Revolution articles from August 2002

Revolution archives from August 2002

BTopenworld signs partners for online travel club launch.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... BTopenworld is to launch a subscription-based online travel club to give users access to special offers from brands including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, Revolution can reveal. As part of BTopenworld Travel Club, web users will be...

Vauxhall makes iTV ad debut to promote Vectra.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Car manufacturer Vauxhall is to make its interactive TV ad debut on Sky digital this week in a six-figure campaign. Promoting the brand's Vectra model, the iTV ads will run for just over two weeks on Sky-branded channels as a trial of the...

Outrider shuffles senior roles following loss of director duo.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Digital marketing firm Outrider has lost its managing director, Kirsty Wilson, and a director behind its search optimisation programme, David Turner. Outrider, whose clients include Sony Ericsson, Cussons, Ladbrokes and Canon, was merged...

Lego supports Spybotics line with web drive.(LEGO Group)(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Toy brickmaker Lego is backing the launch of its Spybotics range online as part of a six-figure integrated campaign. Targeting nine- to 12-year-old boys, the promotion has been developed by web marketing agency Digital Outlook. The...

Hyundai debuts major online ad push on car-related sites.(Hyundai Car (UK))(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Hyundai Car (UK) is launching its first major online campaign with an ad push in excess of pounds 150,000. The campaign, which promotes Hyundai's full range of cars, was planned and bought by PHDiQ, the interactive media arm of PHD Media....

Oki overhauls pan-European web offering.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Electronics company Oki has revamped its pan-European web site (www.okieurope.com) to bring it in line with its recent rebranding. The firm has retained its policy of referring potential customers to a local dealer, rather than allowing...

Big-name stars join BBC sports project.
August 7, 2002... The BBC has signed up a clutch of sports stars, including David Beckham and Kieron Dyer, to feature in a web and SMS campaign to promote grass-roots sports development for kids. The project, dubbed BBC Sport Academy, will include a web site...

CNET Networks to acquire Silicon Media Group assets.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Silicon Media Group, which owns and operates silicon.com, has signed a definitive agreement for its UK-based assets to be acquired by CNET Networks. CNET Networks, which owns the online IT network of web sites ZDNet in the UK, France and...

Harvey Nash overhauls site as part of brand revamp.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Global recruitment consultancy Harvey Nash has revamped its flagship web site to reflect its new brand. The site (www.harveynash.com) was developed by new media agency dn1. It will be pushed as a central point of contact between Harvey Nash and...

Royal Mail and Parcelforce trial home-shopping delivery.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide are to launch a home-shopping delivery trial using email and SMS notification. The trial will be run with Nottingham City Council and about 40,000 residents, using drop boxes, neighbour's addresses and local...

Ford promotes Fiesta model with online game.(Ford Motor Co.)(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Ford is to launch a game, called 'Freezy Breakout' online to promote its Fiesta model (www.getoutmore.com). The game, which was designed by paeony, was commissioned by Ford's interactive agency, Wunderman. In-game branding for the model will...

Siemens to run pounds 250k campaign with Virgin.(Virgin Student)(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Student Mobile phone maker Siemens is to embark on a pounds 250,000 marketing campaign through Virgin Student. From September, the campaign will run online and at UK campuses to raise awareness of the brand among students. Virgin Student will...

Sky Digital to relaunch TV text service.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Sky digital is to relaunch its television text service. The service gives Sky digital subscribers access to more than 1,000 Sky Text pages of up-to-date news, sport, travel and holiday information while watching Sky programmes in a...

Tableau targets Sainsbury's users on monthly basis.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... In our article 'Sainsbury's begins email push to drive home delivery service', (24 July, p4), we would like to clarify that Tableau does not have exclusive rights to all Sainsbury's email marketing, but undertakes regular monthly communications...

Revolution will be back on 21 August.
August 7, 2002... Revolution is taking a short summer break. The next issue will be published on 21 August. In the meantime, daily news updates can be found at www.revolutionmagazine.com.

NatWest introduces digital payment offer.(National Westminster Bank PLC)(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... High-street bank NatWest is entering the online payment market with a product that will let users transfer cash via email and mobile phone, Revolution can reveal. NatWest will market the online payment system, called FastPay...

ACCOUNTS: New accounts this week.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... BAA, the owner and operator of seven UK airports including Gatwick and Heathrow, has appointed Digital Impact to handle its online direct marketing. Activity will include a regular 'Discover Airside' newsletter for travellers who have...

Skoda to back Superb model via email push.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Skoda is supporting the launch of its Superb saloon model with a targeted email campaign. Aimed primarily at company car buyers and drivers, the email is being distributed to about 38,000 potential customers. It directs users to a...

Tiscali in white-label online phone service.(Tiscali UK)(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Tiscali UK is to offer white-label telephone services to brand owners as part of a service that lets customers make phone calls via the web. The ISP will develop the b2b relationships as part of a strategy to provide low-cost calls. ...

Disney Channel set for 'Star Ticket' drive.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Disney Channel is to launch a range of interactive products to enhance its children's pop band search show, Star Ticket. The applications, which will cover the web, SMS and iTV, are designed to increase interactivity by allowing viewers to...

JUST BREAKING: Top 10 new online ad campaigns by size (20 July - 26 July 02).(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... 1 BT Reconnect to BT 2 MVC Entertainment Free delivery 3 RSPCA Primates campaign 4 Inland Revenue Self assessment online 5 Direct Line Breakdown...

Lil-lets launches microsite to push charity race sponsorship.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Feminine hygiene brand Lil-lets is to use viral marketing and a microsite to promote its sponsorship of 'Race For Life', the series of charity walks run in aid of Cancer Relief UK, and to push its range of relaxation products. The viral...

Pilsner Urquell drives users to prize web site.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Czech beer brand Pilsner Urquell is to run a scratchcard promotion in bars that will urge users to visit a web site to claim a prize. For the promotion, called Inspiring Weekends, drinkers will be given a gold scratchcard, which will reveal...

MSN.co.uk extends link with Match.com.(Microsoft Corp.)(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... MSN.co.uk has furthered its relationship with dating site Match.com by striking a high- six-figure two-year deal. The dating service will be promoted within MSN Hotmail, MSN Instant Messenger and on the MSN home page. Online advertising by...

Opodo plans major Ask Jeeves UK work.(Ask Jeeves Inc. UK)(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Pan-European online travel portal Opodo is to launch a six-figure campaign online with search engine Ask Jeeves UK (www.ask.co.uk). The campaign is part of a wave of online activity being run by Opodo primarily to raise awareness of its...

Real Fruit Winders in interactive net push.(from Kellogg)(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Kellogg is to launch a range of interactive products on the web site of its Real Fruit Winders kids' snack to boost its appeal to children. A section called 'Twisted Kit' will include a range of games and customisable tools, designed by...

BT Broadband builds partner brands to 60.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... BT Broadband has signed up partners including Blockbuster (www.blockbuster.co.uk) and entertainment channel Fox Kids Europe (www.foxkids.co.uk) to boost its number of online tie-ups to more than 60. Other brands to sign up include Real...

EDITOR'S COMMENT: Music industry is at last learning how to profit from the web.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
August 7, 2002... It's only a couple of short months since this week's cover stars, Oasis, their management and the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) were bemoaning the presence of a pre-release version of their latest album on the web months before its...

DIGITAL DIARY: Brand strength will let us maximise our commercial potential.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... At Friends Reunited, we reckon the site has one of the things all digital businesses need - a strong brand. You'd expect us to think so, with 7,250,000 users and counting, and the confidence to go global with the idea and open sites in South...

DatingDirect.com provides C4 site with white-label service.(revenue sharing contract)(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Online dating firm DatingDirect.com is partnering with Channel4.com in an exclusive white-label revenue-share deal. The broadcaster will feature its web dating address, Channel4.com/4dating, at the end of dating-related shows such as Sex...

Red ties up with Ford for parenting channel.(Redmagazine, Web site for parents)(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Emap's Redmagazine.co.uk is to launch a parenting channel in partnership with car manufacturer Ford's Fusion model. Earmarked to launch in September, the channel will run the strapline 'in association with fordfusion' and feature the Ford...

Maltesers to run ads on Sky Movies service.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Maltesers is introducing ads to Sky Movies' interactive service as part of a sponsorship deal with the digital broadcaster. The Mars-owned confectionery brand recently signed up as the sponsor of new movies shown on Tuesday nights on Sky...

NEW DEALS: Deal of the week - Worldpop.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Interactive Marketing has linked with East West Records to run an SMS competition for fans to win a day out with dance act Blazin' Squad. The activity is designed to raise awareness of the band's first single, 'Crossroads'. It will be promoted...

VITAL STATISTICS: This week E-commerce has had a positive impact on the provision of services, finds Amanda Nottage.
August 7, 2002... For every success story cited each time there is an analysis of online shopping, which usually involves Tesco.com or Amazon, there are countless retailers for whom e-commerce has not been such a rosy experience or that have yet to make it an...

Casino Atlantis plans cross-media activity.
August 7, 2002... Casino Atlantis Online, the interactive operation of global resort company Kerzner International, formerly Sun International Hotels, is to launch a six-figure cross-media ad campaign. The online push will appear on partner web sites...

CricInfo to offer fans online travel channel.
August 7, 2002... Cricket web site CricInfo (www.cricinfo.com) is launching a travel channel with partners including British Airways, Malaysian Airlines and package holiday operator Travelcare. It will be accessible through CricInfo's home page and via a...

Kronenbourg supports brand relaunch with overhaul of site.
August 7, 2002... Kronenbourg 1664 has overhauled its web site and embarked on a viral marketing campaign to support the pounds 15 million relaunch of the brand. Creative on the site (www.k1664.co.uk) supports the Scottish Courage premium lager brand's...

Performance Index.(web sites)
August 7, 2002... The Revolution Keynote Performance Index measures the performance of 20 representative sites from across the digital economy in terms of speed of loading and site availability. The top 10 are featured each week, and the worst-performing site is...

Rivals Digital Media boosts SMS service.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Rivals Digital Media is to introduce reverse billing and non-sport SMS alert packages to its mobile service as part of an overhaul of its paid-for premium mobile offer. The digital sports network has restructured its SMS services and...

QXL ricardo predicts UK profitability.
August 7, 2002... Auction web site company QXL ricardo claims that its UK arm, QXL.com, will reach operational profitability by the end of this year. The company made the forecast in its financial results for the three months ending 30 June. It also...

PEOPLE: Appointment at Wheel.(Tim Osler)
August 7, 2002... Digital marketing group Wheel has promoted Tim Osler to new business development director. He previously worked within the group's Foresight division, before heading business development for Wheel Retail. Osler will be responsible for sales and...

PEOPLE: Appointment at Engage.(Andrew Ewing)(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Online ad specialist Engage has hired Andrew Ewing as director of strategic alliances for Europe. He will lead the firm's regional alliances programme, ensuring that it links up with suitable industry partners. Ewing's previous roles include...

PEOPLE: Appointment at Wired Wessex.(Emma Shears)(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Emma Shears has become executive manager for Hampshire and Dorset new-media network Wired Wessex. She will look to develop the network through improved web services. She has run her own marketing consultancy for the past five years.

PEOPLE: Appointment at Enpocket.(Tim Preston)(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... AdLINK permission marketing head Tim Preston has joined wireless media sales firm Enpocket as head of agency sales. He follows ex-AdLINK deputy managing director Richard Firminger, who joined Enpocket as UK managing director in April. Enpocket...

PEOPLE: Appointment at Newell & Budge.(Jim Faulds)(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Jim Faulds, former head of Scottish marketing services group Faulds, is to join IT services company Newell & Budge as chairman. The firm, whose clients include Royal Bank of Scotland and Pizza Hut, is looking at UK expansion through acquisition...

PEOPLE: Appointment at Keymedia Design.(Barrie Robinson)(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Interactive media developer Keymedia Design has recruited ex-Fish design director Barrie Robinson as creative director. In his new role, he will work with clients including Pearson, BBC Choice, Shelter and the London College of Fashion.

PEOPLE: Appointment at iForce.(David Bimbaum)(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Digital fulfilment company iForce has taken on David Birnbaum as chief executive and Jonathan Solomon as chief operating officer. Both will retain their existing roles at logistics firm Tablogix. Founder and former chief executive Matthew...

PEOPLE: Appointment at Ask Jeeves UK.(Jack Delf, head of agency sales)(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Search engine Ask Jeeves UK has appointed Jack Delf head of agency sales. He will look to grow indirect sales by building and maintaining relationships with both new-media and traditional agencies. Before joining Ask Jeeves, Delf played a part...

Virgin Money plans life insurance drive.
August 7, 2002... Virgin Money is to launch a five-figure campaign to promote its life insurance products for the first time online. Keyword activity will run on pay-for-performance search engines Espotting, Overture and BTLookSmart, as well as Google, as...

BSkyB nets pounds 186m interactive revenues.
August 7, 2002... BSkyB nearly doubled its interactive revenues in the past year to pounds 186 million, according to financial results for the 12 months to 30 June. The satellite broadcaster brought in pounds 95m of its interactive revenues from betting via...

MY INBOX: Richard Pembroke, managing director of Rivals Digital Media, has no problem with spammers - as long as they stop once he tells them to.(Interview)
August 7, 2002... How many emails have you received this week? About 250. About 25 were ones I would classify as genuinely interesting. About 10 per cent were marketing-driven. What was the last email you received that caused you to take action? The...

ANALYSIS: Will users pay up for MSN spin-off portal?
August 7, 2002... MSN.co.uk says it will remain predominantly an online advertising platform, despite the announcement that a paid-for version of MSN, known as MSN 8, will be introduced in the UK in November. MSN 8 claims to offer improved software services,...

EDITORIAL: Get marketing to kids right online.(Editorial)
August 7, 2002... Marketing to kids has long been a regulatory minefield, which was highlighted again with the recent appointment of Rowan Williams as Archbishop of Canterbury. His long-held views on the evils of marketing to children were recycled for public...

VOX POP: Are brands that target kids gaining parental consent? - Comprehensive laws about consent are not yet in place, so how can firms that target kids act responsibly, asks Mark Sweney.
August 7, 2002... The internet has become a key medium for brands wanting to target kids. But UK legislation has yet to include clear laws on gaining permission to gather personal information from children. There is nothing in the Data Protection Act that lays...

REVIEW: Shopping with Revolution - Howzat for a bargain package?
August 7, 2002... Trying to get tickets for any major sporting event is difficult, and next year's ICC Cricket World Cup is certainly no different. For cricket fans in England, Monday 15 July was a date which had long been red-inked into the diary. This World...

TRAILBLAZER: VIRTUAL assistance - Personal assistant service alldaypa has struck a deal with T-Mobile in a bid to drive its uptake by small businesses, Reuben Singh tells Emily Booth.(Interview)
August 7, 2002... When starting up a small business, you want to create an impression of a manned, professional office space, even if you're operating out of a bedsit. Reuben Singh, chairman and chief executive of alldaypa (www.alldaypa.com), a pay-on-use...

NEW SITE REVIEW: Money supermarkets online have opened consumers' eyes to their financial options. Virgin Wines' Richard Halstead sees what's on offer.
August 7, 2002... If only we each had a penny for all the confident forecasts of two years ago that failed to materialise. No one would need ever trouble venture capitalists for start-up finance again. But it's comforting to see that a few predictions have...

OPINION: Brand names should reflect brand values.
August 7, 2002... Companies should not base their brand name decision simply on the availability of a domain name, says Wolff Olins' Daniel Letts. He points out that the name should say something about the brand itself. The process by which new brands such...

MUSIC - THE BANDS STRIKE BACK.
August 7, 2002... Now that the music industry has acknowledged the web's popularity, it must find a way to stop the pirates without making life too difficult for the honest fan. Robert Gray asks how it can strike the balance. In 1979, The Buggles sang of...

CHARITY: ENDANGERED SPECIES - Could street-corner fundraisers rattling tin boxes become a thing of the past as charities look to drive donations with new technology such as SMS?
August 7, 2002... They say charity begins at home, but increasingly, modern non-profit organisations would like it to begin on the home page. According to a report released in May by Henley Management College's Centre for Voluntary Sector Management, about...

CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK: Online travel company Expedia.co.uk used a summer sale to pull visitors to its web site in a bid to boost bookings.
August 7, 2002... Campaign: Expedia summer sale Client: Expedia.co.uk Agency: Arnold Interactive Aim of campaign: The aim of the campaign was to increase cross-sell of travel products on the Expedia site (www.expedia.co.uk). Traditionally, Expedia is...

TERMINATOR 1: Estate agents won't be alone in warming to picture messaging.
August 7, 2002... I well remember the launch party for the Vodafone Message-Cam two years ago. It was the first combined phone and camera to be released in the UK, following supposedly massive uptake in Japan. But it wasn't really a combined device. It was a...

TERMINATOR 2: Get creative and you could win a digital camera.
August 7, 2002... So what has Terminator ever done for you? Well, apart from a weekly update of entertaining jibes and all-round fun poked at various aspects of the digital universe, it can also be generous to the point of insanity. Well, in this case,...

TERMINATOR 2: Whacky racers won't dent the AutoTrader rep.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Terminator was surprised to hear AutoTrader.co.uk is sponsoring Europe's first Cannonball Run. Given that the event will see 150 cars rally across Europe for four days, we were stunned such a reputable brand would sponsor what we thought was a...

TERMINATOR 2: Lycos Viral of the week Oxfam 'Make Trade Fair'.(Brief Article)
August 7, 2002... Charities have become keen to exploit viral marketing in order to generate donations and awareness of their causes. In response to the upsurge in the number of charity virals it has received, The Lycos Viral Chart has introduced a 'Good...

Man Utd plans upgrade of online and mobile content.(Manchester United Football Club)(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... Manchester United Football Club is relaunching its See Red online football joint venture with Sky under the banner MU.tv at the end of September. The premium content service is being rebuilt to make it easier to use and more integrated...

Auto Trader to trial 'print-off' ad executions.(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... The digital arm of car classifieds publisher Auto Trader is piloting an ad format that lets advertisers place targeted sales messages on car ads when they are printed off by site visitors. The scheme has been piloted with car insurance and...

Zentropy loses client services chief in media division cutback.(Alan McCulloch)(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... Alan McCulloch, client services director of Zentropy Partners and chairman of the Digital Marketing Group at the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), has been made redundant from the web agency, Revolution can reveal. Zentropy...

Emap creates central arm for digital content.(Emap Performance Interactive)(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... Publisher Emap is to launch a multimedia content division to boost revenue generation from its digital properties. Emap Performance Online, the arm in which the division will be based, is to be rebranded Emap Performance Interactive. ...

Incline to share work with sister WPP agencies after restructure.(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... Digital creative agency Incline, which is 51 per cent controlled by WPP-owned digital marketing firm Outrider, made nearly half its staff redundant and is to restructure after the imminent departure of co-founder Chris Morrison. Incline...

Over-50s portal buys sales unit in six-figure deal.(Apollo Media )(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... Over-50s lifestyle portal 50connect has acquired new-media sales house Apollo Media in a six-figure cash and shares deal. Apollo will sell 50connect's online inventory and those of other 'mature market' sites, including Over50s.com. ...

Smartcreds sets a date for closure.(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... Smartcreds, the online payments system marketed to teens and those wary of using their credit cards online, is set to close next month. It has contacted its members to tell them that the business will close on 9 September, reassuring users...

BULLETS: Asda sponsors Beehive on Sky's Gamestar to boost traffic.(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... Asda is to sponsor the popular game Beehive Bedlam on Sky digital's Gamestar for a month to drive traffic to the supermarket's iTV shopping service. The game will feature Asda banners linking to the front page of the shopping platform on Sky...

BULLETS: MSN.co.uk teams up with Trafficmac for advertising.(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... MSN.co.uk has signed a rolling contract with back-end ad-serving firm Trafficmac to outsource advertising operations for the first time. Trafficmac will work alongside MSN's in-house team to provide ad operations, plus campaign and network...

BULLETS: Royal Bank of Scotland Group in deal with Visa EU.(using Visa's online payment security system)(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... The Royal Bank of Scotland Group has struck a deal with Visa EU to use its Verified by Visa online payment security system. The banking group will offer the service, which is based on a password system, as part of its Streamline Merchant...

BULLETS: Surrey Sports rebrands Bet TV as Sky Bet.(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... Surrey Sports, Sky's betting subsidiary, is to rename its Bet TV interactive television betting platform as Sky Bet to appeal to an audience beyond the core betting market. Separately, Sky Sports is boosting its football video content for the...

BULLETS: BTLookSmart agrees listings deal with airline Go.(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... Targeted-search marketing firm BTLookSmart has signed up Go, the low-cost airline acquired by easyJet. The six-figure deal will see Go place pay-for-performance listings and graphical ads across the BTLookSmart Network, which includes UK Plus.

BULLETS: MTV UK & Ireland launches SMS game on TV.(Blingo)(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... MTV UK & Ireland is launching a television game show, called Blingo, combining SMS messaging and Bingo. Players text MTV before the show to receive a scorecard with three numbers, costing 25p plus message costs. During the show, six music...

BULLETS: Transport Department unveils drink-driving spoof site.(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... The Department of Transport has created a spoof jobs web site aimed at 17- to 24-year-old men as part of the Government's 'Think!' drink-drive campaign. The site, www.badjobs.co.uk, features a spoof job search page and banner ads linking to...

BULLETS: Levi's embarks on viral campaign for Worn Jeans line.(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... Levi's is running a viral campaign to support the launch of its Worn Jeans range and microsite rubyourself.com. The viral will be available at youth portals and download sites, with video footage from Levi's upcoming TV ads, which are due to...

BULLETS: Revolution will be back on 4 September.(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... Revolution is taking a short summer break around the Bank Holiday weekend. The next issue will be published on 4 September when normal weekly service will be resumed. In the meantime, daily news updates can be found at...

Visa develops global online payment offer.(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... Visa is launching a global online payment system to rival established providers such as PayPal and slash the cost of transferring money between countries. Visa EU will launch the service in November with a pan-European trial. It is...

Total runs press ads to push site revamp.(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... Yoghurt brand Total is undertaking a press campaign to drive consumers to its revamped site (www.totalgreekyoghurt.com). Ads in publications including BBC Good Food, Sainsbury's and Waitrose magazines will encourage readers to visit the...

Ad 2-one directors in talks to take stake.(Brief Article)
August 21, 2002... Ad 2-one's directors are in the final stages of a deal that would see management become the biggest stakeholders in the online ad-sales house. Director Grant Allaway, who has been with the firm since its inception in January 2001, and...