Asda is planning to launch cheap own-label compact discs in yet another assault on established industry players. The supermarket chain has been briefing music companies with lists of tracks that meet the tastes of its target market, say sources. Asda is offering a range of own-branded compilation albums, covering areas such as rock music or […]
WCRS is tipped to win the 3m account for music chain Virgin Megastore. The win will hand Havas, the network which owns WCRS, all of the WH Smith-owned Virgin Our Price business.
An EU initiative has been launched to advise and encourage European investment in Japan. However, Britain seems to be a bit slow on the uptake.
The maker of the first set-top box that allows consumers to surf the Net on their TV sets plans to spend over 1m to promote its vision of cheap and easy Net access for the masses. NetProducts launched its 300 NetStation at the end of July, but the real marketing drive will start in September […]
On the surface, moving from market leader Ford to Toyota might seem surprising for a top marketer. But the Japanese company – armed with new manufacturing plants, new models and new management – has ambitious plans to grab a greater share of t
US spirits manufacturer Brown-Forman has shortlisted MediaVest and Western International Media to pitch for its 3.5m Southern Comfort media buying business. The account was handled on a full service basis in the UK by Court Burkitt & Company, until Brown-Forman called a review of the creative account and consolidated the account across Europe. DMB&B beat […]
The boom in the housing market has done more than simply push up property prices, it’s done wonders for the home-interest magazine sector.
The merger between the US owners of the Dixcel and Nouvelle tissue paper brands has sparked a 40m-plus marketing and advertising review across Europe. The merger between the James River Corporation and the Fort Howard Corporation has created the world’s second largest tissue manufacturer after Kimberly-Clark. It will be called the Fort James Corporation, and […]
Somerfield has dropped Birds of a Feather star Lesley Joseph from its advertising campaign. Joseph, who plays Dorian in the TV show, was signed by the supermarket chain in September 1995 to attract younger, more affluent customers following the conversion of the Gateway brand into Somerfield. The 8m campaign was created by Butler Lutos Sutton […]
Five telecoms companies were rapped in this month’s Advertising Standards Authority report for making inaccurate or misleading claims. The report, which was delayed by a week after Direct Line Financial Services was granted an injunction to stop publication over a contested adjudication (MW August 14), also contains criticism of blue-chip car manufacturers Audi and Volvo […]
Keen followers of Marketing Week may have noticed a few hours delay in getting the esteemed organ last week. Our printers informed us that their presses were struck by lightning early on Thursday morning. We thought that was a freak excuse, on a par with “the dog ate my homework, sir”. However, Eurosport sales director […]
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The whole country is going to the dogs with the introduction of competition to the gas supply market. First, Calortex, a joint venture between Calor and Texaco and the country’s largest independent supplier of gas, introduced us to a Lassie lookalike called Oscar. Then industry regulator Ofgas launched its public information campaign about competition in […]
EMAP’s Metro and Elan titles enjoyed enormous increases in the latest set of circulation figures released last week. Leading men’s title FHM leapt by 178 per cent, teen titles Smash Hits and J17 rose by 90 per cent and 86 per cent respectively, and home-interest title Period Living was up by 56 per cent. Elle […]
Car giant to place greater emphasis on brand despite speculation that it was to be replaced by Opel