Marketing articles from October 2007

Marketing archives from October 2007

BA seeks digital agency to back premium service.(British Airways PLC)(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... British Airways is looking for a digital agency to spearhead the online launch of its premium airline next year. The agency will develop the website for the as yet unnamed service, which has been given the name Project Lauren. Possible...

2012 tourism ads hit by government funding cut.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... The British tourism industry has hit out at the government's 18% reduction in VisitBritain's funding - a decision that will prevent it running any advertising in the years up to London 2012. Tourism alliance UKInbound said it was...

Tesco in talks to soothe wine row.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Tesco has been in discussions with key wine suppliers to avert a row over discounting in the run-up to Christmas. Suppliers were annoyed by pressure from the retailer to run BOGOFs over the key shopping period. To prevent this, some have...

BOGOF deals rival TV ads for driving product trial.(Buy one, get one free )(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Buy one, get one free (BOGOF) promotions have drawn level with TV advertising as the most effective way to get consumers to try a product. Research among a representative sample of the UK shopping population by IGD found that one in four...

Coca-Cola calls pitch for design agencies roster.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Coca-Cola Europe is to create its first pan-European design roster and has begun talking to design agencies. It is believed that Coca-Cola will hire more than 10 agencies. Those chosen will be briefed to handle activity across design,...

Pizza Express to unveil gift cards.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Pizza Express has launched a line of gift vouchers ranging in value from pounds 5 to pounds 500. Initially, the vouchers will be available for purchase only via the company's pizza express.com website, but from next month, they will also...

Ifklar water plots pounds 2m UK roll-out.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Ifklar, a premium water brand from Norway, will launch in the UK next year. The brand, which claims its product is derived from Norwegian ice, will support the launch with a pounds 2m campaign. It has appointed Creative Brief to search...

Boots launches Christmas push.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Boots is launching a multimillion-pound Christmas campaign in an aim to show that it is the high-street store for beauty gifts. The 'Operation get gorgeous' campaign depicts a group of women using Boots' Christmas product range to get...

New campaign: Argos.(Argos Distributors Ltd.)(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Argos is launching an integrated ad campaign as it seeks to drive sales this Christmas. The activity kicks off this week with a TV execution intended to illustrate how much easier it is to use the Argos Christmas Gift Guide than visit...

Kraft picks West for top position.(Kraft Foods Inc.)(appointment of Mary Beth West)(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Kraft Foods has named Mary Beth West, a company veteran, as its global marketing boss after a six-month trawl. West replaces Jeri Finard, who left the firm in April, as executive vice-president and chief marketing officer. West, who has...

Famous Grouse in comedy tour.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... The Famous Grouse is to align itself with comedy as it aims to appeal to a younger audience. The whisky brand will launch a series of stand-up gigs, called The Famously Funny Comedy Tour, which will be hosted in seven cities over seven...

Kellogg hands FruitaBu ad account to Leo Burnett.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Kellogg has awarded the ad business for its healthy-snacking brand FruitaBu to Leo Burnett. FruitaBu, a range of flavoured apple crisps and bagged moist dried fruit, will be backed by a launch adspend of pounds 2m. The work, which breaks...

Nike improves FA terms to secure Umbro kit deal.(Football Association)(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Sports manufacturer Nike has renegotiated Umbro's kit supplier deal with the Football Association (FA) as part of its proposed takeover of the company. Last week, the Umbro board unanimously advised its shareholders to accept an offer of...

Pets at Home in ad agency hunt.(advertising agencies)(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Pets at Home, Britain's biggest pet retailer, is seeking an ad agency through the AAR to create its first nationwide campaign. The company, which was set up in 1991, has more than 190 stores and plans to open 20 more over the next year....

Portman Group plans push to back self-regulation.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... The Portman Group is mounting a promotional offensive to head off a resurgent campaign calling for an end to the self-regulation of the alcohol industry. The campaign, created by Columns Design, focuses both on consumers and bodies...

Littlewoods rolls out fashion push.
October 31, 2007... Littlewoods Direct, the UK's biggest mail-order company, is rolling out the next phase of a pounds 12m promotional campaign starring style gurus Trinny and Susannah. The integrated activity, created by WCRS, breaks this week. It will run...

Courage Best to back darts event.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Beer brand Courage Best is poised to link up with the sport of darts as it embarks on its first above-the-line activity for more than 10 years. From 17-25 November, the bitter will be the broadcast sponsor and official beer of the...

Crocs seeks agency to steer European activity.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Crocs, the rubber shoe brand, is looking for an agency to handle its pan-European advertising. The company has approached several agencies with a view to holding a pitch for the work, which was previously handled in-house. The pitch...

Nintendo plots 'celebrity duos' Christmas activity.
October 31, 2007... Nintendo is embarking on a pre-Christmas campaign to promote its latest Touch! Generation software. The Japanese gaming company has filmed a series of ads featuring three celebrity duos using its DS console. Johnny and Zoe Ball, Patrick...

Microsoft signs advertising deal with Facebook.
October 31, 2007... Microsoft has sealed an exclusive deal with Facebook to sell advertising on the social networking site. The agreement forms part of the software company's dollars 240m (pounds 117m) acquisition of a 1.6% stake in Facebook, which has...

Ford ties with C4 for web-TV show.(Ford Motor Co.)(Channel 4 Television Co.)(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Ford is making its most significant foray into advertiser-funded programming with the launch of internet-only lifestyle show Bites. The car manufacturer has partnered with Channel 4 to develop the web TV programme, which aims to identify...

Wine group assigns pounds 6.2m media business.(Constellation Europe )(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Constellation Europe has hired ZenithOptimedia to handle its pounds 6.2m media buying work ahead of increased investment in media spend across its key brands including Hardys and Stowells. The decision follows a competitive pitch,...

Man City strikes Nokia ticket deal.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Manchester City FC has agreed a deal with Nokia to trial a mobile phone service that uses Near Field Communications (NFC) technology. The service will enable matchgoers to swipe their mobile phone at turnstiles for entry to the City of...

InterContinental set for EMEA restructure.(InterContinental Hotels Group PLC)(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... InterContinental Hotels is overhauling its EMEA marketing department, creating vice-president roles for each region and discipline. Colin Roy has been promoted to UK and Ireland commercial vice-president, while Tom Rowntree has taken the...

Zavvi hands rebrand task to Live & Breathe.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Zavvi, the high-street entertainment chain formerly known as Virgin Megastores, has hired design agency Live & Breathe to handle its rebrand. Zavvi was created after a management buyout in September led by Virgin Megastores managing...

News brief: Honda wins Grand Prix at Green Awards.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Honda has won the Grand Prix at the second Green Awards for the launch of its Honda Racing Formula One environmental initiative. The team's cars carried an image of the Earth composed of the pixel-sized names of people who donated to a green...

News brief: Digital UK begins ad campaign this week.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Digital UK begins a three-year ad campaign this week to raise awareness of the digital switchover in Scotland, which is starting the switch in November next year

News brief: Woolworths signs rising comedy star.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Woolworths has signed up rising comedy star Peter Serafinowicz for its Christmas TV campaign. Serafanowicz will voice ads for its entertainment and tactical deals. The ads were created by Bartle Bogle Hegarty with media planning and buying by...

News brief: Ikea launches 2007 soft toy campaign.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Ikea is launching its 2007 soft toy campaign in partnership with Unicef and Save the Children. For every toy sold in store, the retailer will donate pounds 1 to education projects in 10 countries

News brief: New West End Company launches magazine.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... New West End Company, the retail management firm, is launching a magazine aimed at attracting shoppers to London's Oxford Street, Bond Street and Regent Street district. The title will be launched in the 29 November issue of the Evening...

News brief: John Dickinson hires Feather Brooksbank.
October 31, 2007... John Dickinson, the stationery products manufacturer, has hired Feather Brooksbank to handle its media planning and buying

News brief: MessageLabs appoints Rapier.
October 31, 2007... MessageLabs, the online security and anti-spam service, has appointed Rapier to develop an integrated global marketing campaign without a pitch

News brief: The Carbon Trust puts brief up for pitch.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... The Carbon Trust has put its web build and development brief up for pitch. This does not affect its relationship with its roster of digital agencies

Media: BT Vision debuts own title.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... BT Vision, the broadband TV service, is launching a bimonthly customer magazine called On, which will be distributed to about 100,000 consumers across the UK. The 52-page title is published by Future Plus, which creates the entertainment...

Media: Capital 95.8 ups audience share.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Capital 95.8 has clawed back some of its audience share, to become the third-most-listened-to commercial radio station in London, up from 4.1% to 4.7%, according to Rajar figures for the third quarter of this year. This puts the station...

Media choice: Heat Radio.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... The editorial premise of Heat Radio is celebrity and entertainment, but what makes it most interesting is how it is shaped by the digital world in terms of its format and business model. Driven by online, the audience volumes for many...

Media brief: Omega launches customer title.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Omega, the watch brand, has launched a customer title called Lifetime. Published biannually and available in Omega stores globally, the first issue features George Clooney on the cover

Media brief: Manchester Business to launch in December.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Manchester Business, a weekly business newspaper published by Crain's, is to launch in December. It will be distributed via newsstand sales and controlled circulation within Greater Manchester

Media brief: Disney Channel launches Playhouse Disney +.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Disney Channel is launching Playhouse Disney + this week Broadcasting 25 minutes later than the Playhouse Disney channel, it is available as part of Sky's Kids Mix package.

Media brief: Nuts secures sponsorship deal with Frosty Jack's.(Frosty Jack's)(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Nuts, IPC's lads' weekly, has secured a sponsorship deal with cider brand Frosty Jack's. Winning readers will be awarded cases of Frosty Jack's for the best fact, tip or trick submitted to the magazine

Media brief: Rosemount Wines signs six-figure deal.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Rosemount Wines has signed a six-figure deal with Carlton Screen Advertising in the first phase of what is planned to be a long association with cinema. Ads breaking on 2 November in Picturehouse cinemas are based on the theme 'Discovery of...

Media brief: Marie Claire to offer bag with December issue.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Marie Claire, the IPC women's glossy, is to offer a cover-mounted Plastic Ain't My Bag shopper with its December issue. The publisher said it tied in with Marie Claire's support of social issues

Media brief: National Readership Survey data on reading.(Survey)(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Magazines are read for an average of 50 minutes, according to the first data from the National Readership Survey into the time spent reading. A weekday newspaper is read for an average of 40 minutes

Branding: Holiday Inn updates identity.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Holiday Inn, the chain owned by InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), is undergoing a global brand makeover, with the first new-look hotels to appear next spring. The branding, featuring a streamlined font and fresh green brand colour,...

Branding: Deloitte begins global rebrand.(Deloitte)(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Deloitte, one of the big four accountancy firms, is to embark on a global rebranding programme - the first since it dropped 'Touche' from its name in 2003. The Partners has been hired to work on the project. The brand consultancy has...

Branding: Design choice - Super Archimoon Lamp.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... During the 90s - pre-kids - I spent time with my lovely wife and on business trips staying in awesome joints including the Royalton in New York, the Delano in Miami and the Clift in San Francisco. There, I discovered the inspirational...

Branding brief: Npower unveils branding for hometeam.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Npower has unveiled the branding for its new home energy service, hometeam. Design agency WPA Pinfold created the identity, based on the concept of 'little things make all the difference'

Branding brief: Bart Spices launches flavoured sugars range.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Bart Spices has launched a range of Fairtrade flavoured sugars for use in making desserts and cakes. Vanilla Sugar, Chocolate Sugar and Cinnamon Sugar will be stocked in selected branches of Waitrose stores and independents

Branding brief: Ministry of Justice hires Spy.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... The Ministry of Justice has appointed design and publishing agency Spy to create its staff magazine, Insight. Spy, which won the two-year contract after an eight-way tender process, will produce 10 issues of the title a year

Branding brief: Glengoyne extends single malts range.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Glengoyne has extended its range of Highland single malts with the launch of Glengoyne Burnfoot. The luxury whisky, which will be available worldwide through travel retail outlets, is aimed at younger drinkers new to the brand

Branding brief: Burnt Sugar to launch new range in Tesco.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Burnt Sugar, the traditional sweet maker, is launching a range of chocolate-covered honeycomb in Tesco stores next month. Original Chocolate Honeycomb is made from Fairtrade sugar and dipped in Fairtrade chocolate

Branding brief: National Autistic Society revises brand.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... The National Autistic Society has revised its brand and launched an integrated communications campaign to boost awareness of the disability Cascaid, which specialises in the charity sector, handled the rebrand.

Branding brief: It's Nut Free to launch range in Asda.
October 31, 2007... It's Nut Free, the specialist food maker, is launching a range of snack bars into Asda under the brand Angie's Kitchen. Variants include Choc Crisp

Direct: Discovery Foods set for pounds 3m campaign.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Discovery Foods has appointed Doner Cardwell Hawkins (DCH) to promote its range of North and South American cooking sauces, meal kits and condiments. The brand, which was founded in 1989 by James Beaton and is second in the growing UK...

Direct: Colman's in first direct campaign.(Colman's Foods)(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Colman's, the mustard and condiments brand, is supporting the relaunch of its Recipe Mixes with its first foray into direct marketing. The campaign, created by Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel, features mail packs and door-drops that...

Direct: NAS seeks shift in perception.( National Autistic Society )(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... The National Autistic Society (NAS) is launching a campaign to support its revamped brand identity. The push, called 'Think differently about autism', was created by charity direct marketing specialist Cascaid. As well as the fresh...

Direct choice: Smart Fortwo.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Surely the Smart Fortwo is an easy sell? It's 85% recyclable, boasts ultra-low CO2 emissions and falls into the pounds 35 road tax bracket. In this day and age, owning a Smart car seems, well, smart. Two problems: the world's gone mad...

Direct brief: Lovefilm.com teams up with Yummy Food Company.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Lovefilm.com, the online DVD rental firm, has teamed up with the Yummy Food Company to offer consumers a free 30-day trial of its film service for every sandwich bought at Superdrug or Pace Garages. The push, through Cocktail Marketing, will...

Direct brief: Sainsbury's promotes Taste the Difference range.
October 31, 2007... Sainsbury's is promoting its Taste the Difference range through a campaign through Tullo Marshall Warren. The Tasting Notes booklet includes six money-off coupons

Direct brief: Renault launches multimedia campaign.(Renault U.K. Ltd.)(Publicis Dialog Europe)(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Renault is launching a multimedia campaign to support the launch of the new Renault Laguna hatchback. The activity, which encompasses press, direct and online work, has been created by Publicis Dialog

Direct brief: National Savings & Investments seeks agency.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... National Savings & Investments, the Treasury-backed savings and investments firm, is seeking a data analysis agency to overhaul its customer database and support its direct marketing activity

Direct brief: Vodafone joins forces with Beat Bullying.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Vodafone is joining forces with the Beat Bullying charity for a mobile campaign highlighting the problems of bullying among UK teenagers. The creative can be downloaded via Bluetooth at Vue Cinemas through an agreement brokered by Bluepod...

Direct brief: Parkinson's Disease Society launches direct drive.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... The Parkinson's Disease Society is launching a direct marketing drive through TDA to raise funds for its research projects. The charity will target existing donors in a bid to raise more than pounds 220,000

Direct brief: Sock Shop and Dogs Trust join forces.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Sock Shop has joined forces with Dogs Trust to produce a range of charity socks for Christmas. The socks will feature the charity's logo and 'A Dog is for Life' slogan. The retailer will donate 75p to the charity for every pounds 3 pair sold

Direct brief: Total promotes car washes with campaign.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Total is promoting its car washes in the run-up to Christmas with a campaign created by Euro RSCG KLP. From 7 November until Christmas Day, it will give away pounds 500 worth of M&S vouchers to customers who enter a text-to-win and online...

Digital: Sky roadshow to back iTV.(interactive TV )(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Sky is launching a nationwide initiative to encourage big-name brands to take advantage of interactive TV (iTV) advertising opportunities. A roadshow featuring the UK's biggest creative and media agencies will urge advertisers to adopt...

Digital: Kids' charity set for web activity.(Harvest Digital)(Plan UK)(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Plan UK, the international children's charity, is rolling out a digital marketing drive intended to raise awareness of its community-based development projects. The organisation has appointed Harvest Digital to develop a strategy...

Digital choice: www.xfactor.tv.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... There is probably no bigger TV programme than ITV's The X Factor - it is a colossal brand watched by millions each Saturday evening. And there is no need to wait seven days between shows to catch up on the developments and heartache of...

Digital brief: FT.com stories to be available to web users.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... FT.com stories are to be made available to users clicking through from Google and 30 other partner websites via a service called First Click Free. Users will have free access to 30 stories a month, including premium content

Digital brief: Bebo strikes deal with Orange.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Bebo, the teen social networking portal, has struck a deal with Orange to give the mobile phone network's customers unlimited mobile access to the site for pounds 3 a month

Digital brief: Esure extends relationship with Equi= Media.(Equi Media Ltd.)(esure Insurance Ltd.)(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... Esure, the financial services company that also owns insurance brand Sheilas' Wheels, has extended its relationship with digital and direct agency Equi= Media, which now has a remit to maximise Esure's conversion rates

Digital brief: LateRooms.com adds Google mapping to website.(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... LateRooms.com, which helps travellers find accommodation, has added Google mapping and route-finder facilities to its website. It has also added a London Underground map and improved search criteria to include features such as swimming pools

Digital brief: NUS Extra supported by website launch.(National Union of Students Services )(Brief article)
October 31, 2007... National Union of Students Services has launched a website to support its discount card, NUS Extra. The site was created by Manchester digital agency Code Computerlove

Digital brief: IAB Europe undertakes initiative.
October 31, 2007... The IAB Europe and European Interactive Advertising Association are undertaking an initiative to standardise international definitions for measuring online media audiences

Digital brief: Pizza Hut teams up with Sony Home Entertainment.
October 31, 2007... Pizza Hut has teamed up with Sony Home Entertainment for an online competition to promote the DVD release of Spider-Man 3. Agency BB devised the competition, with prizes including a trip to New York

Andrew Walmsley on Digital: Distance No Object If Brands Go Global
October 31, 2007... For some years now, The Guardian's website has attracted more readers in the US than the paper does in the UK. Last week, Guardian Media Group launched of Guardian America - a website designed to tap what the company sees as a vast unmet need...

News Analysis: A Brand by Any Other Name
October 31, 2007... Kellogg has been criticised for keeping its branding to a minimum on FruitaBu. Why all the fuss, asks Gemma Charles. Last week, Marketing revealed that Kellogg is gearing up to launch a brand called FruitaBu. The healthy snacking range,...

News Analysis: Umbro Looks Forward to New Dawn
October 31, 2007... Nike's acquisition of the football kit supplier should boost its dominance and Umbro's fortunes, writes Ed Kemp. Last week, Nike confirmed speculation that it intends to buy specialist UK sportswear brand Umbro in a deal worth pounds 285m. It...

Raymond Snoddy on Media: Observer Editor's Exit Is Risky Business
October 31, 2007... Roger Alton, the departing editor of The Observer, is, by any standards, a colourful character. He is impulsive, full of enthusiasm, effortlessly eccentric, swears like a trooper and deliberately disguises a sharp brain behind a bumbling,...

Media Analysis: Grade Gambles on Ten
October 31, 2007... Can a reinstated News at Ten recapture its glory days and boost ITV1's ratings and reputation, asks Jeremy Lee. It is easy to assume that ITV executive chairman Michael Grade, who has decided to reinstate News at Ten, is trying to turn back...

Brand Health Check: Chicago Town
October 31, 2007... In contrast with the booming frozen pizza sector, the Schwan brand's sales are in decline. From thin and crispy to deep pan, family feast to snack-size, pizza has come a long way since Napoli introduced the dish to the world in the 18th...

Mark Ritson on Branding: Profit Edges out Sales in Car Race
October 31, 2007... The race to be the world's biggest car manufacturer has entered the final lap. In January, most analysts were predicting that Toyota would break General Motors' 76-year winning streak and overtake it to become the top-selling automotive...

Profile: Determined to Differentiate - Andrew Morley, Vice-President of Marketing EMEA, Motorola
October 31, 2007... Andrew Morley has just returned from a cycling holiday that took in two of the most gruelling stages of the Tour de France. 'When you're 100m from the top of a mountain, all you want to do is cry,' he says. 'Your heart is pounding and your...

Adwatch: The weekly analysis of advertisement recall.(Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd., Argos Distributors Ltd. and Marks and Spencer PLC on marketing contracts)
October 31, 2007... Q: Which of the following TV commercials do you remember seeing recently? Last Brand Agency/TV buyer % week 1 (1) Asda Fallon London/Carat 61...