S&N’s Courage merger is something of a reverse takeover. Courage is the one with the huge ad spend and the impressive brands. It is also from Courage ranks that marketing chief John Nicolson has emerged. He must rationalise a sprawling busines
As ITV’s share of television viewing falls, the cable industry is voicing concern that its impact is being under-represented in the BARB ratings
Robbie Williams, teen idol and former Take That popster, is to appear in a series of advertisements for Pepsi – dressed as a woman. The teenage heart-throb will appear on posters for Pepsi’s 7-Up Light dressed in a woman’s wig, bikini bottoms and stilettos. Pepsi is hoping his appearance will appeal to the 7-Up target […]
Mobile phone network provider Cellnet has unveiled details of its new 10m campaign through Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO, which was revealed in Marketing Week (MW August 18). At the same time, Cellnet is trying to distance itself from widespread customer confusion over how mobile phone contracts work by rewriting its literature along the guidelines set down […]
Advertising for Ford’s new large passenger car, the Galaxy, breaks tomorrow (Thursday). The push, by Young & Rubicam, makes reference to first-class air travel, emphasising its roomy interior. Account director Paul Venn says that it seeks to avoid presenting the car as “a ‘Mum’s taxi’ or a leisure vehicle”. An initial teaser campaign includes two […]
Lunn Poly is planning to join the 400m consumer travel voucher market, dominated by Thomas Cook and Going Places. The travel agency aims to become market leader in travel vouchers within two years. The vouchers are redeemable at travel agents or through Lunn Poly’s national booking centre. Four newly designed denominations will be available at […]
Virgin Trading Company is slashing the price of one litre Virgin Vodka bottles – to be launched before Christmas – by 40 per cent. The decision raises speculation that Virgin is finding it hard to maintain the brand’s premium positioning. It will be the first time Virgin Vodka, which launched in May, has been price […]
Carlsberg-Tetley’s bitter brand Tetley is dropping its 1822 advertising campaign for a new ad push to promote its relaunched Tetley Draught in cans. At the same time, Tetley has been delisted by southern-based supermarket chain Budgens, which is stocking rival Greene King IPA instead. Tetley Draught has been relaunched following a recall of the product […]
CD-Rom-based multimedia could transform the conference scene if it wasn’t so costly and time-consuming to produce. Simon Rines assesses the other solutions for making live events interactive
Elonex Computers has handed its 2m advertising account to Grounds Morris, although the PC manufacturer is still fighting legal battles with two former incumbents, McCann-Erickson and Peers Carter. Elonex has had a stormy relationship with the advertising world over the past two years. In early 1993 it hired Peers Carter. By August the account had […]
Mars is planning to launch a Maltesers bar to compete with Cadbury’s Crunchie, according to industry sources. The company has been dogged in recent years by its failure to produce new products and this would be a significant brand extension for the privately-owned confectionery giant, although Mars will not comment on its plans. Mars introduced […]
NEWS Burton Group has had a major shake-up of senior marketing executives after the resignation of Debenhams head of marketing Alison Dow this week.
The Independent Television Commission wants to see the ownership of ITV companies limited to 25 per cent of the commercial TV market rather than having two regional licences as proposed in the Government’s cross-media review. Express Newspapers and Mirror Group are to become partners in UK News – the news service for evening newspapers owned […]
It’s not been easy for John Nicolson, these past two years as group marketing director at Courage. Shortly before he arrived from Birds Eye Wall’s, it became apparent that Courage was on the block. Not only did he have to juggle with shrinking marketing budgets as margins were fattened for sale, but his own fate […]
The Virgin Cola Company is to launch direct rivals to PepsiCo’s 7-Up and Britvic’s Tango next month, called Virgin Lips. Virgin is working with its partner Cott Europe to launch orange and lemon-and-lime flavoured carbonated soft drinks under the new brand name. Packaged in fluorescent orange and green cans with the slogan “Can to mouth […]