Month: January 2009

Nokia launches campaign for touchscreen phone

Marketing Week

Nokia is launching a major campaign this week to support its first touchscreen phone. The ad, which breaks on Friday (January 30), will feature images of different musical instruments to Technotronic’s “Pump up The Volume”. The campaign, which has been created by Wieden & Kennedy, will support the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic throughout February and March, […]

Future reports 9% ad revenue fall

Marketing Week

Future, the UK consumer magazine publisher, has revealed that its US division is struggling as it announces a 9% fall in advertising revenue for the three months to December 31. The publisher, which produces a special interest titles, events and websites in the gaming, music, film and active sectors in the UK and US, also […]

News International appoints Carat MD

Marketing Week

News International has appointed Carat managing director Neil Jones as director of commercial strategy. Jones joins the newspaper group after 18 years at the Aegis-owned media planning and buying agency. He will be responsible for developing trading and commercial partnerships across News International’s portfolio of papers. He will report into NI managing director of commercial, […]

Bingo.com to launch blitz on the UK

Marketing Week

Bingo.com has secured a gaming licence, which will allow it to advertise in the UK. The company is planning a major blitz in the UK, after the licence was granted by the European Union. Bingo.com has been operating out of the West Indies but since forming a Maltese subsidiary it has met the criteria for […]

Mustoes and Geronimo merge into Kindred

Marketing Week

Agencies Mustoes and Geronimo Communications have rebranded as Kindred following the merger of the two agencies last September. Former Geronimo managing director Laura Oliphant has also been appointed managing director of the new agency. Nick Mustoe, the founder of Mustoes, will become head of advertising, while Sarah Harris, previously Geronimo managing director, returns from maternity […]

KFC switches to paper packaging

Marketing Week

KFC, the fast food chain, is launching a major environmental initiative to reduce packaging this year. It hopes that switching from cardboard to paper wrapping will reduce packaging by 1,400 tonnes. The new packaging, which is being introduced today (January 26), will see its Fillet and Zinger burgers repackaged in paper wrappers, and the Colonel’s […]

Ofcom raps PCSO programme over Gov sponsorship

Marketing Week

Ofcom has found Beat: Life on the Street, the Government funded programme (AFP), in breach of its code of conduct for not making its sponsorship arrangement clear. The show, which was sponsored by the Home Office, showed police community support officers (PCSOs) in an “overwhelmingly” positive light and made little reference to the fact that […]

PruHealth rebrand incorporates Prudence

Marketing Week

Prudential is rebranding its healthcare joint venture PruHealth to include its iconic brand character Prudence (pictured) for the first time. It says that it wants to focus on the Pru’s dual heritage of trust and innovation in financial services. Private medical insurance provider PruHealth, which is a joint venture between Prudential in the UK and […]

Indie owner moots sale to raise cash

Marketing Week

The future of The Independent is looking increasingly uncertain following the news that Independent News & Media is seeking to raise at least £94m through the sales of assets. It is thought the cash will go towards paying off its €1.4bn (£1.3bn) debt. It is reported that the company plans to make a statement to […]

Mandelson to hold second meeting with UK carmarkers

Marketing Week

Business Secretary Peter Mandelson will meet UK carmakers on Wednesday (January 28) to discuss possible measures to help the ailing industry survive the economic downturn. It is the second time Mandelson has met with industry representatives. The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) says the meeting will not focus on a state bailout, […]

Advertising Association disputes negative impact on children claims

Marketing Week

The Advertising Association has rejected claims that the commercial world has a negative impact on children in a new report published today (January 26). Instead, it claims its research has found it actually enhances children’s lives. The report, Children’s wellbeing in a commercial world, looks at the wellbeing of children over the past 15 years […]

Barclays highlights good health

Marketing Week

Marcus Agius, the chairman of Barclays, and its chief executive John Varley have written an open letter to reassure investors, staff and customers of the bank’s continuing good health. The letter says 2008 profit will be “well ahead” of market expectations. It also says that its annual profit will be higher than £5.3bn despite £8bn […]

WHSmith reports 7% dip in high street sales

Marketing Week

WHSmith has revealed a 7% dip in its high street like-for-like sales for the 20 weeks to January 17, although sales are down just 3% when its CD and DVD arm is excluded. City analysts are suggesting the retailer’s entertainment sales has been hit by the demise of Woolworth’s distribution arm, Entertainment UK, which followed […]

Brands muster for fightback in war against own label.

Marketing Week

Reports from the frontline of grocery marketing are far from encouraging. The combined onslaught of supermarket own labels and discounters’ value brands is cutting down FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) rivals. But the troops at Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Premier Foods, Cadbury and all the other allied forces of FMCG marketing need to hold their […]