Marketing articles from November 2010

Marketing archives from November 2010

Andrew Walmsley on Digital: A Lot of Buzz about Nothing
November 24, 2010... Beware the claims made by digital monitoring services about the accuracy of the data they provide. Whether it's religion, politics or business, there are always those who seek the easy answer. And, as markets tend to satisfy demand with...

Marketing Promotion: The Thinkboxes Winner for September/October 2010 - Pure TV Brilliance from Virgin Atlantic
November 24, 2010... Virgin Atlantic had a tough task in following up its acclaimed 2009 'Still red hot' campaign celebrating 25 years of the brand. However, the airline has struck gold again with its first global TV push. The pounds 6m TV campaign sought to...

Helen Edwards on Branding: Back to Basics
November 24, 2010... Santander's drive to recruit new customers belies the fact that it falls short in serving existing ones. You walk into a cafe. 'Coffee please.' 'For here, or take away?' 'Take away.' 'Small, medium or large?' 'Err... medium.' 'Black or...

Yellow Pages
November 24, 2010... The business directory is a ubiquitous brand, but is it still relevant to consumers, asks Rachel Barnes. Most of us have fond memories of seeing muscle men on the TV a decade or two ago attempting to rip up multiple copies of the Yellow Pages...

Adwatch 24.11.10.(Statistical table)
November 24, 2010... Marketing's unique weekly analysis of advertisement recall in association with tns. Q: Which of the following TV commercials do you remember seeing recently? 17.11 Brand Agency/TV buyer % 1 ...

Adwatch 24.11.10: Wilkinson Sword
November 24, 2010... Hyperbole and a misplaced metaphor have created a confusing, irrelevant ad. RUSS LIDSTONE - Chief executive, Euro RSCG London I'm a glass half-full kind of chap. I generally try to start an Adwatch assignment with positive intent....

Profile: Game-Winning Strategy
November 24, 2010... Dawn Paine, marketing director of Nintendo UK, is certain the brand can see off a renewed challenge from its rivals. Interview by Kim Benjamin. Surprising Dawn Paine is not an easy task. It has been four long years since the marketing...

Opinion: The Marketing Society Forum
November 24, 2010... Will focusing on branded content help put the fun back into Ford? The automotive manufacturer has drawn up a branded entertainment strategy to coincide with the launch of its latest Focus model as it looks to strengthen its appeal as a...

Saturated Market
November 24, 2010... The move to position laundry products as eco-friendly is the most notable trend in a sector where comp etition is always fierce, writes Jane Bainbridge. The rise of the eco-conscious consumer has led to the laundry products market...

The Great Christmas Party Comeback
November 24, 2010... With budgets tight and the public mood against any kind of corporate excess, workplace Christmas parti es fell out of vogue last year. Mike Fletcher reports on the revival of the festive way to motivate staff. What a difference a year makes....

What It's Really like Inside: Future Publishing
November 24, 2010... How does the team come up with fresh marketing ideas? Future is full of creative types, so there's always plenty of ideas for ad campaigns, viral content, covermount gifts and the like. We use a games release schedule to help inspire ideas,...

Brand manager of the week: Chris Rushbrooke - Marketing manager, Julian Graves.(Interview)(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... - Describe yourself in three words. Passionate, ambitious, level-headed. - How would you define marketing? Effective communication of a brand or company's values and products to a segment of potential and existing customers. - What...

The Week in Marketing
November 24, 2010... - Kleenex goes balmy Kleenex is targeting consumers during the winter months with an integrated campaign for its Balsam tissues. The Kimberly-Clark-owned brand is promoting the 'soothing benefit' of the product. Humorous ads, by JWT London,...

From Top to Bottom
November 24, 2010... Unilever's chief marketer plans to drive sustainability through the value chain. Last week, Unilever launched its 'Sustainable Living Plan'. The document details the FMCG giant's commitment to double sales while reducing its impact on the...

A Question of X Appeal
November 24, 2010... Brands pay a premium to reach big audiences, but cutting through is less simple. Earlier this month, The X Factor drew its biggest audience to date, outside a final, when 17.7m viewers tuned in to watch Cher swagger, Katie weep and Aiden pull...

Best in Show
November 24, 2010... Department store John Lewis has won The Marketing Society's Brand of the Year. The Marketing Society Brand of the Year, supported by ITV and Marketing, is a much-coveted accolade. More than 12,000 votes were cast ahead of the annual dinner...

Editor's Comment: ITV's Vote of Confidence
November 24, 2010... It's not often that broadcasters are accused of 'daylight robbery', but this was the charge levelled at ITV back in 2007, when it found itself at the centre of a premium-rate phone-in scandal. The network had charged viewers of primetime...

Brand or Bland?
November 24, 2010... As the crucial Christmas trading season gets into full swing, standing out is vital. Here, we unveil the findings of exclusive research into the most exciting and the blandest retailers, writes Nicola Clark. Where once shopping was Britain's...

ITV lines up voting apps for highest-rated shows.(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... Regulation change clears path for use of mobile apps for premium-rate polling. ITV is weighing up plans to bring back mobile voting for its most popular programmes three years after abandoning the premium-rate SMS strategy following a series...

Sony Ericsson loses Hoornik.
November 24, 2010... Sony Ericsson's global marketing chief, Lennard Hoornik, has become the latest high-profile marketer to leave the company. A spokesman for the handset manufacturer confirmed that Hoornik had decided to depart his role within the global...

Kraft instant to take on Starbucks Via.
November 24, 2010... Kraft Foods is to launch a premium instant-coffee product under its Kenco brand, which will go head-to-head with Starbucks' Via Ready Brew. The imminent roll-out of Kenco Millicano follows a decision earlier this month by Starbucks to end its...

eBay's Marks quits top role.(Alex Marks)(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... Alex Marks, eBay's head of international business marketing, is leaving the company to set up a consultancy. Marks joined eBay Advertising International in April 2009. His new company, Fresh and Frank Consulting, will focus on helping brands...

M&B reviews ad strategy.(Mitchells & Butlers)(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), the pub and restaurant-chain operator, is to review its ad agency roster and focus its marketing efforts on its restaurant brands. Last month, M&B, which owns more than 2000 venues, sold 333 pubs to...

Google to Show Twitter Ads in Real-Time Search
November 24, 2010... Google set to introduce 'Promoted Tweets' ads in 'Updates' search results in UK. Google has begun displaying Twitter's 'Promoted Tweets' in its real-time search - the first time the internet giant has featured ads from another network in its...

Hellmann's revamps Xmas ad strategy.(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... Mayonnaise brand Hellmann's is replacing its long-running '12 Days of Christmas' ad campaign with an integrated push offering consumers post-Christmas recipe ideas. The campaign, by Ogilvy, which launches this week, marks the biggest...

Nokia to Pay Brands to Build Apps for Ovi Store
November 24, 2010... Nokia is to pay advertisers to create branded apps for its Ovi app store in a push to counter the dominance of Apple's iPhone and Google Android-supported smartphones. The plans have been confirmed by several app developers, which said they...

Brand in the News: Nissan.(Nissan Motor Company Ltd.)(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... - Why is it in the news? The Japanese car marque has been rapped by the ASA for an ad campaign which mocked its German rivals. The outdoor and digital campaign, created by TBWA\London and Digitas, was timed to coincide with England's FIFA...

Freixenet launches campaign.(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... Freixenet, the sparkling wine brand, has launched a campaign to communicate its 'core values' of 'fun, style and spontaneity'. The 'Freixenet Very Impromptu Parties (VIPs)' push will include a competition to win dancing lessons with Strictly...

Channel Five in talks to launch Demand Five.(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... Channel Five is in talks to launch Demand Five, its catch-up service, on the PlayStation 3 games console, as part of a wider strategy to reach audiences through as many platforms as possible. -------------------- Did you find this article...

Soup brand to donate to Salvation Army.(New Covent Garden Food Co.)(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... New Covent Garden Food Co, the soup brand, is donating a proportion of its profits during December to The Salvation Army. It expects to raise pounds 14,000 from sales of its Smoked Bacon, Vintage Cheddar & Winter Greens variant. ...

ITV secures rights for Ashes.(IMG Media)(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... ITV has secured the rights to show highlights of this winter's Ashes Test series in a deal with Cricket Australia and IMG Media. The broadcaster, which has yet to secure a sponsor, will screen a daily one-hour show on ITV4 at 10pm. ...

Heathrow Plans Events to Boost Youth Appeal
November 24, 2010... Heathrow Airport is to host a slew of experiential activity, as it looks to refocus its marketing efforts on younger people. Over the next few months, the BAA-owned airport will create events that focus on the UK's calendar of cultural and...

Marketing moment: The Royal engagement.(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... - Who is getting married? Did you spend last week in a cave? On Tuesday, Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their engagement. The media has tried to send the country into royal wedding fever, in the expectation we'll all party like...

Northern Foods to merge with Greencore.(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... Northern Foods, the maker of Goodfella's Pizza and Fox's biscuits, is to merge with Greencore, one of Ireland's biggest sandwich-makers, to form Essenta Foods. The merged companies have earmarked cost savings of about pounds 40m within 12...

Netto to rebrand as Asda.(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... Netto, the grocery chain bought by Asda in May, will be rebranded as Asda in the New Year. The supermarket paid pounds 778m for 193 Netto stores, but has been forced to sell 47 by the Office of Fair Trading. -------------------- Did you...

Yahoo! launches location-based services.
November 24, 2010... Yahoo! has launched a series of location-based services. Yahoo! Local Offers provides vouchers for deals from merchants including restaurants, spas and shops, based on the users' locality. -------------------- Did you find this article...

BT considers legal action.(British Telecommunications PLC)(Office of Communications )(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... BT chief executive Ian Livingstone is considering legal action against UK regulator Ofcom, following its decision to lower charges for competitors to use BT's broadband network, according to reports. BT had hoped to charge a premium to rivals...

Burrda Targets Nike in Drive into UK Market
November 24, 2010... Burrda, the Swiss-owned sportswear brand, is gearing up for a major push into the UK lifestyle clothes market. The three-year-old company, which manufactures the kit for Premier League football club Wolverhampton Wanderers, will position...

Marketer in the News: Ashley Stockwell, Virgin Media.(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... - Why is Stockwell in the headlines? Stockwell, executive director of brand and marketing at Virgin Media, is leaving the company. Little is known about where the telecoms veteran is headed after jumping ship, beyond a statement saying the...

Danone and Bauer Media to launch online videos.(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... Danone is teaming up with Bauer Media to launch a set of online parenting videos under the banner M&B TV. The three 20-minute videos, which roll out in January, offer advice on topics such as bathing and car safety. ...

Abercrombie & Fitch to launch first international store.(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... Abercrombie & Fitch, the US clothing brand, is to launch the first international store for its Gilly Hicks underwear brand in London next year. It will compete with the likes of La Senza, selling 'sexy' underwear, pyjamas and beauty...

EasyVoyage re-launches Easyopinions.(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... EasyVoyage, the online travel portal, has re-launched Easyopinions, a user-generated tool, to help combat the problem of fake hotel reviews The tool will track reviews posted online by fraudulent site users. -------------------- Did you...

Fentimans launches first online campaign.(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... Fentimans, the botanical soft-drinks brand, is launching its first online campaign. Created by Sell! Sell!, an independent creative agency, the three 30-second ads feature Arthur, a Victorian taste-tester, who compares Fentimans with other...

Marketing Mole: Who Does Google Think You Are? - Sarah Power, Marketing Director, UK & Ireland, Burger King
November 24, 2010... - The first link leads to an index of Sarah Powers on LinkedIn. - The second is to our Sarah Power's actual LinkedIn page. - The third link is to a PDF of the release about Power's appointment, while the fourth is to the actual press...

Marketing Mole: Members' Club - Will Harris, Marketing director, Nokia.(Interview)(Brief article)
November 24, 2010... - What issues relating to your brand keep you awake at night? Nothing work-related. It's mostly child-related issues. - If you were stranded on a desert island, what three brands would you take with you? A Nokia N900, Speedo goggles and...

Marketing Mole: We'll Call You - Ryanair
November 24, 2010... Mole has become used to the budget airline's headline-grabbing antics, but its latest, a charity calendar with cabin-crew 'stunners', rubbed us up the wrong way. Ryanair: Hello, you're through to Ryanair, how may I help you? Mktg: Hi, I'm...

Helen Edwards on Branding: The Emperor's New Chinos
November 17, 2010... Marks & Spencer has unveiled a nebulous positioning that relies as much on its history as innovation. Last week Marc Bolland, chief executive of Marks & Spencer, emerged from his six-month bunker session with management consultancy...

Marketing the High Street
November 17, 2010... With the web undercutting it on price and cash-strapped consumers wary of costly shopping binges, high-street retailers face an uncertain Christmas, writes Mary Cowlett. The news that consumers are set to spend an extra pounds 1.6bn this...

Feeling the Squeeze
November 17, 2010... The smoothie sector has many strengths, but its sales outlook remains subdued as consumers rein in on luxury items, writes Jane Bainbridge. At what point does a pounds 2 bottle of smoothie go beyond being an affordable health drink and turn...

Direct Marketing: Special Report - Tag Team Tactics
November 17, 2010... Until recently, direct marketing seemed tired, but a slew of initiatives combining direct mail with digital marketing shows it still has plenty to offer, writes Kim Benjamin. Identifying 12 individual video bloggers on YouTube and then...

Andrew Walmsley on Digital: Climb the Social Ranks
November 17, 2010... Brand battles to dominate search engine rankings are just as relevant on social network equivalents. When is a social network not a social network? When it's a search engine, of course. The search panel at the top of every Facebook page...

An Equitable Balance
November 17, 2010... Is private equity bad for brands, or are investors now taking a longer-term view, asks Jane Simms. Private equity (PE) has been getting a bad press. Its practitioners are often stereotyped as rapacious asset-strippers who invest the minimum...

Not Only but Also
November 17, 2010... Marks & Spencer's latest strategy has echoes of the brand's past, write Rachel Barnes and Ed Owen. When Marks & Spencer unveiled its 'Your M&S' slogan in 2004, the strategy not only fended off a takeover bid from retail magnate...

Flora
November 17, 2010... The soft spread is struggling to regain the crown it lost to buttery rival Lurpak, writes Rachel Barnes. It may not be the sexiest category in FMCG, but the world of butters and spreads has been ripe with sub-plots and name-calling in recent...

Adwatch 17.11.10.(Statistical table)
November 17, 2010... Marketing's unique weekly analysis of advertisement recall in association with tns Q: Which of the following TV commercials do you remember seeing recently? 10.11 Brand Agency/TV buyer % 1 (8=)...

Adwatch 17.11.10: Giovanni Rana
November 17, 2010... Pasta ad charmlessly targets men with Tim Lovejoy, a sexy neighbour and easy-cook food. SAM WALKER, Creative director, Karmarama So, here we are in 2010. We've had balls bouncing down hills, horses running through waves and telephones...

Profile: Leading the Resurgence
November 17, 2010... Amy Howarth, head of marketing at Uniqlo UK, wants to make its ecommerce site its flagship store. Interview by Andrew McCormick. When Amy Howarth was studying fashion and marketing at Northumbria University, she drew up a list of 10 brands...

Opinion: The Marketing Society Forum
November 17, 2010... Will the increase in VAT in January give retailers a bumper Christmas? The rate of VAT jumps from 17.5% to 20% in January, leaving retailers to guess whether consumers will try to offset the 2.5% rise by bringing their bargain hunting forward...

Editor's Comment: Ford Wants Us to Get Engaged
November 17, 2010... Ever since Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive and Lever Brothers decided to fund the first soap operas back in the 50s, the rewards for brands bold enough to invest in content have been clear. Of course, competition for consumer...

What It's Really like Inside: Pendragon
November 17, 2010... - Describe the marketing team in three words. Driven, enthusiastic, innovative. - What is the main marketing challenge you face? Liaising with our manufacturing partners on collaborative campaigns so that we can both get the most out of...

Brand Manager of the Week: Nicole Oakley, Brand Manager, Apollo Cinemas
November 17, 2010... - Describe yourself in three words. Positive, inquisitive, thoughtful. - How would you define marketing? Conveying a specific message to a targeted audience in an efficient and engaging way. - What would you be if you weren't a brand...

Ford draws up branded entertainment strategy.(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... Automotive manufacturer sets out plan to boost appeal in UK through content. Ford of Britain is revamping its marketing strategy in an effort to strengthen its appeal as a trusted car marque. The manufacturer is looking to create several...

Unilever chief attacks P&G.(Procter & Gamble)(Keith Weed)(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... Unilever's top global marketer, Keith Weed, has criticised the flagship sustainability campaign of its rival, Procter & Gamble (P&G), which encourages consumers to do their washing at 30 degsC. Chief marketing and communications...

Google adds video to sponsored search.(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... Google is preparing to roll out an ad format that will allow UK brands to include videos in their AdWords sponsored search listings. The company is promoting its 'video extensions' initiative to advertisers and agencies as a way of combining...

Domestos Unveils App to Track Toilet Flushes
November 17, 2010... Unilever cleaning brand backs World Toilet Day with app to chart flushes' journey. Domestos, the Unilever bleach brand, has launched a quirky app that enables consumers to track the progress of their toilet flushes, in support of the World...

Warburtons snack revival.(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... Warburtons is to run an ad campaign to reinvigorate interest in its snack lines after a major fire halted production of them earlier this year. The reintroduction of ChippidyDooDaa pitta chips and SnackaDoodle wholegrain snacks will be...

Mobile firm in staff exodus.(Sony Ericsson )(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... Sony Ericsson (SE) is set to lose several senior marketers as a result of its marketing department's relocation from Hampshire to West London. The handset manufacturer, which is moving to Hammersmith in the New Year, is advertising five...

Tesco slammed for 'get two free' activity.(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... Tesco has come under fire from environmental campaigners for launching a 'buy one, get two free' initiative. The promotion by the supermarket, which has included products such as Kintyre Breaded Scampi, Tilda Rice and Sugar Puffs, marks a...

Eurostar to Embark on Brand Overhaul in 2011
November 17, 2010... Eurostar is to undertake a root-and-branch brand overhaul next year to defend its position as the number-one cross-Channel rail operator, ahead of rival Deutsche Bahn's roll-out of services to Germany and the Netherlands in 2013. As part of...

Think to design magazine for First Great Western.(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... First Great Western has appointed customer publisher Think to design and produce its on-board customer magazine, Escape, following a competitive pitch. The quarterly, 52-page magazine will have a print-run of 75,000. The first issue will appear...

Gaydar launches dating app.(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... Gaydar, the gay and lesbian lifestyle media brand, has launched a dating app. The free app integrates the most popular elements of the Gaydar website and offers sophisticated features, including 'friends and favourites', 'messages' and...

Consumers intend to spend less.(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... Consumers intend to spend less on Christmas this year than in 2009, according to research by pollster YouGov. Almost one in four of 3000 adults surveyed said they intend to spend less. It also found that people are wary of unnecessarily...

IGD produces guide for food businesses.(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... IGD, the international food and grocery supply chain analyst, has produced a guide to help food businesses communicate with consumers in a clear and consistent way about achieving a healthy, balanced diet. -------------------- Did you find...

Boots Promotes Health Web Portal with Ad Drive
November 17, 2010... Boots is preparing a New Year marketing drive for its health-advice portal BootsWebMD. The January push, its first for the site, will position it as the destination for people seeking advice when they feel unwell. The retailer - which has...

Marketer in the news: Phil Wrigley, Ortso.(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... - Why is Wrigley in the news? Online retailer Ortso will launch in the New Year, and Phil Wrigley likes it so much that he has invested a 'six-figure sum' in the Edinburgh business. The 58-year-old is best known for the dramatic impact he...

Grolsch launches latest instalment.(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... Grolsch has launched the latest instalment of its pounds 7m film-themed ad campaign in partnership with Blinkbox. The beer brand's ad offers consumers the chance to view discounted films online. -------------------- Did you find this...

Marks & Spencer - Oxfam tie-up named most admired.(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... Marks & Spencer's tie-up with Oxfam has been named the most-admired corporate-charity partnership in a poll of 100 CSR practitioners in FTSE 100 companies and their counterparts in the voluntary sector. The Clothes Exchange scheme offers an...

Dr Oetker sells Onken.(Emmi)(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... Onken has been sold by Dr Oetker to Swiss dairy company Emmi for an undisclosed sum, despite a record year for the yoghurt brand. The deal marks Dr Oetker's exit from the UK chilled desserts market. -------------------- Did you find this...

Correction.(Correction notice)
November 17, 2010... Marketing would like to clarify that Kristof Fahy is brand and marketing director at William Hill, and that it was it, not Ladbrokes, as stated in the issue dated 10 November, that ran the 'I will' campaign. -------------------- Did you...

Renault Adds Simpsons Kangoo to Family Range
November 17, 2010... Renault has tied up with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products to launch a limited-edition version of its family Kangoo model, featuring branding based on the cartoon series The Simpsons. Piloted in Belgium, the car-maker will consider...

Brand in the news: Stella Artois Black.(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... - What's happened? Stella Artois has launched another brand extension - Stella Artois Black. Rolling out exclusively in the on-trade, it is not, as some suggested early in the brand's development, a super-strength version of the original...

Telegraph Media Group rebrands Telegraph.co.uk site.(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... The Telegraph Media Group has rebranded its telegraph.co.uk site as The Telegraph to create a consistent brand across its digital platforms Coinciding with the rebrand, an in-house team has redesigned the site. -------------------- Did you...

Manchester City to open flagship store.(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... Manchester City will open a flagship store in the heart of Manchester's retail quarter on Friday (19 November). Run by specialist retailer Kitbag, the launch will be backed by outdoor and press ads. -------------------- Did you find this...

BT Vision adds 53,000 subscribers.(Brief article)
November 17, 2010... BT's on-demand TV service BT Vision has added just 53,000 subscribers in eight months, despite a pounds 30m marketing push trumpeting the addition of Sky Sports 1 and 2 to its line-up. -------------------- Did you find this article useful?...