Incentive Today articles from March 2004

Incentive Today archives from March 2004

Ministers must be told what not to do.(Editor's note)(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... As this month's issue of Incentive Today demonstrates, 2004 has already seen the launch of some exciting and high-profile promotions that have got people talking over the water cooler. Nescafe Original's link-up with What Not to Wear...

Retailers must adapt to match promotions.(Letter of the month)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... Your feature on gaming (Incentive Today February 2004) highlighted the growth in the number of female and "grey" garners, but beyond the wide range of successful promotional campaigns discussed, there was no reference to how retailers should be...

P&MM.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... P&MM has launched new travel promotional packages with partner, US-based operator Coral Beach, in three destinations--Orlando, Jamaica and the Bahamas. On offer for as little as 3 [pounds sterling] each, the promotions are designed to...

Meteorite.(Marketing Communication Consultants Association)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Meteorite chairman Hugh Bishop has joined the board of the Marketing Communication Consultants Association to develop its initiative to improve standards of professionalism and knowledge practised by members in the industry. Other new board...

Balloons Over Britain.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Balloons Over Britain has expanded its network of operators in the UK to 15, with new members in the West Midlands and East Anglia regions. It will provide more opportunities for the company's incentivising experiences, from daily scheduled...

Virgin Incentives.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Virgin Incentives has added a new range of days out to its redemption opportunities--the Royal Yacht Britannia, Planet Ice skating venues, Legoland Windsor theme park and Megabowl bowling centres. Andrew Johnson, its sales and marketing...

Sol.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Sol beer has linked up with Galaxy radio station to create a weekly dance music show that will feature a monthly broadcast from branded party nights at bars and clubs. The Solid State campaign was launched at Ampersand in Manchester on February...

Acdoco.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Acdoco, the washing products company, is giving away a 100 [pounds sterling] holiday voucher with every purchase of its Glo Care Travel Wash in a campaign developed by MKM Marketing and Promotions. The on-pack promotional label, which acts as...

Watchdog clamps down on 'missed call' offers.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Consumer watchdogs are cracking down on a new mobile phone-based mechanism called "missed call marketing" that is linked to prize promotions. It is investigating complaints about companies that use a computer system to automatically ring...

Champagne house fizzes up on-trade activity.(News)(Champagne Mercier)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Champagne Mercier is giving consumers a chance to visit Paris with an instant-win promotion linked to travel guide publisher Lonely Planet. From the end of Februrary, the brand's on-trade customers have been able to tap into a campaign...

'Inaccurate forecasts' hit promotions.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Research into the accuracy of forecasts for sales promotion redemption given by brand management teams suggests there are high levels of inaccuracy. Only eight per cent of offers came within 10 per cent of expected levels, according to...

Law changes will damage SP industry, MPs told.(News)(sales promotion industry)(member of parliament)
March 1, 2004... Leading figures in the promotions industry urged MPs to recommend changes to the Gambling Bill as consultation drew to a close at the start of this month. The Institute of Sales Promotion (ISP) and other organisations representing the...

Hampers group expands voucher business by acquisition.(News)(FHSC)(The Voucher Shop)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... FHSC, which owns two suppliers of hampers and incentives, is building up the voucher side of its business after buying a leading supplier. It has acquired The Voucher Shop, which provides vouchers for incentives and flexible benefits, and...

Nectar members dine out on points.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Nectar cardholders can now redeem points at over 55 restaurants across the UK when they book tables through online service Toptable.co.uk. Participating restaurants have created a dedicated two-course Nectar menu where members can redeem...

Expedia.co.uk.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Expedia.co.uk, the web-based travel company, is offering online vouchers for anyone who makes a purchase in March in a promotion developed by Catalyst Marketing. Customers will be given access to a special promotional page entitling them to...

The Leading Hotels of the World.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Leading Hotels of the World, which represents five-star hotels, has teamed up with airline Lufthansa to offer their customers air miles rewards. It involves the Ritz and Milestone hotels in London and the Scotsman in Edinburgh, where guests...

SP Partnerships.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... SP Partnerships has created an exclusive DVD of extreme sports and stunts footage in its first promotion for men's magazine, Loaded. The DVD, featuring clips from TV shows Jackass and Dirty Sanchez, is given away in polybagged copies of the...

Thomas Cook and Macdonald Hotels have signed up for a third year to provide Thomas Cook's Luxury Weekend Break Vouchers priced at 250 [pounds sterling], 300 [pounds sterling] and 350 [pounds sterling].(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Thomas Cook and Macdonald Hotels have signed up for a third year to provide Thomas Cook's Luxury Weekend Break Vouchers priced at 250 [pounds sterling], 300 [pounds sterling] and 350 [pounds sterling]. They offer two night breaks for two people...

Football.(Football Heroes)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Football fans can meet their heroes as part of a new venture that allows them to spend the weekend playing sports and hanging out with some of Britain's top players. Football Heroes offers packages for 699 [pounds sterling] per person, with the...

Reload Marketing.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Reload Marketing carried out wet and dry sampling across the UK in February at the start of new promotional activity for artificial sweetener Canderel. The brand was the agency's first client after it was formed by Linda Denne and Gil Gingell,...

Praise for 'responsible' food promotion aimed at children.(News)(Odeon)(Cineworld cinemas)
March 1, 2004... A promotion offering free tickets to a children's film with purchases of fast food has been praised for its "responsible" approach. Burger King has teamed up with Odeon and Cineworld cinemas for activity linked to the UK release of the new...

Model search pushes picture messaging.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Mobile phone giant O2 promoted picture messaging though a nationwide competition offering modelling contracts with Premier Model Management. It called for men and women to use a media-messaging camera phone to send a photo of their head...

Offers drive up online sales.(News)(TLC Marketing)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Norwich Union and TLC Marketing have linked up to reward customer who buy insurance online with a variety of incentives. Aimed at home, car and personal insurance customers, the campaign used TLC's digital delivery technology,...

Magazine link-up supports sherry.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... A promotional link-up with Country Living magazine forms part of a new 1 million [pounds sterling] marketing investment in relaunching the Harveys sherry brand. Allied Domecq UK is running competitions and an off-trade joint promotion with...

Beer Money vouchers target young people.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Travel promotions company Landround has linked up with leading holiday operators to target young people by offering to give them cash for spending on beer. It is giving people aged between 18 and 30 a Beer Money voucher entitling them to...

Snappers pick up a Penguin prize.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Penguin Books promoted its backlist of classics and developed its relationship with readers through a competition to redesign the covers of four popular titles. The promotion, carried in The Guardian, attracted over 1,000 photographs, including...

Judging under way for marketing awards.(News)
March 1, 2004... Judging is under way for this year's ISP Promotional Marketing Awards, with leading brands vying for prizes. More than 90 promoters and nearly 60 agencies are represented among the entries, representing promotions for top names such as...

Events.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
March 1, 2004... March March 17 Techniques, Code of Practice and legalities seminar IPA, Belgrave Square, London. Organised by Institute of Sales Promotion 020 7837 5340 www.isp.org.uk March 30-31 Promota Show Promotional...

Last-minute.com sexes up brand offline.(Promotion of the month)(SP Partnerships)
March 1, 2004... After surviving the boom-bust of the online revolution, Lastminute.com has begun a new marketing drive to strengthen its brand offline. SP Partnerships has created a nationwide high street promotional partnership that aligns several of the...

20p off--and all that.(ISP perspective: the latest views from the Institute of Sales Promotion; use of coupons in marketing)
March 1, 2004... One of the most versatile tools in the promotional marketers' kit is the humble coupon. It has all the advantages that a brand manager looks for--easy to produce, easily targeted, trackable and cheap to administer. The coupon has had a...

Nescafe offers Trinny and Susannah.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Consumers are being offered a chance to spend a day being told what not to wear in a new "text to win" promotion for Nescafe Original. The brand has teamed up with TV presenters Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine, who will help 10...

Film-goers offered flight vouchers.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Cinema chain Odeon drove attendance for the hit movie, Big Fish, through an exclusive promotion in partnership with American Airlines. Customers who bought tickets to see the film, starring Ewan MacGregor and directed by Tim Burton, could claim...

Free bowling lane in door-drop campaign.(News)(Hollywood Bowl)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... A roll-out image of a bowling lane, that can be laid out and used for playing with household objects, is being delivered to homes to encourage families to visit Hollywood Bowl venues. The pack includes the line: "To experience the real...

Valentine's Day promotions fill consumers with desire.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... In this modern age of cynicism and materialism, there is still one day of the year when consumers give in to romance. Last month, marketers took advantage of our love affair with Valentine's Day to come up with some witty sales promotions. ...

Lovers liven up M&S windows.(News)(Marks & Spencer)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Two models played the part of ideal lovers in the windows of Marks & Spencer stores to promote lingerie, roses, champagne and chocolates. Brand experience agency RPM developed the live window theatre for stores in Edinburgh,...

Ann Summers targets lads with lager and magazines.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Lingerie retailer Ann Summers used Valentine's Day as a chance to bring men into its stores by offering them a lads' mag and lager. It held a men's VIP day at its 100 stores on February 11, giving away a copy of Maxim and a bottle of lager...

Scratchcards sell sex message.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Sex rather than romance was the focus of a Valentine's promotion run by Admedia for the Department of Health to highlight the risks of sexually transmitted diseases. Sampling teams handed out 60,000 scratchcards and condoms in large city...

Women's fragrance targets boyfriends.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Cacharel stepped up promotional activity for its Amor Amor fragrance in February in the hope of extending its campaign beyond its core target market of 16 to 24-year-old women to include their boyfriends. ID, the live brand experience...

Babyfood targets midwives.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Babyfood manufacturer Cow & Gate hopes to raise its profile among midwives and associated healthcare workers by offering them discounts and educational materials to support their work. The new campaign, developed by Geoff Howe Marketing...

Credit card plan unveiled.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Buy and Fly! is finalising a deal that will help it to compete with its main rivals by offering customers points through its own credit card. Landround, which operates the programme, has revealed that it has signed a "substantial"...

Domestos gets in the pink.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Lever Faberge's newest campaign for Domestos has rejected sampling in stores, bringing in teams of drag queens instead. It appointed live brand experience agency ID to drive awareness and sales in-store for the launch of the new variant,...

Diesel's Nature Lovers campaign.(New media file)
March 1, 2004... Leafing through Dazed and Confused magazine the other day an ad for Diesel caught my eye. In a magazine like Dazed and Confused it has to be something "way out there" creatively to make you stop and look. It was presented as an...

Luxury gifts must be more than a brand name.(Soapbox)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Luxury prestigious brands such as Bentley, Bollinger, Burberry and Aquascutum are always desirable to people of all ages and, even when times are tougher and budgets tighter, high quality is never out of fashion. Well-established luxury...

Speakers line up for Incentive World.(News)
March 1, 2004... Leading figures from sales promotion and employee motivation are set to reveal their secrets in a series of seminars at Incentive World next month. Organisers have unveiled the programme of speakers at the event in Earls Court, London,...

Walkers teams up with Ford.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Walkers Snacks has joined forces with Ford for a 6.8 million [pounds sterling] instant-win promotion. There will be 150 Ford cars to be won during the eight-week promotion. Instant-win vouchers will be randomly inserted into bags of...

Thunderbirds are go for charity.(News)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Thunderbirds are helping a charity to raise cash in the run-up to the July release of the new blockbuster movie about the cult TV characters. The Big Badge Company, part of cause-related marketing agency Louis Kennedy, has produced...

Vouchers cement sales.(News)(Gibbs and Dandy )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... A chain of builders merchants is cementing its relationship with its trade customers with a promotion offering up to 180 [pounds sterling] in holiday vouchers. MKM Marketing and Promotions developed the activity for Gibbs and Dandy in the...

Whisky producer axes 'stale' voucher-based scheme.(Motivation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Drinks giant Glenmorangie has stopped using vouchers to incentivise its staff because its scheme had become "stale" and did not provide enough choice. It has switched to a new recognition and reward programme, called Heroes, developed by...

AirMiles links up with motivation house.(Motivation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The AirMiles travel incentive scheme has been extended into the area of motivating staff and trade customers through a link-up with the Q Group. The new partnership allows the motivation house to offer its clients the chance to include the...

Sales staff aim 'to be a millionaire'.(Motivation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Staff at mobile phone stores across the UK were given a chance to be grilled by Chris Tarrant on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? as part of a scheme to drive sales. Nearly 200 people took part in the non broadcast event at the Elstree...

Lack of motivation 'hitting company profits'.(Motivation)
March 1, 2004... The performance of companies is suffering because of demotivated employees and high staff turnover, a new report claims. One in nine workers in England lacks the skills to do their jobs, which has a "substantial" impact on the performance...

P&MM shares profits with staff.(Motivation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Motivation agency P&MM is sharing a dividend of 100,000 [pounds sterling] out between its 110 staff after reporting a jump in profits. The reward came as employees received recognition in the 10th annual Incentive Travel and Meetings...

Working parents call for flexible hours.(Motivation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Three-quarters of working parents would rather have family-friendly working hours than other benefits such as health insurance and pensions, according to new research. The Working Families charity, which was launched last month, revealed...

Losing staff costs industry billions.(Motivation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... It costs British companies an average of 9,766 [pounds sterling] to recruit and train a new employee, according to a new survey of human resources professionals. The research, carried out by Momentum Financial Services, shows that average...

Employers reject investment in motivated workforce.(Motivation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Employers believe they are more likely to retain customers by investing in technology rather than people, according to new research. But they also admit that one of the most important attributes for keeping customers or winning new ones is...

Job security and good salaries are 'top motivators'.(Motivation)
March 1, 2004... Job security and a good salary are becoming more important than effective leaderships and "a good relationship with the boss" as key motivators for staff. The annual survey of employees in companies across the UK also found there had been...

Nailing down a treat.(Experience profile)(Urban Retreat at Harrods)
March 1, 2004... Supplier: The Urban Retreat at Harrods Activity: Combined manicure and pedicure in a specially designed massage chair Location: On the fifth floor at Hatreds, accessible by an express lift. The nearest tube is Knightsbridge Cost:...

Communicating recognition.(Stateside motivation: a regular look at staff motivation practice across the pond)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... It's amazing how many managers believe they provide their staff with recognition for their achievements, but at the same time employees complain they don't feel valued or don't receive the recognition they deserve. A US research project...

Schemes fail because of poor communication.(Motivation)(Chartered Institute of Personnel Development )
March 1, 2004... Many reward management programmes are doomed to failure because not enough attention is paid to how they are communicated to staff, according to a new report. The Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) attacked employers for...

Motivation lacks support from directors.(Motivation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Less than half of employers have top-level support for reward schemes from senior management and board directors, according to the CIPD's survey. It also found that less than 10 per cent of organisations involved employees themselves in...

More employers turn to non-cash benefits.(Motivation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Employers are increasingly offering staff non-cash benefits on top of their salaries to boost motivation and retention, according to a survey by the Institute of Directors (IoD). The research, carried out in association with the Office of...

Trying for a good match: the success of Jonny Wilkinson and the England team in last November's rugby World Cup has made the sport, and this month's Six Nations tournament, more popular than ever with marketers.(Rugby)(Cover Story)
March 1, 2004... Five years ago, Copyright Promotions Licensing Group (CPLG) found it tough to get anyone interested in rugby. But since then, the agency has seen a steady increase in the numbers of companies linking up with its client, Rugby Football Union...

The Motivation Awards 2004.
March 1, 2004... 9th March 2004, The Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington, London Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to all our sponsors To be involved in the awards for 2005, to enter or to sponsor an award--and benefit from extensive media...

The write stuff: palm-tops, WAP phones, speech recognition and video conferencing--in an increasingly high-tech world, surely pens and paper are on their way out? Sara Goodwins finds they are still seen as attractive, useful, portable--and nobody owns only one.(Writing Instruments)
March 1, 2004... I was given this pen 12 years ago at a conference and wouldn't part with it," says Dr George Hobbs, consulting engineer with a global engineering company. Branded "Abaqus" on the clip, the AT Cross pen has kept the Abaqus name prominent for...

Dressing in style: long gone are the days of boring, baggy, one-size-fits-all promotional wear. Jo Ellsworth finds that fashion and quality fabrics are in vogue.(Clothing)
March 1, 2004... Fashion victim" is hardly an accusation that could be hurled in the direction of the promotional clothing industry. But over recent years, manufacturers have been giving far more than just an occasional passing nod to retail trends. Ian Boyd,...

A lens for all seasons.(Showcase!)
March 1, 2004... Golfers are being offered a clip-on pair of lenses which have been developed to give protection during extremes of weather. The product, called Pro-Tech-Tours, is being launched this month by Innovations for Trade and Technology after one of...

Sitting pretty.(Showcase!)
March 1, 2004... If you want customers to remember your brand name, one solution is to let them sit on it. OutABox has launched a range of disposable, lightweight outdoor furniture that can be printed with any colourful image. They are made from a robust...

Rub up the right way.(Showcase!)
March 1, 2004... According to Oldeani, everyone will be into rubber at next month's Incentive World exhibition at Earl's Court, London. Among its expanded range will be its new rubber-finish desk terns, such as an LCD calendar with a photoframe on the reverse,...

Easter parade.(Showcase!)
March 1, 2004... With Easter next month, chocolate becomes a popular product for incentives. Lords Wines has put together several new gifts in wooden packaging that can be colour-printed for use as an incentive or reward. They include the so called Easter Treat...

Lightweight illumination.(Showcase!)
March 1, 2004... Long gone are the days when a hand-held torch could barely light the way more than a few feet ahead. Corporate and promotional gift supplier Special EFX has come up with a flashlight that can generate a brilliant white beam visible over five...

Step on the juice.(Showcase!)
March 1, 2004... TV chef Jamie Oliver and fitness guru Jason Vale, who champions the health benefits of raw juice, are being brought in to add power to potential promotional redemption campaigns or motivational reward programmes. Groupe SEB is targeting this...

Kitsch corner: Nigel Ashdown, managing director at Fotorama, would like to bring back the taste of real ale to your home for just a few pence per pint by reintroducing the home-brew kit.(Backside)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... I know what you're going to think--home brew tastes revolting. Well, it did in the 70s but the technology has moved on and can now bring you the ultimate in home-made drinks. It's simple, easy to make, very rewarding and highly enjoyable. ...

Poetic licensing.(Backside)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Marketers at Murphy's seem determined to increase the number of rude text messages that are beamed around the world. This month, it is launching a campaign across the US asking drinkers to use SMS to complete the limerick: There is a...

For love or money.(Backside)
March 1, 2004... In this issue of Incentive Today, we look at some of the promotions that were run for this year's Valentine's Day. However, we heard of one campaign, specifically billed as a Valentine's promotion, that maybe missed the point. A nationwide...

Q&A: Martin Cooper, general manager, marketing, Cottrills.(Brief Article)(Interview)
March 1, 2004... What's your favourite incentive scheme? We ran a scheme for an oil exploration company, which rewarded staff for thinking and working safely, They had tried lots of techniques previously but by far the most successful was our points-banking...