Leo Burnett has resigned the 15m worldwide Dewar’s whisky account as a result of Diageo selling the brand to Bacardi. Diageo was forced to sell both Dewar’s and its Bombay Sapphire Gin brand by competition authorities. It struck a deal to sell the brands to Bacardi for 1.15bn earlier this year. The Federal Trade Commission […]
British American Tobacco (BAT) is test marketing its Lucky Strike Originals mail order catalogue this week in the UK, Holland and Spain. It is the latest step in the company’s battle to diversify into new areas to counter European restrictions on tobacco promotion. The prize, say observers, is for BAT to transform itself into a […]
Trudging around rundown housing estates, possibly on your own, and with a laptop computer tucked under your arm is not everyone’s idea of great working conditions. But for many market research interviewers this is life. “The industry is having difficulty attracting the right people,” says Pat Connolly, field director at Research International (RI). “The downmarket […]
The Diary and friends were looking forward to a convivial evening with PR agency Propeller. A few drinks, a bit of food and some stimulating chat in a swish London bar to build those all-important relationships. Unfortunately, even professionals in the communications industry can get their wires crossed. Instead of swaggering into some classy joint, […]
The Diary was intrigued to see the normally frantic National Magazine Company’s reception transformed into a peaceful garden, complete with wooden park bench, hanging baskets and the soothing sounds of nature. The reason the new, but sadly temporary, rainforest of calm has been built is to draw attention to this month’s interview with gardening-mad Prince […]
It is not often that the market research industry gets a bandwagon to climb aboard. Category management research, however, is one such trend which the 100-plus research agencies in the UK are busy hooking up to. Attend any research conference and the chances are that category management and efficient consumer response will be on the […]
Mobile phone operator Orange has announced an overhaul of its network, services and pricing strategy which it hopes will pave the way for the introduction of personalised billing and packages for each customer. The move comes just a month after rival Cellnet announced its “first” initiative, a repackaging of its services with value guarantees. Orange […]
Court Burkitt & Company has scooped the 4m GNER creative advertising account as well as the 1m South West Trains business.
Packard Bell, the PC manufacturer, is launching a 2m consumer advertising campaign this week through M&C Saatchi. The campaign highlights Packard Bell’s commit-ment to satisfying consumer demand for innovative technology. One press execution shows a woman trying to drill to Australia – through her living room floor – in an attempt to match Packard Bell’s […]
Monsanto’s advertising campaign, promoting the safety of genetically modified food, has sparked 14 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority from environmental pressure groups and the public. The ASA has this week decided to investigate the complaints, which all claim the ad is misleading. Representatives of the Soil Association, the Green Party and Gene Watch have […]
Supermarkets have been trying to dominate magazines and newspapers since they were allowed into the market in 1994. Since the Monopolies & Mergers Commission allowed general retailers to enter the market, supermarkets have seen it as a vast growth area. If Asda has its way, it is going to be the first to crack its […]
Sports manufacturer Diadora will not be the first or last brand owner to consider giving a celebrity the boot. Since the very public attack by Stan Collymore on Ulrika Jonsson, Diadora has refused to say whether it will cancel the boot deal with the Aston Villa striker. Less than two years ago, Paul Gascoigne faced […]
I’ve always thought that of all the spin machinery at the Government’s disposal, the most effective is some of the oldest – the 30-year disclosure rule. Civil servants of yesteryear could teach the communications apparatchiks of today a thing or two. The fashion these days is to address political issues in communications terms – the […]
The Diary was dismayed to hear what went on in Marseilles last week.
Swatch, the fashion watch brand owned by SMH, has recruited a new management team following the departure of brand director Jill Pinnington. Jamie Home becomes brand director, the most senior position at Swatch in the UK. He moves from fashion label Diesel, where he was European retail director. The marketing director post has been handed […]