Marketing articles from July 2008, page 2

Marketing archives from July 2008

Adwatch: T-Mobile - 'Priceless Roman Vase'
July 30, 2008... An archaeological dig somewhere in rural England. A young bloke finds a priceless Roman vase, dusts it down and chucks it away. No, it's not an ad for Specsavers. It's part of a big price campaign from T-Mobile. The message is - see if you can...

Adwatch: The weekly analysis of advertisement recall in association with tns.(Table)
July 30, 2008... Q: Which of the following TV commercials do you remember seeing recently? Last Brand Agency/TV buyer % week 1 (4) Tesco The Red Brick Road/Initiative 61 2...

Opinion: The Marketing Society Forum - Will the NHS' Rebrand to Express Diversity Be Money Well Spent?
July 30, 2008... The Department of Health is reviewing the NHS brand in a bid to better reflect its services. Agencies will be invited to pitch for the work in the autumn. POLLY COCHRANE, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, CHANNEL 4 - MAYBE UKTV's G2 had two things...

Opinion: Your feedback from brandrepublic.com.
July 30, 2008... What do you think of Vauxhall's refashioned griffin logo? To my mind, Vauxhall's car logos have always been a bit crap, I'm afraid. This new logo will date very quickly. Awalla Fa'Shagba I think Vauxhall is a dead brand. It means...

Editorial: Time to Go on the Offensive
July 30, 2008... Barely a week passes without a story in Marketing about the latest clampdown on advertising, or news of lobby groups blaming ads for everything from child obesity to dangerous driving. Representatives of industry bodies must be thoroughly...

Marketer's diary.(Brief article)(Calendar)
July 30, 2008... 31 July-9 Aug Film4 Summer Screen film showings. Somerset House, London WC2. 1 Aug Pot Noodle experiential marketing campaign, various UK venues. 1-3 Aug Bristol harbour festival, Bristol Harbourside. 2-9 Aug National Eisteddfod...

Focus on ... Beijing Olympic Games.(Brief article)
July 30, 2008... Beijing hosts the 29th global games, for which London will be the next venue in 2012. - The opening ceremony will begin at 8pm on 8 August. - The games is expected to attract 18,000 international broadcasters. - Partners include...

Regulation: From Light Touch to Iron Fist
July 30, 2008... In the wake of heightened media interest in the dangers of binge drinking and obesity, and with lobby groups seeking tighter regulation of advertising, Jane Simms assesses the impact on marketers. The UK advertising industry is already one of...

Sector Insight: Canned Meals and Meats - Cupboard Staples Underpin Sales
July 30, 2008... Baked beans remain the stalwart of a sector that continues to return a steady rate of growth. THE BACKGROUND Canned meals and meats are dominated by big brands Heinz and Fray Bentos, and have traditionally been buoyed by the popularity of...

Marketing Report: Contact Centres - Call in the Specialists
July 30, 2008... For many brands, call centres are the main point of contact with customers, but they must decide whether it is best to run their own operation or outsource the job to an agency. Rob McLuhan reports. Almost a million people are employed in UK...

Marketing Report: Contact Centres - Cross-Channel Connection
July 30, 2008... Failing to offer access to customers via every available channel is certain to put a brand at a disadvantage. Rob McLuhan asks how communications can be integrated best to serve consumers in the most effective manner. Society has changed and...

Marketing Report: Contact Centres - the Vital Statistics
July 30, 2008... The outsourced customer service facilities handled by contact centres is worth an estimated pounds 17bn a year, and the industry employs about 592,000 contact centre agents in the UK. Of these, 55% are employed in bigger centres. Here, we...

Helpline
July 30, 2008... Joe Thomas takes the hassle out of finding the right product or service - you ask the question, he'll provide the answer. SITE IMPROVEMENTS Q: We are a small printing company and need to raise our business profile on the web. Who can help...

Careers: What's It Really like Inside - Gaymer Cider Company
July 30, 2008... - What is your biggest challenge? Engaging 18- to 24-year-olds with the Gaymers brand and getting them to try it at music venues and festivals, while developing our premium portfolio. - How does the team come up with marketing ideas? We...

Careers: Salary snapshot - Marketing executives.
July 30, 2008... Qualification Average basic pay pounds Masters degree 43,957 Bachelors degree 40,000 HNC/HND/BTEC ...

Careers: Brand manager of the week - Tara Heath, Brand manager, Lego.(Interview)(Brief article)
July 30, 2008... - Describe yourself in three words. Enthusiastic, caring, loyal. - What advice would you give someone starting their marketing career today? Get to know your target consumers. The more you understand them, the better you will be able to...

Careers: Just the job - Senior product manager, McCain.(Brief article)
July 30, 2008... As senior product manager, Greg Foster is part of a marketing team whose anthem is 'chips, glorious chips'. He works with agencies to develop campaigns for McCain's chip portfolio, and to create integrated activity that builds on the...

Marketing Mix: We'll Call You - Sega
July 30, 2008... Mix rang the video-game firm to ask why we were being cheated of Olympic glory when playing its Beijing 2008 title. Sega Good morning, Sega, how may I help? Mktg Is that customer services? Sega It is, yes, sir. Mktg I've just got a...

Marketing Mix: Pen Portrait - Leigh Hutchinson, marketing manager at Checkpoint Systems UK.(Brief article)
July 30, 2008... This bold, flowing script reveals a very interesting personality To begin with, note the small personal pronoun - a sign of modesty. Here we have a detail-minded individual, prepared to make and stand by her decisions. Precision features...

Marketing Mix: Name that brand.
July 30, 2008... Owned by Beiersdorf, this brand offers products to treat anything from scratches to sprains. First available only as a simple fabric strip, it now comes in a number of variants, including a Finding Nemo branded version for children and...

Coca-Cola strategy review puts agencies on alert.
July 23, 2008... Coca-Cola is reviewing its global marketing strategy, which could lead to an overhaul of its worldwide agency arrangements. At the company's second-quarter earnings call last week, chief executive Muhtar Kent said it will increase its use...

DoH plans NHS brand identity rethink to emphasise diversity.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... The Department of Health (DoH) is to review the nine-year-old NHS brand with the aim that it will better reflect the diversity of its services. Sheila Mitchell, the DoH's director of marketing, said the health service was 'changing...

Boots restructure set to bolster customer focus.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Boots has announced a radical shake-up of its marketing department as it aims to become a 'world-class pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer'. The company has brought together its trading and marketing teams under a joint 'commercial'...

DCMS Queries Drink Ad Ban Value
July 23, 2008... The marketing industry has welcomed signs that the government is against imposing a 9pm watershed ban for alcohol ads. According to reports, a memo from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), stated that a ban could cost...

Car marketer set for agency debut.
July 23, 2008... Former Hyundai and Land Rover UK marketing director Jim Campbell is launching a marketing consultancy for the automotive industry. The company will be called Sutherland Campbell. Campbell left South Korean car brand Hyundai earlier this...

Nike marks 20th 'Just do it' year.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Nike is set to launch a global TV ad campaign celebrating the 20th anniversary of its 'Just do it' slogan ahead of this summer's Beijing Olympics. The 60-second ad, entitled 'Courage', will feature athletes Nike has sponsored over the...

New campaign: Lambrini.
July 23, 2008... Lambrini is returning to TV with two executions for its 'Do the Lambrini' ad campaign as part of a pounds 5m investment in the brand. The ads, which break on 28 July, will air throughout next month across ITV, Channel 4 and Freeview...

Tolley departs Dairy Crest after 10-year tenure.(Richard Tolley resigns from Dairy Crest Ltd.)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Richard Tolley, group marketing development director at Dairy Crest, is leaving after a decade to take a career break. Tolley, who was ranked 42nd in Marketing's Power 100 list and was shortlisted for the Marketing Society's Marketer of...

3 eyes long-term deals with free laptops offer.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... 3 hopes to lure consumers by offering free laptops to those who sign up to a two-year broadband deal. The strategy highlights the way in which the devices are becoming the sales ploy of choice in the mature mobile telecoms sector. ...

Kraft pares back Dairylea Slices.(Kraft Foods Inc.)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Kraft has slimmed down the thickness of its Dairylea Slices, reducing the overall pack size, but leaving their price unchanged as it looks to make cost savings. Dairylea Slices will now come in 160g packs, with the 180g format having...

Vauxhall badge overhaul 'may hit used-car sales'.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Vauxhall officially unveils its redesigned crest this week amid claims that the rebrand might damage its used-car business, Network Q. According to Automotive Partnership managing director Mike Moran, the rebrand could cause problems on...

Sky rolls out live sport ad activity.(British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC. Sky Sports)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Sky Sports is launching an integrated campaign to promote its live football, golf, rugby and cricket coverage. The six-week digital, print and outdoor push, created by Brothers and Sisters, celebrates five of the biggest sporting...

Ocado expands delivery service.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Ocado is expanding its food delivery service to cover areas such as clothing and health and beauty. The home-shopping service, which launched in 2002, passed pounds 1bn in cumulative sales last month. Jason Gissing, Ocado head of...

A Thorn in the Side of Negativity
July 23, 2008... Despite a turbulent period for M&S, its newly elected executive chairman insists there will be little change in strategy. Although not quite as dire as 2005's annus horribilis, the past nine months will not be looked upon fondly by Marks...

Lexus hands direct business to Kitcatt Nohr.(Partners Andrews Aldridge)(Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. Lexus Div.)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Lexus, the Toyota-owned luxury car brand, has moved its direct and digital ad accounts into Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw following an agency review. The appointment follows a three-way pitch against Archibald Ingall Stretton and incumbent...

MTV in charity tie for advisory site.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... MTV has partnered a group of charities to produce a website offering advice on drugs, violence and mental and sexual health. The ad-free site, mtvi.co.uk, has been set up with the help of charities including Frank, Big White Wall, Urban...

Tesco plots low-cost wines for Value line.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Tesco plans to launch a range of cut-price wine aimed at cash-strapped consumers less than a year after pledging to make the category more upmarket. It is understood that the line, due to appear on shelves before the end of the year,...

Stengel quits global marketing role at P&G.(Jim Stengel resigns from Procter & Gamble Co.)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Jim Stengel, Procter & Gamble's (P&G) global marketing officer, is stepping down after 25 years with the company. He will be replaced by current president of strategy, productivity and growth Marc Pritchard. Stengel, 53, is credited with...

News brief: Marketing to hold one-day conference.(Conference notes)
July 23, 2008... Marketing is to hold a one-day conference on 18 November looking at how marketers can fight recession via promotions and pricing. To book for the event at Jury's Great Russell Street, in London, call 020 8267 4011 or visit...

News brief: Free Tibet launches global protest.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Free Tibet has launched a global protest against the staging of the Beijing Olympics. The 'T for Tibet' campaign is supported by website tfortibet.com and backed by celebrities such as actor Jeremy Irons. The initiative encourages those...

News brief: Royal Mint hires Bray Leino.
July 23, 2008... Royal Mint has hired Bray Leino to handle its pounds 3m marketing account after a pitch against incumbent Manning Gottlieb OMD

News brief: Robinsons not sponsoring Sports Personality of the Year.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... The BBC's Sports Personality of the Year will not be sponsored by Robinsons after the BBC Trust found a breach of editorial guidelines relating to the two-year deal with brand owner Britvic. The ruling was sparked by complaints from ITV and...

News brief: Health Lotteries hires Walker Media.
July 23, 2008... Health Lotteries has hired Walker Media to handle its pounds 8m media business after a pitch against MindShare and ZenithOptimedia

News brief: Fly53 hires head of marketing.
July 23, 2008... Fly53, the street-fashion label, has hired Pete Crispin as head of marketing. He is the founder of clothing brand Chunk

News brief: Icesave to launch campaign on black cabs.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Icesave, an online savings provider, will launch a campaign across 80 black London cabs in mid-August. The taxis will be repainted white with coloured copy written across them

News brief: Old Speckled Hen off-trade sales up on 2005.(revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Old Speckled Hen posted off-trade sales of pounds 34m in 2007, up 20% on 2005. Newcastle Brown Ale recorded a rise of 33% over the same period to pounds 28m. This is contrary to the Mintel figures that featured in Sector Insight on ales and...

Media: Economist boss out in management rejig.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... The Economist Group's marketing and strategy director, Matthew Batstone, is leaving the company as part of a management restructure. Batstone, who has been in the role since 2001 and will not be replaced, previously worked at Carlton...

Media: Met Office eyes wider video ties.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... The Met Office is aiming to extend its weather video-content service by striking deals with brand owners across digital platforms. It is targeting mobile, outdoor digital screens and web TV, as it moves beyond the traditional tie-ups it...

Media: 3 in banner push within retail sites.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... 3 has become the first brand to roll out a national ad campaign on banners in UK shopping centres, having signed a deal with Concourse Initiatives. Concourse, the sponsorship arm of Media Initiatives Group, has deals in place with...

Media choice: BBC iPlayer.(British Broadcasting Corp.)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... My mother has had a Hotmail account for four years, and in that time I have received three messages from her - all ghost-typed by my sister. Technology and my mother have never got on. However, iPlayer has changed her life. My mother...

Media brief: Turner Broadcasting hires Jam.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Turner Broadcasting has hired Jam to create a social media campaign for its children's channel, Boomerang. The push, which will promote its live-action programming, is part of a strategy to attract a slightly older audience

Media brief: Lego links up with Viacom Brand Solutions.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Lego has linked up with Viacom Brand Solutions to launch a search for two children to appear in a 40-second TV ad promoting Lego City, to run on Nickelodeon this year. The deal was negotiated by Carat

Media brief: Metallica to release album through Guitar Hero 3.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Metallica is to release its next album, Death Magnetic, through the video game Guitar Hero 3. The recording will go on sale in stores from September. It will also be available for download for use with the game, with a special Metallica...

Media brief: Cobra announces deal with Curzon Cinemas.(Cobra Beer Ltd.)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Cobra has announced a one-year deal with Curzon Cinemas to become the exclusive beer at its seven venues. Ads for the beer brand will run before all screenings and on plasma screens in the cinemas' foyers and bars

Media brief: BBC promotes Erik Huggers.(British Broadcasting Corp.)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... The BBC has promoted Erik Huggers from group controller to director of its future media and technology division. He replaces Ashley Highfield, who is now chief executive of Kangaroo

Media brief: Glamour kicks off pan-European ad pitch.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Glamour, Conde Nast's glossy women's monthly title, has kicked off a pan-European ad pitch. Shorlisted agencies include DDB Paris, JWT London and Ogilvy Advertising. The magazine is aiming to reposition to compete with titles such as Tatler...

Media brief: Vision Express shifts media account.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Vision Express has ended its eight-year relationship with Universal McCann, shifting its pounds 5m media account to Walker Media. The agency won the business in a three-way pitch, marking the end of the optician chain's media review that...

Media brief: Freeview appoints Cocktail Marketing.
July 23, 2008... Freeview has appointed Cocktail Marketing to create promotional partnerships to drive awareness of its Freeview+ PVR. The first tie-up is with News International

Branding: Co-op plans to scrap Somerfield moniker.(Co-operative Group (CWS) Ltd.)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... The 16-year-old Somerfield brand will be phased out following the supermarket's pounds 1.56bn sale to The Co-operative Group. At least 600 of Somerfield's 880 grocery stores nationwide are expected to be rebranded as The Co-operative...

Branding: Miller Genuine Draft overhauls.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... SABMiller has overhauled the global identity of its Miller Genuine Draft beer. The refreshed identity, created by The Brand Union, is intended to pay homage to the brand's US heritage. The graphic features richer blacks and reds and a...

Branding: BA in Paddington Bear 'Junior' tie.(British Airways PLC)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... British Airways has signed a deal with Chorion to use Paddington Bear as the face of its children's travel brand. From October, the character will appear on the airline's Junior Skyflyers travel packs, which are handed out to three- to...

Branding: Design choice - Visit London logo.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Visit London has launched, I hope, a landmark (no pun intended) identity. I also hope that it signals the end of strange names and brings a wave of intelligence and craft. I struggled with London; I just didn't get it. What's Lond?...

Branding brief: Pretz packaging gets redesign.(Sun Valley)(Principles Agency)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Sun Valley has redesigned the packaging of pretzel brand Pretz and launched a jalapeno flavour in a bid to attract younger women. The work was overseen by Principles Agency

Branding brief: History Channel hires Dunning Eley Jones.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... The History Channel has hired Dunning Eley Jones to refresh its brand and create an identity for new channel Military History. The agency will create idents for both channels

Branding brief: Warehouse launches organic clothing range.
July 23, 2008... Warehouse, the high-street retailer, has launched an environmentally friendly organic clothing range. The Ware-Eco collection includes pounds 16 T-shirts and pounds 12 vests

Branding brief: Brita to launch 'environmentally friendly' bottle.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Brita, the water filter brand, is launching an 'environmentally friendly' refillable bottle designed by fashion designer Orla Kiely. The 500ml 'Wottle', which is made from recycled materials, will be available online from next month

Branding brief: Breast Cancer Campaign picks CDT for design.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Breast Cancer Campaign has used CDT to design the invitation and event catalogue for its Pink Ribbon Ball, which will take place on 11 October at London's Dorchester hotel. The design, featuring sequins, is intended to highlight the glamour...

Branding brief: A Wear plans to open stores in UK.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... A Wear, an Irish womenswear retailer, is launching plans to open stores in London and Edinburgh this year. The brand already operates a concession in Selfridges' Birmingham store

Branding brief: Royal Botanic Gardens teams up to launch beer brand.(Wells & Young's Brewery)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... The Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew has teamed up with Wells & Young's Brewery to launch beer brand Young's Kew Gold. A percentage of sales will be donated to the garden's work in restoring damaged habitats and conserving endangered plants

Branding brief: Pets at Home introduces luxury pet foods.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Pets at Home is introducing luxury cat and dog food for those consumers whose concern over healthy eating extends to the diet of their domestic animals. The Cat & Dog Deli range, available from August, includes prawn and chicken fillets

Direct: COI and DMA report hike in direct spend.(COI Communications)(Financial report)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... The COI increased its spend on direct and relationship marketing to pounds 33.5m in its latest full financial year, up from pounds 29.9m in 2006-07, according to its annual report. The increase bucks the trend nationally as indicated by...

Direct: Citroen activity to promote SUV.(sports utility vehicle)(Automobiles Citroen S.A.)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Citroen is promoting its C-Crosser sports utility vehicle (SUV) through a direct mail campaign this month. The piece, which carries the strapline 'Where will your next family adventure take you?' and was created by Kitcatt Nohr Alexander...

Direct: Met recruitment task goes to Aia.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... The Metropolitan Police has appointed marketing agency Aia to handle its recruitment communications business. The agency won the three-year contract following a pitch including incumbent MCBD, which had held the account since 2004. ...

Direct choice: Foreign & Commonwealth Office.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Direct marketing has to raise its game to contend with the onslaught of new delivery channels, and this work from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office shows just how it can be done. It's aimed at young people on package holidays to raise...

Direct brief: Waterstone's gears up for launch of promotion.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Waterstone's is gearing up for the launch of a nationwide promotion with schools to encourage children to share books. Launching in September, the Big Book Bank will urge children to bring books they have read to school and place them in...

Direct brief: Pot Noodle to partner Nuts.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Pot Noodle is to partner men's magazine Nuts in a cross-platform promotion created by IPC Ignite Sponsorship & Brand Solutions. 'Pot Noodle News' will feature in the print title and on its website

Direct brief: Fuller's runs series of sampling roadshows.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Fuller's is running a series of sampling roadshows for its Organic Honey Dew beer in pubs and supermarkets alongside a poster campaign in a bid to boost sales in the key summer months

Direct brief: Mullerlight to launch direct campaign.(Wax Communications)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Mullerlight is launching a direct campaign to position itself as a healthy brand for summer. The fat-free yoghurt brand aims to broaden its appeal as a positive addition to a healthy lifestyle. The campaign, through Wax Communications, offers...

Direct brief: Sure for Men Quantum gives consumers chance to win prizes.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Sure for Men Quantum is giving consumers the chance to win a zero-gravity flight, pounds 2000 and a five-night stay at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Competition entrants will submit a written description of a useful innovation

Direct brief: 3 runs sampling campaign on underground.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... 3 is running a sampling campaign on the London Underground, giving away bottles of branded water. The promotion, through Sauce Connections, promotes 3's mobile broadband service

Direct brief: WIN Investing launches awareness campaign.
July 23, 2008... WIN Investing has launched a pounds 1m campaign to create awareness of opportunities in investments despite the credit crunch

Direct brief: Pizza Hut and KFC agree partnership with LoveFilm.
July 23, 2008... Pizza Hut and KFC have agreed a year-long partnership with DVD and games rental and movie download site LoveFilm that will reward their employees with two free cinema tickets. The deal was brokered by Cocktail Marketing

Digital: Simple boosts site's interactive element.(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... Skincare brand Simple has rolled out an interactive website, created by Idealogy. The launch follows research indicating that the brand's core target audience of 25- to 44-year-old women now spend more time online than any other...

Digital: WWF backs tiger campaign online.(World Wrestling Entertainment Inc.)(Brief article)
July 23, 2008... WWF has launched an online acquisition campaign to raise awareness and funds for its Adopt a Tiger appeal. The push, created by Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw, will target potential supporters of the wildlife conservation charity who have an...