Thomson extends Nectar partnership online

Thomson Local is extending its partnership with Nectar to include its online directory and has signed two sponsorship deals with UKTV to promote the tie-up.

Customers will now receive Nectar points for using ThomsonLocal.com, as well as the Thomson Local print directory.

To mark the extension of the Nectar partnership, Thomson Local will sponsor Home Sweet Home on UKTV Style and Dead on Nine on UKTV Drama. The deals were negotiated by Carat Sponsorship.

On top of the sponsorships, the company is also launching a £3m advertising push to increase awareness of the Nectar tie-up.

A national TV campaign, created by Communicator, will be supported by press advertising and direct mail activity. Carat, which has worked with Thomson since last year, handled media planning and buying.

The Thomson Local/Nectar partnership, which was signed in 2005, has now been rolled out across the country and 22 million households have a Thomson Local print directory offering Nectar points.

Thomson Local head of marketing Jill Pringle says: “Extending Nectar online is a natural progression and we are able to maximise our marketing spend by launching a national communication campaign.”

Last year, Communicator won a pitch to handle Thomson’s radio and outdoor account and since then has been appointed as the brand’s retained advertising agency.

Pringle, who was previously usage marketing manager, was promoted to head of marketing last year (MW.co.uk, April 20, 2007). She reports to product and marketing director Gary Brown, who joined Thomson in February last year from rival Yell (MW February 1, 2007).