Bass Taverns has hired BP Oil’s head of UK marketing Gerry Abram to its newly-created post of director of retail sales development. Abram will oversee the introduction of sales promotions within the Bass Taverns estate, which comprises more than 2,500 outlets, including branded concepts such as the recently acquired Harvester and Toby restaurants, Innkeepers Fayre, […]
Electrical retailer Comet has undergone its second board reorganisation in eight months, following the departure of commercial director Brent Wilkinson to parent company Kingfisher last month. Chris Rogers, formerly finance director, has been made product marketing director with responsibility for white goods. Product marketing director for brown and white goods Leigh Martin will be responsible […]
The Internet is growing as fast as ever, with 24,000 new users signing up in the UK alone last month. As with any new medium, a key area of interest is its rate of growth. For about two years now many Internet pundits have claimed a total of about 30 million users, while at the […]
Ben & Jerry’s, the “politically correct” American ice cream company, is talking to advertising agencies about strategies for the brand.
Birds Eye Wall’s will use labels on its MenuMaster and Healthy Options meal ranges to indicate that the products do not contain British beef, in response to the BSE scare. The Unilever subsidiary is believed to be the first packaged food producer to use labels in an effort to reassure consumers that its products are […]
Charities are losing out to local causes in the battle for the public’s loose change. Is it time for a change of tactics? Jo Anne Walker reports
Although Europe is now seeing an upturn in economic fortunes, agencies are still being squeezed on margins, mainly because of client pressure. But this can only be self-defeating, says John Shannon. John Shannon is president of Grey Internatio
Agency boss Paul Simons received a call from Tom Rubython, editor of soon-to-be launched Sunday paper, Sunday Business. Ruby asked if Simons would contribute a monthly column on the advertising industry to the paper. Simons gave the offer some thought, but turned it down – after all, his agency handles advertising for News International newspapers […]
I read with some frustration your article on the National Food Alliance’s report on slimming products advertising, “ASA slated for failing to stamp on slimming ads” (MW March 15). They appear to have acted as judge and jury on our advertising and inferred that, as market leader in slimming clubs, we take little notice of […]
The Radio Authority, under the promising leadership of Tony Stoller, is setting about regaining its lost credibility. Nick Higham reports. Nick Higham is the BBC’s media
The Daily Mirror and The Independent have joined forces with America Online to launch electronic versions of their newspapers, available on the Internet to more than 5 million subscribers. Mirror Group and Newspaper Publishing have signed up as official partners with AOL and are providing the service’s first online national newspapers. Mirror Group now plans […]
Procter & Gamble is understood to be planning a pan-European launch for its US market-leading toilet tissue product Charmin.
Bisto Foods is considering killing off the 80-year-old Bisto Kids in its advertising and packaging. The company is in discussion with its agency, Abbott Mead Vickers, over a new campaign to break in the autumn, the start of the crucial “gravy season”. According to Ian Ayling, marketing controller at Bisto, various aspects, including the Bisto […]
Betting chains Ladbroke Racing, William Hill and Coral are talking to charity scratchcard operators to sell scratchcards in their shops. New legislation, expected to be introduced in June, will permit betting shops to sell scratchcards for the first time, as well as allowing fruit machines in shops. However, Camelot is forbidden from selling National Lottery […]
Flextech is buying up stakes in the pay-TV market to cover itself against any eventuality, says Meg Carter