It’s a shame that Robert Dwek hasn’t yet enjoyed the benefits of the new features on FT.com (“FT turns new leaf but fails to challenge Wall Street Journal”, MW March 30), preferring the dull comfort of familiarity to richness and utility. In wanting something “that resembles as nearly as possible the newspaper” to which he […]
The Independent Television Commission (ITC) is planning to relax its tough rules on programme sponsorship as part of a move towards a “lighter” regulatory touch. The ITC believes its complex set of regulations could be discouraging companies from taking up sponsorship opportunities. And it wants to cut down on the amount of pre-transmission advice it […]
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is to meet the John Lewis Partnership this week to discuss the retailer’s complaints over exclusive supply deals signed between PC manufacturers and high-street stores group Dixons. OFT representatives may meet John Lewis directors today (Wednesday)to discuss a possible fresh investigation of the PC market following complaints first revealed […]
Whitbread is taking on the standard lager sector with GB, a brand playing on ‘British’ values aimed at 18-24 year olds. But the concept may be too contrived for a market that cares little about brands.
The Committee on Advertising Practice (CAP) has called a summit meeting with the UK’s vacuum cleaner industry to bring to an end its tit-for-tat advertising war. CAP claims its sister organisation the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is spending too much time resolving disputes between manufacturers such as Dyson and Hoover over exaggerated performance claims. It […]
New media agency The Hub has won a £15m contract for online coupons site Coupons Now, the first coupons website to launch in the UK. The agency has been appointed to handle a three-year campaign for Coupons Now (www.couponsnow.co.uk), a website which allows registered users to download discount coupons which they can redeem in retailers’ […]
Lloyds TSB has appointed brand communications director Paul Troy to head marketing at its new, separately branded, European Internet bank. Troy has already taken up the position of brand director. He reports to Lloyds TSB managing director for European Internet banking Jayne Almond. He is responsible for branding, media and advertising at the bank – […]
Lowe Lintas & Partners has won the estimated £60m global advertising account for computing group 3Com, after beating incumbent FCB Worldwide.
Outdoor advertising company Maiden Outdoor is in negotiations to buy the privately-owned billboard company CP, following its acquisition of poster operator Metro for an undisclosed sum. Metro has 670 48-sheet sites and 55 96-sheet sites in Yorkshire, Tyne Tees, West Country and South Wales. Maiden already handles sales for many of the sites. Although Maiden […]
Coca-Cola’s new strategy of targeting ads at local markets is not likely to mean it will hand agencies creative carte blanche.
The UK online auction market is hotting up. Virgin Net is to offer a competing service with those of more established auction players, such as QXL, Yahoo! and eBay. Virgin Net has linked with US company FairMarket, which provides both technology and its own auction network. The network is potentially more important since it means […]
Winning sponsor: MEB
ITV’s quiz show, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, has lost two million viewers over the past year in what media buyers say is a serious downturn in its popularity. During 1999, the show, presented by Chris Tarrant, drew an average audience of 14.5 million for each show. But the two series this year, in […]
Mike Lazenby, the marketing director who left Nationwide last year with no job to go to (MW September 23), has emerged as the new chief executive of Kent Reliance building society. Lazenby is awaiting board approval to turn the 14-branch Kent chain into a national business by launching a telephone and Internet operation at the […]
Drinks manufacturers need to find ways to target Internet audiences more effectively, but integration of online and offline branding is also essential.