Coca-Cola has rubbished claims it is planning to drop the Diet Coke “hunk” from its advertising. It was reported earlier this week that Coca-Cola Great Britain would ditch the brand icon as part of a move to realign its marketing strategy with the US. It was suggested that the current “hunk” ads would be the […]
Lastminute.com, the travel and leisure group, has called a review of advertising across all of its brands as part of a move to consolidate its advertising and digital accounts. It is understood that the leisure group is seeking a single agency to handle the £4m advertising and digital accounts for all of its websites, including […]
CHI & Partners has picked up Carphone Warehouse’s 45m pan-European media planning and buying account without a pitch.
The British Heart Foundation has launched an online campaign warning children about the dangers of some of their favourite foods in an attempt to turn the tables on “junk food advertisers”. The campaign, featuring a character called Sick Rick, has been created by Avenue A Razorfish. Explaining the BHF’s decision to move away from TV, […]
The British Retail Consortium has lambasted recent claims of escalating food prices as “alarmist” and “unsupported by the evidence”. The response follows claims that record increases in the cost charged by food producers will be passed on to consumers.
EMI, the ailing record company, is planning to offer brands the chance to sponsor its artists for the first time. The plan aims to boost flagging revenue at the company, which is owned by private equity company Terra Firma. Guy Hands, the chief executive of Terra Firma (pictured), will reveal plans today (January 15) as […]
GroupM UK, the WPP Group-owned media network, has appointed Richard Foster as commercial director of entertainment. He joins from Fox TV Studios, where he was senior vice-president.
British Airways has ditched its UK below-the-line agencies Tullo Marshall Warren (TMW) and Lida and is hunting a new agency to manage its global direct marketing and strategic loyalty requirements. It has invited five undisclosed agencies have been invited to pitch for the account, and an appointment is expected in the spring. The pitch will […]
Retail giant Tesco has reported a 3.1% rise in the Christmas trading period, falling short of City expectations. The lower-than-expected sales, in the six weeks to January 5 period, shows a slower sales growth than rival Sainsbury.
Guardian Media Group Radio (GMG) has poached OMD UK head of radio John Walker to lead a newly launched in-house sponsorship and promotions (S&P) team. He will join the company in early spring. GMG Solutions, which will have an eight strong team, will focus on developing new S&P opportunities across the group’s 13 stations, which […]
Marketing budgets were hit by growing concerns about the economy in the last quarter of 2007, according to the latest Bellwether report. The report, which is published today (January 14), saw the steepest fall in budgets in two years due to weak sales revenues, disappointing profits and the credit squeeze. The report, which is published […]
Disney Channel UK managing director Rob Gilby has been promoted to head the broadcaster’s operations across Asia-Pacific. Gilby takes the new role of senior vice president and managing director for the region for Disney-ABC International Television as part of a restructure. Gilby will be responsible for growing the distribution and revenue of all television and […]
British Airways has unveiled a new green initiative, backed by environment secretary Hilary Benn, designed to reduce the impact of aviation on climate change. The scheme allows customers to offset carbon emissions on flights and protects rainforest in Brazil. The airline is also backing research into the effects of aircraft’s non-carbon emissions. The initiative uses […]
Energywatch has called for the “big six” energy providers to be referred to the Competition Commission as average energy bills rise to more than £1,000 a year. The move follows a price increase on both gas and electricity by npower earlier this month. The independent energy watchdog wants British Gas, E.On, Scottish & Southern Energy, […]
Havas, the sixth largest marketing services company, has acquired independent media agency BLM for an undisclosed amount. The French company will rename the agency Arena BLM as part of the deal, which aims to increase its UK footprint. The agency will be run separately from Havas’ existing media network, Media Planning Group, and will form […]