Alan Mitchell: Assessing the scope of grocery super-categories
Marketing WeekRetail giants are ditching me-tooism to offer something brand manufacturers never could: complete solutions to UK consumer needs. By Alan Mitchell
Retail giants are ditching me-tooism to offer something brand manufacturers never could: complete solutions to UK consumer needs. By Alan Mitchell
Baker Warburtons this week escaped censure by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after 13 complaints that poster ads for its bread could encourage anti-social behaviour. The three executions showed a serrated bread knife, a hand holding a rolling pin or a fist wearing an oven glove, under the headline “Respect the Bread”. The complainants claimed […]
Well-constructed promotions work to drive increased sales, but all too often are not considered worthy of huge budgets. Brands and agencies need to review their lukewarm attitude to advertising support for promotions
The ad and media industries are feeling sorry for themselves, as they did when war and recession combined in 1991. But look how well they did later, says Torin Douglas
The news that the BBC and ITV had won the rights to show the World Cup was no surprise – Kirch had no choice. But how did they get them so cheaply?
Spare a thought for the Diary’s editorial assistant, who had the bejeesus scared out of her this week by direct marketing agency Somersault. The hapless company sent a brochure with a spring-loaded butterfly inside, which flew out when the brochure was opened. Bearing in mind that for the past few weeks the threat of anthrax […]
Ogilvy & Mather has created an advertising campaign to promote BP’s cleaner fuels. The global campaign breaks this week and coincides with BP’s re-signing initiative, replacing its old ‘shield’ mark with the new Helios ‘sunflower’ logo.
Events, Karl Marx once remarked, have a habit of repeating themselves: the first time they appear as tragedy, the second time as farce. How applicable to ITV, whose current situation has uncomfortable parallels with events ten years ago. Then, too, economic downturn and the distant reverberation of warfare beset us. Then, too, ITV was struggling […]
Sportswear company Reebok plans to launch a product range aimed exclusively at women to compete with Nike’s women-only chain Nikegoddess. Reebok has already announced the US launch of footwear and clothing – and new advertising – aimed at women. The company has also launched a website for women that features the new ranges, as well […]
The Diary has learned that Microsoft megalomaniac Bill Gates, not content with controlling the world Blofeld-style, now wants to get into the record books. To promote the launch of Windows XP tomorrow (October 25), Microsoft is trying to break the record for the fastest-produced music video, using the product’s editing equipment. The attempt will be […]
Electrical appliance company Remington has promoted UK marketing director Peta Thorniley to the new position of European marketing director. The promotion follows a global shake-up at the company this summer which resulted in the departure of executive vice-president, international, Wilan van den Berg. Thorniley’s responsibilities will encompass UK marketing. Remington’s international operations were previously based […]
The number of golf courses has rocketed in recent years, and Centrica’s launch of Golf England is a vote of confidence in the sport. But there’s plenty to do to make the grass greener on the fairway
As the price of detailed population information continues to decline, and with the imminent arrival of the 2001 census data, more companies are using localised birthand death-rates to help plan their marketing strategies
I am writing in reply to your editorial (MW September 27). The customer is not ignored – only their views. Never before has so much research been instigated seeking out the customer’s experience – to which they dutifully respond. Unfortunately, customers’ responses reflect common sense and unglamorous solutions, which marketers have no interest in presenting […]
Following on from last week’s world record theme, the Diary has learnt of a record attempt that defies logic and health and safety advice. Ian Ashpole is planning to tie helium balloons to himself and float to an altitude of 15,000ft. He will then cut the balloons and parachute to earth. Ian is obviously mad. […]