouch Ultra brand, aimed at diabetics. Cascaid Marketing will handle its direct work, while Haygarth will develop its in-store and PR strategy.

Direct News brief: Securicor embarks on direct drive.
February 23, 2005... Securicor is embarking on a direct drive to build its customer database. The work, created by FCBi London, supports the message 'Shouldn't security cover every inch of your business?'

Direct News brief: Twinings hires Golley Slater Direct.(marketing contracts)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Twinings, the speciality tea and rare blends producer, has hired direct agency Golley Slater Direct to develop promotional work for its range of teas.

Direct News brief: Nissan produces pre-launch mailings.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Nissan is producing two pre-launch mailings for its 350Z Roadster and Murano models. Created by integrated agency Tullo Marshall Warren, the mail packs are being sent to 6000 prospective buyers of the 350Z and 2000 prospective buyers of the...

Direct News brief: Zurich wins Grand Prix.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Zurich, the financial services firm, won the Grand Prix at the tank!/DMA Peoples' Choice Awards for a mailing promoting its savings and investment products. A panel of 10,000 people were asked to pick their favourite piece of direct mail.

Retail News: Nectar set to school partners on benefits.(Nectar Ltd.)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Nectar is embarking on an ambitious cross-sponsor promotional drive to broaden awareness of the loyalty scheme's benefits to customer-facing staff, in a bid to go past the 13m member mark. Owner Loyalty Management UK (LMUK) plans to...

Retail News: Costcutter in ISP tie to Virgin.net.(Internet Service Provider )(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Costcutter has signed up Virgin.net as its first ISP partner in a deal that will see branded narrowband and broadband registration CDs made available in all of its 500 convenience stores. The CDs will provide access to the internet via...

Retail News: Kimberly-Clark widens RFID trial.(Radio Frequency Identification)(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Kimberly-Clark is to extend tests of its controversial Radio Frequency Identification technology (RFID) in the UK for the first time through trials with Tesco. The initiative by the manufacturer of Andrex and Huggies will build on...

Retail choice: Firetrap flagship store, Covent Garden.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... There is a big thematic sign in the window of this store announcing 'Deadly Denim & Twisted Thoughts'. Despite my best efforts, however, I could detect nothing deadly or twisted going on within. What could have been the inspiration for some...

Retail News brief: Tesco Clubcard to help customers save points.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Tesco Clubcard is to help customers save points for important occasions such as Christmas. At each visit consumers can swipe a coupon at the checkout and opt in to the Clubcard Christmas Saver scheme, with the points accrued only available...

Retail News brief: Somerfield to buy Texaco forecourt shops.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Somerfield has agreed to buy 140 of Texaco's forecourt shops. This will grow its petrol station presence to more than 170 stores nationwide and the stores will be rebranded to Somerfield.

Retail News brief: Thresher Group reduces head office staff.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Thresher Group is to reduce head office staff by 30% to 200 to improve shop profitability and streamline investment. The company has invested pounds 15m in new store formats.

Retail News brief: Londis teams up with Photo-Me.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Londis has teamed up with photo-booth manufacturer Photo-Me to trial in-store digital print kiosks. The coin-operated machines will allow customers to print pictures from a digital camera or camera phone.

Retail News brief: Sainsbury's receives thousands of applications from schools.(Brief Article)
February 23, 2005... Sainsbury's has received more than 4200 applications from schools wishing to take part in its Active Kids campaign, intended to tackle childhood health through voucher schemes redeemable for activities and sports equipment.