Revolution articles from May 2006

Revolution archives from May 2006

Sony Ericsson bolsters music link with magazines on mobile.
May 19, 2006... Sony Ericsson is to target music fans with a magazine format on mobile promoting the launch of its new W810i Walkman phone. The 'Soundtrack to your Life Mobezine' service, will let users access exclusive music content in a 'snack-size'...

Hertz seeks a digital agency for web build.
May 19, 2006... Ford Motor Company-owned car rental firm Hertz is searching for a digital agency. The brand is drawing up a shortlist of agencies to work on a web-build project and online marketing. Agency Global Beach is one name involved. A Hertz...

Channel 4 to launch programme alerts.
May 19, 2006... Channel 4 is planning to add a new feature to all its online activity that lets viewers click to receive an automatic Outlook alert, reminding them to watch the programme advertised. The move follows a successful trial of the Outlook...

Deals: Lovefilm merger.
May 19, 2006... DVD rental company Lovefilm International has announced a merger with Video Island, owner of ScreenSelect.co.uk. The merger will consolidate the two firms under the Lovefilm brand and strengthen their position in the market, which, combined,...

Deals: T-Mobile teams up.
May 19, 2006... T-Mobile UK has teamed up with Filmnight Digital, the interactive content arm of Filmnight Group, to provide on-portal film content to T-Mobile customers. The deal will allow users to purchase DVDs, ringtones, games, and view and review...

Deals: Da Vinci campaign.
May 19, 2006... Sony Pictures and Eurostar have partnered UK tourism firms VisitBritain and VisitScotland and the French tourist office, Maison de la France, to showcase the locations featured in The Da Vinci Code. The campaign coincides with the film's...

Deals: AOL signs deal.
May 19, 2006... AOL has signed a 12-month partnership deal with financial comparison site MoneyExpert.com. The site will be one of AOL's primary financial partners, offering users financial comparison content for loans, credit cards, accounts and savings...

Deals: New Woman dating.
May 19, 2006... New Woman magazine has teamed with an online dating web site Mysinglefriend.com to take over the residency and management of the 'Hot Men' section of the New Woman site. The destination (www.newwoman.co.uk/hotmen) will offer readers free access...

Deals: dgm signs SeaFrance.
May 19, 2006... Online marketing company dgm has signed SeaFrance Dover-Calais Ferries in an exclusive affiliate marketing deal. SeaFrance will use dgmPerformance, a comprehensive affiliate network, to promote the company online through exposure on 20,000 UK...

Deals: EMI Music joins forces.
May 19, 2006... EMI Music has joined forces with Rhythm NewMedia, a mobile advertising company and US mobile carriers, to trial ad-supported mobile video content. The deal offers customers free mobile video content containing TV-style advertising.

Deals: Home.co.uk partners.
May 19, 2006... Home.co.uk, the UK property web site has partnered with Fish4Homes.co.uk and PropertyToday.co.uk to create the Home.co.uk Property Search Index; a database of UK residential properties for sale. The Search Index covers properties advertised by...

Deals: British Legion and BT team up.
May 19, 2006... The British Legion and BT have teamed with fundraising specialist buy.at. to help raise funds for the Poppy Appeal using a new online fundraising initiative that places a free Webshop on the organisation's site. The Webshop will generate...

HMV runs first push dedicated to digital.
May 19, 2006... HMV is running a seven-figure ad push to exclusively promote its online store, which has been completely overhauled. The campaign, developed by Beechwood, will be HMV's largest marketing investment to support its site and marks a change of...

Good month/Bad month.
May 19, 2006... US job search engine Simply Hired is having a great month following an investment by media giant News Corp's Fox Interactive Media. Simply Hired is setting out to be the Google of job-search by linking people to tens of thousands of jobs. ...

Thomas Cook moves online into Harvest.
May 19, 2006... Thomas Cook has moved its online planning and buying account to Harvest Digital from long-term incumbent Quantum, and is increasing its online spend by 50 per cent. Harvest was hired without a pitch after it worked alongside Quantum on a...

Tampax aims to attract teens with new 'effortless' message.
May 19, 2006... Procter and Gamble feminine hygiene brand Tampax is urging teenage girls to get the most out of life through an integrated ad campaign. The activity, aimed at girls aged 11 to 19 will focus on a dedicated microsite and online ads, created...

Saab rolls out new campaign for the 9-3 Convertible's 20th.
May 19, 2006... Saab has launched a fresh positioning for its 9-3 Convertible with an ad campaign to celebrate the model's 20th anniversary. Agency Draft London came up with the concept of the 'iConvertible' to play on the car's status as a modern icon....

Wrigley takes alien view for Guarana gum.
May 19, 2006... Wrigley has launched a viral site to push its new Airwaves Active with Guarana chewing gum. The viral echoes the 'Come To Your Senses' concept featuring aliens created by above-the-line agency AMV BBDO for the current TV campaign. A...

118 mimics Honda with new viral push.
May 19, 2006... The Number-owned directory enquiries service 118 118 has unveiled a viral push that plays on the recent Honda Civic ad. The Honda Civic ad, by agency Wieden & Kennedy London, used a specially formed choir to replicate the sounds of the car,...

Just Breaking: Top 10 breaking banners by impressions (1-31 March 2006).
May 19, 2006... 1. Brunel Franklin & Company - Endowment just not adding up? 2. Monster.com - Post a job 3. Ultralase - WIN laser eye treatment 4. Skype - The whole world can talk for free 5. Eurotunnel - Motorist's number one choice for crossing the...

Ribena turns to web for brand reposition.
May 19, 2006... GSK-owned Ribena has hired Play as its first online advertising agency to reposition the juice as a drink for adults. Play won the account without a pitch. The agency's initial task will be to develop an online ad campaign to push the...

Owen on Digital Media: Analogue still has a role to play in the new digital society.
May 19, 2006... Digital, it seems, really is everywhere. Even in politics. Tory leader David Cameron recently castigated Gordon Brown by labelling him 'an analogue politician in a digital age'. Whereas, not so long ago, being 'digital' was geeky and niche,...

Account wins.
May 19, 2006... MASTERFOODS has chosen glue London to handle the digital ad brief for its Mars World Cup Believe campaign as part of a pounds 3.7 million integrated push. The agency, hired after a three-way pitch, will work alongside Mars' roster agencies -...

Age Concern unveils community scheme.(Heyday)(Brief article)
May 19, 2006... Heyday, the membership scheme for 55 to 65-year-olds backed by Age Concern, is to unveil a community site as part of its pounds 8 million launch. The interactive site, which has yet to be allocated a URL or holding page, will act as an...

Pathe uses Lycos to push 'Silent Hill' film.
May 19, 2006... Film distributor Pathe has teamed with Lycos in an exclusive online media deal to promote its new horror movie release, Silent Hill. The campaign was planned and bought by digital media agency BLM Quantum. It will see the main entry...

Tracker: Fast mover - football sector.(Brief article)
May 19, 2006... Bolton Wonders sent more emails than any other UK football club in March. It sent 17 e-newsletters, which accounted for some 17.9 per cent of all emails sent by British clubs. This was when the various clubs sent a total of 79 emails to...

Disney reveals pan-European redesign.
May 19, 2006... The Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) has overhauled its UK web presence to appeal to a broader consumer audience. The new look will be rolled out to 13 other local sites across Europe in the coming months. The new site (www.disney. co.uk)...

Christian Aid boosts drive for donations.
May 19, 2006... Christian Aid is planning an integrated marketing push to raise awareness and drive donations during its annual Christian Aid Week from 14 May. Activity includes online ads developed by digital agency Poke, alongside direct mail and press...

IPA reports ad budgets rise for online only.(Institute of Practitioners in Advertising)(Brief article)
May 19, 2006... Online was the only media to see ad budgets rise in the first quarter of 2006. The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising's (IPA) Bellwether Report reveals that 25.8 per cent of firms increased internet budgets in the three months to...

Griffiths on Mobile: Hello mobile email, blogging and even instant messaging.
May 19, 2006... Mobile users love it. Consumers, businesses, operators and software suppliers are all embracing it. To see the level of interest in messaging you just need to look at the slew of recent industry announcements. In one of the biggest, at...

Vodafone commits 2006 Passport budget online.
May 19, 2006... Vodafone UK is planning to launch a pounds 3 million advertising campaign to promote its overseas roaming service that will be exclusively online. The Vodafone Passport push, designed by the mobile operator's new digital creative agency...

Sage woos entrepreneurs with its business services package.(Sage Software Inc. (Irvine, California))(Brief article)
May 19, 2006... UK software firm Sage has kicked off an online media push to promote Sage START-UP, its new subscription-based service aimed at entrepreneurs. The campaign, developed by digital media agency Zed, is targeted at budding entrepreneurs and...

Robinsons to target women in hair salons.
May 19, 2006... Robinsons High juice is targeting 'aspirational' women in an interactive campaign developed for digital screens in hair salons. Four pages of interactive content and ads will run on 1,200 screens run by media specialist i-vu in 170 UK hair...

Time Thief: Robin Auld, marketing manager at Domino's Pizza, tells us his day.
May 19, 2006... 23% Talking to agencies and partners about projects - We have a great set of very understanding agencies and brand partners who work with us, often to tight deadlines. 20% Reading emails - The sheer volume rises disproportionately faster...

FA adds web chat in time for World Cup.
May 19, 2006... The Football Association is to add a number of new features to its web site, TheFA.com, in preparation for the 2006 World Cup, which starts in June. Users will be able to chat with England players and coaching staff live from the...

Gaffney on America: Internet offers some comfort for down-on-their-luck car makers.
May 19, 2006... There's this huge pink elephant in the middle of US living rooms right now. In fact, there are two: a big one named GM and a smaller one named Ford. They're both emblazoned with a huge sign asking 'bankrupt?'. The potential, once...

Performance Index: 1 March - 31 March 2006, 8am - 8pm.(performance index of websites)(Brief article)
May 19, 2006... 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 web...

Moving on up: MIVA promotion.
May 19, 2006... MIVA has promoted Seb Bishop from chief marketing officer to president. In his new position, Bishop will continue his CMO responsibilities and focus on driving the business on a global level. This includes developing new ad channels and...

Moving on up: Telegraph promotion.
May 19, 2006... Ken Breen, group sales director at The Telegraph, has been promoted to sales director, newspapers and online. He has been at The Telegraph for eight years and became sales director, newspapers last September.

Moving on up: Agency.com promotion.
May 19, 2006... Agency.com has promoted group account director Alex Wright to managing director of the London office. Wright, who has been at Agency.com since 1995 in a variety of roles, including head of creative, will be responsible for the overall direction...

Moving on up: Design UK appoints.
May 19, 2006... Design UK has expanded its team by hiring three new senior people: client services director Thaddeus Hickman, who joins from Agog Media, senior developer Mark Drew, who leaves Affiniti and account manager Tillie Mair, from Diesel.

Moving on up: Commission Junction hires.
May 19, 2006... Commission Junction, the affiliate marketing division of Value-Click Europe, has hired Matt Reid as head of advertiser development. He will be responsible for boosting the portfolio of advertiser and agency accounts in the UK and Ireland, and...

Moving on up: Foolproof appoints.
May 19, 2006... Foolproof, the user experience consultancy, has appointed Ray McCune as head of business development and client management. He will develop client programmes and leaves Fhios.

Moving on up: Wheel appointment.
May 19, 2006... Wheel has hired Christian Purser as director of strategy and planning. He leaves Modem Media, where he was VP and ran the Hewlett-Packard account across EMEA. His new remit includes implementing agency-wide strategic planning tools.

Moving on up: iConcertina appoints.
May 19, 2006... Kirk Thomason has joined iConcertina, which specialises in building online applications for clients, as account manager. Thomason has expertise in mobile integration and e-commerce and joins from Transact where he worked with clients including...

Moving on up: Incentivated appoints.
May 19, 2006... Robert Thurner has joined Incentivated as commercial director. He moves from Clear Channel Outdoor, the global media company, where he was group marketing director for operations across Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa. He will be responsible...

Moving on up: Mulholland takes helm.
May 19, 2006... Steve Mulholland has taken the creative helm at Crayon Direct Advertising. He was most recently creative director on Xbox and Motorola at Wunderman London, and has also worked at JWT and Agency.com.

Moving on up: Euro RSCG Riley appoints.
May 19, 2006... Euro RSCG Riley, a HR communications agency, has appointed Drew Spencer as head of digital strategy. He has extensive digital experience in the recruitment advertising industry, and has led major projects for the likes of The Boeing Company,...

Moving on up: MRM Worldwide appoints.
May 19, 2006... MRM Worldwide (UK) has appointed Adam Plater as programme manager and Adrian Jarvis as senior planner. Plater joins from Wunderman Interactive, where he was lead project manager for all Ford work. Jarvis leaves Ogilvy, where he planned the Dove...

Moving on up: Code appointment.
May 19, 2006... Andrew Davenport has joined Code as business development director. Previously business development director at Sass, Andrew has over 20 years' experience of sales and marketing in a career spanning retail, distribution and manufacturing.

Moving on up: Kieron Mathews - Internet Advertising Bureau.
May 19, 2006... Kieron Mathews has become the first head of marketing at the Internet Advertising Bureau(IAB), where he will promote online to advertisers and agencies, reporting to CEO Guy Phillipson. Matthews moves from the role of marketing director at...

Andrex delivers web site for new colours.
May 19, 2006... Kimberly-Clark-owned toilet tissue brand Andrex has unveiled a new web site to support the pounds 2.3 million launch of its new colour range. The site aims to promote the brand's three new colours: 'aqua', 'gentle pink' and 'warm natural'....

Flextech TV selects agency for Trouble.(Flextech Television Ltd.)(Holler Digital)(Brief article)
May 19, 2006... Flextech Television brand Trouble Home Grown has appointed agency Holler to develop an online community. Flextech Television wants to promote the Trouble brand across multiple platforms by launching a user-generated content network that...

Rombouts to update image in online drive.(www.rombouts. co.uk )(internet services of Koffie F. Rombouts N.V.)(Brief article)
May 19, 2006... RHM Foods-owned coffee brand Rombouts has launched a new web site for a more contemporary image. The site (www.rombouts. co.uk), developed by Code, aims to establish 'The Rombouts Moment' and encourage consumers to take time out with a cup...

Murphy on Dotcom Life: Friends Reunited to improve navigation with 'amateur chic'.(Michael Murphy)(service enhancements of Friends Reunited)
May 19, 2006... When the team begins to discuss a redesign of one of the sites I always say the same thing: 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. And they always say the same thing back: 'yeah yeah yeah Michael, but it can always work better'. Recently we...

Digital Direct: Pay-per-call is not for all, but can be effective in the mix.(online information services)(Brief article)
May 19, 2006... While e-commerce lets customers research online and retailers cut costs by eliminating call centres and physical stores, a multi-channel strategy is becoming increasingly important. People still like to go into stores and to be able to speak to...

Guardian targets job seekers of tomorrow.
May 19, 2006... Guardian Unlimited has created a microsite and email campaign to capture data for its online jobs service. Peopleprofiler.co.uk aims to build a rapport with people not currently seeking a new job, so they will consider Guardian Jobs when...

Direct Stats: This month.(surveys of direct marketing)(Brief article)
May 19, 2006... Consumers' positive responses to direct marketing have risen by four per cent. The 2005 Participation Media survey by the Direct Marketing Association polled 2,000 people and found the percentage who reacted well to direct marketing had...

News Analysis: IAB figures underplay web impact.(Internet Advertising Bureau)
May 19, 2006... The UK Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) predicts that web media spend will reach pounds 2bn this year, after breaking the pounds 1bn barrier in 2005. Yet, hidden spend, such as affiliate marketing, not included in the IAB research...

News Analysis: NTL plans 'four-play' with Virgin.
May 19, 2006... NTL's anticipated takeover of Virgin Mobile was finally agreed last month, creating the UK's first 'quadruple-play' company. The pounds 962 million deal follows NTL's pounds 3.4 billion merger with cable firm Telewest in October. NTL says...

Vox Pop: Does Yahoo!'s move signal an end to the agency's cut?
May 19, 2006... Is it time to axe agency commission in the search sector? Yahoo! Search Marketing is to change its agency discount policy in the UK. From July, those spending pounds 20,000 to pounds 79,999 a month will get a five per cent discount; those...

Quotes of the month.
May 19, 2006... 'The depth of strategic insight, diversity of talent and the palpable roar of creative energy, coupled with a great selection of clients, makes this office an engine for truly brilliant work' AGENCY.COM'S Alex Wright waxes lyrical after his...

Comment: Timing is paramount for today's digital marketers.
May 19, 2006... The IPA's TouchPoints Survey, launched in March, brings into focus the changes in media consumption, highlighting the profound effect that digital technology is having on the marketing communications industry and wider society. Costing more...

Shopping: Review - Tooled up with the perfect shed.(Shedstore.co.uk)
May 19, 2006... It's not long ago that gardening was trumpeted as the new rock 'n' roll. Alan Titchmarsh on lead guitar and vocals, Charlie Dimmock plucking the bass and Tommy Walsh beating out the rhythm on drums. A nation rocked. I too got the bug and...

Shopping: Shopping stats - UK shoppers warm to comparison sites.
May 19, 2006... With annual growth of 30 per cent, the shopping comparison market is booming. The UK shopping comparison market is growing and was worth up to pounds 140m in 2005, according to E-consultancy. This figure is based on the combined incomes of...

Shopping: Sector checker - Chicken Little site fails to reflect the fun of the film.
May 19, 2006... Buy3Cows.com's Jeremy Hill is not too impressed by the site for 'Chicken Little' and feels its creators have not considered the target audience. Web: www.chickenlittle.co.uk Developer: Digital Outlook The Chicken Little site is...

Vodafone: Digital takes centre stage at Vodafone.
May 19, 2006... Susie Harwood talks to Dominic Chambers about his plans to catch up in digital marketing. Vodafone has been in the news for all the wrong reasons of late, with headlines dominated by boardroom battles and the departure of its chief...

Revolution Awards: Sector celebrates digital success.
May 19, 2006... The ninth Revolution Awards recognised the top talent in the industry. Despite clashing with St Patrick's Day, this year's Revolution Awards was as packed as ever, attracting more than 1,200 guests to London's Grosvenor House Hotel for an...

Site Build: How to get your site in shape.
May 19, 2006... Revamping a web site without planning ahead is a waste of time, discovers Emma Rigby. However, buy-in across the firm and a targeted strategy will bring success. Every man and his dog has a web site nowadays. Not only do most businesses...

Online Promotion: PR goes digital.
May 19, 2006... The web is becoming ever more important for promoting brands. Organisations that ignore it do so at their peril, warns Victoria Furness. As marketing campaigns have increasingly moved online, PR activity has followed and in its wake...

The Revolution Search Marketing Report sponsored by Yahoo!: Web search focus will build brands.
May 19, 2006... Online advertising and sponsored searches are both fantastic tools in their own right - with clear advantages for brand building and driving both on- and offline sales. The challenge lies not only in communicating these benefits to...

The Revolution Search Marketing Report, sponsored by Yahoo!: Ethical dilemma.(Google Inc.)(search engines to manage their websites)
May 19, 2006... Google's blacklisting of BMW sends a clear warning that brands need to optimise their sites wisely. But how? Marcus Austin reports. In February the search engine marketing community was rocked by news that Google had blacklisted BMW's...

The Revolution Search Marketing Report, sponsored by Yahoo!: British Airways - BA puts search in the spotlight.
May 19, 2006... Search accounts for a tenth of sales on ba.com and BA plans to triple the budget for it this year. Suzy Bashford finds out where the extra cash will be going. News that British Airways (BA) plans to close its call centre in Belfast and 17...

Masterclass: The Revolution Masterclass on cross-media planning.
May 19, 2006... A true cross-media campaign is one that is tailored to its target audience and the different channels on which it is placed, finds Susie Harwood. Cross-media has become a commonly used term in the media-planning industry as the number of...

Trailblazer: Life online.(Horsesmouth.co.uk)
May 19, 2006... MT Rainey tells Emma Rigby how her new online-only venture, Horsesmouth.co.uk, aims to be an 'eBay of life experiences'. It all began one afternoon last year. Some high-profile media names got together to brainstorm ideas on how technology...

Creative review: Mark Chalmers creative director, StrawberryFrog.
May 19, 2006... Chalmers says his job is to 'make international advertising that gets talked about'. Key clients include Heineken, Onitsuka Tiger, Coca-Cola and Pfizer. 'Online creativity is getting better every day. Faster broadband and the migration of...

Campaign of the month: KitKash.
May 19, 2006... Campaign: KitKash Client: Nestle Rowntree Agency: RMG Connect Background: Nestle Rowntree had used digital for previous promotions, ranging from a Trinny and Susannah sponsorship to a pounds 10,000 shopping spree on Handbag.com. But,...

Terminator 1: If you want to take up residence on my iPod, keep it real.
May 19, 2006... IPod, you pod, he/she pods, we pod, they pod. We're all at it. The fact that Apple has shipped 41 million of the little bundles of joy over the last 12 months (www.apple.com) is testament to the universal appeal of the little marvel - or some...

Terminator 2: Crayon clowns around to free creative juices.
May 19, 2006... It was no ordinary team-building exercise. Those crazy guys at Crayon went on a three-day 'clowning' course to release their creative channels. Well, that was their excuse. As one of the team explains: 'Shutting my eyes, and letting...

Terminator 2: Alexis crowned the kebab king of the night.(Alexis Sitaropoulos of Miva Corp. to recieve awards)(Brief article)
May 19, 2006... Many awards were dished out for digital marketing at the Revolution Awards, but Terminator would like to hand out an extra Man of the Night accolade to MIVA's Alexis Sitaropoulos for his remarkable performance. Picture the scene: the...

Terminator 2: Beech uncovers missing part in Harmony's.(www.whereyoutakecontrol.com)(advertising of transvestite)(Brief article)
May 19, 2006... Beechwood faced obstacles when creating a viral for Sportingoods. A racy clip (www.whereyoutakecontrol.com) shows a gorgeous girl playing strip poker with a guy in a dimly lit room. The girl keeps losing and soon she's topless with one...