Marketing articles from March 2008

Marketing archives from March 2008

Co-operative acts to retake ethical high ground.(Co-operative Group (CWS) Ltd.)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... The Co-operative Group is developing a fresh ethical positioning as part of a strategy to re-establish itself as the UK's leading fairtrade retailer. The brand has put environmental and ethical issues at the core of its business for some...

Loans firm overtakes Sky as top online spender.
March 26, 2008... BSkyB has lost its position as the UK's biggest-spending online advertiser, after slashing its digital budget in 2007. Figures compiled exclusively for Marketing by Nielsen Media Research revealed that the broadcaster reduced its web...

Cereal brands triumph as FSA reviews position on child ads.(Food Standards Agency)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is to revise its controversial nutrient profiling system, allowing the majority of breakfast cereal brands to return to targeting children through TV advertising. Under the FSA's system as it stands, which...

Will Kit Kat Rue Girls Aloud Tie?
March 26, 2008... Media coverage of pop group Girls Aloud looking surly, fed up and cold, during the shoot for the latest Kit Kat Senses ad has highlighted the pitfalls associated with high-profile celebrity tie-ups. Pictures of band member Sarah Harding...

Hotel merger to unite key players.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Three of the most senior figures in the budget hotel sector could be brought back together if Whitbread acquires Travelodge and merges it with Premier Inn. Whitbread chairman Alan Parker is likely to favour Travelodge chief executive...

New campaign: Gladiators.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... BSkyB has drawn inspiration from Hollywood action films for the creation of an advertising campaign to promote the Sky One and Sky One HD show Gladiators, which launches in May. Shot in Tunisia, the creative includes classic fight...

Gola plots drive for Classics line.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Gola is backing its Classics range of trainers with a campaign spanning press, experiential, point-of-sale and digital activity. The sportswear brand has hired MPG to handle its media planning and buying, and has briefed Dinosaur to...

Mini puts digital task into Profero.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Mini has consolidated its digital advertising account into Profero, bringing an end to its relationship with Glue. The BMW-owned car manufacturer has parted ways with Glue less than two years after the agency created the first viral...

Renault ordered to pull 'eco' ads.(Regie Nationale des Usines Renault)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Renault has been told to withdraw a print ad for its Twingo Dynamique after the ASA ruled that it exaggerated the model's environmental credentials. The national press ads based the model's eco-positioning on its relatively low CO2...

McCain pledges spend despite price increases.(McCain Foods Belgium N.V.)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... McCain Foods has vowed to continue to invest in marketing its brands, despite being forced to impose a double-digit price hike across its products. Nick Vermont, the UK chief executive of the frozen-food manufacturer, said that price...

Nokia shifts ad focus to GPS-enabled handsets.(Nokia UK)(global positioning system)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Nokia is launching a marketing and sponsorship strategy to encourage consumers to use its GPS-enabled handsets in their everyday lives. Nokia will support its range of GPS and personal navigation-enabled phones with an integrated...

FA seeks mobile content partner.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... The Football Association (FA) has entered negotiations with mobile services providers with a view to striking its first mobile content partnership. It is understood that the governing body hopes an agreement can be struck before...

BA magazine to promote Heathrow T5 retail offer.(British Airways PLC)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... British Airways is to capitalise on the publicity surrounding Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5 with a dedicated magazine showcasing the site's retail experience. The advertiser-funded title, created by Cedar Communications, has a...

George Eyes Mid-Market Domain
March 26, 2008... Asda's clothing brand is to dilute its fast-fashion focus as it sets its sights on rivalling Marks & Spencer and Next. George, the clothing brand launched by Asda in 1990, is repositioning to take on Next and Marks & Spencer, as part...

DoH pushes 'quit smoking' service.(United Kingdom. Department of Health)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... The Department of Health (DoH) is to roll out a nationwide drive promoting local NHS stop smoking services. The COI has hired Carlson Marketing to handle a 'Getting off cigarettes' campaign, spanning face-to-face work, press, radio,...

Facebook Enables Ad System Opt-Out
March 26, 2008... Facebook is giving users the chance to opt out of its SocialAds system to allay growing privacy concerns. The social networking site is attempting to boost its privacy controls by allowing consumers to remove themselves from the system, which...

Red Bull to scrap Toro Rosso F1 tie.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Red Bull is being forced to sell its Toro Rosso motor-racing team, thus reducing the brand's presence within Formula One. Red Bull, the only brand to own an F1 team, currently operates two: Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso....

Greggs hikes spend following strong sales.(Greggs PLC)(Financial report)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Greggs will increase its adspend by 50% this year, and is to run a second ad campaign starring comedian Paddy McGuinness. The bakery chain's group marketing director Scott Jefferson said the brand's media spend would rise from pounds 3m...

Banks 'must flag ethical qualities'.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Banks should market ethical credentials as thoroughly as environmental friendliness, according to the findings of a recent Mintel survey. The study found that consumers prioritise a bank's ethical record above green concerns. While only...

Burger King reviews European strategy.
March 26, 2008... Burger King is to overhaul its pan-European marketing operations to bring greater unity to campaigns running across multiple countries. The review will be overseen by David Kisilevsky, who has been promoted from the role of senior...

Five hunts digital agency to back overhaul.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Five will expand its digital roster with the appointment of an agency to promote the rebranding of its lifestyle channel Five Life as Fiver. The channel's fresh identity has been created by brand consultancy Dave, and will be backed by...

News brief: Camelot shortlists agencies.
March 26, 2008... Camelot Group has shortlisted Fallon, Beattie McGuinness Bungay, McCann Erickson and incumbent Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO to pitch for its pounds 20m Lotto ad business

News brief: Red Bull to launch premium soft drink.
March 26, 2008... Red Bull is to launch a premium soft drink, Red Bull Simply Cola It will be supported by activity highlighting its natural sources.

News brief: Neff Ovens tipped to appoint Leagas Delaney.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Neff Ovens, the Bosch Siemens Home Appliances-owned brand, is tipped to appoint Leagas Delaney to its UK ad account following a pitch against M&C Saatchi, Shop and Chick Smith Trott

News brief: Appointment at Thresher Group.
March 26, 2008... Thresher Group has hired Vibha Hardaker, former head of brand and in-store communications for Superdrug and Savers, as its group marketing director

News brief: Powerboat P1 championship appoints Haymarket Network.
March 26, 2008... The Powerboat P1 World Championship has appointed Haymarket Network as its official publishing partner, tasked with developing a website, photography and programmes for the event

News brief: Plan may fall foul of sponsorship demands.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... The National Audit Office has warned that a DCMS plan to raise pounds 100m in private funding for elite sports may fall foul of competing sponsorship demands from the London 2012 Olympics

News brief: Samsung sponsorship chief to leave.(Samsung Electronics Company Ltd.)(Tim Stemp)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Samsung's European sponsorship chief, Tim Stemp, is leaving to join the Laureaus World Sports Awards. He is replaced by Martin Howard, senior European project manager, sponsorship, at Samsung-owned ad agency Cheil

News brief: SABMiller retains former Grolsch director.(SABMiller PLC)(Ronald van Amerongen)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... SABMiller has retained Ronald van Amerongen, former Grolsch director for global marketing, as international brand director for Grolsch, following its acquisition of the brand last month

News brief: McDonald's to give away CD-ROMs.
March 26, 2008... McDonald's is to give away CD-ROMs featuring virtual fairies and dragons with Happy Meals in 49 European countries

Media: Co-operative Group to launch magazine.(Co-operative Group (CWS) Ltd.)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... The Co-operative Group, the world's biggest consumer co-operative, is to roll out a glossy magazine with a circulation of more than 500,000 as part of a drive to boost brand awareness. The launch will form an integral part of the...

Media: Disney to target minority groups.
March 26, 2008... The Disney Channel is running a series of initiatives targeting minority immigrant communities in the UK. The channel is looking at ways to reach groups such as the Polish community by generating positive word-of-mouth among children...

Media: Kiss FM recruits 'ambassadors'.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Kiss FM is lining up a series of well-known faces to front campaigns to promote topical issues in which its listeners are interested. The station, now owned by Bauer Consumer Media, has kicked off its ambassador-led campaign by...

Media choice: BET UK.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... In the 27 years BET has been running in the US, the UK's black audience has been primed to expect to get its black entertainment programming in the form of US comedy and music. The most successful shows in the UK have been the likes of...

Media brief: Appointment at Bauer Consumer Media.(appointment of Andria Vidler)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Bauer Consumer Media has named Andria Vidler, managing director of Magic 105.4, as chief marketing officer across all radio, magazine and TV brands. She will work alongside group managing directors Dee Ford, Marcus Rich and Rob Munro Hall

Media brief: Shape magazine announces ABC ambitions.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... River Publishing's Shape magazine has announced its ambitions of achieving an ABC circulation figure of 75,000 for its first three issues. The title launches with a print run of 140,000 on 2 April

Media brief: Appointment at IPC.(appointment of Lisa Batty and Donia Dacey )(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... IPC has appointed Lisa Batty to head of business development for IPC Weeklies, and Donia Dacey to the role of head of creative solutions, running a team that develops advertorial, sponsorship and digital content for advertisers

Media brief: Diaspora TV to be on air by St Patrick's Day 2009.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Diaspora TV, a TV channel aimed at the 850,000 Irish-born people living in the UK, will be on air by St Patrick's Day next year. The channel was announced by Ireland's communications minister, Eamon Ryan

Media brief: Radio Five Live head joins Innocent.(appointment of Tim Stoller)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Tim Stoller, BBC Radio Five Live's head of marketing, has joined smoothie company Innocent as head of impulse. A spokesman for Five Live said it had not yet started its search for a replacement

Media brief: Virgin Trains extends contract with Titan.(Titan Outdoor )(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Virgin Trains has extended its contract with Titan Outdoor by four years in a deal worth more than pounds 5m. Titan has handled the business since 2000

Media brief: BBC to show Formula One for first time in 13 years.(Formula One Administration)(British Broadcasting Corp.)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... The BBC will show Formula One motor racing for the first time in 13 years after ITV pulled out of its five-year deal to air the championship a year early. The BBC has signed an exclusive five-year deal with Formula One Administration, thought...

Media brief: Aegis reports rise in annual pre-tax profit.(revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Aegis, the media buying and market research group, has reported a 17.6% rise in annual pre-tax profit to pounds 133.5m in 2007. Its media division, comprising Carat and Vizeum, increased revenues by 13% to pounds 673.4m

Branding: Butlers Chocolates prepares UK debut.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Butlers Chocolates, an Irish company, is set to launch in the UK with a chain of stores that will sell both chocolate and coffee. The luxury choclatier is focusing its promotional activity on the twin-product offer, an unusual proposition...

Branding: Brylcreem adds long-hair variant.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Brylcreem, the hairstyling and haircare range for men, is to mark its 80th anniversary with the launch of its first product for longer styles. The antiStyler scruffing paste has been designed to help consumers create a...

Branding: Bottlegreen to overhaul range.(Bottle Green Drinks Co.)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Bottlegreen, a premium soft-drinks brand, is to back its fresh look and the expansion of its range, with a promotional drive. The redesign for the brand's cordials has been handled by Ziggurat, which has added illustrations of fruit and...

Branding: Design choice - Leica D-Lux 3.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... I was getting my eyes tested recently in Black & Lizars, a Scottish optometrists and specialist photographic retailer, when a beautiful brown leather camera case caught my eye from a cabinet. It instantly evoked nostalgic memories of my...

Branding brief: Blue Dragon to extend dipping-sauce range.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Blue Dragon, the Oriental product specialist, is extending its dipping-sauce range with four squeezy variants. Thai Sweet Chilli (Hot), Malaysian Satay, Chinese BBQ and Chinese Sweet & Sour will be rolled out next month

Branding brief: Dolce Pasticceria to launch range of flavours.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Dolce Pasticceria, the luxury ice-cream brand, is launching a range of flavours in Tesco. The packaging for the pistachio, tiramisu, hazelnut, latte, skinny latte and mocha flavours, has been designed to capitalise on Italy's reputation for...

Branding brief: Mateus Rose to launch sample-sized bottle.
March 26, 2008... Mateus Rose, the wine brand, is launching a sample-sized bottle of Mateus Tempranillo Rose in the run-up to the key summer trading period

Branding brief: Post Office redesigns branches.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... The Post Office is redesigning its next-generation branches to create a better customer experience. It has recruited 'i-am' associates to advise on layout, lighting, colour scheme and signage

Branding brief: WRAP co-ordinates working group.(Waste & Resources Action Programme)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is co-ordinating a seasonal confectionery industry working group to reduce packaging for products such as Easter eggs. Members currently include Mars UK, Cadbury Trebor Bassett, Nestle UK and Kraft UK

Branding brief: PizzaExpress revamps packaging.
March 26, 2008... PizzaExpress has revamped the packaging of its dressings, introducing a blue and white label to mirror the colouring of its pizza packaging

Branding brief: Waitrose extends organic beauty range.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Waitrose has extended its organic beauty range. Waitrose Organic Softening Glycerine Soap, Clarifying Shampoo, Moisturising Shampoo and Moisturising Conditioner will be rolled out in stores in the coming months

Branding brief: Parceline to change name to DPD.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Parceline, the UK parcel carrier, is changing its name to DPD in line with its European sister firms. The name has been launched via an integrated campaign across press and outdoor ads, banner ads, email and direct mail

Direct: Rural body embarks on anti-litter activity.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) will continue its fight against countryside littering with an integrated campaign starring its chief executive alongside author Bill Bryson. According to the CPRE, about 25m tonnes of litter...

Direct: Capri-Sun to run sport prize offer.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Capri-Sun, the fruit drink brand, is launching an on-pack promotion aimed at young teenagers that offers the chance to win extreme-sports prizes. The 'Capri-Stunts' promotion, which breaks this month, will offer four adventure...

Direct: Habitat rolls out Manchester ads.(Habitat Group PLC)(WDMP Ltd.)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Habitat is launching a direct response and brand campaign this month to promote the opening of its flagship store in Manchester's Trafford Centre. The campaign, created by agency WDMP, carries the strapline 'Make yourself at home...

Direct choice: Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy.(Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd.)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Brilliant. A communication piece from Virgin Atlantic. I'm in for a fun, maverick read. And, more importantly, so are all those working in the travel trade, at which this decidedly chunky pack is aimed. So here I am, ready to enjoy a...

Direct brief: Ubisoft hires Sublime Promotions.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Ubisoft has hired Sublime Promotions to organise a sampling tour of music festivals to raise its profile and promote its latest video games Festival-goers will be able to try out the games in a branded trailer.

Direct brief: Sanex launches 'Healthy Skin Workout Tour'.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Sanex, the skincare brand, is launching a 'Healthy Skin Workout Tour' in gyms nationwide. Point of sale, sampling and leaflets by i2i Marketing will support the launch of its Skin Energy shower gel

Direct brief: Robinsons to launch experiential campaign.(Fruit Shoot H2O)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Robinsons is to back its Fruit Shoot H2O flavoured water brand with an experiential campaign positioning the product as 'guilt-free'. The activity, developed by iD, aims to reassure mothers and challenge children's preconceptions about water

Direct brief: Bluewater hires Out of the Blue.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Bluewater has hired Out of the Blue as its experiential and event agency. It has been tasked with creating fashion events and brand experiences for the retail complex

Direct brief: McArthur Glen hires Clear Marketing Communications.(McArthur/Glen Group Inc.)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... McArthur Glen, the designer shopping centre group, has hired Clear Marketing Communications to handle its offline activity. The agency will create a series of campaigns to promote each of the company's shopping centres at a local level, using...

Direct brief: Green Rewards hires new managing director.
March 26, 2008... Green Rewards, the soon-to-launch loyalty scheme, has hired Stephen Carson as managing director. Carson joins from Procter & Gamble, where he was associate marketing director

Direct brief: Save the Children to run documentary-style ad.(Partners Andrews Aldridge)(Bare Films)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Save the Children is to run a documentary-style TV ad to boost donations. Shot in Africa by Partners Andrews Aldridge and Bare Films, it aims to raise donations to buy medical care

Direct brief: Grand Marnier to launch sampling campaign.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Grand Marnier is launching a sampling campaign to promote its summer cocktail, Grand Esprit. The activity, which will span a range of events including the BBC Good Food Summer Festival and Taste of London, will target 30- to 35-year-old...

Digital: Widget 'value' lures brands.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Widgets are set to emerge as one of the most cost-effective forms of digital marketing, with UK advertisers expected to spend less than pounds 5m in total on creating branded web applications this year. The use of widgets is expected to...

Digital: Slingbox unveils web campaign.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Sling Media is launching an online push to promote its range of Slingbox devices, which transform computers and smartphones into personal portable TVs. The company has briefed Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw and Trinity Communications to...

Digital choice: Londonelectsyou.co.uk.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... It was once suggested (possibly by me) that the web has the potential to transform politics by becoming the third chamber of government. This site aims to represent a step in that long journey. In true political style, its success will...

Digital brief: Nokia briefs R/GA to launch campaign.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Nokia has briefed R/GA to launch a global digital campaign, dubbed 'The Urbanista Diaries', to promote the recently launched Nokia N82, which features integrated GPS and a five-megapixel camera

Digital brief: Yell.com launches netReach.
March 26, 2008... Yell.com has launched netReach, an advertising syndication product capable of delivering geographically and contextually relevant advertising results to third-party websites

Digital brief: Electronic Arts extends contract with Massive.
March 26, 2008... Electronic Arts has extended its contract with video advertising network Massive, a subsidiary of Microsoft. Massive will offer dynamic in-game advertising across EA's games portfolio

Digital brief: O2 appoints Mobile Interactive Group.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... O2 has appointed Mobile Interactive Group to develop a range of mobile marketing initiatives aimed at helping the UK network operator to increase its customer base

Digital brief: Que Pasa to launch Mobrool.
March 26, 2008... Que Pasa, a mobile marketing company, is launching a mobile internet platform, Mobrool, enabling brands, media owners and agencies to create bespoke mobile internet sites

Digital brief: Vodafone strikes deal with Warner Music.(Vodafone Group PLC)(Warner Music UK Ltd.)(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Vodafone has struck a global deal with Warner Music to preview the latest Madonna album on mobile. Tracks from Hard Candy will be available for consumers to buy from 21 April, one week before the album is released

Digital brief: Greenpeace appoints Kerb.(Brief article)
March 26, 2008... Greenpeace has appointed Kerb to create the digital assets for an online Save the Whales campaign. The agency will develop sharable online content based on Mr Splashy Pants, a whale character named by members of Greenpeace's online community

Andrew Walmsley on Digital: Phorm and Function Fuel Privacy Fears
March 26, 2008... From Whitehall's loss of CDs containing the child benefit records of 25m citizens, to the hacking of customer databases, every week seems to bring another story of incompetence or criminality in the data world. Everywhere we go, we leave a...

News Analysis: Pioneers Win Profit
March 26, 2008... Innovation is key to sustaining momentum, according to Jean-Claude Larreche's latest book. Jane Simms reports. Much marketing 'investment' amounts to throwing money at a problem, and, as such, is bound to fail, or so claims Jean-Claude...

Conference Preview: Path to Higher Education
March 26, 2008... Marketing to students requires an avoidance of cliche and a willingness to engage online, writes Joe Thomas. Book now to learn how to use technology to target students successfully Call 020 8267 4011. For a brand looking to tap into the...

Raymond Snoddy on Media: Sealed Bids Secure Only Rising Prices
March 26, 2008... Bidding for exclusive sports rights is a dirty business. We know the outcome of the latest round in the poker game; what we don't know is how exactly the BBC came to pay pounds 200m for Formula One rights - if that is what it paid. At the...

Media Analysis: Ofcom Redraws the Ad Schedule
March 26, 2008... The regulator is proposing to liberalise the rules on TV commercial breaks, but how far can it go, asks Jeremy Lee. For many advertisers, the current rules regarding the amount and distribution of TV advertising breaks must appear at best...

Brand Health Check: Britishness
March 26, 2008... Gordon Brown wants us to regain a sense of Britishness, but does the concept still hold any meaning? The recent Lord Goldsmith report into Britishness - Citizenship: Our Common Bond - was designed to increase social cohesion, but critics were...

Mark Ritson on Branding: Goldman's Is an Unwitting Exemplar
March 26, 2008... I am teaching the brand management elective at London Business School this week. A healthy proportion of my class is made up of MBA students who have opted almost exclusively for finance modules as preparation for careers in investment...

Profile: Fighting on the Home Front - Mark Bainbridge, Marketing and Communications Director, British Army
March 26, 2008... As the fifth anniversary of the Iraq invasion comes and goes, Mark Bainbridge, marketing and communications director of the British Army, has the unenviable task of persuading youngsters that a life in the services is for them. The latest...