Month: November 2008

Mobile firm doubles spend to broaden its customer base

Marketing Week

Lebara Mobile, the low-cost national and international mobile service, is doubling its marketing spend to over £4m next year and is considering expanding its marketing department as part of a push to extend beyond its core ethnic migrant customer base. The company launched in the UK a year ago and recently unveiled its first advertising […]

AA calls for deregulationof medicinesto allow ads

Marketing Week

The Advertising Association is calling for the deregulation of the pharmaceutical industry, in an attempt to ease the ban on advertising prescription drugs. The AA, led by chief executive Peta Buscombe, is in talks with Ofcom about a possible “rethink”, to allow pharmaceutical companies to talk about its products. In the UK, only over-the-counter advertising […]

Premier Foods to relaunch Quorn to widen its appeal

Marketing Week

Premier Foods is understood to be planning a major relaunch of its meat alternative brand, Quorn, in the new year. The relaunch is expected to include a new positioning of the brand, as well as a number of new product launches. The company is keen to widen the appeal of Quorn, whose products include meat-free […]

Moneyextra raids rival for director of advertising

Marketing Week

Moneyextra.com, the UK comparison and advice website, has appointed Alan Crofts as advertising director. He joins from rival moneysupermarket.com. Crofts, who has already taken over the role, will lead the company’s media team and has been made responsible for its advertising and sales revenue. He will have a seat on the board and will report […]

ASA upholds complaints about Apple iPhone 3G’s web claims

Marketing Week

A TV ad claiming the Apple iPhone 3G offers “really fast” internet has been banned by the advertising regulator for being misleading. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruling against the campaign, created by TBWA/London, comes at the crucial Christmas trading time for the handset, which was launched this summer. The ad, which shows a close-up […]

Gaming weathers retail downturn to trump music and video

Marketing Week

With retail in the doldrums, mid-season sales already underway and daily predictions of a bleak Christmas, it may come as a surprise that there is any cheer in the retail sector right now. But the gaming market remains a bright spot, with sales predicted to outstrip music and video for the first time this year. […]

EasyHotel to ditch orange in favour of ‘soft’ shades

Marketing Week

EasyHotel, the budget hotel brand, is overhauling its portfolio with a view to phasing out easyGroup’s iconic orange livery and bringing in a “soft colour scheme”. It will launch an advertising campaign to support the changes. The chain will roll out a new bedroom “concept” across its nine hotels from January. The rooms will also […]

King of Shaves to launch razor aimed at women

Marketing Week

King of Shaves is launching a sub-brand aimed at women. The Azure is due to launch in the UK in spring next year. The Azure will have a similar value positioning to KoS’s male brand, Azor, which was launched as a razor that gives a closer shave but costs less. Like its masculine counterpart, the […]

Painful times for the Next generation

Marketing Week

Against a backdrop of falling market share and a gloomy retail environment, Next has eschewed running its traditional heavyweight Christmas television campaign. The move, revealed last week (MW.co.uk November 21), is in sharp contrast to the retailer’s strategy last year, when it launched an £18m ad campaign. The 2007 push was implemented by Next Group […]

Cruise operator reviews 10m integrated account

Marketing Week

Hurtigruten, the Norwegian cruise operator, is reviewing its integrated advertising account. It is understood to be worth more than £10m. The company is looking to appoint a lead global agency for the first time. It will be charged with consolidating the company’s regional advertising strategies over the next year. A shortlist, which is understood to […]

Ricoh agency appointments boost advertising and sponsorship work

Marketing Week

Ricoh, the digital camera and office equipment company, is ramping up its advertising and sponsorship activity with the appointment of integrated agency Momentum and digital agency Curious Digital to its pan-European business. Momentum will be Ricoh’s first retained agency to oversee sponsorship, also working on brand strategy. The agency has previously carried out below-the-line work […]

LBi wins DoH pandemic flu digital strategy brief

Marketing Week

The Department of Health has appointed digital agency LBi to help build an online strategy for a potential pandemic flu outbreak. The brief for the agency, which won the pitch against undisclosed agencies, will be to get the threat of pandemic flu – more serious than ordinary flu and avian flu – onto the public […]

IPM beats its rivals to keep Intel’s 8m ad account

Marketing Week

IPM, the Interpublic Group-owned poster company, is understood to have retained the £8m Intel account after a pitch. It is understood to have beaten rivals, including Posterscope, to keep the account. IPM will continue to work with the computer hardware company’s outdoor advertising, which has included advertising on London Underground digital screens, owned by outdoor […]

Virgin Media marketing chief McCormack quits

Marketing Week

Virgin Media marketing director of brand and acquisitions Lisa McCormack is understood to be leaving the cable company. It is not known whether she has a job to go to. McCormack, who reported to managing director of brand and marketing Ashley Stockwell, was one of thefew staff to remain at the cable operator, following its […]