In-depth features, interviews and insights into marketing’s biggest issues.
President of AOL Europe and former marketer Karen Thomson is leaving the company following AOL UK’s sale to Carphone Warehouse. Thomson, formerly AOL’s chief executive and chairman in the UK, will be replaced by Carlo d’Asaro Biondo, currently chief executive of AOL France. Thomson has worked at AOL for 11 years, joining as UK marketing […]
Virgin Mobile is launching a year-long mobile marketing campaign to link its brand to music. The Q Jump campaign will allow its customers to jump to the front of the queue at music gigs around the country using mobile ticketing. Advertising at participating venues will encourage Virgin Mobile customers to text the word Qjump to […]
WPP and Interpublic Group have both invested in Spot Runner, the online platform for television ad campaigns. US TV network CBS and a number of other companies and individuals were also involved in the $40m (£21m) funding round, including Lachlan Murdoch, a former senior executive at News Corp. Spot Runner lets companies create, plan and buy […]
BenQ Mobile UK has gone into administration just weeks after the company pulled the plug on its German operation. Managing director Philip Rambech (pictured), head of marketing Louise Forbes and 12 other staff are expected to be made redundant in the coming weeks. Administrator PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) has already axed 16 positions. In a statement, PWC […]
Heineken, the global lager brand, is understood to be gearing up for a major relaunch in the UK next year. It is expected to take place in the first half of the year. It is thought to be at an early stage in the rebranding process, with no definitive strategy agreed as yet. The move […]
Mercedes Car Group has promoted long-serving marketer Ian Dutfield to marketing director to replace Nick Ratcliffe. It is thought Dutfield, who has been with the company for 21 years, starts his new role later this month. Dutfield was previously service support director in the customer services group and before that spent four years as product […]
Sony Ericsson has handed overall control of marketing to Dee Dutta, the global head of marketing, in a restructure following the departure of Jan Wareby. Dutta previously reported to Wareby, who was executive vice-president and head of sales and marketing. Wareby is moving to Sony Ericsson’s co-parent Ericsson as senior vice-president and head of the […]
Cadbury Schweppes, the confectionery giant, is challenging the dominance of chewing gum giant Wrigley with the launch of its Trident gum brand in the UK. Trident, which it claims is the world’s fastest growing gum brand, will be launched in the first quarter of next year. It is not clear how many products or variants […]
Health charities, Sustain and The National Heart Forum, have attacked a “loophole” in Ofcom proposals on food advertising to children that they say will allow brands to continue advertising.
Cadbury has admitted that sales are performing worse than expected, as the chocolate giant continues to struggle to recover from the salmonella debacle this summer. Overall sales are 5% down on last year, with the company blaming unseasonably warm temperatures. However it claims it has been gaining market share from rivals. Cadbury had to recall […]
Heart 106.2, the Chrysalis-owned station, has triumphed in this quarter’s Rajar results after regaining the top spot in London from EMAP-owned Magic. The station increased its weekly reach from 1.66 million to 1.71 million, adding 50,000 listeners in the quarter ending September 17. It held its 6.1% share. Magic 105.4 reported a dip in share […]
JWT’s grip on Vodafone’s 50m UK advertising account has weakened with the news that the telecoms giant is talking to lead global agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty about UK briefs…
888.com, one of the world’s largest internet gambling companies, has appointed Jon Sumroy as its new chief marketing officer. Sumroy joins from Unilever where he headed up the consumer division for its Johnson & Johnson brand in Israel. He will take up the new position on 15 December. In his new role Sumroy will be […]
Regulating games that can end in tears
The Glazers tighten their grip on Manchester United