Marketing articles from May 2008

Marketing archives from May 2008

ITV poised for record Champions League ad boost.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... ITV is raising the price of TV ad slots in the Champions League final by up to 50%, making it one of the most lucrative breaks in the broadcaster's history. A 30-second ad in this month's final, which will be contested by two English teams...

Asda chief wades into row over Google keywords.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Asda has hit out at rival Tesco over its decision to not bid on Google keywords relating to its competitors (Marketing, 30 April). Rick Bendel, marketing director at Asda, said: 'Tesco believes everything is for sale, except when it doesn't...

KFC launches breakfast menu in challenge to fast-food rivals.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... KFC is to start selling breakfasts for the first time as part of a global move into the burgeoning market. KFC A.M. launches this week at the chain's flagship Marble Arch restaurant in central London before the roll-out of an 18-store...

Mothercare set for mag revamp.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Mothercare has appointed customer publisher Sunday to relaunch its magazine, taking the business out of incumbent John Brown. The biannual Mothercare magazine, which has a circulation of 210,000, will continue to target parents with a range...

Camelot unveils movie-tie game.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Camelot Group, the Lottery operator, is aiming to replicate the success of its previous entertainment-themed scratchcards with a variant based on the Indiana Jones movie franchise. The scratchcards will be supported by an ad campaign urging...

Unilever spin-off fuels sale talk.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Unilever's plan to shift 14 of its local European brands into a separate business unit is driving speculation that the FMCG company is preparing to sell them off. Under the plan, called Project Chrysalis, the iconic British brands Marmite,...

New campaign: Drench.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Britvic is launching a pounds 5.5m campaign to support the launch of its Drench water brand into supermarkets. The ads feature puppet character Brains from 60s TV show Thunderbirds breakdancing to the 90s dance classic Rhythm is a Dancer...

Wrigley rethinks pounds 5m Extra work.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Wrigley is overhauling the pounds 5m promotional strategy for its flagship Extra range, focusing on building the brand rather than showcasing its products. The decision is part of a long-term strategy to give Extra, the UK's number-one...

Defra redoubles emissions drive.(Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... The government is to boost promotional activity encouraging consumers to take responsibility for their carbon emissions. Speaking exclusively to Marketing, ahead of this week's roll-out of a pounds 5m ad campaign, Hilary Benn, the secretary...

Whitbread trials 'all-you-can-eat' buffet chain.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Whitbread, the hotel and restaurant company, is trialling an all-you-can-eat buffet as part of a review of its nationwide restaurant offering. Tay Barn is modelled on an unlimited helpings concept, popular in the US, and will offer a range...

Bulmers bolsters share at expense of Magners.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Bulmers, Scottish & Newcastle's cider brand, has experienced rapid growth at the expense of 'over-ice' pioneer and rival Magners. A combination of comprehensive distribution channels and heavyweight advertising has helped the S&N brand...

BCAP to curb TV ad noise levels.(Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice )(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Noisy TV ads have been given the red light by the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP), which is introducing fresh rules governing their sound levels. The decision follows 350 complaints made to the Advertising Standards...

City Hall braced for cuts as Johnson takes office.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... New London Mayor Boris Johnson has confirmed plans to cut marketing jobs at City Hall and slash the advertising budgets for Transport for London (TfL) and the Metropolitan Police. Conservative Johnson, who unseated Ken Livingstone last week...

Travel-agent websites fight back.
May 7, 2008... Aggregator services are adding exclusive content to reassert their dominance over airline and hotel offerings online. Opodo is launching a campaign to promote its latest range of web tools, which are intended to differentiate the...

Suzuki in digital outdoor activity.(Suzuki Motor Corp.)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Suzuki is rolling out its first UK digital outdoor campaign as part of a strategy to encourage consumers to view its individual models with greater affection. The motor manufacturer is keen to move away from campaigns featuring generic...

Rajar axes personal meter testing trial.
May 7, 2008... Radio audience measurement body Rajar has come under fire for its decision to abandon its pounds 3.5m trial of an electronic personal measurement device in favour of an online version of its diary-based rating system. The body, which is...

Carlsberg to run event-led work.(www.carlsberg.co.uk)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Carlsberg is expanding its web presence with a digital marketing drive based on key dates in the sporting and social calendar. The first phase will focus on the FA Cup Final at Wembley on 17 May Consumers who log on to...

Samsung backs MP3 players in games drive.(Samsung Electronics America Inc. is expanding its digital strategy)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Samsung is expanding its digital strategy with the launch of branded online games portals to promote its range of MP3 players. It has hired Kerb to launch the initiative to help raise awareness of the music-players, which are aimed at...

Shell to step up loyalty scheme.(Shell Services International offer global loyalty scheme)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Shell is bolstering its global loyalty scheme, known in the UK as Shell Drivers' Club, with the appointment of Gyro International to its direct roster. The agency will be tasked with developing Shell's global retail loyalty programme. It...

Asda to streamline own-label food lines.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Asda is reviewing its portfolio of own-label products, as part of plans to simplify its food offering. The review could result in several brands from the supermarket's portfolio, which includes Extra Special and Organic, being axed or...

BRC claims retailers can push climate issue.(British Retail Consortium focused on climate-change movement )(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... The retail industry is better-placed than the government to encourage consumers to help tackle climate change, according to the director-general of the British Retail Consortium (BRC) Stephen Robertson. Speaking at a BRC parliamentary...

News brief: Pizza Hut appoints Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Pizza Hut has appointed Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO to handle its pounds 13m advertising account as part of a repositioning strategy. The Yum!-owned restaurants will target the casual dining sector, competing with Nando's and Frankie & Benny's

News brief: Waitrose announces plans for smaller format.(Waitrose Ltd.)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Waitrose has announced plans for a smaller 'market town' format as it seeks to expand. The stores will focus on local produce, increasing these lines by 200%. It will trial the first of the outlets this month in St Neots, Cambridgeshire

News brief: ASA dismisses complaint against Carling ads.(Advertising Standards Authority)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... The Advertising Standards Authority has dismissed a complaint against Carling ads featuring the 'Belong' strapline. Viewers had claimed that they depicted alcohol as integral to social integration

News brief: Expedia.co.uk's marketing director to leave.(resignations)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Expedia.co.uk's UK marketing director, Elyas Chowdhury, is leaving the company. UK managing director Caroline Cartellieri also left last month in a restructure that has scrapped the managing director role

News brief: Freesat briefs Fallon to roll out campaign.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Freesat, the nascent 80-channel free digital satellite television service, has briefed Fallon to roll out a print and radio marketing campaign following its launch this week

News brief: Ofcom review.
May 7, 2008... Ofcom is to review whether brand advertising has been used to circumvent the advertising restrictions governing HFSS foods

News brief: PKR to launch quarterly magazine.
May 7, 2008... PKR, an online poker operator, is to produce a quarterly magazine for its advanced players. Dennis Communications will publish and distribute the magazine

News brief: Ribena launches first stage of marketing push.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Ribena is launching the first stage of a pounds 5m marketing push for its Pure Juices. The brand has signed up with GCap radio stations to run competitions on breakfast shows, using the tagline '100% truth and nothing but the truth'

Media: Heart retains London lead.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Heart 106.2 has held on to its position as the most listened-to commercial breakfast station in London, according to Rajar figures for the first quarter of 2008. The station's 6am-9am show, presented by Jamie Theakston and Harriet Scott,...

Media: Hardys Wine in Times film push.(movie-screening campaign)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Hardys Wine has partnered Times Media to roll out a movie-screening campaign, due to last 15 weeks. The 'Movies that Matter' push, which begins next week, will feature showings of classic films such as Gone with the Wind and Casablanca at...

Media choice: FT Weekend Magazine.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... 'It's not a relaunch, it's a refresh,' we are reminded by the FT. Of course it is. Is that why last Saturday I was greeted with a very distinct change in personality to the Weekend edition? In come different journalists, a more...

Media brief: Brit Insurance to sponsor cricket coverage.(Brit Insurance Holdings PLC)(British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC. Sky Sports)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Brit Insurance is to sponsor Sky Sports' Test Match cricket coverage for the next two summers, including England's 2009 Ashes series against Australia. The deal is the first TV broadcast sponsorship to be undertaken by the insurer

Media brief: Channel 4 to launch interactive food website.(Channel 4 Television Co.)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Channel 4 is launching an interactive food website, where viewers can recommend their favourite local eateries. C4 food critic Andrew Webb will write a daily blog reviewing the suggested markets, cafes and restaurants

Media brief: MySpace launches entertainment channel.(MySpace.com Inc.)(Scene Junkie)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... MySpace has launched an entertainment channel called Scene Junkie, which aims to connect users with well-known faces on the social networking site, from A-list celebs to rising stars

Media brief: Appointment at Omnicom Media Group.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Omnicom Media Group has hired David Pinnington as director of sports marketing across its EMEA portfolio. He joins the company from Vodafone, where he was head of global media and sponsorship integration

Media brief: Virgin Radio teams up with Endemol.
May 7, 2008... Virgin Radio has teamed up with entertainment producer Endemol to create an online TV show aimed at driving traffic to its website. Punch Drunk TV will be hosted by comedian Iain Lee

Media brief: UTV Radio embarks on six-figure campaign.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... UTV Radio is embarking on a six-figure campaign to promote its eight regional stations. The activity begins with The Pulse in West Yorkshire and spans 48-sheets, six-sheets and bus-backs

Media brief: Thinkbox relaunches website.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Thinkbox is relaunching its website with updated content areas These include a TV Technology zone, which is designed to help agencies and advertisers keep up to date with the latest TV technologies.

Branding: Guest Hotels to open 'arts club' properties.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... GuestInvest, the company that offers consumers buy-to-let hotel rooms, is launching 'arts club' hotels across the capital to carve a niche in the market. The Guest Hotel chain includes five existing GuestInvest hotels, plus a series of...

Branding: Weight Watchers overhauls cakes.(Weight Watchers (UK) Ltd.)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Weight Watchers is repackaging its low-calorie cakes and sponges to make them appear more indulgent. The range will also be expanded with the addition of Weight Watchers' Mini Victoria Sponges, Apple Crumble Slices and Belgian Chocolate...

Branding: PepsiCo secures V Water addition.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Pepsi is to take on Coca-Cola in the functional-water market with the acquisition of vitamin-enhanced V Water. The drinks company acquired the water range last week as part of its strategy to focus on healthier products. This follows...

Branding: Design choice - McDonald's uniform.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Salads. Cappuccinos. Mockney 'egg' chairs in the style of Arne Jacobsen. Sounds like the Virgin clubhouse at Heathrow, or a Foxton's branch in an upmarket London borough. Now, however, McDonald's offers all the aforementioned items, and...

Branding brief: Tesco launches carbon footprint labels.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Tesco has launched carbon footprint labels on 20 own-brand products including light bulbs, potatoes and detergents. A footprint logo will detail emission levels during production, and the subsequent life cycles of the goods

Branding brief: Eat Natural takes on Dorset Cereals.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Eat Natural is taking on Dorset Cereals as it extends its brand The Eat Natural for Breakfast cereal range contains unusual ingredients including caped gooseberries, Mexican Yucatan honey and wholegrain buckwheat.

Branding brief: Mars to expand Starburst range.(Mars UK Ltd.)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Mars is expanding its Starburst range with the launch of Starburst Twisted, which combines two flavours in one sweet. The range will include strawberry and lime, cherry and lemon and blueberry and banana flavours

Branding brief: Young's adds variant to Chip Shop range.(Young's & Company Brewery PLC)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Young's is adding Chunky Fish Fillet Nuggets to its Chip Shop range to appeal to children. The product, made using wild Alaskan pollock, is available in Asda, Morrisons and Tesco stores across the UK

Branding brief: Premier Foods revamps Ambrosia Layers.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Premier Foods is relaunching Ambrosia Layers desserts to include chocolate and caramel variants aimed at 25- to 45-year-old women. The revamp will be backed by a pounds 1m TV campaign

Branding brief: Association promotes ACR brands.(authentic Caribbean rum)(West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers' Association)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... The West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers' Association has launched a mark of provenance to promote authentic Caribbean rum (ACR) brands. The symbol will also be used to promote the development of ACR as a distinct category within the rum sector

Branding brief: Green Ginger Wine to reposition as summer drink.(Crabbie)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Crabbie's Green Ginger Wine is repositioning as a refreshing summer drink as part of a strategy to boost sales outside the Christmas period The product has traditionally been marketed as a winter drink.

Branding brief: Bollinger to launch Rose Champagne.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Bollinger is launching a Rose Champagne variant in Selfridges Lewis Moberly has created a pale-pink label with minimal typography, embossed and foiled in black, grey and gold.

Direct: Christian Aid unveils 'retro' donor activity.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Christian Aid is to run a retro-style integrated promotional drive around its annual Christian Aid Week to boost awareness and raise funds for the charity. The campaign, created by Shop and EBoy, spans television, print and online. The...

Direct: RAC adds WDMP to direct roster.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... RAC has hired WDMP to position the brand as 'motoring experts'. The agency has been added to the RAC's below-the-line roster to handle the brief. Last November, it was appointed to the direct roster of RAC sister firm Norwich Union. ...

Direct: Cobra makes UK sampling debut.(Cobra Beer Ltd.)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Cobra Beer is readying its first UK sampling campaign across the on- and off-trade and at high-profile events. The campaign, which will launch this month and run until September, forms part of Cobra's pounds 14m promotional spend for the...

Direct choice: Scottish and Southern Energy.(Home Moving Box)(Lucid Thinking)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Nothing can take away the pain of moving home, but a box that contains products that alleviate some of the suffering, is, in my book, an extremely good thing. The fact that it is free and couriered to my new home as a warm welcome on the...

Direct brief: Peugeot promotes Professional range.
May 7, 2008... Peugeot is promoting its Professional range of light commercial vehicles to small-business drivers through direct mail activity created by CMW

Direct brief: London South Bank University launches campaign.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... London South Bank University is launching an outdoor ambient campaign to attract students at the start of its academic year this September and beyond. The campaign, called 'Put your brain to work in London', has been created by Bright

Direct brief: Vauxhall targets women drivers.
May 7, 2008... Vauxhall is targeting women drivers in direct activity to promote its latest Agila model. The work, created by Draftfcb London, spans direct mail and email

Direct brief: LA Inc partners with Cineworld.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... LA Inc, the US city's tourist board, has tied with Cineworld as part of a pan-European drive. The partnership, created by Touchdown Brand Affinity Marketing, will involve the cinema chain promoting a prize draw for a trip to the LA Film...

Direct brief: Scan Foods to promote latest snack.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Scan Foods UK, a meat brand, is to launch a pounds 1m integrated drive to promote its latest snack, Hot Tub. It will use promotional activity as well as viral ads to raise product awareness among 18- to 24-year-old men

Direct brief: Dr Oetker hires RPM to handle promotion work.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Dr Oetker has hired experiential agency RPM to handle its promotional work for Onken Natural Yogurt. The activity will include sampling work at Tesco and Sainsbury's as well as at the Taste of London festival

Direct brief: Toucan creates on-pack promotion for Emmi.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Emmi, the dairy brand, is running an on-pack promotion for its Emmi Swiss Muesli Yoghurt range to promote it as a healthy alternative Created by Toucan, the promotion offers consumers the chance to receive an Alpine strawberry plant in exchange...

Direct brief: Filofax hires Cocktail Marketing.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Filofax has hired partnership marketing specialist Cocktail Marketing as part of plans to refresh its image. The agency will create brand partnerships in the fashion sector

Digital: McCain rolls out eCRM strategy.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... McCain Foods is embarking on an extensive eCRM strategy aimed at raising awareness of its 'It's all good' brand positioning. The frozen-food manufacturer has appointed Underwired to roll out a series of eCRM campaigns to promote the...

Digital: Reebok adds global online shopping site.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Reebok is rolling out a global online shopping portal showcasing its range of sport and lifestyle products to consumers in more than 30 countries. The ecommerce site, designed by Carat International, aims to replicate in-store shopping by...

Digital: BA set to bolster affiliate activity.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... British Airways is stepping up its affiliate marketing strategy in an effort to increase the number of flights booked via its website. The airline has appointed TradeDoubler and LinkShare to handle its global affiliate marketing account...

Digital choice: BBC Green.(British Broadcasting Corp.)(BBCGreen.com website )(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... 'Environmentalism', 'sustainability', 'carbon-offsetting', 'carbon sinks', 'renewables' - who really knows what it all means? There still seems to be a huge gap in public understanding on the topic of 'green'. In fact, because...

Digital brief: ASA annual report findings.(Advertising Standards Authority (United Kingdom))(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Internet advertising overtook national press to attract the second-highest number of complaints behind TV, according to the Advertising Standards Authority's annual report. Online ads drew 2980 complaints in 2007

Digital brief: FX UK hires Ralph.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... FX UK has hired Ralph to create a Facebook application to promote the fifth series of US drama Nip/Tuck. The widget allows users to calculate facial beauty using a 'scientifically proven' method

Digital brief: PDSA hires Cheeze.
May 7, 2008... PDSA, the veterinary charity, has hired digital agency Cheeze to help drive revenue online, while acquiring and retaining younger and more affluent supporters

Digital brief: ITV relaunches revamped version of Friends Reunited.
May 7, 2008... ITV has launched a revamped version of the Friends Reunited website, dropping its subscription charge in favour of a free model

Digital brief: BBC iPlayer launches on Virgin Media.(British Broadcasting Corp.)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... BBC iPlayer has launched on Virgin Media, allowing the platform's 3.5m viewers to catch up on missed episodes of their favourite BBC shows via their TV

Digital brief: BlinkBox.com secures Peugeot as first sponsor.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... BlinkBox.com, the website for film and TV clips, has secured Peugeot as its first sponsor. A two-month deal will include sponsorship credits on the site's video players, as well as banners and pre-roll ads

Digital brief: BT rolls out dedicated website.(BT Group PLC)(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... BT is rolling out a dedicated website to support its headline sponsorship of the Isle of Wight festival as part of a strategy to position itself as an entertainment brand

Digital brief: Finance brands missing out on revenues says report.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Finance brands are missing out on revenues by failing to engage with consumers using social networks, according to the 2008 Social Media Sectors report from Tamar. Only 30% of the industry has an official presence on a networking site

Andrew Walmsley on digital: The whys and wherefores of web 3.0.
May 7, 2008... For a moment there, you thought you'd just about understood it. You were just getting to grips with podcasts, you'd found a use for RSS feeds, even web 2.0 seemed to be making some sense. But in the world of digital, we're never satisfied...

News Analysis: Brands join video-game fraternity.
May 7, 2008... As sales of the top titles begin to outstrip even movies so advertisers are bolstering in-game ties. Grand Theft Auto IV (GTA IV) has smashed all records to become the world's biggest video-game launch, shifting more than 6m copies since...

News Analysis: Profit at the expense of prestige.(Gucci)
May 7, 2008... Gucci's plans to promote its mid-range offering to beat a recession could damage its brand. Once the preserve only of the rich, luxury is now reliant on a wide range of consumers, leaving the sector more exposed during a recession. As...

Raymond Snoddy on media: Doing an Airey: a beginner's guide.
May 7, 2008... A while ago there was a splash of publicity about a survey suggesting that marketing directors' average tenure in a role was about 12 months - a life span similar to that of Premiership football managers. If it weren't an urban myth...

Media Analysis: Digital channels find their niche.
May 7, 2008... Broadcasters are reinventing their digital offerings' identities to snare viewers and advertisers. Branding channels effectively in the digital TV environment is now crucial to success on platforms such as Freeview. Broadcasters have...

Brand Health Check: eBay.
May 7, 2008... A global boycott seems to have burst the site's 'user-friendly' bubble. Can it regain consumers' trust, asks Gemma Charles. When internet brands become successful, it is inevitable that they experience a few growing pains. Social...

Mark Ritson on branding: Snapple is an object lesson in equity.
May 7, 2008... Almost 40 years after Cadbury and Schweppes joined forces, the two are once again going their separate ways. Cadbury plc made its modest debut as a pure confectionery manufacturer on the FTSE last week. This week sees its former beverage...

Profile: Primed for Mars partnership - Toby Baker, Marketing director, The Wrigley Company.
May 7, 2008... It is no exaggeration to say that Toby Baker, marketing director of The Wrigley Company, has had an extremely eventful time over the past seven days. On Monday morning last week, the US news wires were buzzing with rumours that the...

Adwatch: Brantano - 'Cortex of justification'.(Brief article)
May 7, 2008... Brave people, those Brantano guys. They claim to have unravelled the workings of the female mind. That's no mean feat, particularly when it comes to shoes. The film shows a cliched scientist-type poking gentle fun at the female cognitive...