Virgin Atlantic Airways is launching an advertising campaign through Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe to promote its London-Johannesburg route, opening on October 2. The campaign is scheduled to run on ITV and Channel 4 in the London area from July 7 to July 21, as well as in other ITV regions including Central and Meridian. It […]

Amstrad, the brand famous for giving PCs to the masses, looks close to a 230m deal with Psion. As chairman Alan Sugar moves out of computers to focus on football, Roger Baird asks what the future holds for the brand

News round-up gives readers an at-a-glance overview of this month’s promotions and incentives news.

Storehouse has axed the top directors of Children’s World and handed marketing responsibility for the chain to new Mothercare marketing chief Paul Sprague. Children’s World marketing director Mike Batt and managing director Beverley Hodson have left the chain, which Storehouse bought from Boots for 62.5m last April. Storehouse is integrating Children’s World’s 56 out-of-town stores […]

The AA is launching a new series of television advertisements in its ‘fourth emergency service’ campaign. Created by HHCL & Partners, they focus on the skills needed by AA patrols and the training that staff receive. The ad is viewed through the eyes of a child and acted out using toys. It will be supported […]

Granada and Burger King have signed an agreement to test replacing Little Chef roadside restaurants with Burger King outlets, first revealed in Marketing Week (MW January 5). Its initial plans involve eight roadside units, four of which will be converted from Little Chef to Burger King restaurants. The other four will be co-branded units with […]

Supermarket multiple seeks advice from household goods giant in major U-turn on own-label strategy

Simons Palmer Clemmow Johnson is setting up a separate division, to get publicity for clients such as Nike and Sony PlayStation. Chairman Paul Simons says: “One of the ideas we are trying to get established is the Marketing Multiplier, which will magnify the effect of advertising. We are looking at how we can get campaigns […]

Rimmel’s former marketing director, Ann Hunter, has returned to Unilever, as Unipath head of marketing. Hunter will join Unilever’s over-the-counter (otc) pharmaceuticals division as European vice-president of business development. She will be in charge of marketing and new product development (npd). Hubert Lapont will continue in the position of marketing director. He replaced Steph Senior […]

Manor Bakeries, maker of Mr Kipling cakes, is axing its low-fat cake range sold under the Weight Watchers from Heinz label, ten months after launch. The decision follows disappointing sales and comes only weeks after other low-fat cakes from McVitie’s and Entenmann’s entered the market. A trade source says: “To provide a product which has […]

Rimmel’s former marketing director, Ann Hunter, has returned to Unilever, as Unipath head of marketing. Hunter will join Unilever’s over-the-counter (otc) pharmaceuticals division as European vice-president of business development. She will be in charge of marketing and new product development (npd). Hubert Lapont will continue in the position of marketing director. He replaced Steph Senior […]

Dillons, the bookshop chain owned by Thorn EMI, has appointed former Littlewoods Stores marketing director Findlay Caldwell as its new marketing director. Caldwell, who has also previously been marketing services director at Boots the Chemist, joins next week. He quit Littlewoods in March after he was moved out of the marketing director post into a […]

The Observer has confirmed that it is dropping its listings section Preview – as revealed in Marketing Week (May 24) – to fund an autumn promotional and advertising campaign, and new star journalists, for the Observer’s Life magazine. A rolling redesign of the newspaper begins this Sunday when the masthead changes from red to black […]

Bass Taverns staked heavy investment in its pubs for Euro 96, forking out hundreds of thousands of pounds to install giant TV screens and video projectors. Unfortunately for the pub-goers at one hostelry in South London, all the excitement of England against Germany got the better of the expensive equipment. Some 50 drinkers were standing […]

Supermarkets recognise the influence children can have on parental purchases and are attempting to attract families. Colin Lenaghan is client services executive at Harris International Shopping & Promotion Intelligence