If take-up of interactive digital TV is as high as predicted, the opportunities for advertisers are numerous – as long as they apprise themselves of the possible pitfalls and technical limitations. Nigel Sheldon is head of Thompson Interactive
With price cuts slashing the value of the computer games console market, the real money is made from the games themselves. And licensing deals – normally linked to sports or movies – are driving growth.
Travel agency chain Going Places is launching a telephone sales operation which it says could sell up to 70,000 holidays a year for the Airtours-owned group. The new operation, called Go Direct, will be open 364 days a year from 8am to 8pm. It will initially offer holidays from Airtours, Thomson, First Choice, SunWorld and […]
Ah, those salad days when media was no more than a ‘Five to One’ option on the pitch agenda. Now, by contrast, there is little structural change within the advertising industry which is not led by media operations. The trouble is, the kaleidoscope of change has become so complicated that even key players have difficulty […]
Disgraced businessman and media owner Owen Oyston has hired public relations guru Max Clifford to improve his image ahead of his rape conviction appeal hearing. Clifford is understood to be preparing a PR offensive that will portray the multimillionaire as a loveable rogue, rather than as a predatory old man. The publicist plans to plant […]
John Aspin, managing director of confectionery manufacturer Leaf UK, has resigned after nine months in the job. Aspin was promoted to the top role from his position as vice-president operations Europe. He moves to McCormick Foods, where he will also be vice-president operations Europe. In the UK, McCormick Foods comprises the Schwartz division, which manufactures […]
When one hears about an emergency airlift, it’s usually rations and medical supplies being rushed out to countries ravaged by war or natural disaster and conscience-stricken TV viewers digging deep into their pockets to give to charity telephone hotlines. But in the case of Bass Brewers, which was recently involved in its own emergency airlift […]
City reaction to the blocking of Bass’s takeover of C-T shows the benefit of cool-headed regulatory inquiry, says George Pitcher. George Pitcher is chief executive of issue management consultancy Luther Pendragon
The head of the Millennium Dome project can only win the day if she gains approval from the young pretender at Number Ten
Branded goods may help charities recoup the Lottery-induced donations shortfall. But are they a long-term cure?
Home entertainment retailer Video Collection International (VCI) has appointed The Media Business to handle its 5m account. VCI media buying had previously been handled by Advertising Planning & Management (APM). The above-the-line spend will be jointly handled by APM, which will work on its family and entertainment, music, children’s and fitness titles. Court Burkitt & […]
Dixons Stores Group has pulled all advertising from News International titles following a dispute over rates. DSG, which comprises Dixons, Currys, PC World and The Link, is NI’s biggest advertiser. NI claims the business is worth 20m a year but sources suggest the figure is significantly higher. No DSG ads have been carried by The […]
Apple Computer is reviewing its pan-European advertising account handled by Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO. It is estimated to be worth 10m. The move follows the decision late last week in the US to review its account, estimated at 55m, out of the BBDO network. BBDO, which has handled the account for the past 11 years, declined […]
Camelot goes to the High Court this week in an effort to wrest from Marketing Week leaked documents which sparked the “fat cats” furore and brought three of its directors to the brink of resignation (MW May 29). The court hearing before Mr Justice Morris is an implicit admission that Camelot’s internal inquiry, led by […]
The launch of Japanese energy drink Lipovitan B breaks this week with an integrated campaign created by CDP. It will use ten- and 20-second TV executions, press, posters and product sampling. The drink – which sells 1 billion cans a year in Asia – will be positioned away from other drinks targeted at ‘ravers’. It […]