Kraft Jacobs Suchard has merged its retail divisions into a single sales department for the first time, and created the role of customer marketing director to oversee it. Steve Newiss, former general manager of confectionery, has been promoted to the position and will have sales responsibility for all three divisions: coffee, which includes Maxwell House, […]
The news analysis on Radio Rentals (MW July 31) seems to write off the rentals market without presenting the full picture. Radio Rentals has done much in the past five years to grow its business beyond brown goods rentals and our new business in white goods and PCs has led the way in broadening our […]
From the RSPCA’s pile of dead dogs to an NSPCC campaign’s provoking images of the murder of Jamie Bulger, charity advertising has always shocked. It has had to. Limited resources and the co-opting of advertising agencies, which have traditionally seen charity accounts as an opportunity to let their creative departments be “creative”, have cons pired […]
Dixons Stores Group is understood to have ended its month-long boycott of News International newspapers. The two companies are believed to have signed a new contract last week. The dispute is estimated to have cost NI 2m in lost revenue. Buoyant retail sales across Dixons’ retail chains are believed to have tempted the company to […]
The DSS has announced plans to raise 10m by taxing non-cash staff incentives. But the proposals raise questions as to which schemes will fall prey to the new tax, with frequent-flyer programmes poised for a losing battle.
Guinness Ireland is putting its 10m media account – estimated to be the biggest advertising business in the country – up for review. Incumbent McConnell’s will pitch for the centralised account, which covers media buying for seven brands including the world-famous stout, along with Guinness Ireland’s other roster agencies, Irish International and Peter Owens. The […]
To stand out in a crowded market, car ads have been infringing established guidelines. But the ITC wants to apply the brakes. By Torin Douglas. Torin Douglas is BBC Radio’s media correspondent.
Korean car maker Kia has appointed its first head of marketing with the aim of doubling vehicle sales to 10,000 within three years. The car currently holds 0.25 per cent of the UK market. But the company has now hired Gary Elliott, previously product manager at Korean rival Hyundai UK, with the promise of increased […]
Mike Anderson, marketing director at CIA Medianetwork, has resigned from the agency to join New PHD. The move comes just nine months after Anderson was promoted to the agency’s board, and praised by the agency’s then deputy managing director, Marco Rimini, for playing a central role in boosting billings through 1996. Anderson’s resignation last week […]
The Data Protection Registrar has many powers, but cannot stop pranksters from making chumps out of the direct marketing industry. One acquaintance of the Diary has suffered a barrage of unwelcome direct mail. He was the victim of a prankster who used his address to target him with dozens of mail-outs using phoney, and often […]
The Hampel committee’s report rejects politically correct posturing and puts the shareholder above the stakeholder. By George Pitcher. George Pitcher is chief executive of issue management consultancy Luther Pendragon.
I find myself in the somewhat unaccustomed position of writing to you in support of your piece “Government must act on gaming laws” (MW July 24). I entirely agree that a wholesale review of the UK gaming industry is needed and that piecemeal deregulation carries certain dangers, not least the absence of informed public debate. […]
Brussels has come up with a compromise which aims to protect both the consumer and legitimate brand builders to solve the comparative advertising conundrum. By John Shannon. John Shannon is president of Grey International.
British Gas Services, the central heating and servicing arm of Centrica, is reviewing its 4m advertising account held by TBWA Simons Palmer and is drawing up a short-list of agencies. The move comes after the company, which markets British Gas domestic central heating and boiler products such as the Celsia system, and services domestic gas […]
TBWA Simons Palmer has won the creative account for Virgin Direct, which Virgin claims is worth 10m. It retains its grip on the 5m Axa Equity & Law business. TBWA Simons Palmer beat Young & Rubicam, HHCL Brasserie and the incumbent integrated agency Consolidated Communications to the Virgin Direct account. The latter will be retained […]