Incentive Today articles from February 2005

Incentive Today archives from February 2005

Defusing an information explosion.(application of technology for sales promotions)(usage of cell phones, television, emails etc. for advertising)(Editorial)
February 1, 2005... You can't walk down a street without seeing someone with a mobile phone or an iPod clamped to their head. This quiet revolution has changed the way that brands communicate with consumers and companies communicate with their staff and customers....

Staff want non-cash rewards that are tangible and memorable.(Letters of the month)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... As marketing manager of the leading provider of travel incentives, I was surprised to read Richard McCorkle's comments (Staff want cash, not vouchers or incentives, Incentive Today, January 2005), which suggested that staff want more money in...

Staff may want cash, but vouchers and merchandise work better.(Letters of the month)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... I was both intrigued and disappointed to read last month's letter from Richard McCorkle saying that all staff want is more money (Staff want cash, not vouchers or incentives, Incentive Today, January 2005). This is plainly not true. In...

Celador International.
February 1, 2005... Celador International is seeking promotional partners for its new TV property, No Waste Like Home, which is being broadcast on BBC2 this spring. The series shows wasteful families taking part in an experiment to go green and save money.

GlaxoSmithKline.
February 1, 2005... GlaxoSmithKline is offering customers in hair salons the chance to "Shine for a Day" by winning 200 [pounds sterling] of beauty vouchers in a campaign for Macleans White 'n' Shine toothpaste. The product launch is supported in salons though...

Vauxhall.(Vauxhall Motors Ltd. in conjuction with FHM Corp. promoting its newly launching cars)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Vauxhall teamed up with men's magazine, FHM, last month for a reader promotion to support the launch of its XVR performance range of cars. It included a competition to find the Sports Driver of the Year, in which 40 readers will be flown to the...

So Good.
February 1, 2005... So Good, the soya milk brand, is running a "try me free" promotion on its Soya Chilled packs. Purchasers can get a refund on the price of the carton if they send off the receipt.

Workwear Express.
February 1, 2005... Workwear Express, the promotional clothing firm, has moved to larger premises in Coxhoe, County Durham, invested in new equipment and expanded its workforce to 20. Founder Andrew Ward said: "Our company continues to diversify into new markets...

Hotpoint.(held cooking competetions in schools for promoting healthy eating habits of children)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Hotpoint has launched a cooking competition in schools in a campaign to encourage children to eat more healthily. Year 10 pupils will be challenged to develop two dishes that will appeal to teenagers and be suitable for making in bulk for...

Teadirect.
February 1, 2005... Teadirect, the Fairtrade tea brand, is promoting the "decency" of its product by sponsoring regular tea dances at the Royal Opera House in London--the epitome of decent behaviour. Participants receive a free cup of tea, a biscuit and a sample...

The Daily Telegraph.
February 1, 2005... The Daily Telegraph has confirmed it is channelling investment away from its ad campaign, which has the strapline "Read a bestseller", and stepping up its reader promotions, particularly those involving travel, sport and gardening. Last month,...

Design competition gets children into books.(News)
February 1, 2005... Cereal Partners UK is offering children a chance to be a character in a new book through an on-pack promotion for its Nestle Cheerios brand. They have to design a jacket cover for Jeremy Strong's bestselling title, Viking at School, about...

Get fit campaign supports new year Resolution.(News)
February 1, 2005... Hundreds of gym accessories are being offered as prizes in a competition to position a bottled ale as a "healthier alternative" to standard beers. WDB Brands has launched the promotion for Marston's Resolution, formerly known as Low C,...

Carling calls on wi-fi.(News)
February 1, 2005... Coors Brewers has carried out its first promotion for Carling using new technology that allows it to send text messages to mobile phones from individual wi-fi kiosks. The wireless transmitters last month sent out prompts to passers-by in...

Field marketers link to mobiles.(using Hypertags, a wireless device)(trends in interactive marketing)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Field marketers will be able to send content direct to consumers' mobile phones using a new portable interactive tag. The wearable Hypertag is a short-range wireless device that sends information, such as vouchers, business cards, ringtones...

Incentives plan for new Nectar B2B card.(News)
February 1, 2005... Suppliers in Nectar's new loyalty programme for business plan to use it to target their marketing at small and medium-sized enterprises and acquire new customers. Loyalty Management UK (LMUK), which launched the extension to its consumer...

Buy and Fly! launches into staff rewards.(News)
February 1, 2005... The points-based travel programme, Buy and Fly!, has been extended to create a new way for employers to reward staff with flights and leisure. The new application means that employees can be rewarded with points against set performance...

First candidates sought for new motivation diploma.(News)
February 1, 2005... A marketing campaign has been launched to promote a new qualification for people working in rewards and motivation. Candidates are being sought for the first diploma in motivation, which is supported by Incentive Today, as the April 1...

BT Broadband offer rapped by ASA.(News)
February 1, 2005... The company behind a free-flights promotion for BT Broadband has been told by the Advertising Standards Authority to improve its fulfillment processes. The industry watchdog upheld four complaints about the campaign, which offered a free...

02 and Nokia.
February 1, 2005... 02 and Nokia are running the UK's biggest-ever model search in association with Premier Model Management to highlight MMS multimedia messaging. Entrants sent a picture to a mobile phone number with their name and number and the finalists were...

Ottakar.
February 1, 2005... Ottakar's, the bookshop chain, is running a promotion with James Villa Holidays to offer its customers a chance to win a villa holiday for two. Brokered by SP Partnerships, it is running until the end of February and supported by co-branded...

BT.
February 1, 2005... BT boosted awareness of its new three-in-one phone book with a live radio promotion developed by radio editorial and promotions agency Lynx and Brand & Brown Communications. Contestants were shut in see-through boxes in public spaces in nine...

Seasons Holidays.
February 1, 2005... Seasons Holidays, the direct holiday company, is sending out branded playing cards to prospective customers in a direct mail campaign targeting people in their 40s and 50s. The door-drop campaign is run by LinkDirect.

Walkers Snacks.
February 1, 2005... Walkers Snacks is donating cash to Comic Relief in a campaign for its new Crisp and Snack Swap limited editions which mix up flavours to create new varieties such as cheese and pickle. With every purchase, the charity will receive 1p from every...

Pub giant Punch.(Punch Pub Company Ltd. promoting Six Nations rugby tournament )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Pub giant Punch is encouraging its licensees to run promotions for the Six Nations rugby tournament in February and March by sending out a guide and special kit containing flags, balloons, bunting and a rugby ball. The package, called Connect...

Kikkoman.(promotional campaign called Chinese year of the rooster)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Kikkoman, the soy sauce brand, is marking the Chinese year of the rooster, which began on February 9, with an on-pack promotion on 375,000 bottles of its sauces and marinades. Customers send proof of purchase to MKM Marketing and Promotions,...

Putting a label on diets.(ISP Perspective: The latest views from the Institute of Sales Promotion)
February 1, 2005... 2005 promises to be the year of the food. The spotlight is firmly on clear labelling of anything that is likely to be eaten and plentiful advice on whether it should be eaten anyway. As ever, advertising and promotional marketing are...

Archers targets 'hairbrush divas'.(Diageo PLC. promotional campaign for Archers, schnapps brand)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Diageo has launched an on-pack promotion for its schnapps brand, Archers, giving away a music CD with every purchase. It is targeting women with the exclusive disc of five dance-floor anthems, titled Hairbrush Divas Mix, which has been...

New promotion offers up to four free flights.(Stuart Lawrence Group in association with Going Places Travel Ltd. promotional campaign)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... An agency has teamed up with Going Places Promotions to create a promotional incentive that offers consumers up to four free flights to holiday destinations. Stuart Lawrence Promotions believes the offer will appeal to marketers who are...

Linda McCartney offers to wine and dine.(H.J. Heinz Company Ltd. promotional campaign developed by Dynamo)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Heinz is running an on-pack token-collecting scheme across its Linda McCartney meat-free range offering a free bottle of South African wine. The promotion, developed by Dynamo, involves collecting four tokens to claim a 75cl bottle of...

White Christmas gamble planned for 2005.(by Got-it-licked.com an online greeting card company)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Online greetings card company Got-it-licked.com boosted visits to its website with the incentive of 50,000 [pounds sterling] cash if London enjoyed a white Christmas. It planned to hold a prize draw for the cash if it snowed in the capital...

Short break market heats up for winter.(News)
February 1, 2005... Hilton UK & Ireland has launched a campaign featuring special offers for short breaks to help it compete in a "very crowded" market. Its Winter Breaks promotion offers two nights' accommodation for 109 [pounds sterling] per couple,...

Fixed-fee specialists tackle new rules.(GRG One Fee got approval from Financial Services Authority to advice marketers)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Fixed-fee specialist GRG One Fee has been given the go-ahead to give advice to marketers on insuring their promotions under new rules that came in last month. It has opted to gain authorisation for its own staff in-house rather than risk...

Book and film promotion targets young inventors.(News)
February 1, 2005... Borders Group is offering customers a chance to win an "inventors' holiday" to tie in with the hit move, Lemony Snicket's: A Series of Unfortunate Events. The promotion, which ends this month, is being run across the company's chains,...

Seminar programme planned for incentive show.(News)
February 1, 2005... The annual National Incentive Show (NIS)is to have an expanded seminar programme this year, providing advice and best practice alongside the exhibition. Running over the three days of the show, there will be six half-hour sessions and one...

Events.(News)(Calendar)
February 1, 2005... February February 15-17 International Confex Earls Court 1, London Organised by CMP 020 7921 8177 gsilvey@cmpinformation.com www.international-confex.com February 17 Interactive TV showcase Royal...

Chocolate brand launches bidding war in 20m [pounds sterling] promotion: Nestle Rowntree is driving sales of its Kit Kat brand through an on-pack promotion linked to online auctions.(News / Promotion of the month)
February 1, 2005... Prizes both large and small--plus some money-can't-buy incentives--have helped to drive sales of Nestle Rowntree's Kit Kat by giving away points that can be used for online auctions. Promotional packs of the chocolate bar give consumers a...

Airline loyalty schemes hit record heights.(News / Loyalty)
February 1, 2005... The growth in airline loyalty programmes means that the value of points accumulated worldwide is now greater than the number of dollars or pounds in circulation. According to new research by The Economist, nearly 14 trillion frequent-flyer...

Investing in loyalty and promotions.(Opinion)
February 1, 2005... Financial services companies are fully aware that it's far cheaper, easier and more productive to retain customers than attract new ones. That's why when it comes to marketing, loyalty programmes and promotions are at the top of the agenda....

Building 'new loyalty': do customer loyalty programmes have a future in the UK? Jamie Merritt, director of market strategy at Maritz Loyalty Marketing (UK), a leading industry expert on customer loyalty and one of the creators of the Goldfish proposition, says yes--but only if you consign old loyalty thinking to the scrapheap.(Opinion)
February 1, 2005... British consumers are awash with loyalty cards, points-collection schemes and executive memberships. So one could be forgiven for thinking that the loyalty market is booming in the UK. In fact the reverse is true. Although consumer spending...

Cottrills.(Jewelry industry sales promotions)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Cottrills has added leisure and activity days to its range of products available through its Aspirations long-service scheme. Packages on offer include golf lessons, off-road driving, microlighting, hot-air ballooning, helicopter lessons and...

London Marriott Hotel.
February 1, 2005... London Marriott Hotel in Kensington has joined forces with the Lyric Theatre to launch a new corporate team-building event to create a play in a day. The arts-based training programme is for groups of 20 and involves brainstorming ideas,...

Brand-building programmes.(survey by Booz Allen Hamilton and Wolff Olins of brand management)(corporate success)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Brand-building programmes can help companies to improve profits, according to a new survey by management consultancy Booz Allen Hamilton and brand specialists Wolff Olins. It found that 80 per cent of companies that had a strong brand focus had...

Topsail Events & Charters.
February 1, 2005... Topsail Events & Charters has launched hospitality and entertainment packages to tie in with the International Festival of the Sea in Portsmouth from June 20 to July 3. Catered events can be held on some of the classic vessels and Tall Ships...

Reivers Development.
February 1, 2005... Reivers Development training company and the Arran Development Company have launched the Isle of Arran Corporate Challenge, a team-building event to motivate employees. Held in May, it presents people with physical and mental tasks around the...

Grass Roots on course for more global campaigns.(Motivation / News)(Grass Roots Group formed partnership with Hinda Incentives and BitTime)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The Grass Roots Group has put itself in a stronger position for running global motivation campaigns by forming a partnership with two leading US-based providers. The Hertfordshire-based company, which already has overseas offices and...

Leisure Vouchers on the bowl.(Motivation / News)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Ten-pin bowling and free access to London attractions have been added to the range of redemption opportunities available through Leisure Vouchers. The Whitbread-owned voucher now has over 35 partners after bringing on board the London Pass...

Chevrolet taps into Arab market.(Motivation / News)
February 1, 2005... General Motors targeted car dealers across the middle east with a four-day festival of entertainment in Dubai to launch its new Chevrolet. The Chevrolet Live event at Dubai Creek Park, which was also open to the public, featured...

Disaster-hit countries hope for incentive travel business.(Motivation / News)
February 1, 2005... Incentive travel organisers are being urged to continue including south-east Asia in their motivation programmes despite the devastation in December's tsunami. Work has begun on rebuilding resorts and attractions in Indonesia, Thailand,...

More employers 'switch from cash to vouchers'.(Motivation / News)
February 1, 2005... A leading supplier of vouchers says sales are growing because of expansion of the corporate market and the increasing number of employers switching from cash bonuses. High Street Gift Voucher reported sales of over 30m [pounds sterling]...

Capital and Argos join forces.(Motivation / News )(Capital Incentives & Motivation and Argos Business Solutions )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Two leading companies in the motivation sector have come together to market a joint award management programme for running incentives schemes. The strategic partnership combines the systems and merchandise expertise of Argos Business...

Total reward management.(Reward Management book by Michael Armstrong and Helen Murlis)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
February 1, 2005... According to Duncan Brown, the assistant director-general of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), he is never without his copy of Michael Armstrong and Helen Murlis's Reward Management. "I have always had it to refer to,...

ITMA names top agencies.(Motivation / News)(Incentive Travel & Meetings Association)(for business solutions)
February 1, 2005... Incentive programmes created by motivation agencies P&MM and the Grass Roots Group were the biggest winners at the annual ITMA Awards. The must-coveted Platinum Award was won by P&MM for a dealer-drive programme for the Land Rover...

Too much flexibility undermines motivation schemes.(Opinion)
February 1, 2005... Do you reward staff who have failed to hit their targets? Many organisations do--in my view, too many. It was brought home to me by the findings of research in our annual Capital Incentives & Motivation survey. Twenty-four per cent of...

Right to BI: BI's managing director, Richard Bandell, tells Mark Ludmon about his plans for growing the motivation and communication agency.(People)
February 1, 2005... It is just 10 months since Richard Bandell took over the helm at BI, the communications and motivation agency, but he has already made his mark. A new structure, a new strategy and new people are just some of the changes, and the long-term...

Meteorite.(Moves)
February 1, 2005... Direct marketing agency Meteorite has strengthened its business-to-business offering with new appointments, including head of B2B marketing Jonathan Edwards, pictured. He has joined from 3, where he was small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)...

The Grass Roots Group.(appointed Nick Wake)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Motivation agency The Grass Roots Group has brought in Nick Wake as head of marketing communications to oversee the marketing and creative teams and build the profile of the Grass Roots brand. He joins from Sport England, the government agency...

Cottrills.(Moves)
February 1, 2005... Service recognition company Cottrills has expanded its marketing team by bringing in Claire Blench as corporate marketing executive to support corporate marketing manager Juliet Coates and head of marketing Martin Cooper. She was previously at...

Grasshopper.(Moves)
February 1, 2005... Integrated agency Grasshopper has promoted Matt Kiddie, who joined in 2001, to associate director and Rebecca Gordon, who joined in 2002, to account director. It has also appointed Jennifer Moore, who has completed a masters degree at the...

Guardian Newspapers.(Moves)
February 1, 2005... Charles Ping, pictured, head of customer relationship management at Guardian Newspapers, has stepped up to the role of chairman of the Direct Marketing Association after David Coupe completed his two-year term. Ping's previous role of deputy...

TCA.(Moves)
February 1, 2005... Multi-disciplined marketing agency TCA has promoted Suzanne Samuels, who joined four years ago, to junior account director on the Buena Vista International UK account and Will Glynn-Jones, who arrived in 2001, to senior account manager on the...

Flytxt.(David Payne as executive chairman)(Nick Fuller as operations director)(Craig Patton as a head of business development)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Flytxt, the high-tech marketing services company, has carried out a management restructure that has seen David Payne take on the role of executive chairman. He is combining this with his job as head of direct marketing at the Institute of...

Appliance of science: mobile phones and other new technology are enabling promoters to engage with consumers in a way that has never been possible before. John Porter looks to the future.(Promotions / New technology)
February 1, 2005... New technology in promotions? Great idea, but for it to really be an option, it would require consumers to voluntarily carry around sophisticated personal electronic devices which would allow marketers to send tailored offers and incentives....

Changing tune: music is one of the great levellers, making it a stimulating and versatile incentive for promotional marketing. Catherine Chetwynd looks at creative uses of music and the machines that play it.(Promotions / Music)
February 1, 2005... Music is the most democratic of promotional marketing tools. There is something to complement every conceivable demographic profile, and it comes in numerous formats--CDs, DVDs, digital downloads or live performance. Provided that promoters...

No phone unearned: in the ultra-competitive mobile phones market, motivation programmes are becoming increasingly important to both retailers and the telecommunications companies who are seeking to boost their sales through third-party resellers.(Motivation / Telecoms)
February 1, 2005... Employees of mobile retailers are being incentivised from all directions--not only by their employers' own internal rewards programmes but also by the motivation programmes of the mobile phone networks and handset manufacturers whose products...

Best behaviour: John Knapp, general manager of Direct Wines for Business, explains why motivation is not just a tool that can be plucked out of the "management armoury" every time a company needs a sales push--it's a state of mind.(Motivation / Opinion)
February 1, 2005... Motivation is not something you can simply turn on when a business needs a boost. In most cases what you're really seeking is behavioural change. You must think "motivation" when you're writing the sales and HR budgets. To get the change you...

Giving credit to staff: with 1,300 employees, Direct Auto Finance has boosted productivity through a motivation programme that rewards staff through a card-based system.(Motivate / Case study)
February 1, 2005... Direct Auto Finance is the leading UK provider of car finance. Through its brand, Yes Car Credit, the company provides a unique credit-led business model with integrated car finance, car sales and insurance, focusing on sales of four-year...

Loyal appointment: long-service awards are now a powerful tool for retaining and motivating staff. Mark Ludmon looks at how there is more to rewarding employees than clocks and jewellery.(Motivation / Service awards)(Cover Story)
February 1, 2005... Not so long ago, you would have to hang on for 30 years in the same job for the reward of a carriage clock or a gold watch. Now you may be offered big-screen plasma TVs or a day of white-water rafting--and you could be enjoying them after five...

Service awards A-Z: a listing of companies describing themselves as suppliers of solutions for service awards.(Motivation / Service awards)(Directory)
February 1, 2005... SOLUTIONS AND PRODUCTS Argos Business Solutions Tel: 0870 240 2007 Email: hive@argos.co.uk Contact: Chris Hartley www.argos-b2b.co.uk BI Tel: 01908 214700 Email: enquiries@eu.biworldwide.com Contact:...

Driven to drink: from branded socks and soaps on a rope to barbecues, glassware and mugs, the drinks trade is a major buyer of incentive products. Ben McFarland looks at how merchandise is being used to call consumers to the bar.(Product focus / Drinks incentives)
February 1, 2005... It's not all beer and skittles when it comes to incentives in the drinks trade. While brand owners may be notorious big spenders, they demand promotional ideas capable of tackling two contrasting marketplaces--the on- and the off-trade. And...

Dressed to thrill: as more clothing companies enter the promotional and corporate market, Sara Goodwins looks at future trends and fashions.(Product focus / Clothing)
February 1, 2005... Promotional garments appeal to the modern fashion-conscious client in a way that few other products can. "Promotional clothing is deliberately becoming more streetwise," says Mark Grant, managing director of TSF Clothing. "It aims to appeal to...

First fruits.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2005... Fruit of the Loom has responded to high-street trends in its new catalogue, offering a layered T-shirt with short sleeves over long sleeves in a contrasting colour. It is one of 13 additions included in the 2005 catalogue which features 59...

Belle of the ball.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2005... New departure points have been added for the Northern Belle, the stylish 1930s-style train operated by Orient-Express Hotels. It offers "rail cruises" from the midlands, northern England, Wales and Scotland to complement the British Pullman's...

Canny idea.(new packaging of canned drinks)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... With summer approaching, Marketing Promotions has come up with a new way of protecting canned drinks from bees, wasps and ants. The Quik Top can be sealed on the top of the cans, keeping the drinks fresh and stopping them from spilling during...

Office blocks.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2005... A new executive toy has been launched for desk-bound employees and customers who want to be boss. The Cubes is a mini office space where the drudgery of corporate life can be captured and replayed through the posable plastic figures of Bob,...

Stop for a drink.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2005... The drink-me bottle stop was launched at this month's Spring Fair at Birmingham NEC by the J-me Design Studio as a perfect accompaniment to a relaxing evening in. This quirky stopper keeps wine tasting great thanks to a high-quality silicon...

Animal magic.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2005... Imagine8, which specialises in licensed promotional products, has produced over 300,000 plush of the elephant-like heffalumps that feature in Winnie the Pooh, the property owned by Walt Disney. They are being used as an incentive in branches of...

Hot winter gifts.(Product Showcase)
February 1, 2005... Time zone paperweights, pictured, are among the list of "hot gifts" being bought from Aquascutum Corporate Gifts. Other products popular this winter are silver round boxes, desk boxes and leather PDA holders. Close on their heels come the...

Lord of the dance puts promoters in the shade.(Boston Promotional Gifts umbrellas promotion)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... It's not often that there is such a great story behind a special deal on promotional products. Adrian Perkins has just announced that his firm, Boston Promotional Gifts UK, is offering discounts on umbrellas until the end of April. Why? Because...

Incentive magazine editor topples Cabinet minister.(Backside)
February 1, 2005... Never underestimate the power of someone from the world of gifts and merchandise.... Kimberley Quinn brought down a Cabinet minister and threatened to topple the government, but long before she met David Blunkett she edited a...

Tough experience for entrepreneurs.
February 1, 2005... Rachel Elnaugh must have a nose for a good idea. In 1989, she quit a safe job in accountancy to set up a little business offering gifts for special occasions. Now Red Letter Days is worth an estimated 25m [pounds sterling], of which a major...

Q&A.(Jeremy Cochran of Catalyst Marketing)(Brief Article)(Interview)
February 1, 2005... Jeremy Cochran, managing director, Catalyst Marketing What is your favourite promotion? My local barber recently offered a BOGOF on haircuts--I was happy for him to finish my hair first time round. What was your greatest mistake?...