In-depth features, interviews and insights into marketing’s biggest issues.
Coca-Cola is reviewing its £35m UK media planning and buying accounts, which is currently split between Vizeum, which handles planning, and Universal McCann, which handles buying. Both agencies have been invited to repitch.
Sony Ericsson and Orange are sponsoring a competition to find new music talent in the UK. MobileAct Unsigned will air on Channel 4 and will allow viewers to download tracks and vote for their favourite bands. The show, which will launch in October, will appear on Channel 4’s T4 and 4Music strands and will be […]
BBC Radio 1, MTV and Durex are backing a new safer sex campaign that aims to encourage people to be more open about sex. BareAll 07, which launches today (July 24), will feature celebrities sharing their experiences and asking viewers and listeners to do the same. The campaign, which has been created by MTV and […]
Wrigley’s Airwaves, the chewing gum brand, has added powerboat racing to its growing portfolio of extreme sport sponsorships. Airwaves has signed a one-year deal to be the principal sponsor of the Claygate Offshore Powerboat team in the latest phase of its Airwaves Pro campaign. The deal will includes TV coverage on ITV4, a corporate hospitability […]
The Government is considering a ban on sports sponsorship by drinks companies in an attempt to curb alcohol misuse and binge drinking. In an interview with a weekend newspaper, chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson is reported to have said that he wants to ban drinks companies from sponsoring sporting events because “it’s something that […]
Channel 4 and Emap have confirmed they are launching a music TV joint venture that aims to fight MTV for control of the market. Emap is selling a 50% share of its music channel portfolio, Box Television, to the broadcaster for £28m. The media companies say the joint venture will look at exploiting digital growth, […]
Guardian Media Group Radio has appointed Sarah Bellamy to the new role of director of digital media. Bellamy joins from TV production company Endemol, where she was commercial operations director. Bellamy will be responsible for developing opportunities across interactive and digital platforms for the group’s 11 stations, including the Smooth and Real Radio brands, and […]
The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising is launching a survey on green and environmental issues that aims to gauge levels of interest and concern across agencies. It also hopes to assess where there is confusion about green issues. The survey, which will be sent out on July 25, will target employees at all levels of […]
The BBC has ordered an immediate suspension of all phone ins and interactive competitions across TV and radio after a corporation-wide search found a raft of “serious breaches”. The BBC Trust says that breaches of editorial standards had been reported on shows including Comic Relief, Sports Relief and Children in Need. It says further information […]
Wells and Young’s Brewery has appointed Farm to handle the £2m advertising for its Courage portfolio of beers, following a two way pitch against Krow. The pitch was overseen by the AAR.
Virgin has rebuffed suggestions that would-be suitors for Virgin Media will pull the plug on the brand and has given its strongest indication yet that it will invest more in the cable company rather than sell out. Private equity houses and consortia including Carlyle and Permira are vying to buy Virgin Media, which was created […]
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has rapped Ryanair’s knuckles after receiving 48 complaints about claims made by the Irish low-cost airline in a series of ads criticising an increase in passenger tax. Ryanair ran four ads damning then Chancellor Gordon Brown for doubling air passenger duty (APD) to £10. The ASA upheld 34 complaints, including […]
M&C Saatchi is tipped to win Porsche’s 1m integrated advertising account, following a four-way pitch. The agency is thought to have beaten incumbent CMW to win the business.
The biggest programme of housebuilding in 30 years is under way after new Prime Minister Gordon Brown last week pledged to build 3 million homes by 2020. The announcement comes at a time when the Office of Fair Trading is looking at the housebuilding market amid fears consumers could be getting a raw deal, and […]
Every member of staff in a company, whatever their level of operation, can bring valuable ideas to the table, as long as there is an effective system for their suggestions to be heard. By Ian Whiteling