AUTO TRADING

Marketing Week

Automated call handling systems appear to be losing ground to live operator services because consumers are being put off by complicated procedures. But both have advantages. As Martin Croft discovers, the most efficient unit will offer the two

…as Martell marketing shifts to UK

Marketing Week

Global marketing for the 281-year-old Cognac, Martell, has been wrenched from France, where the brand originated, and relocated to the UK by Martell’s US owners, Seagram. James Espey, president of The Chivas and Glenlivet Group in the UK, which is part of Seagram, is now in charge of global marketing for Martell. The brand was […]

Joint deals put strain on core brand values

Marketing Week

Jet’s bizarre plan to link with The Body Shop underlines a growing trend in partnership marketing. But financial gain can often override brand value. By Jon Rees To call them strange bedfellows hardly does them justice. The Body Shop, a seller of environmentally friendly massage oil, in bed with a purveyor of the dirty, sticky […]

First cable link for BBC in drama deal with Sci-Fi channel

Marketing Week

The BBC has entered a joint programming deal with UK cable and satellite stations for the first time, linking with the Sci-Fi channel for a drama series to run this autumn. It is expected that the BBC will make an announcement this week about a six-part drama series that will screen first on the BBC […]

PHD partners hit jackpot in 13m AMV takeover

Marketing Week

Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO will pay 12.6m for Pattison Horswell Durden, if their new media operation, New PHD (MW May 31), hits all its profit targets. The price was revealed to the City following the signing of the deal to acquire PHD, and merge it with AMV’s media department last week. An initial payment of 4.1m […]

Co-op to offer school vouchers…

Marketing Week

The Co-op will become the next supermarket chain to venture into the educational sector when it launches a voucher scheme which will provide up to 100,000 mus ical instruments for schools around the UK. Co-op shoppers will receive one voucher for every 10 they spend at one of the country’s 1,250 Co-operative Wholesale Society or […]

Tesco in dispute with Camelot over Lottery

Marketing Week

Tesco is facing a dispute with National Lottery operator Camelot after refusing to act out a two-month notice period before axing the Lottery at two central London stores. Tesco says it is cutting the game after long queues on Saturday afternoons disrupted trade, bringing complaints from customers. It has refused to act out the 60 […]

BBH director nets top Selfridges role

Marketing Week

Bartle Bogle Hegarty international planning director Nick Cross has been appointed by Selfridges to head the marketing department as the store expands outside its London headquarters for the first time. The shift from advertising agency to client was sparked by Cross’ work on the Selfridges account when the store rebranded earlier in the year. BBH […]

Jokes hit parts other ads can’t

Marketing Week

The increasingly international nature of comedy, and mounting pressure on agency budgets, are combining to make humour a popular advertising tool. John Shannon is president of Grey International

UK brand owners lose 400m case

Marketing Week

UK brand owners could drop the use of money-off vouchers and cash-back promotions after failing to have VAT removed from such schemes. Brand owners who give consumers promotional money-off for their goods have to pay VAT on the sale price of the goods, rather than on the discounted price. In a test case brought by […]

McWilliams scoops 5m launch of satellite car protection device

Marketing Week

The McWilliams Partnership has won the 5m launch for Skynet, a car protection device that uses satellite technology. The account will include the corporate identity of the new company, packaging, direct mail, sales promotion and advertising. The launch campaign will break at the end of this month and include radio, national press and satellite TV […]