Marketing articles from November 2004

Marketing archives from November 2004

Post Office enters pounds 1.5bn flower delivery market.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... The Post Office is to launch its own flower delivery service and has struck a separate distribution deal with Argos for Christmas. Post Office Flowers, which launches today (Wednesday), will enter a market worth pounds 1.55bn in the UK. The...

T-Mobile global review puts UK jobs in danger.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... T-Mobile is reviewing the future of its international marketing division, based in London, along with its global brand strategy. The German mobile operator manages international marketing out of its offices in Hammersmith, but Marketing has...

Sky broadens its digital radio offer.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Sky is developing a portable audio device that will enable people to listen to radio via TV in any room of the house. Sky, which is working on prototypes for the device, has registered two possible brand names: Sky Audiopod and Sky Audio...

Camelot ties up with ITV for 'I'm a Celebrity' game.(scratchcards)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Camelot, the National Lottery operator, is to develop its first scratchcards based on a TV show after signing a licensing deal with ITV for the latest series of I'm a Celebrity, Get Me out of Here. The scratchcards will be launched in time...

O2 wins top effectiveness award.
November 3, 2004... Mobile operator O2 has taken top honours at this year's IPA Effectiveness Awards, with its advertising agency, Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest, awarded the Grand Prix and Effectiveness Agency of the Year award for agencies billing below...

IPA Effectiveness Awards.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... GOLD - Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, Bartle Bogle Hegarty and Euro RSCG London for Tobacco Control. - DDB London and DDB Matrix for Cravendale. - Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R for Virgin Mobile. - TBWA\London and Fishburn...

Egg picks shops for pounds 30m duties.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Online bank Egg has handed its pounds 30m direct response account to sister agencies Claydon Heeley Jones Mason and Agency Republic. Claydon Heeley will handle offline duties, while Agency Republic will oversee online work. They will...

Britvic bolsters water portfolio.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Britvic is to make its biggest foray into the fast-growing bottled water market with the purchase of the water arm of drinks firm Ben Shaws. Britvic will take control of the Pennine Spring and Fountain Head brands, casting doubt on the...

Npower lags behind rivals on customer service.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Energy giant Npower has ranked last in a customer satisfaction survey, despite investing millions of pounds in a high-profile ad campaign challenging British Gas on its prices. The annual survey of gas and electricity suppliers from...

Drinks sector warms to revised Ofcom ad code.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Drinks firms and industry trade bodies are putting a positive spin on the revised alcohol advertising rules published this week by Ofcom. 'Tough but workable' was the response from ISBA, which battled throughout the consultation period to...

Times promotes compact change.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... The Times is supporting its move to a tabloid-only format with a six-week burst of multimedia activity to persuade malcontents to stick with the paper. The decision to ditch the broadsheet format from the start of this week presents...

Woolworths focuses on phone gifts in pounds 20m ads.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Woolworths is banking on mobile phones becoming one of its bestsellers this Christmas, having put them at the heart of its pounds 20m seasonal marketing blitz. The retailer's recently launched mobile phone gift packs will feature in the...

Age Concern set for poster debut.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Age Concern is to embark on its first national billboard campaign to raise awareness of ageism in the UK. The 'Ageism exists' ads will appear in London from this week, before being rolled out nationally during the month. Its core...

Triumph targets younger riders.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Triumph, the 101-year-old motorbike company, is overhauling its marketing strategy to increase the brand's appeal to younger bikers. The British marque has redesigned its logo and embarked on a print advertising campaign, which introduces...

Asda promotes affordability of Christmas range.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Asda is striking first in the battle for share of consumers' Christmas spending with the launch of a price-led campaign this week. An intensive burst of TV advertising will be supported by press and in-store promotion. The TV ads,...

First Drinks to put pounds 18m into seasonal campaign.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... First Drinks Brands is to spend up to pounds 18m promoting its portfolio of alcoholic drinks in the run-up to Christmas. Well-known brands including Grant's and Glenfiddich will receive substantial support from the distributor ahead of the...

HomeChoice to offer telephony.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... HomeChoice, the broadband and digital TV service, is launching into the competitive home telephony sector with a pounds 1m ad campaign. The company is offering free weekend and evening calls to people who buy its basic entertainment and...

Electrolux aims at students with 'lifestyle' portal.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Electrolux is targeting students with a pan-European internet portal designed to help them cope with university life. The white goods manufacturer, which owns the Zanussi and AEG brands as well as the Electrolux range, has set up...

Amstrad readies pounds 2m E3 activity.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Amstrad is to spend up to pounds 2m on a promotional campaign for the launch of its E3 videophone in the run-up to Christmas. Unveiled last month, the E3 will replace Amstrad's Em@iler Plus, which, although much maligned in the press,...

FCUK conducts trial of unbranded outlet.(French Connection)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... French Connection is testing an unbranded store format to combat falling UK sales and consumer apathy toward the FCUK slogan. The outlet, which is called 191 and is based in London's Notting Hill, opened at the end of the summer. It sells...

People moves: Kwik Save and Somerfield.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Robin Whitbread has resigned as group buying and marketing director of Somerfield, and managing director of sister super-market Kwik Save. Katie Bickerstaffe, director of Somerfield Stores and retail services, will take over responsibility...

People moves: Oriental Restaurant Group.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Carolyn Sinclair has been hired as marketing director for Oriental Restaurant Group. She joins from Scottish & Newcastle Retail, where she was senior brand manager for its 130-strong Chef & Brewer chain. Sinclair reports to chief operating...

People moves: Calvin Klein Europe.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Giuseppe Rossi, commercial director and retail licensing manager for fashion brand Moschino, has been hired as general manager and managing director by Calvin Klein Europe.

People moves: ProjectScotland.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Don Roberts, head of marketing for ScotRail, has been appointed the first marketing director for Scotland's young people's volunteering programme, ProjectScotland.

People moves: Time Out London.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... John Luck has been named marketing director for Time Out London. He joins the magazine from Coca-Cola Great Britain, where he was music marketing manager. He will take control of local and global expansion plans and replaces Christine Court,...

People moves: Marriott Hotels.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Roger Binks has joined Marriott Hotels as product manager for its corporate and conference division. He was previously retail marketing controlling for KFC UK, and prior to that was group category marketing manager for Dixons Stores Group....

People moves: Dogs Trust.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Elvira Meucci-Lyons has joined the Dogs Trust as its head of campaigns. She was formerly at the NSPCC, where she held the post of donor recruitment manager. She will take charge of promoting responsible dog ownership, the re-homing of...

People moves: World Vision.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Philip Spencer has been named marketing director of international relief and development agency World Vision. He was previously chief business developer and director of strategy consulting at CVC Group. Spencer replaces Edward Fox, who left...

News brief: Broadband and UK Deaf Sport partner.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... BT's Broadband from BT service has partnered with UK Deaf Sport to become the official sponsor of the Great Britain Deaflympics Team for the Melbourne Games, which take place in January.

News brief: Northern Rock to sponsor UEFA Cup games.(Union of European Football Associations)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Northern Rock, shirt sponsor of Newcastle United, is to sponsor ITV2's live coverage of the football club's UEFA Cup games. The channel is being re-branded as TV Toon on match days, with its blue and yellow idents replaced by black and white...

News brief: Cilla Snowball joins Macmillan Cancer Relief.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Macmillan Cancer Relief has added Cilla Snowball, chief executive of advertising agency Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, to its non-executive board to advise on building awareness through marketing and advertising.

News brief: TV advertisers targeted with ITV research.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... TV advertisers are being targeted with ITV research called 'The values of fame', which highlights the benefits of TV in branding campaigns. A book of case studies created by relationship marketing agency rmg:blackcat is being distributed to...

News brief: Danone runs ad campaign.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Danone is running a pounds 2m ad campaign, created by Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R, to promote the launch of Shape Pleasures low-fat yogurt in Apple Pie and Strawberry Cheesecake variants.

News brief: Heinz targets office workers with sampling campaign.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Heinz is targeting 200,000 office workers in London and Glasgow with a sampling campaign for its microwaveable Soup Cups range. The soups will be delivered to offices by experiential marketing agency theatre.

News brief: Loans.co.uk signs up as Chelsea FC sponsor.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Loans.co.uk has signed up as Chelsea FC's match day ball sponsor for the rest of the season. Loans.co.uk's branding will appear on home game match balls and in match day programmes.

News brief: Domino's backs launch of Double Decadence.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Domino's Pizza is backing the launch of a pizza called Double Decadence, which has two layers of dough, with its first celebrity-endorsed TV campaign. The 30-second ad, featuring actor Leslie Nielsen, will air from 4 November.

This week: Marketing news from the national press.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Cadbury Schweppes chairman John Sunderland has denied the confectionery industry is respons-ible for soaring levels of obesity and said the onus must be put on consumers to eat responsibly. The Times Procter & Gamble has warned that the...

Airbus plans in-flight communication tool.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Airbus has developed a consumer communications brand that will allow air travellers to make calls and send texts, email and use the internet during flights. The aircraft manufacturer is promoting OnAir to airlines to encourage them to...

Shadez haircare makes UK debut.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... A haircare range for black and mixed-race women is launching in Asda in a bid to become the first mainstream UK brand in the pounds 50m sector. Shadez, which is manufactured by Creightons, maker of The Real Shaving Company line, was...

Universal set for mobile assault.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Universal Pictures is planning its biggest mobile marketing drive to date to back the global DVD and video release of hit film The Bourne Supremacy on 7 December. The company has allocated a six-figure budget to the promotion, which will...

New campaign: The Metropolitan Police 'Anti-drugs'.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... The Metropolitan Police is launching a London-wide campaign to support its ongoing fight against drug dealers. A series of 48-sheet posters and press ads, as well as beer mats and flyers, encourage people to contact Crimestoppers with...

Media News: Pot Noodle radio ad airs in cinema.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Pot Noodle is airing a radio ad in cinemas, a media first, after its 'Office bike' spot was deemed too risque to accompany most films. The radio execution, which features instructions for making Pot Noodle read out in a cheerleader style,...

Media News: Channel 4 backs Peter Kay series.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Channel 4 is promoting Peter Kay's Max & Paddy's Road to Nowhere, a spin-off from Phoenix Nights, through an extensive press and poster campaign. The six-part comedy drama, which airs from November 12, follows the escapades of the Phoenix...

Media News: BBC ads to support digital TV channels.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... The BBC is backing its digital television channels with a major TV, radio and outdoor advertising offensive. The pre-Christmas campaign, which features a cartoon character called Boxer, is also designed to drive sales of Freeview digital...

Media choice: Test Drive.(car magazine)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Test Drive aims to be different by getting readers as well as professional drivers to road-test cars - a kind of Which? for petrol-heads. So it seems odd that a title called Test Drive, with a cover story about the Golf GTI, didn't actually...

Media News brief: Unilever uses ITV3 to promote brands.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Unilever was the inaugural advertiser on ITV3, which launched on 1 November. It will use the digital channel to promote brands such as Persil, Lynx, Dove and Sure. ITV3 targets viewers over 35 with contemporary drama.

Media News brief: Evening Standard denies reports.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... The Evening Standard has denied reports it is preparing a lunchtime freesheet to counter Richard Desmond's plans for a free London afternoon paper. It is more likely that Standard stablemate Metro will launch a free afternoon title.

Media News brief: Bruce Dunlop & Associates teams up with Mark Dodd.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Mark Dodd, former director at Flextech, and marketing agency Bruce Dunlop & Associates have teamed up to launch a property channel on Sky. Real Estate TV will offer advice on buying UK and overseas property, and will act as a shop window for...

Media News brief: Emap overhauls Heat.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Emap is overhauling digital radio station Heat to link it more closely with its magazine parent brand. Celebrity gossip and features will be added to the station's female-friendly playlist.

Media News brief: Novartis promotes nasal spray.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Novartis Consumer Health is to promote its Otrivine nasal spray in the run-up to Christmas through sponsorship of Virgin Radio's traffic and travel reports. In the new year, the activity will feature Novartis' Nicotinell.

Media News brief: Telegraph.co.uk marks 10th anniversary with redesign.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Telegraph.co.uk is marking its 10th anniversary on 15 November with a redesign. The website will include fashion pages and a film section, and will introduce a unified look for its 30 channels.

Media News brief: Good Housekeeping to offer range of kitchenware.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Good Housekeeping is to offer a range of branded kitchenware in association with six partners, including Waitrose. The products, launched in conjunction with The Licensing Company, will be named Good Housekeeping Everyday.

Media News brief: Director Publications launches After Hours.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Director Publications this week launched After Hours, a quarterly companion to Director magazine. After Hours will focus on the leisure activities of UK directors and is designed to help them strike a work-life balance.

Branding News: Yeo Valley set to expand kids line.(Yeo Valley Organic Company Ltd.)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Yeo Valley Organic is cutting the sugar content and increasing the amount of fruit it normally offers for the launch of two yoghurts aimed at kids. Packaging for Fruit Tumble and Strawberry Jumble has been designed by Blue Marlin to appeal...

Branding News: Bols in overhaul to ease handling.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Cocktail liqueur brand Bols is revamping its packaging, including a reworking of its bottle shape. Following research among bartenders, the bottle has been redesigned to aid handling. It is lighter in weight and has a moulded grip, making...

Branding News: Universal Studios in Duffer clothes range.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Universal Studios is to cash in on some of its most iconic movies with a casual cloth-ing range featuring imagery from its films. The movie studio has joined forces with fashion label Duffer of St George to offer branded clothes sporting...

Branding News: Design choice - Christmas stamps.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... From a kindly, third-century St Nicholas to the modern incarnation popularised by Coca-Cola, Father Christmas has taken many forms. Now he features on this year's Christmas stamps. Illustrated by Raymond Briggs, creator of The Snowman and...

Branding News brief: Waitrose to launch upmarket pampering products.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Waitrose is to launch a range of upmarket pampering products following an overhaul of its toiletries range. The UMI line includes treatments for the bath, body, face and hair, with packaging created by Pearlfisher.

Branding News brief: Yorkshire Water registers Icytonic.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Yorkshire Water is claiming to be the first water company in the UK to trademark its tap water after it registered the brand Icytonic. It plans to compete with bottled water companies by promoting its low price and the fact that it is free from...

Branding News brief: Monsoon prepares first foray into menswear market.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Monsoon is preparing its first foray into the menswear market. Branding for the men's range has been designed by start-up company Sonja Frick Design.

Branding News brief: Cadbury introduces premium chocolate eggs.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Cadbury Trebor Bassett is introducing a range of premium chocolate eggs under the Delight label. The three variants, Roses Luxury Collection, Cadbury Egg Collection and Flake Moments, will be available in two sizes and are expected to receive...

Branding News brief: Carling updates cans and packaging.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Carling has updated its 500ml cans and other packaging to carry the responsible drinking message 'Enjoy Carling.Take it easy'.

Branding News brief: Heals to launch own-brand range of Christmas products.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Heals, the homeware retailer, is to launch a range of own-brand Christmas products, with packaging designed by Davies Hall. It will include olive oil, vinegar and seasonal accessories.

Branding News brief: Granada relaunches on-screen identity.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Granada this week relaunched its on-screen identity through Bruce Dunlop & Associates. The branding can be seen as a three-second animation at the end of all Granada programmes on ITV1, including Coronation Street, Emmerdale and This Morning.

Branding News brief: Tate Britain creates visual identity for Turner Prize.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Tate Britain has created a visual identity for the Turner Prize, created by Rose Design. The work is based on the theme 'Judge for yourself' and is intended to encourage a public response to the controversial art award. The identity will...

Direct News: PowerHouse reviews customer targeting.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... PowerHouse is rethinking its promotional strategy to improve the effectiveness of its campaigns in the run-up to Christmas. The electricals retailer is examining the way it targets customers and is likely to employ a direct marketing agency...

Direct News: Ministry creates music catalogue.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... The Ministry of Sound aims to boost sales through its web store with the launch of its first consumer catalogue. The catalogue will be included in the nightclub and dance music brand's flagship CD, The Annual 2005. The company predicts...

Direct News: VW consolidates consumer data.(Volkswagen)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Volkswagen's finance arm is building a central customer database to improve targeting and cross-sell products. Data held by Volkswagen Financial Services is divided into five areas: finance agreements, payment protection, maintenance plans,...

Direct choice: Smart Brabus.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... I've never been all that keen on the Smart Car... that is, until now, thanks to this beautifully engaging direct mail pack. Not only does the oversized, gun-metal-grey envelope shout out from the doormat like the roar of a supercharged engine,...

Direct News brief: Which? signs Rik Mayall.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Which? has signed up comedian and actor Rik Mayall to star in a DRTV ad campaign, created by integrated agency Target Direct. The 60-second ad will encourage viewers to sign up to a one-month free trial subscription.

Direct News brief: My Travel reappoints agency.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... My Travel has reappointed WWAV Rapp Collins North to handle its direct marketing business following a four-way pitch. The brief involves both acquisition and retention work across brands that include Airtours and Going Places.

Direct News brief: Chelsea Building Society to push mortgages.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Chelsea Building Society is to push its portfolio of mortgages in a DRTV campaign, airing from the end of this month. Integrated agency WWAV Rapp Collins West developed the activity.

Direct News brief: Hiscox prepares mailing drive.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Hiscox, the specialist insurer, is preparing a mailing drive that will target affluent homeowners. The work is part of a pounds 1m campaign, which includes radio advertising voiced by Loyd Grossman.

Direct News brief: The Open University invites agencies to pitch.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... The Open University has invited Clark McKay & Walpole, DFGW, Joshua and incumbent agency FCBi London to pitch for its integrated marketing account. FCBi was previously known as DP&A. A decision on the account is expected by the end of the year....

Direct News brief: O'Neill's teams up with buyagift.co.uk.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... O'Neill's, the pub chain, is teaming up with online gift experiences firm buyagift.co.uk to promote its wine list. Created by direct marketing agency Elvis, the work will give buyers of the wines the chance to win a day at a spa.

Direct News brief: Help the Aged uses below-the-line campaign.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Help the Aged is using a below-the-line campaign to raise money to help the 500,000 old people who suffer abuse. The appeal, incorporating direct mail and advertising inserts, will highlight the case of a pensioner who was tortured by his...

Direct News brief: Securicor Group 4 appoints FCBi London.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Securicor Group 4, the security business, has appointed direct marketing agency FCBi London to develop a strategy aimed at business customers.

Retail News: Retailers vow to cut waste.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Tesco, Asda and Argos are some of the major retailers backing an pounds 8m government innovation fund to cut the amount of rubbish generated by grocery consumption. The government-backed Waste & Resource Action Programme (WRAP) is calling...

Retail choice: Umbro guerilla store.
November 3, 2004... Umbro has been working with British fashion designer Kim Jones for the past three years to re-interpret football fashion and broaden the brand's appeal. Earlier this month Umbro opened a 'guerilla' store in London's East End to showcase its...

Retail News: Waitrose in easy trademark row.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Waitrose could face a trademark battle with Stelios Haji-Ioannou's easyGroup following the launch of its 'easy'-branded ready-to-cook range. Although the supermarket said it had examined its use of the name prior to launch, an easyGroup...

Retail News brief: Cargo Homeshop partners with Littlewoods.(Littlewoods Organisation PLC)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Cargo HomeShop has partnered with Littlewoods to open concessions in four of its stores. Cargo has opened three own-branded stores this year.

Retail News brief: Tesco.com sees online traffic grow.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... Tesco.com has seen its online superstore traffic grow by 26% since January, according to online research specialist Hitwise.

Retail News brief: High And Mighty trials coffee bars.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... High And Mighty, the fashion retailer for big and tall men, is trialing coffee bars in four stores, with a view to rolling out the scheme to all its outlets.

Retail News brief: MVC runs competition.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2004... MVC, the Woolworths-owned music and film retailer, is asking customers to nominate their top 10 favourite CDs, DVDs and games for a competition that will run across its 82 stores. The campaign, created by A Vision, offers prizes of up to pounds...