Marketing directors are in conflict with their IT directors over who controls Internet strategy within their businesses, according to a survey published this week. A total of 45 per cent of all IT directors have control of Internet strategy, but 29 per cent of marketing directors believe they should have control of the Internet, according […]
Kingfisher chief executive Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy attempted to shrug off the disappointment of losing Asda to American giant Wal-Mart last week with the opening of a B&Q store in Shanghai. The opening, which is the latest in a line of extensions of the B&Q brand abroad, is part of Mulcahy’s plans to make his company […]
In response to Dorothy Mackenzie’s letter regarding BA’s decision to fly the flag once more (MW June 17), I find her suggestion that the airline’s customers are wrong to be foolhardy, if not a little arrogant. BA is right to respond in the way that it has because those companies that fail to react to […]
Abbey National’s decision to close up to half its 3,500 customer service counters was not meant to discourage unprofitable customers, the bank claims (MW June 17). “Rather we want to turn them into profitable customers through cheaper distribution channels,” a spokesman says. The bank is encouraging people to use telephone banking and the Internet. However, […]
As BBJ Media Services waits for news of whether it will retain its hold on the £44m Volkswagen UK media account, a senior management reshuffle has begun. Jerry Buhlmann, BBJ’s managing director, co-founder and a player on the agency’s VW account, is to move within the Aegis group to sister company Carat International at the […]
Ogilvy & Mather has emerged as the winner, at the expense of Saatchi & Saatchi and Publicis, in a global brand realignment following the £13bn merger of British American Tobacco and Rothmans.
Booth Lockett Makin (BLM) is tipped to win the media account for innovative vacuum cleaner manufacturer Dyson’s UK. BLM pitched against Western International Media, Optimedia and Walker Media. The account had been held by Concord London, which bought media for the company in the UK and Ireland. In January, MediaVest was appointed to handle the […]
Economists on the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee take all kinds of research in to account before deciding whether interest rates should go up, down or stay the same. Among the financial reports pondered is the British Retail Consortium’s monthly assessment of retail sales by economist Pamela Webber. Last month Webber noted “Rugs performed […]
Sega Europe is hunting for a marketing manager to launch its much trumpeted Dreamcast games console across Europe. The computer games giant, which is offering the right person a £50,000 pay package, is looking for marketers with an Internet, games or consumer marketing background. The task will be to develop e-commerce sales and co-ordination across […]
No one, it seems, can say too much about the evolving art of Website design, with companies continually monitoring consumer reaction to their pages. And yet point of purchase (POP), which performs many of the same functions in the non-virtual world, has never been accorded the same interest. In particular, many clients have rarely invested […]
Most people must have asked the same question: what exactly will Wal-Mart do with Asda? And rightly so. With major German and UK acquisitions under its belt, Wal-Mart needs only one more in France to leap to a new level of retail competitiveness. Major outlets such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Boots and B&Q transformed UK retailing […]
I have just read Dorothy Mackenzie’s letter (MW June 17).
According to economists’ forecasts, inflation is about to breach the one per cent barrier – bringing it to its lowest level since 1964 – notwithstanding the fact that the UK economy is poised for a fresh period of growth. Whether or not the British economy really is experiencing the Goldilocks phenomenon of sustained growth combined […]
The Sun is launching a site based on its trademark Page 3 to help drive subscriptions to its CurrantBun.com free Internet Service Provider (ISP) service. The move is certain to renew the debate about the promotion of topless images in the office. The site, Page3.com, is scheduled to launch this week, and is expected to […]
There’s nothing wrong with a new look – it can do wonders for a company’s profile. But when it’s not based on real change, it can seem like just a hollow gesture. And there are some hollow gestures occurring in the high street right now, at two of our national retail institutions – Marks & […]