Marketing articles from January 2003

Marketing archives from January 2003

Virgin to kill off V.Shop brand and end phone focus.(stores will become Virgin Megastore Express )(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Virgin Retail is to scrap the V.Shop brand name and rebrand all 63 branches as Virgin Megastore Express as it steps up its home entertainment offering at the expense of mobile phones. It has started the 18-month rebranding programme in...

Nestle agrees pounds 6m ITV Pop Idol deal.(Nestle Rowntree, Independent Television)(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Nestle Rowntree has struck a pounds 6m deal with ITV to link its confectionery brands to the 2003 series of Pop Idol, the show that launched the careers of Gareth Gates and Will Young. The tie-up is worth three times the amount that the...

Toyota's Moran to join Thames Water.(Mike Moran leaves for Thames Water; replaced by Paul Philpott)(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Toyota's UK commercial director Mike Moran is leaving the car industry after 20 years to become worldwide director of marketing and strategy for Thames Water, the world's third-largest water company. Toyota marketing director Paul...

Bud's 'Whassup' marketer leaves for Egg ads post.(Richard Taylor joins Egg Banking PLC)(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Online bank Egg has appointed the marketer responsible for Budweiser's acclaimed 'Whassup' campaign to oversee its UK advertising. Richard Taylor joins Egg in the newly-created role of head of UK brand communications from Budweiser in...

BTA picks international director for tough task.(British Tourist Authority; Kenny Boyle)(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... The difficult task of promoting Britain as a tourist destination at a time of terrorist threats and disintegrating transport systems has been handed to Kenny Boyle, currently head of NTL's Premium TV. The British Tourist Authority(BTA),...

Kwik-Save hands pounds 7m revamp task to Miles Calcraft.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Troubled discount supermarket chain Kwik-Save is overhauling its brand with the appointment of a new creative agency. It is doubling its ad budget and also investing in store revamps and an own-label range. Kwik-Save, which has 700...

STOP PRESS: Appointment at The Tote.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... The Tote, the government-owned bookmaker, has poached Marks & Spencer Financial Services head of marketing Lorraine Brannan to become its new marketing director. Brannan will replace Rick Cowan when she takes up the post next month.

STOP PRESS: Interbrew appoints Lowe for Stella.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Interbrew has appointed Lowe as the global ad agency for Stella Artois, one of its five designated 'world brands', as it tries to grow its share in its 80 markets worldwide. The global account was previously held by McCann-Erickson.

STOP PRESS: Camelot to defend Hotpicks name.(claim by Inter Lotto)(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Camelot has said its lawyers intend to defend the claim by Inter Lotto over use of the Hotpicks name. Inter Lotto, which promotes charity lotteries, runs a pub-based game called Hotspot with a 'Hot Pick' option.

STOP PRESS: FA director joins race for chief exec post.(Football Association)(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... FA marketing and communications director Paul Barber has thrown his hat into the ring in the race to replace Adam Crozier as the football governing body's chief executive.

STOP PRESS: FA and Premier League reject suggestions.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... The Football Association and Premier League have rejected suggestions by the Food Commission that they are contributing to unhealthy diets among young people. The commission published a report this week criticising sponsorship deals with...

STOP PRESS: Sen to be sold in Boots and Selfridges.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Sen, the retailer of traditional Chinese medicine backed by Hutchison Whampoa, has struck deals to sell its products in Boots and Selfridges.

STOP PRESS: HP Bulmer shares lose value.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... HP Bulmer had pounds 20m wiped off the value of its shares on Monday after it admitted it could sell the business by July.

STOP PRESS: Adams Childrenswear joins Nectar scheme.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Adams Childrenswear is the latest sponsor of the Nectar loyalty scheme. The agreement with Loyalty Management UK means consumers will collect Nectar points on purchases in Adams' 334 stores.

STOP PRESS: Orange one of top spenders on cinema ads.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Orange and the government were the top two spenders on cinema ads last year, according to new figures from Nielsen Media Research. The medium had a record year, with spend totalling pounds 153.7m.

STOP PRESS: Marketing awards dinner cancelled.(Calendar)
January 30, 2003... Marketing's Connections Awards dinner, due to take place on February 11, has been cancelled. Instead of the evening ceremony, Marketing will publish a special issue on February 27 announcing the winners and runners-up of the Connections...

STOP PRESS: Government sets deadline.(European Tobacco Advertising Directive)(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... The government has set a deadline of July 31, 2005 for sporting bodies and teams to find alternatives to tobacco sponsorship, in line with the European Tobacco Advertising Directive.

STOP PRESS: Unilever forced to raise forecast.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Unilever has been forced to raise its forecast for underlying sales to 5.4%, following remarks by its co-chairman Anthony Burgmans at a press briefing last week.

STOP PRESS: Kimberly-Clark annual results up.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Kimberly-Clark reported annual results for the year with sales up 2.1% to pounds 8.3bn. Operating profit increased more than 5% to dollars 2463.8m (pounds 1505m).

STOP PRESS: EasyJet not to repeat ad after complaints.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... EasyJet has been told not to repeat a press ad that read 'Low fares needn't BA con!' after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) agreed that the ad suggested dishonesty and unfairly denigrated BA's business and staff. The ASA received 25...

STOP PRESS: Pernod Ricard press ad banned by ASA.(Advertising Standards Authority)(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Pernod Ricard Brands has had its press ad that claims '98% have a gym membership, 2% use it', alongside '98% drink whisky, 2% drink Jamesons', banned by the ASA after Fitness First complained it could mislead readers.

STOP PRESS: Fred Olsen reviews ad account.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Fred Olsen, the cruise operator, is reviewing its pounds 1m advertising account. HDM Agency is the incumbent, but the company said it wants to bring in fresh ideas.

STOP PRESS: Unicef to launch three-year campaign.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Unicef is to launch a global three-year campaign on February 6 aimed at ending child exploitation. In the UK, the charity is also planning a five-year series of live outdoor concerts called 'Unite for Unicef', which will raise funds for...

STOP PRESS: Continental signs up as partner.(FIFA World Cup.)(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Tyre company Continental has signed up as an official partner of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Nestle reorganises confectionery arm.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Nestle Rowntree has restructured its confectionery marketing department to create a 'second tier' function sitting between marketing director Andrew Harrison and the brand teams. Instead of eight category heads reporting to him, Harrison...

Unilever Ventures buys BrainJuicer.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Unilever Ventures (UV), the venture capital arm of Unilever, is taking a 40% share in online market research business BrainJuicer, of which Unilever is a client. The deal is part of UV's strategy of investing in businesses with growth...

02 selects top UK brand marketer.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... O2 has handed former BT Genie marketing director Suzie Moore its top UK brand marketing job, charged with all brand-related activity in its home market. Moore becomes head of brand and marketing communications for the UK, having...

Five appointment fuels speculation over top sales role.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... The expected appointment of Jane Lighting as chief executive of Five has fuelled speculation that acting chief executive Nick Milligan will head a merged sales operation if consolidation of the airtime sales market goes ahead. Lighting...

Texaco to focus work on 'WE.O.U' loyalty scheme.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Texaco is concentrating its full promotional activity for 2003 on a relaunch of its Global Club loyalty card scheme, which is to be rebranded as 'WE.O.U' next month. It has secured Mitsubishi as its major reward partner, along with 11...

Boots creates retail marketing role.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Boots has established a top marketing role for its UK stores and drafted in Colin Webb with a brief to rest-ore magic to its high-street presence. Webb, previously a marketer with Boots Retail International, is due to take up the post of...

Woolworths Will Review Pounds 25m Creative Account
January 30, 2003... Woolworths set about revitalising its brand this week by putting its pounds 25m creative account up for pitch and signing an pounds 8m deal to sponsor the Network Chart Show. The retail giant, which last week surprised the City with better...

Gala Bingo unveils marketing campaign.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Gala Bingo, the casino and bingo club operator that went up for sale this week, has unveiled a marketing campaign including a TV commercial. The campaign, 'Everything Else Can Wait', features TV and print work highlighting the promotions that...

GSK hunts head of UK marketing after promotion.(GlaxoSmithKline Nutritional Healthcare)(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... GlaxoSmithKline Nutritional Healthcare, owner of the Lucozade, Ribena and Horlicks brands, is seeking a UK marketing head after promoting Peter Harding to run its Irish operation. Harding has been named general manager for GSK Consumer...

Hachette picks Unity to set UK mags strategy.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... French magazine publisher Hachette Filipacchi is poised to appoint Unity to help set the brand and communications strategy for its stable of UK titles, which includes Elle, Red and Sugar. Hachette boosted its standing in the UK magazine...

Esporta recruits board marketer to boost brand.(Alex Pike)(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Upmarket health and fitness chain Esporta is talking to agencies about its pounds 4m creative and media account, and has appointed Alex Pike as marketing director to oversee the review. Her appointment to the new board-level role signals...

Sainsbury's trial granted to soya drinking yoghurt.(Mangajo)(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Sainsbury's is trialling a brand of fresh soya drinking yoghurts called Mangajo, which taps into British consumers' love affair with so-called 'functional foods'. Mangajo was created by former Yakult marketing manager Alex Hannon less...

NHS's corporate university hires head of comms.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... The NHS University (NHSU), the NHS's corporate university, has appointed a new head of corporate communications strategy who will be responsible for overseeing the organisation's marketing. Catherine Hastings joins as director of...

Butcher's appoints Ige to top spot.(Butcher's Pet Care)(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Butcher's Pet Care has promoted Yetunde Ige to the new role of head of UK marketing, overseeing both cat and dog food marketing. Ige, who was previously brand manager for Butcher's dog food range, will continue to handle that line, but...

UK Mobile Brands Team Up to Fight Phone Theft
January 30, 2003... The UK's leading mobile phone players have set aside their rivalries to launch a pounds 2m campaign aimed at cracking down on phone theft. Mobile phone theft currently accounts for one-third of all street crime. The campaign, 'Immobilise',...

Vodafone to launch TV ad.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Vodafone is tapping into our sense of romance with a TV ad, due for launch at the beginning of February to coincide with Valentine's Day. The ad by J Walter Thompson, is promoting the Vodafone Live! service, which launched last November. The...

Barclays seeks replacement for marketing head.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Barclays is hunting for a new marketing director for its Business Banking arm following the promotion of George Bothwell to the new role of centres of excellence director. Bothwell's position has been created to streamline the operation...

COI restructures new media as it looks at savings.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... COI Communications has embarked on the biggest shake up of its new media roster as it seeks to achieve greater economies of scale for government campaigns. The review will see the COI put all its planning and buying for online...

Holiday Autos to 'streamline' car and hotels work.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Marketing for the newly merged Holiday Autos and Holiday Hotels operations is to be handled by deputy managing director Mathew Hart in an attempt to streamline the promotion of the brands. Hart effectively takes over the roles of Holiday...

Jordan F1 Team to Race without a Title Sponsor
January 30, 2003... The Jordan Formula One team is set to compete in the World Championship without a title backer for the first time in eight years following the withdrawal of last season's pounds 20m sponsor DHL. Underlining the difficult sponsorship climate...

LTB backs 'street sign' ads with pounds 7m.(London Tourist Board )(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... London's iconic street signs will form the basis of the city's biggest-ever marketing campaign launched amid growing fears of a terrorist attack on the capital. Totally London, a creative concept developed by recently-appointed ad agency...

Virgin Radio launches biggest ever ad campaign.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Virgin Radio is launching its biggest advertising campaign since the launch of the station ten years ago. It is spending pounds 3m on an integrated campaign covering TV, outdoor, print and cinema with the first burst running throughout...

Nearly one-third would avoid two weeks in Australia.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Almost one-in-three consumers would not consider taking a two-week trip to Australia according to a survey conducted by OMD Snapshots for Marketing. Of the 1285 people surveyed, 29% said they would not consider going on a two-week...

NEWS BRIEFS: Nestle acquires Movenpick ice cream.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Nestle has acquired the Movenpick ice cream brand, for everywhere in the world except New Zealand, for an undisclosed price. Worldwide sales for Movenpick amount to around pounds 135m. Nestle's global strategy is to concentrate on premium...

NEWS BRIEFS: McVitie's extends Jaffa Cakes brand.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... McVitie's has extended its Jaffa Cakes brand with the launch of Jaffa Cakes Mini Roll XL, an extra-large sponge mini roll covered in plain chocolate with 'the smashing orangey bit in the middle'. Priced at 49p, it will compete in the 'eat...

NEWS BRIEFS: Scottish & Newcastle gives away CD.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Scottish & Newcastle is giving away a stand-up comedy CD with every purchase of two bottles of Becks in more than 200 S&N Retail pubs between February 3 and March 7. The 'Have a Laugh on Us' CD features material from acts such as Ross Noble....

NEWS BRIEFS: Sharwood's launches new products.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Sharwood's has launched three products to coincide with this year's Chinese New Year, under the new 'Oriental Essentials' label. Wok Soy, Wok Oil and Thai Chilli Sauce will be supported by the pounds 5m 'stirring stuff' national TV campaign....

NEWS BRIEFS: NSPCC launches public education campaign.(National Society for the prevention of Cruelty to Children )(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... The NSPCC is to launch a public education campaign telling parents that tantrums and bad behaviour by toddlers is actually normal and should not be punished by shaking or hitting the child. The charity has published an advice booklet called...

NEWS BRIEFS: MSN report findings revealed.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... MSN's second 'Online Pulse' report reveals marketers are shifting their online budgets from direct response to brand campaigns, yet only three online campaigns are consistently recalled from the past year. The biannual survey also found more...

NEWS BRIEFS: Levi-Strauss hires Cunning Stunts.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Levi-Strauss has hired Cunning Stunts to develop guerilla marketing for its Type 1 jeans to build credibility in the underground music scene and build anticipation among fashion-conscious consumers.

NEWS BRIEFS: Royal Mail job cuts.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Royal Mail has confirmed plans to cut more than 100 jobs from its marketing and sales departments, as predicted in Marketing (December 12, 2002).

NEWS BRIEFS: Tesco to enter home telecoms market.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Tesco this week announced plans to enter the home telecoms market through partnerships with Cable & Wireless, Servista and Vertex Customer Management. The service, branded Tesco Telecom, will launch later this year.

NEWS BRIEFS: Canon signs as sponsor for Euro 2004.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Canon has signed up as a top-tier sponsor of the Euro 2004 football tournament, to be held in Portugal. The firm joins Coca-Cola and McDonald's among the event's sponsors.

NEWS BRIEFS: M&C Saatchi Sponsorship acquires Sports Media Ltd.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... M&C Saatchi Sponsorship has acquired Sports Media Limited, the business that emerged from the bankrupt Sportsworld Media last year.

NEWS BRIEFS: Norwich Union teams up with BBC.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Norwich Union has teamed up with the BBC to sponsor a new sports talent event called Born to Win that will be broadcast on BBC One. It is aimed at finding the UK's most promising 16- to 18-year-old amateur sportspeople. The sponsorship was...

NEWS BRIEFS: Children's Society develops 'welcome pack'.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... The Children's Society has developed a 'welcome pack' for supporters who sign up for regular donations through face-to-face fundraising. The aim is to reduce the number of people who think about cancelling their direct debits and build...

NEWS BRIEFS: Correction.(Correction Notice)
January 30, 2003... OMD oversees media buying for Nissan across Europe, not Carat as Marketing incorrectly stated in a story on January 16 about Nissan's new ad campaign for the Micra.

MEDIA: Air France and Orange Scrap 'Wrapping' Plans
January 30, 2003... Air France and Orange have both abandoned plans to wrap County Hall in a massive advertising hoarding after English Heritage refused to approve their ads. The decision puts a question mark over how the restoration of the building will be funded....

MEDIA: Contract magazine sector mushrooms.(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
January 30, 2003... The contract publishing industry has almost doubled in size over the past five years, as brand owners have turned more to customer magazines to boost loyalty. A Mintel report shows revenues from the industry are set to top pounds 300m...

MEDIA: Trinity Mirror nets Diageo's Jones to boost circulation.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Trinity Mirror has appointed Diageo marketer Lewis Jones to the new position of head of brand development as it attempts to bolster the appeal of The Mirror and Sunday Mirror to 18- to 24-year-olds. Jones reports to marketing director...

MEDIA CHOICE: Argent.(Periodical Review)
January 30, 2003... The financial services industry maintains its reputation for dullness, but under the surface it's a cauldron of intrigue, scandal, fear and loathing. Under attack from government and regulator, feared and distrusted by consumers,...

MEDIA BRIEFS: Universal International Pictures begins campaign.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Universal International Pictures has begun a campaign for The Wild Thornberrys Movie on TV, press, online and outdoor. It is employing sonic six-sheets for the first time as part of the campaign. They will appear in ad shelters and feature...

MEDIA BRIEFS: BT Openworld strikes deal with Liverpool FC.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... BT Openworld has struck a joint marketing deal with Liverpool Football Club that targets fans with exclusive internet deals. The tie-up gives club supporters three months' free access to its premium content package e-Season ticket at...

MEDIA BRIEFS: Sky launches 24-hour shopping channel.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Sky is expanding its holiday sales operation with the launch of a 24-hour shopping channel called Sky Travel Shop. The channel launches on February 1 and has signed up former BBC children's presenter Andy Crane to front the channel. It will...

MEDIA BRIEFS: Times Newspapers joins forces with Red Media.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Times Newspapers has joined forces with brand agency Red Media to commission a survey looking into what drives consumers to buy premium brand products, covering everything from advertising to word-of-mouth. The survey will be carried out by...

MEDIA BRIEFS: Nicorette to sponsor icircle.com.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Nicorette has struck a deal to sponsor Freeserve's women's portal icircle.com. The sponsorship appears on the portal's health channel and ties in with icircle's 'New Year New You' theme. The deal was brokered by OMD Interactive.

MEDIA BRIEFS: Maxim appoints Naked.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Maxim, which claims to be the world's biggest-selling men's magazine has appointed Naked to provide strategic brand advice in an effort to accelerate sales growth in the UK.

MEDIA BRIEFS: Sky Digital launches MoneySupermarket.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Sky Digital viewers can now compare the cost of mortgages, loans and credit cards through their TVs following the launch of MoneySupermarket last week. The interactive service on Sky Active searches more than 460 loans and 7000 mortgages to...

MEDIA BRIEFS: Fox Kids hires agencies for event management.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Fox Kids UK has hired Clay Brand and Hayters Teamwork to handle event management and PR support for the Fox Kids Cup, the network's international six-a-side football tournament for under-13s. The championship takes place during February and...

MEDIA BRIEFS: FXM International relaunches magazine.(Xbox Gamer from the Future Network)(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... FXM International, part of the The Future Network, has relaunched its XGamer magazine as the monthly Xbox Gamer, backed by a pounds 50,000 marketing spend. Aimed at core and mainstream gamers, Xbox Gamer has a print run of 80,000 and is...

MEDIA BRIEFS: Galaxy Radio to launch weeknight show.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Galaxy Radio is to launch a weeknight show on its three northern stations. It will be hosted by Dave Kelly, who has presented Galaxy's Dance and R'n'B Extra on Saturdays from 3pm to 5pm since October last year. The new programme will air in...

MEDIA BRIEFS: Blue Dragon secures sponsorship.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Blue Dragon, the Chinese food brand, has secured a sponsorship on UKTV's UK Food for a second year. The campaign, created by BBC Broadcast and brokered by ids, starts at the end of January with mini-programmes during the Chinese New Year...

MEDIA BRIEFS: Appointment at Independent Publishers' Forum.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... The Independent Publishers' Forum has appointed Jeremy Spooner, managing director of Baylis and Co, which publishes The Maidenhead Advertiser, as chairman. Spooner will replace John Robertson, who is also vice-president of the Newspaper...

DIRECT: Air Miles picks MBA to build on repositioning.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Air Miles is upping the stakes in its battle against the Nectar loyalty programme with the appointment of Maher Bird Associates (MBA) to handle its direct marketing activity. The British Airways-owned loyalty currency will work closely...

DIRECT: TD Waterhouse hands WWAV North ISA job.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Stockbroking firm TD Waterhouse has appointed WWAV Rapp Collins North to handle the launch of two financial products during the crucial individual savings account (ISA) sales season. The appointment underlines the determination of TD...

DIRECT: Sainsbury's nets Abbey National chief as DM head.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Sainsbury's has poached Abbey National's head of customer communications Jonathan Latham to lead its DM function as the battle for customer loyalty in the supermarket sector intensifies. Latham has joined Sainsbury's as head of direct...

DIRECT CHOICE: The Samaritans.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... At some point, over a lifetime of being aware of The Samaritans, I had consigned it to the 'not for me' pile. There were other charities with which I felt much more comfortable. A simple, unbranded cartoon that arrived in my e-mail inbox...

DIRECT BRIEFS: Nivea for Men carries out sampling campaign.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Nivea for Men is carrying out a sampling campaign for its skincare products in 500 gyms in the UK this month. The activity was devised by integrated marketing agency Mercier Gray to encourage men to get a three-step regime to healthier...

DIRECT BRIEFS: Warner Village Cinema links up with Disney for promotion.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Warner Village Cinema's online club for kids, cinemaniacs.co.uk, has linked up with Disney's Treasure Planet in a 'Be the most popular kid in your class' promotion. Everyone who logs onto the site is entered into a prize draw for a private...

DIRECT BRIEFS: Express Dairies launches customer reward initiative.(Brief Article)
January 30, 2003... Express Dairies is launching a customer reward initiative through a campaign set up by Aztec Marketing Solutions. Customers who place an order for a Christmas 2003 Hamper before March 31 will receive a free directory containing seven rewards...