In-depth features, interviews and insights into marketing’s biggest issues.
Tesco has unveiled half-year profits of 1.1bn – an increase of 10.3% – after a steep rise in international sales. Profits at the overseas business rose by 21.1% in the six months to August 26. Tesco now has 949 outlets abroad. Meanwhile, second-quarter UK sales grew 6.6% compared with 4.5% in the first quarter. This […]
Microsoft is launching a new UK shopping comparison site, MSN Shopping Channel, to compete head to head with the likes of Google’s Froogle and Yahoo!’s Kelkoo. The new site is being launched in partnership with shopping comparison sites PriceRunner and Shopping.com. According to predictions from Forrester Research, the amount spent by consumers on online shopping […]
Waitrose has handed its direct marketing business to Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw. The decision follows a final contest against Archibald Ingall Stretton and Partners Andrews Aldridge. The pitch was conducted by The Haystack Group. Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy handles Waitrose’s advertising, while Manning Gottlieb OMD won the brand’s media planning and buying account earlier in […]
Former PepsiCo chief Martin Glenn has been appointed as chief executive of Iglo Birds Eye, the frozen foods business bought by Permira from Unilever for 1.73bn (1.16bn) last month. Glenn, who left his role as president of PepsiCo UK last October, had led a rival bid for the company by a private equity group comprising CapVest, […]
A provocative teaser campaign for the launch of digital channel Five US has triggered a raft of complaints claiming the ads are derogatory to America. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has received 35 complaints about the advertising, which features the strapline “Nothing good ever came out of America”. The campaign was first revealed on Marketingweek.co.uk. […]
British Gas is launching “Green Bonds” for its customers as part of an energy efficiency drive.
Sony Ericsson is launching its first retail outlet in central London as it steps up efforts to engage consumers with the brand. The mobile phone operator has struck an agreement with the Carphone Warehouse to manage the store which will open at the end of November, stocking Sony Ericsson handsets, accessories and PC cards connected […]
News International has bolstered its online operations, beating its two fiercest rivals to the acquisition of UK online graduate recruitment company Milkround. The media owner paid 20m to secure the site following an auction in which it came up against Trinity Mirror and Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT). The new venture will be headed […]
Bacardi is to pay $91m (48.7) for cult New Zealand vodka brand, 42 Below. The announcement comes as the spirits giant launches its first ever UK above the line campaign for Grey Goose, the premium vodka it already owns. 42 Below was launched by Geoff Ross, a former director of Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand, […]
Community Channel, the digital TV station majority-funded by the Cabinet Office, has hired a new commercial team as part of a drive for more revenue.
Kellogg is launching a television advertising campaign to back the roll-out of new cereal brand Optivita. The ad, created by JWT, backs the breakfast cereal giant’s biggest brand launch since Special K hit the shelves. The company claims Optivita will create a new sub-brand of cholesterol-lowering cereals, and says “there has never been a better […]
STA Travel UK has appointed Celia Pronto to the newly created role of marketing director following a restructure of its operations. Pronto joins the company from InterContinental Hotels Group where she was regional marketing manager for the UK and Ireland, Middle East and Africa regions. In her new role Pronto will head a 17-strong team, […]
Green & Black’s, the luxury chocolate brand, is understood to have appointed Starcom to handle its 2m media planning and buying account.
Phones4U, the mobile phone retailer, has poached Brendan Sweeney from John Lewis to be group commercial director. Sweeney will slot in alongside group marketing director Jim Slater, with both men reporting to Phones4U chief executive Tim Whiting. At John Lewis, Sweeney was commercial director with a seat on the board. He has been replaced at […]
T-Mobile UK has poached O2 marketer Derek Williamson to become head of business marketing. In his new role, Williamson, who was part of the corporate industry sector marketing and business marketing teams during his time at O2, will be responsible for delivering mobile voice and data products and services to SME and corporate customers and […]