Tuesday, 2 September 2008

Car brands plan CO2 ad code


by Alex Brownsell Marketing 27-Aug-08, 08:30

LONDON - Key figures from the car marketing industry will gather today to draw up a code of conduct for the presentation of data on CO2 and fuel economy in outdoor ads.

The meeting comes two months after a Department for Transport (DfT) review of its recommendations for promotional information on CO2, which now require outdoor media to display CO2 emissions data. However, the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) has so far failed to provide clear guidance on how prominent this information should be.

Today's summit, organised by the VCA, will host delegates from the Advertising Standards Authority, ISBA and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Environmental groups Friends of the Earth and Alliance Against Urban 4x4s will also be in attendance.

The conference will also decide the date by which outdoor ad campaigns must comply with the new ruling. Alliance Against Urban 4x4s has threatened the VCA with judicial action if the agency does not set a cut-off date before mid-September.
Automotive marketers are also awaiting an EU ruling on the presentation of CO2 and fuel economy data. However, any new regulations will not be passed through the European Parliament for up to two years, and the VCA is keen to clear up the current confusion among UK marketers.
Earlier this summer the European Commission carried out a month-long public consultation to determine whether car brands should be forced to run CO2 labels on ads.




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Brands target Olympic 'heroes' parade


by Ed Kemp Marketing 27-Aug-08, 08:30

LONDON - Olympic sponsors will scramble for consumers' attention at a 'heroes' parade for Team GB that promises to be the biggest celebration of British sport ever seen.

According to insiders, several athletes would prefer a less commercial event, but their record medal haul and high levels of expectation surrounding London 2012 makes this unlikely as it will ensure maximum exposure for global

Olympic, London 2012 and British Olympic Association (BOA) sponsors.

Although the parade is to celebrate achievements in Beijing, several London 2012 and global Olympic partners are planning to use the event to promote their sponsorship and said they are awaiting details from parade organisers.
The Greater London Authority will meet the BOA to discuss plans for the parade, including its route. It is understood that marketing opportunities will be similar to those given to sponsors of other successful teams, such as 2005's Ashes-winning cricketers.
Last weekend, Visa was the headline sponsor of the hand-over party, which drew a crowd of more than 40,000 people.




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Tuesday, 19 August 2008

Coca-Cola hires ATTIK for 2010 FIFA World Cup and Christmas work


by Ed Kemp Marketing 15-Aug-08, 16:59

LONDON - Coca-Cola has hired branding agency ATTIK to handle brand identity for its sponsorship of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted in South Africa.
Coke, which has been involved with football for more than 70-years, is not only a FIFA World Cup Sponor but is also the a UEFA European Championship football sponsors, title sponsor of the Coca-Cola League and uses Manchester United's Wayne Rooney as a brand ambassador.

Coca-Cola has also hired the agency to handle its Christmas 2008 below-the-line marketing activity including packaging, point-of-sale and identity.

According to the agency, the new Christmas design will span the entire Coke range, including Coke Red, Diet Coke and Coke Zero. The new look will be used across all European markets.




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Wednesday, 6 August 2008

Coke, Pepsi in race to market herbal 'sugar'


by Jemima Bokaie Marketing 05-Aug-08, 08:45
LONDON - Stevia, a South American plant used to create natural sugar substitutes, is set to be the next major battleground for Coca-Cola and Pepsi, with both brands launching their own natural sweeteners using the non-calorific herb.
Coca-Cola last year announced a partnership with US conglomerate Cargill to create a stevia-based product called Truvia, but PepsiCo has beaten its rival to market with its version, PureVia.
Both are hoping to capitalise on growing concern over food additives, preservatives, and artificial sweeteners often found in diet drinks, such as aspartame.

PureVia, a collaboration with US firm Whole Earth Sweetener, will debut in flavours being introduced to PepsiCo's enhanced water brand, SoBe Life, following approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The three variants, which will be rolled out in Latin America, are Tropical Pomegranate, Orange-Tangerine and Straw-berry-Kiwi.
A tabletop version of PureVia, for use in place of sugar in drinks and on cereal and fruit, will launch in the US in the autumn. It will then be rolled out across Pepsi's drink and food products globally.
'This is a potential game-changer among zero-calorie sweeteners,' said Lou Imbrogno, senior vice-president of Pepsi Worldwide Technical Operations. 'PureVia is all natural. It's extracted from the stevia plant leaf and not synthetically produced.'
Coca-Cola is awaiting FDA approval for Truvia; Cargill launched a Truvia tabletop version last month.
Pepsi Raw, a premium cola made from natural ingredients, including cane sugar, launched in February.




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Orange rolls out cyclist phase for 'I am' activity


by Alison Donnelly Marketing 05-Aug-08, 08:44
LONDON - Orange is set to roll out the second wave of its 'I am' campaign, which will feature world-record- breaking cyclist Mark Beaumont.

The ad shows Beaumont, who became the fastest man to cycle around the world in February, pedalling on a stationary bike as he watches his life story on film.
The images chart his progression from childhood to the day he broke the record, and feature the people that contributed to his achievement.
The ad, created by Fallon, follows on from the first tranche of 'I am' work, which celebrates individuals as the sum of their relationships and ideas.
The TV ads will be supported by poster, press, radio, and online work, also created by Fallon, as well as interactive TV activity, which links into a documentary created by Poke.
The 'I am' campaign is part of a global marketing initiative launched by Orange last month.
The telecoms company plans to spend £30m in the UK on the activity , which uses straplines including 'I am who I am because of everyone' and 'I am all the boys I've kissed and the ones I will'.




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Primesight lands nationwide outdoor deal with Somerfield


by Sarah Crawley-Boevey, Media Week 05-Aug-08, 09:00
LONDON - Primesight, the outdoor operator, has won the contract to sell all point-of-sale posters outside Somerfield's 1,000 UK stores.





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Thursday, 31 July 2008

DCM awards foyer contract to Boomerang


by Sarah Crawley-Boevey Media Week 30-Jul-08, 10:55
LONDON - Digital Cinema Media (DCM), the new owner of cinema sales house Carlton Screen Advertising, has awarded the contract for its foyer and washroom advertising to outdoor outfit Boomerang Media.

DCM, a joint venture between cinema chains Odeon Cinemas and Cineworld, bought Carlton Screen Advertising from ITV for £500,000 in March, with approval from the Competitions Commission coming through earlier this month.The win adds to Boomerang Media's existing cinema postcard business and will include more than 600 illuminated six-sheet poster panels and 1,500 washroom panels.

The year's cinema footfall numbers are expected to peak in the coming months, with forthcoming film releases including Bond movie Quantum of Solace, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, and Madagascar 2.

Boomerang Media has also committed to experiential advertising and to introducing digital formats in cinema locations.




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CBS boosts senior team at Alive


Media Week 11-Jul-08, 10:55

LONDON - CBS Outdoor has made two appointments to Alive, its dedicated digital division.

Former TV executive Matt Harris has been brought in to head up the digital delivery team and will be responsible for scheduling content to all sites. Harris previously spent more than 11 years working at ITV, Sky and Channel 4. He will report directly to Nicky Cheshire, sales director of Alive.

Lindsay Rapacchi has been appointed as an account manager and will look after Carat, Vizeum, PHD and Walker Media accounts. Previously at TalkSport Radio, she will report to head of sales Jon Lewen.

Meanwhile, CBS has promoted Tim Cartright to head of digital trading. Previously a group account director on the company's Kinetic team, he will now work with customers to manage the pricing of CBS Outdoor's digital media formats.

As well as working on CBS Outdoor's London Underground presence, which includes the Cross-Track Projection system that was rolled out for commercial use last week, Alive manages digital formats on other UK transport networks whose ads are run by CBS.

The timing of these hires coincides with the unveiling of the Westfield Shopping Centre in White City, due to open in September. In February, CBS won the rights to handle the majority of the digital and traditional formats at the centre, in a deal worth an estimated £58m.



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Friday, 11 July 2008

Zenith and Carat to split £100m Disney


Ian Darby Campaign 10-Jul-08, 07:00

LONDON - Disney has split its £100 million pan-European media business between Carat and ZenithOptimedia.

Following a review process that began with pitches in late February and was officially concluded last Friday, ZenithOptimedia has captured the estimated £20 million pan-European account for Disneyland Resort Paris.


Carat retains the larger Walt Disney Studios and Home Entertainment business.

The outcome is contrary to reports that predicted Carat would retain the entire business. The review had also involved MindShare and MPG, but both were dropped from the shortlist.

Disneyland Paris spends £6 million on media in the UK. The account is expected to switch to ZenithOptimedia by January.



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Wednesday, 9 July 2008

Titan plans £2m digital screen rollout for London's stations


by Tristan O'Carroll Media Week 08-Jul-08, 07:30

LONDON - Titan Outdoor is embarking on a £2m rollout of more than 100 digital screens across its rail estate and also plans to extend digital to its shopping malls.

Currently, Titan's digital presence comprises 17 Transvision digital screens in 16 UK rail stations. However, by November this year, the company plans to install 106 digital six-sheet screens across London rail stations, such as Victoria, Charing Cross and Waterloo.



Beyond what it termed "phase one" of the rail digital rollout, it intends to launch digital in rail stations beyond London. The company plans to earn 50% of all its rail revenues from digital within three years.

Steve Cox, marketing director for Titan Outdoor, said: "We will soon press the green light on digital. Rail is just phase one, there will be more to come. British Rail is investing millions in the next few years in upgrading its infrastructure and we want to keep pace with the developments of the rail industry."

In addition, the company is considering launching digital screens across its retail estate, subject to the success of its rail rollout. According to Titan, its retail estate comprises 119 malls across the UK, including eight of the top 10 nationwide.

Cox added: "With some of our estate we will look for digital where it could fit. Top of the list would probably be malls because they are similar to rail station environments. We will assess it later."
The digital moves mark Titan Outdoor's latest initiative since it entered the UK market by acquiring Maiden for a reported £10.6m in March 2006.



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