Revolution articles from November 2006

Revolution archives from November 2006

Letter from the editor.(Editorial)
November 29, 2006... It seems users all have 'bi-polar disorder'. We used to know it as 'manic depressive', but this new term, developed to take the stigma out of the condition, fits in nicely with some blinding digital insight from Andy Hyatt, digital partner at...

Eurostar goes online to promote alpine services to UK ski fans.
November 29, 2006... Eurostar is to target time-poor travellers with an online campaign to promote its new Ski Train service to the French Alps. Created by glue London, the ads push two new day and night services. They depart from London Waterloo and Ashford in...

Digital agency staff wages above average.
November 29, 2006... A new survey into recruitment in the marketing sector confirms digital agencies are paying more than their offline counterparts for talent as demand continues to outstrip supply. The findings from a survey by Aquent, conducted exclusively...

DoH hires Profero for Smokefree campaign.
November 29, 2006... The Department of Health has hired digital agency Profero to develop a site for the SmokeFree England campaign. Profero was appointed to the brief by government agency COI following a pitch against an undisclosed number of agencies on...

Deals: AOL announces new partnership with Saga.
November 29, 2006... AOL has announced a new partnership with Saga to provide an online holiday search facility for the over-50s. Shown as 'Holiday Search Provided by Saga', the new service is located within the 'Holidays' drop-down menu of the travel channel on...

Deals: Red Eye Internation buys optimum.web.
November 29, 2006... ECRM specialist Red Eye International has bought UK usability firm optimum.web for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition of optimum.web, whose clients include Bacardi, the DTI, COI and Abbey, will allow usability and accessibility services to...

Deals: PriceRunner signs deal with MSN.
November 29, 2006... ValueClick-owned shopping comparison service PriceRunner has signed a deal with MSN to become the primary provider of price-comparison content for MSN's shopping channel in the UK and France. The deal started last month in time for Christmas.

Deals: Carphone Warehouse reaches agreement AOL's internaet access business.
November 29, 2006... Carphone Warehouse has reached agreement with Time Warner for Carphone Warehouse to acquire AOL's internet access business in the UK for pounds 370m. Carphone Warehouse will acquire AOL's internet access customer base in the UK, and supporting...

Deals: Yomego teams with Two Way TV.
November 29, 2006... Yomego, the entertainment division of DA Group, has teamed with Two Way TV to enable TV viewers to create personalised animated avatars and have them play games and chat on TV. The platform, created by the two firms, is targeted at broadcasters...

Deals: Tiberlake's new video launches on Windows Live Messenger Xclusives.
November 29, 2006... Sony BMG UK joined Microsoft's Windows Live Messenger to show Justin Timberlake's new video My Love, taken from the number-one album FutureSex/LoveSounds, on Windows Live Messenger Xclusives. The deal is the first time any artist has...

Deals: BMW simulated national driving challenge.
November 29, 2006... BMW has linked up with outdoor ad network Titan Outdoor to create a simulated, national driving challenge. The partnership, to push the new BMW X3, will see Titan use its PromoRail concourse sites and Transvision digital billboards to take...

Deals: BBC Worldwide signs deal with Telstra.
November 29, 2006... BBC Worldwide has signed its first Australian deal with Telstra to supply a selection of BBC video-on-demand content for its portal platform, BigPond Movies. The service will let Telstra broadband subscribers license a substantial range of BBC...

Deals: Phones 4u become Vodafone's exclusive retail partner.
November 29, 2006... Vodafone and Phones 4u have announced a new strategic agreement for the high-street chain to become Vodafone's exclusive retail partner for contract subscriptions. The deal does not affect the sale of phones on Vodafone's pay-as-you-go tariffs....

IIva arrives in the UK with digital 'ish' ads.
November 29, 2006... Danish furniture store Ilva has hired digital creative agency Lean Mean Fighting Machine to boost the brand's profile as it opens its first UK stores. The firm, the second-largest furniture retailer in Denmark, is aiming to take on Swedish...

Tesco raises awareness of mobile service.
November 29, 2006... Tesco has unveiled a new site for its mobile network to raise awareness of the service and provide an online destination for existing and new customers. The launch coincides with a TV branding campaign for the Tesco Mobile network. The...

Hackett adds a luxury touch to e-commerce site in global drive.
November 29, 2006... Hackett, the British classic style brand, has launched a luxury e-commerce site in a bid to grow the brand globally. The site (www.hackett.com) aims to create a luxury brand experience online and drive the growing luxury-clothing e-commerce...

Good month/bad month.(YouTube Inc. bought by search giant Google Inc.)(Advertising agencies bad at financial management)(Sony Corp. plagued by problems in launch of its Playstation 3)
November 29, 2006... Good news for the digital market with the latest IAB and PricewaterhouseCoopers figures revealing 40.3 per cent year-on-year growth in online ad spend for the first half of 2006 to pounds 917.2 million. It gives online an ad spend of 10.5 per...

BBC takes Good Food magazine online in a bid for the top spot.
November 29, 2006... BBC Worldwide is set to launch BBCGoodFood.com, which it hopes will be the number one site for food and cookery fans. BBCGoodFood.com is the web extension of Good Food magazine, which is the market leader in its category. The BBC is...

Honda set for digital promo for mobile app.
November 29, 2006... Honda will launch a digital and direct-marketing campaign to support the launch of its mobile application, Honda Mobile. The mobile service is part of a plan to get closer to Honda's company car drivers. The tool lets drivers keep track of...

Five rolls out web TV ads for new channels.
November 29, 2006... Five has unveiled an online TV video campaign to back the launch of its new Freeview digital channels, 'Life' and 'US'. The campaign will run across Utarget TV, the TV network recently launched by the sales house, and offer full-page video...

Just breaking: Top 10 breaking Banners by impressions.(Brief article)
November 29, 2006... TOP 10 BREAKING BANNERS BY IMPRESSIONS (1-30 September 2006) 1 BT Today, Tomorrow, BT Total Broadband 2 CISNet Someone's got the HOTS for YOU 3 AutoTrader Sell your car fast 4 eBay eBay & Skype =...

Quantas ads adopt 'where are you?' tag.
November 29, 2006... Qantas has joined with Tourism Australia to launch a co-branded web campaign promoting Australia as a holiday destination. The promotion aims to use the creative ads from the Tourism Australia marketing to sell the airline's services, which...

Owen on digital media: The brave agency that dares will win and keep clients.
November 29, 2006... Why do agencies preach to clients about building brands based on differentiation and then fail to realise that they sound the same, look the same and do the same thing as all their competitors in the marketplace? The fact that, in the ad...

Account wins.
November 29, 2006... Pernod Ricard has appointed design and interactive agency Glass and promotions agency Attention to deliver all digital work for its white spirit range. This follows the consolidation of the digital accounts for three of its major brands:...

Norwich Union plans series of microsites.
November 29, 2006... Aviva-owned finance brand Norwich Union has hired digital agency Halpern Cowan to create a series of microsites aimed at helping customers make sense of its online products. The microsites, accessed via Norwichunion.com, will be a precursor...

Percol seeks superior experience for brand.
November 29, 2006... Organic coffee company Percol has launched an interactive site in a bid to position the brand as offering a superior experience. Percol.co.uk's launch follows a brand refresh earlier this year, which included new packaging, rebranding and a...

Tracker: Fast mover - YouTube.(Brief article)
November 29, 2006... The fastest-growing online brands in the UK this year confirm that user-generated content is definitely the new phenomenon in the online world. The top three are: YouTube with 478 per cent growth, Flickr with 131 per cent and MySpace with...

Beck's supports Vier with 'four' web push.
November 29, 2006... Beck's has launched an online campaign to promote the launch of Vier, its new, four per cent, premium beer. Created by DraftFCB London, the online ads support the outdoor campaign, which launched last month, and aim to drive traffic to...

Holiday-Rentals gives advertisers US offer.(Brief article)
November 29, 2006... Holiday-Rentals.co.uk has launched a US network as part of a strategy to create a new, global offer for advertisers. The US network launch comes after its acquisition by US-based HomeAway last year and is a major step in the firm's plan to...

C4 video ads trailer its new drama online.
November 29, 2006... Channel 4 has launched a web campaign to promote its new drama series, Goldplated. The ads use full-motion video, and extend a print and TV campaign devised by 4Creative. The push drives users online to view the trailer for the series,...

Griffiths on mobile: Heaven is instant messaging for my Blackberry habit.
November 29, 2006... I love my Blackberry. As anyone who knows me is aware, I think it's the best wireless invention yet. I am told by others that I have a 'crackberry' habit, which, of course, I deny. But, the service has just become even more tempting - I've...

Halifax revamp offers more user-friendly online banking.
November 29, 2006... Halifax is refreshing its web site as part of a new strategy aimed at encouraging more customers to manage their account online. The revamp follows extensive customer research, carried out by the bank in conjunction with integrated agency...

Blue Inc launches e-commerce store as part of expansion plan.
November 29, 2006... Blue Inc, the high-street fashion chain for men, has launched its first e-commerce site to extend its reach to new audiences and boost sales. The online store, developed by digital agency Pod1, will stock Blue Inc's own products, alongside...

Rev Awards now open for online entries.
November 29, 2006... The site for entries to the 2007 Revolution Awards has gone live (www.revolutionawards.co.uk). The event, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary, rewards the best in digital marketing. New categories have been introduced to better...

Time thief: Max Moore, VP business development Europe at Roo, outlines his day.
November 29, 2006... 5% Commuting I set off in the morning after the engine has been started, usually after three cups of tea. I aim to have some industry reading - articles or a trade mag - to mix up the Metro consumption on the Tube. 25% Contracts ...

USwitch eyes US for overseas expansion.(uSwitch Ltd.)(Brief article)
November 29, 2006... USwitch is likely to launch in the US next year, followed by continental Europe, as part of a major expansion after its pounds 210 million takeover by US media conglomerate EW Scripps in March. The online utilities switching company, which...

Performance index.(Argos Distributors Ltd.)(Google Inc.)(Yahoo! Inc.)(Brief article)(Company rankings)
November 29, 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 month, and the worst performing...

Gaffney on America: Roll up, roll up, feast your eyes on 'The Google Collection'.
November 29, 2006... This is completely uncool to say, but I don't care a whole lot about Google buying YouTube. In fact, I wouldn't care if Google bought MySpace tomorrow and Wikipedia the day after. Google making acquisitions is not going to make it a better...

Moving on up: Appointment at i-level.
November 29, 2006... Peter Suchet has been appointed by digital media agency i-level as marketing director. He is responsible for both i-level and the Generator Consulting business. Suchet was previously business development director at PDV, an online direct...

Moving on up: Appointment at ITV.
November 29, 2006... ITV has appointed Melissa Goodwin to the new role of head of mobile in ITV's growing consumer team. Goodwin, who joins from Fremantle, where she was VP of interactive and telephony, will lead ITV's mobile strategy and look for new revenue...

Moving on up: Appointment at Associated Northcliffe Digital.
November 29, 2006... Associated Northcliffe Digital (AND) has hired Russell Scott as local digital property director. His new role will focus on strengthening the local digital property strategy of Northcliffe Newspapers. Scott moves from fish4 where he was...

Moving on up: Appointment at Piczo.
November 29, 2006... Piczo, a social networking site with more than 10 million teenage users, has hired Chris Seth as managing director, responsible for the UK and expansion into Europe. He leaves Richmond Events where he was managing director for UK and European...

Moving on up: Appointment at LunarStorm UK.
November 29, 2006... LunarStorm UK has appointed Nils Hammar as its new CEO. He will be responsible for the strategic direction of the teen community web site in the UK. Hammar joins the company from internet telephony business Skype Technologies.

Moving on up: Appointment at STA Travel UK.
November 29, 2006... STA Travel UK has hired Celia Pronto as marketing director; a new role created in a recent restructure of the UK operation. She will be responsible for UK marketing strategy and branding, on- and offline marketing, e-commerce, PR, CRM and...

Moving on up: Appointment at buy.at.
November 29, 2006... UK affiliate network buy.at has hired a new chief executive in an bid to maintain its rapid growth. Kevin Cornils was previously managing director of Match.com, which he helped grow into the European market leader in online dating.

Moving on up: Appointment at Harvest Digital.
November 29, 2006... Web marketing agency Harvest Digital has recruited John Randle as head of design as part of an expansion following recent client wins, including Thomas Cook and TIC. Randle brings more than 10 years' design experience. He joins from Balance...

Moving on up: Appointment at Guardian Newspapers Limited.
November 29, 2006... Guardian Newspapers Limited has strengthened its senior digital team with the appointment of Tom Turcan as head of digital media development. In this new role, Turcan will have key responsibility for the firm's software development and...

Moving on up: Appointment at Eyeblaster.
November 29, 2006... Digital marketing technology company Eyeblaster has hired Joe Girling from Adobe Systems Europe to be its new general manager for international operations. He replaces former international GM, Yoav Arnstein, who has moved to New York to become...

Moving on up: Appointment at D&AD.
November 29, 2006... Simon Waterfall, creative director of digital agency Poke, is set to become the youngest-ever president of the D&AD. He will also become the first representative of a digital agency to lead the body, which aims to stimulate the highest...

Moving on up: Appointment at Clark McKay and Walpole.
November 29, 2006... Clark McKay and Walpole has appointed David Smith as head of its digital division, CMW Interactive. Smith, who previously spent eight years at EHS Brann and joins from start-up Cinegularity where he was company director, replaces Sean...

Moving on up: Appointment at Cheapflights.
November 29, 2006... Joe Sikorsky has joined travel comparison site Cheapflights as head of UK marketing. He will be responsible for all of the brand's marketing and newsletter functions and report to UK commercial director Rob Passmore. Sikorsky was...

Coca-Cola boosts its online music vaults.
November 29, 2006... Coca-Cola is expanding its web music content following a deal with US-based emerging music magazine Paste, which will see it offer free downloads and podcasts in all 26 countries where Coca-Cola.com is available. It is part of a strategy...

Center Parcs names new lead web agency.
November 29, 2006... Center Parcs has hired Goodtechnology as its lead digital agency, replacing Global Beach. The holiday park operator has tasked Goodtechnology with developing a strategy for future work across digital platforms. It has already revamped...

Furness gives site a facelift to up quotes.(Furness Building Society signed Tamar)(Brief article)
November 29, 2006... Furness Building Society has overhauled its site in a bid to improve usability and accessibility and boost quote requests. The financial services firm hired e-commerce agency Tamar to revamp the site and make it accessible to W3C Level1....

Murphy on dotcom life: Is there any excuse for users not getting what they want?
November 29, 2006... Even after years of working in the digital marketplace, I'm still amazed at the fact that, no matter how exclusive, niche or unique something is, you can find it online. Whether that's information or like-minded individuals. Just for a bit...

Digital direct: Reward schemes can add value to customers' baskets.
November 29, 2006... Research from You Gov reveals only nine per cent of shoppers said collecting loyalty and reward points would make them visit the same store. But, this doesn't distinguish between on- and offline or between own-branded and coalition schemes. ...

Rentokil rolls out first major search project.
November 29, 2006... Pest control company Rentokil Initial is embarking on its first major search engine marketing activity as part of a wider strategy to build direct relationships with customers via the web. The firm has hired UK search agency bigmouthmedia...

Direct Stats.(direct e-mail advertising)(Survey)(Brief article)
November 29, 2006... This month Email click-through rates have fallen by 3.5 per cent in the last year, according to the DMA National Email Benchmarking Survey, Philip Buxton reports. Total click-through rates for emails aimed at customer acquisition fell in...

Mazda invests major sum in digital promo.
November 29, 2006... Mazda has invested a six-figure sum in its first online-led campaign to promote the new MX-5 Roadster Coupe. The pan-European campaign, which features three viral videos and a microsite, will be supported by an offline poster campaign...

United Biscuits asks for votes on dunking.(Brief article)
November 29, 2006... United Biscuits (UB) brand McVitie's has launched a web site to host its National Dunk Debate to find out whether the nation prefers dunking or crunching its biscuits. The web site will also act as a diary and showcase for the Dunk Debate...

Vital statistics.
November 29, 2006... This month Research shows 16 to 24-year-olds use digital the most, with older users trailing. Recent research shows that technology is widening the gap between older and younger generations in terms of how they consume media. A study...

Analysis: Publishers assert content rights.
November 29, 2006... Publishers are preparing to take search engines, particularly Google, to task over content ownership and copyright with the announcement of a new, global initiative. The European Publishers Council (EPC) recently announced plans to launch...

Analysis: Digital agencies pay more for talent.(Survey)
November 29, 2006... A new survey into recruitment in the marketing sector confirms digital agencies are paying more for talent as demand continues to outstrip supply. The survey by recruitment agency Aquent, conducted exclusively for Revolution, reveals that...

Vox pop: Is the age of the interruptive online ad nearing an end?
November 29, 2006... As the popularity of overlays falls, do they have any future? In the IAB/PricewaterhouseCoopers online advertising figures revealed last month, it was reported that spend is soaring, approaching pounds 1bn for the first six months of 2006....

Quotes of the month.
November 29, 2006... 'There has been lots of speculation about whether or not Google has bought themselves a burning pile of liability by buying YouTube' - Gavin McGinty, a lawyer who specialises in e-commerce and IT at Pinsent Masons 'It will be a blood-bath'...

Editorial: If you can't beat them, call them up.(Editorial)
November 29, 2006... There were many interesting things about Google's decision to pay pounds 880 million (in shares) for YouTube. But, for a clue as to how traditional brand owners might view the shift that this deal represents, look no further than how - in the...

Comment: Yes, integration is the key. But, why is it so difficult?
November 29, 2006... Everyone is talking integration. Marketers are telling service providers they want integration and agencies are claiming they're integrated, but no-one has changed the way they work or think. Marketers continue to hire separate agencies for TV,...

Shopping: Review - Snap happy after three months.(Product/service evaluation)
November 29, 2006... I own a four-year-old Canon S50, 5MB, compact digital camera and, having taken quite a few pictures recently, I decided it was time to move up to digital SLR. My search was narrowed down to a Canon or Nikon as these two do a great job at...

Shopping stats: Retailers slow to refund web buys offline.
November 29, 2006... A report finds 45 per cent of high-street retailers do not allow customers to return web-bought items. Only 55 per cent of high-street retailers allow customers to return a product they have purchased online to their offline stores. ...

Sector checker: Channel 4's refreshing style makes it on to my 'favourites'.
November 29, 2006... Circus Street's Jeremy Hill is impressed by Channel 4's online news and its 'Morning Report' podcast attracts some fans around the office. Web: www.channel4.com/news Developer: in-house Once seen as the Shangri La of the internet...

Halifax takes 'extra' focus to the web.(Halifax Bank)
November 29, 2006... Marketing head Steve Griffiths explains to Susie Harwood how Halifax is revamping its online banking service now that the brand is 'front of mind' for customers. Love it or loathe it, there's no denying that Halifax's ads stand out. The...

Digital training: Offline talent makes the leap.(Emily Taylor)(Damian Blackden)(Craig Hanna)
November 29, 2006... As employers face a skills shortage in digital, some are finding it pays to train up staff from other sectors. Emily Taylor, senior strategic planner at digital agency AKQA, started her career in management consulting. She spent two years at...

Web analytics: Data helps point the way for Virgin.
November 29, 2006... How web analytics helped Virgin Atlantic to improve its online presence and retain more of its visitors. Patrick Odey, web site production manager at Virgin Atlantic, is in good spirits. He has just been looking at the data from web analytics...

The BIMAS 2006: BIMAS shortlist 2006.
November 29, 2006... The BIMA Awards celebrate the best in digital creativity. Find out if you made it on to this year's shortlist for November's event. Digital campaigns for Levi's, Nokia, Intel, Nike and Coke are among those short listed for this year's...

Creative rules.
November 29, 2006... Keeping it simple and offering an eye-catching design are winners in email marketing, reports Susie Harwood. Brands invest a lot of money in making sure their web sites look good and are easy to navigate, using tools such as usability...

Innocent Drinks: How Innocent keeps relations fresh.
November 29, 2006... The drinks brand is going from strength to strength with the aid of a weekly online newsletter - in its individual, quirky style. Few brands would be brave enough to ask their customers what new products they should launch and even fewer...

Masterclass: The Revolution Masterclass on viral marketing.
November 29, 2006... Marketers need a great idea to launch a viral campaign that's good enough to be forwarded and a well-planned strategy helps, says Victoria Furness. When Australian drinks firm Fosters sent its first viral campaign to 300 employees last...

Trailblazer: Shop talk.
November 29, 2006... Kelkoo UK founder Philip Wilkinson tells Danielle Long all about new project Crowdstorm, which combines social networking and online shopping. Kelkoo UK founder Philip Wilkinson's latest project is all about 'buzz'. Earlier this year, he...

Creative review: Chris Clarke executive creative director Modem Media Europe.
November 29, 2006... Clarke has worked in digital since 1999 and, prior to joining Modem Media this year, he held creative roles at Wheel and Abel & Baker. He says: 'What I love about the industry at the moment is that it's beginning to deliver on its promise,...

Campaign of the month.(Pavilion)
November 29, 2006... Campaign: LifeWorks Client: Siemens Agency: Pavilion Aims: The push aimed to launch LifeWorks, Siemens' strategic vision for the future of communications, which involves removing the barriers between fixed and mobile networks, web and...

Terminator 1: It's still easy come, easy go in the free product market.
November 29, 2006... It was at Euston station recently that I noticed a Mexican stand-off. The hour of the free evening papers was upon me. Distributors of London Lite and thelondonpaper paced their respective territories, while all around nervous commuters...

Terminator 2: Digital gets a bit hairy in aid of male cancer.
November 29, 2006... What is it that David Seaman, Magnum PI and a large number of men in the UK digital industry have in common? Yes, moustaches. The humble tache or lip fuzz, whatever you call them, were everywhere. Moustaches took over the lips of the...

Terminator 2: 70s babies will get misty-eyed as C64 returns.(Brief article)
November 29, 2006... It's not often a press release tugs at the heart strings and makes Terminator all nostalgic. But, that was so when an email with the subject line 'Brand New Product Range from Commodore' landed in our inbox. The legendary Commodore 64 PC,...

Terminator 2: Inventing the write stuff can be difficult.(Digital Pen and Paper)(Brief article)
November 29, 2006... In a world of internet, mobile phones and blackberries, what else could digital-savvy marketing and media people possibly need to make their jobs easier? What about a location-aware digital pen and paper service? A what? Yes, 'Digital Pen...