Unilever is to plough an extra 200m a year into advertising and promotion after its annual results, announced this week, revealed flat sales in many of its markets. Worldwide sales on continuing operations fell five per cent last year at current exchange rates. However, Unilever’s restructuring of recent years has paid off, with net profit […]
The British Council is looking for a marketing partner to develop and promote an international brand for British education. The brand, called British Educ-ation, is to be launched later this year and will feature in an international campaign next year to attract foreign students to British universities, colleges and independent schools both in the UK […]
Marketers from Bedford brewer Charles Wells and Somerset’s Ash Vine brewery are unlikely to be sharing a pint in the near future. Relations are “aleing” after a new campaign for Charles Wells’ Bombardier English Premium Bitter used the strapline “Land of Hops and Glory”. For the people at Ash Vine that was too close for […]
BT is understood to be hiring Ammirati Puris Lintas to work on special projects as part of its advertising review. It is thought that the agency will be handed special assignments such as new product development, though BT refuses to confirm or deny the move. Sources say APL may be taken on as “agency of […]
British Airways’ low-cost airline, Go, which announced four new destinations this week, is planning to fly to Prague later this year. The airline, which makes its television advertising début this week, aims to add the capital of the Czech Republic to its list of routes. Go’s new ad campaign highlights its 12 destinations, including its […]
In recent weeks the sponsor’s role has come in for criticism following Nationwide’s stance on former England coach Glenn Hoddle. Many have questioned the company’s right to do so. Some believe it is entitled to voice its opinion, given the substantial investment it has made in the sports body. Others argue it should have left […]
Discount food store Netto has handed its 2m advertising account to JWT (Manchester). JWT won the account in a pitch against three other Manchester-based agencies, including BDH and McCann-Erickson. The previous incumbent, FCA!, did not repitch. The Danish-owned retailer uses press, posters, radio, TV and direct mail. Last year, the supermarket said it would sell […]
Ailing themed restaurant chain Planet Hollywood has lost its last senior marketer in Europe with the departure of vice-president of marketing Europe, Paul Biggins. Biggins left the chain late last week, on the heels of European vice-president of marketing Guy Laurence who left the company last month (MW January 21). Biggins has been with the […]
I’m indebted to the excellent article by Peter Kellner in last week’s New Statesman that flies in the face of Labour’s anti-Blairite, left-wing and pessimistic view that the British economy is teetering on the brink of a precipice. I won’t summarise it here, since the NS will want to protect its 2 cover price, but […]
I was the public affairs director in charge of public relations for European Passenger Services, the UK company that ran Eurostar with SNCF French railways and SNCB Belgian railways prior to the takeover by London & Continental Railways. As a matter of record, the first Eurostar in public service ran in November 1994 and the […]
LinkExchange, the Microsoft-owned Internet ad sales house, is launching in the UK and aims to become one of the top providers of banner (display) advertising by the end of the year. Banner ad inventory available on LinkExchange’s UK network will initially be sold alongside traffic on Microsoft-owned Internet service provider and portal MSN UK (www.msn.co.uk). […]
Kangol, the former supplier of berets to HM Forces which has become a cult fashion label, is to launch its first dedicated store. The outlet, which opens at the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent on March 16, is being managed by licensee BigHit, a fashion franchisee company. Kangol and BigHit are to use the new […]
Jay Chiat’s crusade to revolutionise the traditional office will probably be remembered as one of the advertising industry’s more courageous if quixotic projects. Only now is a true picture of life in this utopian environment emerging. Chiat’s dream of paperless, deskless offices was intended to liberate employees from the tyranny of the workplace and in […]
If you ever wondered what paradise looks like, ask David Ogilvy founder of Ogilvy & Mather. His house is doing a passable impersonation. In the March edition of House and Garden magazine, Ogilvy’s “modest” dwelling, the turreted Chateau de Touffou, features in a six-page spread. But 32 years ago when he was looking to buy […]
Five years ago, General Motors subsidiary Allison Transmission, which manufactures automatic transmissions for commercial vehicles, was finding life tough in the European market. Market share was slipping and, more importantly, securing engineering releases (the agreement of vehicle manufacturers to specify the product as an option) was becoming increasingly difficult. One of the key reasons for […]