Virgin Radio last week almost pulled off another one of those marketing stunts that has made the Virgin name redoutable. Virgin Radio boss David Campbell got Hype, a new soft drink due to launch this autumn, to sponsor The Big Switch – a campaign persuading listeners to move the dial over to Virgin Radio. A […]
Virgin Atlantic Airways is planning to allow passengers to avoid normal check-in procedures. Passengers on Virgin’s Upper Class, its equivalent to first and business class, already have a limousine service to the airport. Now their chauffeur will phone ahead to give passenger details to the check-in staff and arrange seat allocation. On arrival at the […]
Virgin has appointed Martin Keogh as marketing director of its Internet venture Virgin Net. The system launches in September. Industry observers are already predicting that the Virgin move will hasten the arrival of other major branded players into the UK Internet market and spell danger for current market leaders such as CompuServe. The Virgin service […]
By George Pitcher. George Pitcher is joint managing director of media consultancy Luther Pendragon Andrew Teare, head of Rank, has already introduced a new style of management. Now he will start changing the company’s direction.
Pontin’s, the Scottish & Newcastle- owned holiday camp chain, is talking to agencies about a 2m repositioning drive.
Nick Higham is BBC TV’s media correspondent
Pressure group Friends of the Earth is co-ordinating a group of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) who are threatening to boycott the Advertising Standards Authority. Talks have begun with other pressure groups, charities and campaigning organisations. It follows FoE’s second clash with the self-regulatory body in three months. An FoE spokesman says: “We could come out and […]
I would like to correct an error in “Wella takes on new head of marketing” (MW July 12) and pay credit to my predecessor. I am delighted with my appointment as marketing group manager and will be responsible for the UK marketing of all Wella’s shampoos, conditioners and styling products. Colourants will, however, be handled […]
J Walter Thompson is creating a series of posters for Gallaher’s cigarette brand Kensitas Club. The campaign focuses on a fictitious club whose members want an unpretentious, down-to-earth cigar-ette. The posters use the brand’s signature colours – blue, gold and red – and use irreverent endlines. The campaign will target Kensitas’ Scottish heartland with particular […]
Ad agency TBWA has never been known for its “yob” ads, or for stretching the boundaries of taste. But 16 complainants to the ITC think differently. In a TBWA ad for Debenhams, designed to show the excitement of Christmas, two children were shown under their parents’ bed opening presents they had found hidden there. As […]
The latest ABCs reveal a booming men’s magazine market, with Loaded and FHM both recording huge increases in their circulation. But will the sector, as some observers believe, reach saturation point?
With pressure on event organisers to keep costs down, the use of freelances is widespread. This calls business confidentiality and plagiarism of freelance work into question.
The competition at the 1996 Olympics was more ruthless, acrimonious and unrelenting than ever before – and that was just among the sponsors jostling for pole position. Naked commercialism has often been accused of undermining the Olympic spirit (whatever that may be). This time round, unseemly squabbling over sponsorship rights brought matters to a new […]
Kimberly-Clark is attempting to steal a march on rival Procter & Gamble in the European nappy market with the introduction of a new velcro device to its brand Huggies.
Express Newspapers is believed to have split its marketing function – sidelining Don Gray into the role of circulation director. Gray, who is currently circulation and marketing director, is being put in charge of circulation as the group seeks a marketing director (MW March 29). Amanda Platell, managing director of The Independent, denies suggestions she […]