Granada Sky Broadcasting has appointed Ann Cook as marketing director, with responsibility for co-ordinating the launch of eight cable and satellite channels in October. Cook, former head of marketing at TCC, was behind the repositioning of the children’s channel when it was renamed and rebranded with a new on and off-screen style. She will oversee […]

Anheuser-Busch is launching red beer – one of the fastest growing sectors in the US beer market – into the UK. Roscoe’s Red – the Anheuser brand – is brewed in the US using roasted barley to give it a red colour. It has an alcoholic strength of five per cent proof and will be […]

Drugs giants are obliged by industry rules to give their conferences an educational slant. So how do they grab medics’ attention?

Weetabix has appointed Spillers marketing manager Tony Corps to take charge of the 14m advertising budget, ten months after former ad chief Colin Morley quit. Marketing manager Morley was known to be unhappy about the company’s strategy (MW July 7 1995). Weetabix is having to defend its market share against multinational competitor Kellogg, which has […]

If Bass’ takeover of Carlsberg-Tetley goes through, it will control more than 40 per cent of the beer market and realise its dream of becoming the UK’s top brewer. But the company’s marketing team would be left to make some tough decisions, wi

The Guinness-owned United Distillers UK has raided holiday company First Choice to recruit its new managing director Peter Phillipson. He succeeds Gerd Biedenbacher, who left the company in February and returned to Germany for personal reasons, according to UD (MW March 8). Sources suggest Biedenbacher left following disagreement over the sales strategy for Bell’s whisky, […]

BSkyB’s Philip Ley believes he has spotted a niche for an agency able to respond in fast-moving markets. But can the man credited with the success of Sky and Sega succeed in the cut-throat agency world?

Co-operative Retail Services claims groceries suppliers are refusing to deal with its Leos, Pioneer and Lo Cost supermarkets in protest at major in-store price cuts. CRS claims some suppliers of cut-price brands – including Anchor Butter – are either refusing to supply the chain, or are increasing prices on re-orders to stop CRS making continued […]

Supermarket giant to challenge high-street banks with ‘own-label’ finance schemes for shoppers

This month BrandTrack looks at the market for painkillers and cold cures. With the introduction of ever more powerful formulations, brands are building a strong franchise on specialist distribution and commanding premium pricing

Co-branding deals are the order of the day for UK banks as they fight off their ‘cheaper’ US credit card rivals.

We are the manufacturers of Bovril Beef and Vegetable Extracts. In your Cover Story “High Steaks” (MW March 29) you made the following reference to Bovril: “Given the scale of the present situation, brand owners may have to consider scrapping

Anheuser-Busch is launching red beer – one of the fastest growing sectors in the US beer market – into the UK. Roscoe’s Red – the Anheuser brand – is brewed in the US using roasted barley to give it a red colour. It has an alcoholic strength of five per cent proof and will be […]

The Committee on Advertising Practice is to drop restrictions on advertisers using images of the Royal Family, just days after Live TV was found guilty of breaching its code. The committee, which sets the advertising codes policed by the Advertising Standards Authority, is known to have discussed dropping the clause at a meeting last Friday. […]