Marketing articles from November 2001

Marketing archives from November 2001

Unilever hands Zentropy digital job.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Unilever has appointed Zentropy Partners, part of the McCann-Erickson group, to lead the interactive strategy across its entire brand portfolio for the UK. The appointment reflects bid by the FMCG giant to develop a consistent approach and...

PO picks chief for outlet rebranding.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The Post Office is to create three sub-brands for its network of 18,000 branches, and has poached former London Electricity and Eastern Energy marketing chief Gordon Steel to oversee the task. Around 9000 rural branches, which will be used...

Powergen hunts top marketer in strategy review.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Powergen, the energy and utilities group, has created a top marketing position as part of a strategic review of its retail business. The company is searching internally and externally for a sales and marketing director to report to Nick...

Heineken group talks over future brand strategies.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Heineken's top marketers have formed a working group to consider future strategy for the brand, and are talking to agencies, including incumbent Lowe Lintas, about brand solutions. A team from Heineken's UK and global businesses has been...

MGM Mirage prepares to launch online casino.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... US gaming giant MGM Mirage is seeking a marketing director and talking to WPP group advertising and PR agencies ahead of its launch of an online casino, to be operated from the Isle of Man. Ogilvy & Mather, Young & Rubicam and J Walter...

Fcuk fights wine firm over French Connection name.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... French Connection is embroiled in a legal row with wine company Bottle Green over the use of the French Connection brand name, ahead of the fashion chain's entry into the alcoholic drinks market. The UK Trademark Registry is considering a...

Age Concern in banks link to push web use.(Age Concern England)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Age Concern England has joined forces with Barclays and Abbey National to offer two new IT initiatives to get elderly people online. Barclays will fund four branded buses kitted out as state-of-the-art internet workstations with wheelchair...

BAT puts [pound]12.5m into 555 launch.(British American Tobacco)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... British American Tobacco is backing the UK launch of its State Express 555 brand (Marketing, July 12) with a [pound]12m marketing campaign. It aims to steal market share from established rivals such as Benson & Hedges and Embassy. State...

Channel 4 plans 'brand overhaul' series for 2002.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Channel 4 is to commission a series profiling brands that have undergone major repositioning or that need to change to boost their appeal to different customers. The series will feature companies such as Ryanair, the Metropolitan Police,...

Fast food brand KFC is to make its broadcast sponsorship debut.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Fast food brand KFC is to make its broadcast sponsorship debut by linking with ITV kids programme SM:TV in a one-year deal believed to be worth [pound]1.5m. The sponsorship was negotiated by Zenith Media.

Transport for London (TfL) is to re-open the pitch for its estimated.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Transport for London (TfL) is to re-open the pitch for its estimated [pound]9m congestion charges advertising account following the controversial appointment last month of M&C Saatchi. Pitching agencies reacted angrily after M&C picked up both...

Whitbread is to offload its smaller restaurant brands.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Whitbread is to offload its smaller restaurant brands, Cafe Rouge, Bella Pasta, Mamma Amalfi and Abbaye, in order to concentrate on its Brewers Fayre, Brewsters and Beefeater chains, along with Pizza Hut, Costa Coffee and TGI Friday's. Around...

Camelot is moving its year-end one-off lottery draw.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Camelot is moving its year-end one-off lottery draw from New Year's Eve to Christmas Eve and supporting it with a [pound]4m TV ad campaign through WCRS. The draw, now dubbed Christmas Millionaire Maker, ran on NewYear's Eve in the past two...

Lunn Poly TUI UK has promoted managing director Nigel David.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Lunn Poly TUI UK has promoted managing director Nigel David to sales and marketing director for TUI UK as the company restructures to bring Lunn Poly and Thomson Travel Group together under the TUI brand. Thomson Holidays UK managing director...

Peter Williams, marketing director of Barclaycard-owned.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Peter Williams, marketing director of Barclaycard-owned online shopping portal ShopSmart, is to leave the company after less than six months following Barclaycard's decision to take marketing for the brand in-house.

Nestle's Kit Kat is to launch its first interactive TV campaign.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Nestle's Kit Kat is to launch its first interactive TV campaign on Kingston Interactive Television (KIT) on November 5 to coincide with the debut of KIT's new video-on-demand service.

Allied Domecq is splitting its wines business from its spirits division.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Allied Domecq is splitting its wines business from its spirits division. A series of wine acquisitions this year has turned the company into the world's fourth-biggest winemaker, and these interests will operate as a separate company from...

Heinz is believed to have shortlisted three creative agencies.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Heinz is believed to have shortlisted three creative agencies for a baby-food project. A Heinz spokeswoman said the search did not constitute a full-scale review of the baby food account, which is held by Leo Burnett. The company is also...

Eircell, the Vodafone-owned Irish mobile network, has hired.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Eircell, the Vodafone-owned Irish mobile network, has hired former Saatchi & Saatchi Dublin chief Brian Dunnion as marketing director. He will report to chief executive Paul Donovan.

Carphone Warehouse has signed an exclusive agreement.(distribution of Pogo Technology products)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Carphone Warehouse has signed an exclusive agreement with Pogo Technology to distribute Pogo, the first UK handheld device to deliver mobile access to the web without the need for 3G technology. It will be available from January.

GlaxoSmithKline cough medicine Venos is to sponsor.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... GlaxoSmithKline cough medicine Venos is to sponsor the GMTV regional weather reports in the brand's first TV appearance for more than five years.

Barclays Global Investments (BGI) is talking to ad agencies.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Barclays Global Investments (BGI) is talking to ad agencies about a possible above-the-line pitch. A spokesman said the company is exploring whether advertising is an appropriate medium for the company but that no final decision has been made.

Air Miles has launched a wine club allowing consumers to earn miles.(Direct Wines Ltd.)
November 1, 2001... Air Miles has launched a wine club allowing consumers to earn miles by sampling wines from around the world in a partnership with Direct Wines.

Vodafone is launching a multi-million pound Christmas promotion.(campaign by Billington Cartmell)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Vodafone is launching a multi-million pound Christmas promotion entitled 'I'm Gifted', offering free mobile services to existing and new customers. It is backed by a [pound]5m press, radio and poster campaign, created by Billington Cartmell....

Hula Hoops signs deal to sponsor C4 Banzai series.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Hula Hoops, the savoury food brand from KP Snacks, is to sponsor the second series of off-the-wall Japanese show Banzai on E4 and Channel 4. The deal, estimated to be worth about [pound]500,000, also includes sponsorship of an online Hula...

Coke and Malboro lead billion-dollar global sales list.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 1, 2001... Coca-Cola and Marlboro have topped a list of billion-dollar brands compiled by ACNielsen, with each recording more than $l5bn ([pound]lObn) in global sales. The list shows that 43 FMCG brands crossed the billion-dollar global sales...

WH Smith plans high-tech leisure store.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... WH Smith is considering opening a number of concept stores where consumers could access online information on a broad range of leisure and entertainment activities. As part of its strategy to revitalise its stores and make the brand more...

7-Up agrees link with BMW Williams F1 team.(Formula 1 racing sponsorship)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... 7-Up has signed a sponsorship deal with the BMW Williams F1 team, marking parent company PepsiCo's first foray into Formula One in a decade. The agreement will position 7-Up as 'The choice of BMW Williams F1 team'. Although there will be...

Reckitt Benckiser shifts [pound]3.5m UK ad task to Roose.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Reckitt Benckiser, the Anglo-Dutch household goods group, has moved the UK advertising business for its Vanish stain removal brand, worth [pound]3.5m, from WCRS to Roose & Partners. The shift, which follows a four-month pan-European review,...

Egg cuts second senior marketing role in costs push.(Steve Hicks)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Online bank Egg has axed second senior marketing role as the company comes under pressure to cut costs and break even by the end of 2001. Steve Hicks, head of brand communications at Egg, has been made redundant as a result of the...

Allied Domecq to pool global work into three shops.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Allied Domecq has consolidated its global advertising accounts into three creative agencies - Bates Worldwide, BBDO and dRush - in a move that sees Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R lose the Tia Maria account to Bates UK. As predicted in...

Lloyds Pharmacy spends [pound]5m on national TV drive.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Lloyds Pharmacy is launching its first national TV campaign and casting itself as the first port of call for consumers with minor ailments. The 1300-strong chain of pharmacies is setting aside [pound]5m for TV advertising over the next...

Parker Pens takes on Partners BDDH for brand revamp.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Parker Pens has appointed Partners BDDH to handle a [pound]1m advertising brief that will include the relaunch of the brand. Parker parent, Sanford UK, which also owns the Paper-mate, Berol and Rotring brands, hired Partners without a...

Allied Domecq appoints brand chief.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Allied Domecq has hired former Coca-Cola global sports marketing chief Simon Cunningham as vice-president of brand development. Cunningham will report to Simon Stewart, Allied Domecq's senior vice-president, core brands. He will be...

Twinings redesigns to attract younger market.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The 295-year-old Twinings Tea brand is undergoing its first packaging revamp in almost 20 years as it seeks to reach a younger audience. While the black and gold livery is retained, the cameos have been ditched in favour of more colourful...

Met campaign to educate teens in racial tolerance.(Metropolitan Police)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The Metropolitan Police is launching its biggest antiracism marketing campaign in an attempt to encourage racial tolerance among London's schoolchildren. The Met's youth diversity anti-hate campaign takes its focus on racist and violent...

Kodak runs [pound]14m seasonal push on digital cameras.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Kodak is launching a [pound]14m TV ad campaign in a bid to make its Easyshare digital camera range a Christmas best-seller. The ads break on November 19 and run throughout Christmas. They feature a product demonstration and the strapline...

Auntie Anne's to give pretzel bar European debut.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Auntie Anne's, the US pretzel bar with more than 650 sites around the world, is making its first foray into Europe with the launch of a pretzel bar at London's Victoria Station on December 15. Auntie Anne's pretzels will be baked on the...

First Quench appoints chief for brand rethink.(Paul Vines )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... First Quench, the off-licence group that owns Thresher, Wine Rack and Victoria Wine, has made Paul Vines sales and marketing director. Vines joins from sales promotion agency The Works, where he was joint managing director. The appointment...

Cricket and Rugby in marketing link.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The commercial directors of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Rugby Football Union (RFU) are in talks about a series of joint marketing initiatives, including the launch of a co-branded travel club. Terry Blake, commercial...

40% always look at mailings from credit card firms.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 1, 2001... Despite frequent complaints about financial junk mail, only 30% of consumers never open card mailings. According to exclusive research carried out for Marketing by Taylor Nelson Sofres, 40% of respondents always open direct mail sent by...

Coca-Cola.(changes packaging of Schweppes)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Coca-Cola is to relaunch its Schweppes mixer range with the first packaging revamp in nearly 20 years. The new label, by Design Bridge, retains the distinctive yellow but adds silver and will be on-shelf from November. A press campaign by...

Le Meridien.(hires Susan Clark)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Le Meridien, the hotel chain, has hired Susan Clark as senior vice-president, marketing and sales. A former American Express marketer, Clark will oversee marketing activity globally and will report to Le Meridien chief executive Jurgen Bartels....

Pepsi-Cola.(hires Karen Goffe)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Pepsi-Cola has appointed Karen Goffe to the new position of UK marketing manager, responsible for Pepsi and 7-Up in the UK market. She joins from Procter & Gamble, where she was brand manager for global Max Factor Design, and will report to...

Bass Brewers.(new packaging)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Bass Brewers is to adopt a cask portfolio approach for its ale brands next year. It will include new bottles for Bass Ale, rebadging for Worthington Cask countermounts and greater promotion of Bass' own cask brands within its Cask Masters...

Telewest.(David Hobday; rebranding business and consumer arms; Telewest Broadband and Telewest Business)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Telewest has rebranded its consumer and business arms as Telewest Broadband and Telewest Business respectively. It has also promoted David Hobday from commercial director of TV to the new post of sales and marketing director of Telewest...

KP Snacks.(Rob Devonport )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... KP Snacks has appointed Rob Devonport as marketing controller, overseeing The Real McCoy's, KP Nuts and Phileas Fogg brands. He joins from Bulmers, where he was marketing manager on a number of brands, and will report to KP marketing director...

Oxo.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Oxo is investing [pound]700,000 in a mobile sampling vehicle, the Oxo Cafe, created by Exposure Promotions. Oxo Cafe will sample 56,000 consumers in four cities over four weeks, with hot food freshly cooked on-site. The spend is the first...

Gartmore.(hires Clark McKay and Walpole; MediaCom)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Gartmore, the investment firm, has appointed Clark McKay & Walpole to its creative account and MediaCom to its media business following a review through Agency Insight. Jacqui Haskins, head of UK retail marketing at Gartmore, headed the review...

Royal & SunAlliance.(rebranding campaign)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Royal & SunAlliance's property services division is talking to advertising agencies about a campaign to promote the rebranding of its chain of estate agencies as Sequence. The pitch is thought to be led by Mike Sommers, chief marketing officer....

Skandia.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Skandia, the life assurance and pensions company, is reviewing its advertising, currently held by Primary Contact. The company recently announced it was going to rebrand its bond range and offer enhanced additional life cover to protect...

Thameslink.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Thameslink has poached First Great Eastern Trains marketing chief Peter Robinson to fill the new position of commercial manager. First Great Eastern has not yet decided if Robinson will be replaced.

The Official UK Xbox Launch Special.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The Official UK Xbox Launch Special, a flip-top carton that contains a preview edition of the official Xbox magazine and various back-up media, will be available from November 15 to coincide with the launch of the games console in the US. The...

Surcutus.(launches new magazine Code)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Surcutus, a new publishing firm, is to launch Code, a monthly lifestyle magazine for the "discriminating, informed and intelligent" man. Priced [pound]3, it launches this week with a mix of news, issues and features.

Auction World Dot TV.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Auction World Dot TV, a live auction channel offering film-related merchandise and memorabilia, along with gadgets, home electronics, jewellery and entertainment, launches this week on the Sky Digital platform Channel 651.

Johnnie Walker.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Johnnie Walker, the Guinness UDV-owned premium whisky, is the first brand to sign up to advertise on The Difference, JCDecaux's new London network of giant 15ft by 6Oft posters. The campaign, running until mid-November, features the...

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has appointed Emap Advertising and Manning Gottlieb Media to develop a multi-media marketing package to position Play Station 2 as an all-round entertainment brand. It will run across Kiss 100, Big City...

London Taxi Promotions.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... London Taxi Promotions, the taxi advertising contractor, is targeting tour operators, flight specialists, airlines and other travel organisations with a new 'Destinations Package' incorporating livened cabs and branded receipts.

Terry Mansfield.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Terry Mansfield, managing director of the National Magazine Company, has been awarded the Periodical Publishers Association's Marcus Morris Award, the highest honour in magazine publishing, for his outstanding contribution to the industry....

The Bonnier Group.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The Bonnier Group of Sweden is to plough another [pound]8m into its Scotland-based financial daily Business am, with the aim of achieving profitability in three years. The paper had its best ever ad revenues in September, October and November...

The Daily and Sunday Telegraph.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The Daily and Sunday Telegraph are linking with British Gas and Scottish Gas to promote Help The Aged's 'Alone at Christmas' campaign. Ads taken from the winning entries in a children's poster competition will feature in the Sunday Telegraph...

Capital Radio.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Capital Radio is to support the release of its latest CD, Capital Gold Legends -- II ,with a TV advertising campaign created in-house, as well as promotion across the Capital Gold network. Separately, MSN is to sponsor this year's Capital...

ITV2 updates idents in attempt to woo youth.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... ITV2 has unveiled a new on-air look in a bid to position itself as the entertainment channel for 16- to 34-year-olds. Branding agency English & Pockett has created new idents for ITV2 and a new promotion for ITV1, aimed at creating an...

Wireless Group departs RAB over cost.(Radio Advertising Bureau)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 1, 2001... The downturn in advertising revenues has forced The Wireless Group (TWG), owner of talk SPORT and several local stations, to leave the Radio Advertising Bureau. It is the first company ever to do so. TWG sales director Jason Trout said the...

Turner links with Cartoon Network for hotel scheme.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Turner Broadcasting System is to extend its CNN Hotel Partnership Programme to Cartoon Network to encourage more hotel groups to subscribe to the kids' channel. The Cartoon Network Partnership Programme is aimed at helping hotel chains...

UNICEF.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... You don't pay much attention to leaves unless you slip on them or smell them burning on an autumnal evening. Coming out of Charing Cross Station last week, however, I was bemused to be handed a leaf. Looking at it more closely, realised it...

Rajar plans event-driven figures.(Radio Joint Audience Research)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 1, 2001... Radio Joint Audience Research (Rajar) is considering providing listening figures for specific events or programmes in the wake of the terrorist attacks in the US. Last week's Rajar figures encompassed September 11 as they covered the three...

Reuters.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Reuters online marketing director Mela Ralph has quit to set up a marketing design and strategy consultancy called Ocaria. It will focus on servicing clients in the technology, retail and leisure sectors. Ralph joined Reuters earlier this year...

Tribal DDB.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Tribal DDB managing director Chris Rayner is to leave the interactive marketing agency after five years to move to Dublin with his family at the end of the year. Tribal has promoted head of account management Lee Wright and media manager Gareth...

Keen.(advertising campaign)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Keen, the online personal advice service, has launched an integrated advertising campaign worth up to [pound]500,000 to drive users to its site at www.keen.co.uk. Part of the campaign is a promotion on Virgin Radio's breakfast show, which...

The woolwich.(online marketing campaign)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The woolwich has launched an online marketing campaign tying in with its above-the-line advertising, themed 'people with ideas'. The work, by Publicis Networks, is aimed at positioning The Woolwich as an organisation with great ideas by...

The University of Cambridge.(Thirty Fish web site)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The University of Cambridge's alumni and fundraising team has appointed online charity specialist Thirty Fish to build a new web site after a three-way pitch. The revamped site will add a more modern look as well as new layers of navigation.

British American Tobacco.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... British American Tobacco has redesigned its corporate web site at www.bat.com. It will form a template for local firms that want to create sites with consistent global identities. E-designers CCG.XM managed the design brief and navigation;...

Brainstorm.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Brainstorm, a UK-based wireless internet specialist, has allied with digital messaging specialist Frontwire to meet demand from existing clients for integrated electronic marketing campaigns. Brainstorm and Frontwire will collaborate on...

Pricerunner.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Pricerunner, the shopping comparison service, has teamed up with online retailer Empire Direct to launch a co-branded microsite. It will be accessible through the Empire Direct homepage www.empire-direct.co.uk and will display the prices of...

Sportal.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Sportal, the internet sports group, said it is in talks with third parties about its European business. Despite securing [pound]5m extra funding this summer, Sportal said that it had to look at all options because of "deteriorating market...

William Hill hires i-level to handle online media.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... William Hill has picked i-level to handle its [pound]2m online media account as it attempts to boost its share of the competitive interactive betting market. I-level won the business after a four-way pitch that included previous incumbent...

Sony opens site for Wipeout Fusion game.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has created a web site for its Wipeout Fusion game on PlayStation 2 to foster a cult gaming community and generate pre-launch buzz for its release at the end of November. The site,...

JOHN LEWIS.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... My mother-in-law swears by John Lewis, but it's possible its new web site would drive her mad. Customer service and the ability to exchange goods go hand-in-hand with the John Lewis brand. Thankfully the site recognises this, providing...

Habitat launches ads on Freeserve to promote range.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Habitat has kicked off a two-month campaign on Free-serve's property channel to promote a new range, 'Basic Deluxe', on its global web site habitat.net. The campaign is a key part of the retailer's effort to drive traffic to habitat.net,...

Unilever appoints Grey Desire for Slim-Fast job.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Unilever has hired Grey Desire to handle direct marketing and promotional activity to support a relaunch of its Slim-Fast dieting brand. The FMCG giant is keen to change the perception of Slim-Fast from that of a quickfix solution to a...

CPP Group gives customer focus job to Black Hole.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... CPP Group, the credit card protection company, has awarded its DM account to Leeds-based direct marketing agency The Black Hole. The brief, won after a competitive pitch, will include the development of a complete customer communications...

Which? opts for Lion to handle its gardening guide.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Which? Lifestyle Products, publisher of the Which? consumer guides, has appointed Lion to handle marketing for its gardening-specific title, Gardening Which?. Lion won the business, worth an undisclosed sum, after pitching against a number...

Saab GB emphasises loyalty in mailshot.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Saab GB is stepping up its investment in customer retention with an initiative aimed at encouraging drivers of its vehicles to stay loyal when upgrading their cars. The Swedish car manufacturers exploiting its database to drive a campaign...