Month: July 2006

Clampdown plans for roadside ads

Marketing Week

Ads placed illegally alongside motorways and other major roads could soon disappear after the Government unveiled new regulations to combat the problem. The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) issued guidance to councils this week, as part of revised advertising regulations. The Government says the illegal ads are a danger to drivers, claiming that […]

NI chief moots national freesheet on back of London title

Marketing Week

News International’s incoming free newspapers chief Ian Clark admits it is “possible” that a national freesheet could follow the London evening publication that it is expected to launch in the autumn. The publisher of The Times, Sunday Times, The Sun and News of the World has handed Times Newspapers’ ad director Clark the role of […]

Channel 4 signs Nintendo to sponsor DIY viewer comedy

Marketing Week

Channel 4 has signed up Nintendo to sponsor a new comedy initiative, 4Laughs, which asks viewers to send in their own ideas and sketches. It is due to be launched this autumn. The deal extends the existing relationship the broadcaster has with the firm. Last year Nintendo signed a 1.8m deal as the first official […]

Why Bacardi is swimming upstream

Marketing Week

Social networking is to play a core role in Bacardi’s new ‘You In?’ global marketing campaign, which starts in the UK at the beginning of August (MW last week). Although traditional media – television, cinema and poster advertising – will be important to the ‘celebrity-free’ campaign, interactive media – online and interactive TV – will […]

Survey reveals that viewers are turned off by high definition TV

Marketing Week

There is little appetite for the high definition (HD) television services launched this spring by BSkyB despite the media giant’s heavy promotion of the new technology, according to a new poll by ICM Direct. According to the survey, commissioned by branded content specialist Contentworx, three quarters of the 1,000 adults questioned are “unexcited” by the […]

Universal Studios in pre-split media hunt

Marketing Week

Universal Studios is looking for an agency to handle its media planning and buying in the UK after the break-up of United International Pictures (UIP) next year. The changes will see Universal and Paramount split into individual companies.

Sony PlayStation rolls out wi-fi Spot trials in the UK

Marketing Week

Sony PlayStation is rolling out the first European trials of its wi-fi Spot product in the UK this week. PlayStation Spot is a small, self-contained device that broadcasts a wi-fi zone from which PSP (PlayStationPortable) users can download exclusive content, including game demos, videos, film trailers, music tracks, image galleries and other innovative content. A […]

Sainsbury’s Bank to launch email marketing strategy

Marketing Week

Sainsbury’s Bank is to launch an e-mail marketing strategy developed by direct marketing specialist Alchemy Worx. The new push will involve doubling the size of the bank’s e-mail customer database and will build on the audience for its existing monthly online e-zine, Fresh Thinking, also developed by Alchemy Worx.

Engine buys search specialist

Marketing Week

The Engine Group, the agency holding company which includes WCRS and specialists like Slice and Dave, has bought search engine marketing firm Eyefall. Engine has taken a majority stake in the business to strengthen its digital offering – before now Meme was the only digital specialist in the group. Eyefall is due to join the […]

Lycos to offer brand deals

Marketing Week

Lycos has set up a new strategic alliances department to develop ad-funded content deals with brands. The new department is headed by Adrian Moxley, who was previously sales director of Lycos. The initiative is being rolled out in the UK first, but the company plans to extend it across its European network. Angeles Lopez, managing […]

Heavy.com sets sights on Europe

Marketing Week

Heavy.com, a US digital multimedia entertainment provider, is heading to the UK, after signing a three-year deal with Contentfilm, the film and TV rights company. The Heavy.com site attracts around 12 million visitors a month to its mix of animation, video games, comedy, home movies and pop-culture parodies. It has a core audience of 18- […]