Month: June 1997

Bates creative chief Ashton quits

Marketing Week

Tim Ashton, executive creative director of Bates Dorland, quit the agency last week after two years. Ashton was brought in by Paul Twivy, the former Bates Dorland chief executive who left acrimoniously last autumn, and subsequently took successful legal action against the agency for wrongful dismissal. Ashton replaced Andrew Cracknell, who is now chairman of […]

Gay loyalty programme faces financial crisis

Marketing Week

The organiser of a loyalty card scheme aimed at gay men is facing a financial crisis and accusations of letting down the gay community. The Freedom Festival Company, set up in January, originally claimed it would raise up to 1.2m a year for gay and Aids-related charities through a loyalty card scheme and annual festival, […]

TBWA nets global launch of Bally’s outdoor range

Marketing Week

Bally, the Swiss shoe and fashion chain, has appointed TBWA Simons Palmer to manage the multimillion pound international launch of its new outdoor footwear and clothing brand. It is the first account the agency has won since merging in March. It will handle all the international advertising for the launch, which begins in spring 1998 […]

Top-level departure at Boots sparks reshuffle

Marketing Week

The departure of Brian Whalam, director of The Boots Company and managing director of Halfords, has resulted in a number of key appointments at the company’s headquarters in Nottingham. Whalam is to be succeeded by the managing director of Do It All, Ken Piggott, who in turn will be replaced by Rob Scribbins, logistics director […]

Try this….if youu’re really gullible

Marketing Week

The Diary, public spirited as ever, has a cautionary tale for Marketing Week readers, after an alarming scam came to light. Top marketers are being sent what purports to be an advertisement from Executive Focus magazine, espousing the virtues of signing up to various US monthly or fortnightly reports at some considerable cost. The ad […]

Tandy appoints US man as marketing chief

Marketing Week

Tandy has appointed a new sales and marketing director to fill the position left vacant when Andrew Fryatt was promoted to managing director six months ago. Elsom Eldridge, former head of management development at RadioShack, a division of Tandy Corporation in the US, has relocated to the UK to take up the post. Marketing manager […]

GOING THE DISTANCE

Marketing Week

Ask people their perceptions of New Zealand and most will either mention sheep or say ‘that’s miles away’. But the country is shaking off this image to become a key incentive travel destination.

WCRS/Mediapolis merger tipped for July

Marketing Week

WCRS media is tipped to merge with Mediapolis at the beginning of July, with WCRS media director Marc Mendoza taking the post of managing director. The merger had been put on hold while Mediapolis repitched for the Peugeot-Citroë account this week. The merged operation will have billings in excess of 310m. Speculation that WCRS would […]

Scottish FA seeks team sponsor deal

Marketing Week

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) is hunting a sponsor for the national side for the first time in its history. So far United Distiller’s whisky brand Bell’s and an unnamed Scottish high street retailer have been linked with the side, which is well placed to qualify for next year’s World Cup in France. The SFA […]

MMS slated over media spend figures

Marketing Week

The Guardian has accused Media Monitoring Services (MMS), which measures how much advertising newspapers carry, of “toothlessness” following revelations that free ads in The Independent are knowingly being monitored as paid-fors. Guardian advertising director Carolyn McCall says: “It just makes a mockery of MMS and means it has no currency if it is going to […]

Leo Burnett scoops 2.5m Heart FM brief

Marketing Week

Leo Burnett has beaten McCann-Erickson to win the 2.5m account for Heart FM, which operates radio licences in London and the West Midlands. Leo Burnett will handle strategic, creative and media buying work for the two stations. The business was previously split between McCann Central and Mellors Reay. Leo Burnett will also handle media buying […]

Brief

Marketing Week

SmithKline Beecham has signed up popular Viz characters The Fat Slags to front its 5m advertising campaign for Lucozade Low Calorie. Breaking on June 20, the commercials show Tracey and Sandra ordering their latest male conquest to remove the low-calorie drink from their fridge as it does not fit in with their own calorie-laden lifestyle. […]