In-depth features, interviews and insights into marketing’s biggest issues.
Lexus, the Toyota-owned luxury car marque, is launching the biggest campaign for its hybrid range to date. The £6m campaign, created by CHI & Partners, breaks this week and runs for six weeks. The TV, outdoor, press and online campaign highlights the engineering innovations that Lexus claims has enabled it to build a range of […]
Glu Mobile, one of the world’s largest mobile phone games publishers, has appointed Banner Corporation to handle its pan-European media planning and buying account. It is thought that Banner will be the company’s first retained media agency. Banner is understood to have won the business following a pitch against undisclosed agencies. Glu says it was […]
The Times, the News International-owned broadsheet, is launching an upmarket quarterly magazine called Luxx in a bid to reverse declining sales. The first issue will be available on November 17. The glossy, large format magazine will be dedicated to “showcasing the very best things in modern life that money can buy” and has already attracted […]
Porsche is overhauling its marketing strategy to focus on the environment and could launch hybrid versions of all its high-performance cars. The news comes as the German marque unveils a hybrid Cayenne SUV at the Frankfurt Motorshow that uses a third less fuel than a conventional model. The European Commission wants car manufacturers to slash […]
Carlsberg is launching a home beer-dispensing unit to cash in on the growing trend of take-home beer. The DraughtMaster will be launched later this month. The beer brand claims the unit can deliver a “cooler pint with the perfect head” for home drinking. It follows a limited trial of the product that was run in […]
Renault is launching its biggest advertising push of the year so far to mark the UK launch of its Twingo model. The £3m campaign has been created by Publicis. The outdoor, radio, press and digital campaign, which breaks this week, aims to position it as a “small car with a big attitude”. Renault brand director […]
MGA Entertainment has announced a raft of new Bratz-branded products based around technology as it seeks to reinvigorate sales and consumer interest in the UK. MGA is launching new Bratz video games, and is also ramping up its efforts online as it plays catch-up to Mattel’s successful Barbiegirls.com launch earlier this year (MW May 3). […]
Eon-owned Powergen has been dealt another blow in its continuing battle with rival energy provider npower after having a complaint against npower rejected by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). Last month RWE-owned npower admitted its latest campaign was a “copycat” of Eon’s push to promote its Go Green energy product (MW August 9). At the […]
RBS Insurance is poised to appoint former AirMiles marketer Nigel Grimes to the new new role of customer insight director. The Royal Bank of Scotland-owned division, which houses the insurance brands Direct Line, Churchill and Privilege, is creating the role to boost retention and cross-selling opportunities across its portfolio. Grimes, who left AirMiles in February, […]
Capital One is planning to tap into the “mass affluent” market with a new World Mastercard, as part of a strategy to reposition the company as a financial services provider that offers more than cards with 0% transfer rates. It is the first company to launch the World card – Mastercard’s new “kitemark” credit card […]
Cashcade has signed up astrologer Russell Grant as the face of a new game for its online Foxy Bingo brand – Russell’s Lucky Stars! – which will launch in the next two weeks. The game is a cross between bingo and a lottery where players back numbers from 80 balls. Players can place money on […]
Toyota GB has appointed former Ford and Renault marketer James Starling to the new role of sales and marketing director for its financial services division. Starling, who joins the Japanese car marque from vehicle management company LeasePlan, will report to operations director for Toyota Financial Services (TFS), Doug Gillies. Starling has held senior positions in […]
Homeserve GB, the home emergency call-out and insurance business, has teamed up with Marks & Spencer to offer consumers a branded holiday insurance product. The deal marks the first of a range of tie-ups planned with household brand names as the business aims to build its customer base and boost awareness. The product, called Holiday […]
British Airways finally launched its “Upgrade to BA” brand campaign last week to highlight the “high levels of service” it claims to offer passengers (MW last week). The long-awaited marketing push follows a difficult period for Britain’s flagship carrier, and experts are questioning whether it will be enough to stem the recent deluge of negative […]
Celebrity hairdresser James Brown is launching a range of hair care products that have been inspired by Kate Moss. Brown has worked closely with the model to create the range, which launches next month. The James Brown London range will include shampoos, conditioners, treatments and a styling spray for different hair types such as dry […]