Commercial stations – particularly Classic FM – have established their medium’s credibility. Now the sales houses need to do some catching up

Marketing Week

The apparent boom for radio continues as illustrated by the latest revenue and audience figures published by Rajar. Commercial radio during the second quarter of 1995 took a little more than a half share of radio listening – 50.1 per cent. This figure has been reached after a period of steady and sustained growth. Two […]

Airtours puts 15m of kids’ hols on offer

Marketing Week

Britain’s second biggest tour operator, Airtours Holidays, unveils 15m of free or cut-price children’s holidays with this week’s launch of its summer brochures. The package, promoted as “Extra Special”, includes new lowest price guarantees and two new brands of holidays, Suncenters and Sunclubs, plus pre-bookable duty-free and airline seats. It brings together existing initiatives, with […]

Virgin launches new soft drinks…

Marketing Week

The Virgin Cola Company is to launch direct rivals to PepsiCo’s 7-Up and Britvic’s Tango next month, called Virgin Lips. Virgin is working with its partner Cott Europe to launch orange and lemon-and-lime flavoured carbonated soft drinks under the new brand name. Packaged in fluorescent orange and green cans with the slogan “Can to mouth […]

Nicolson’s task is no small beer

Marketing Week

It’s not been easy for John Nicolson, these past two years as group marketing director at Courage. Shortly before he arrived from Birds Eye Wall’s, it became apparent that Courage was on the block. Not only did he have to juggle with shrinking marketing budgets as margins were fattened for sale, but his own fate […]

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Marketing Week

The Independent Television Commission wants to see the ownership of ITV companies limited to 25 per cent of the commercial TV market rather than having two regional licences as proposed in the Government’s cross-media review. Express Newspapers and Mirror Group are to become partners in UK News – the news service for evening newspapers owned […]

Mars’ Maltesers bar to bite into Crunchie

Marketing Week

Mars is planning to launch a Maltesers bar to compete with Cadbury’s Crunchie, according to industry sources. The company has been dogged in recent years by its failure to produce new products and this would be a significant brand extension for the privately-owned confectionery giant, although Mars will not comment on its plans. Mars introduced […]

Elonex awards Grounds Morris its 2m business

Marketing Week

Elonex Computers has handed its 2m advertising account to Grounds Morris, although the PC manufacturer is still fighting legal battles with two former incumbents, McCann-Erickson and Peers Carter. Elonex has had a stormy relationship with the advertising world over the past two years. In early 1993 it hired Peers Carter. By August the account had […]

Tetley relaunch axes 1822 ads

Marketing Week

Carlsberg-Tetley’s bitter brand Tetley is dropping its 1822 advertising campaign for a new ad push to promote its relaunched Tetley Draught in cans. At the same time, Tetley has been delisted by southern-based supermarket chain Budgens, which is stocking rival Greene King IPA instead. Tetley Draught has been relaunched following a recall of the product […]

…as competition forces Virgin Vodka to cut price

Marketing Week

Virgin Trading Company is slashing the price of one litre Virgin Vodka bottles – to be launched before Christmas – by 40 per cent. The decision raises speculation that Virgin is finding it hard to maintain the brand’s premium positioning. It will be the first time Virgin Vodka, which launched in May, has been price […]

Lunn Poly to enter travel voucher fray

Marketing Week

Lunn Poly is planning to join the 400m consumer travel voucher market, dominated by Thomas Cook and Going Places. The travel agency aims to become market leader in travel vouchers within two years. The vouchers are redeemable at travel agents or through Lunn Poly’s national booking centre. Four newly designed denominations will be available at […]

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Marketing Week

Advertising for Ford’s new large passenger car, the Galaxy, breaks tomorrow (Thursday). The push, by Young & Rubicam, makes reference to first-class air travel, emphasising its roomy interior. Account director Paul Venn says that it seeks to avoid presenting the car as “a ‘Mum’s taxi’ or a leisure vehicle”. An initial teaser campaign includes two […]

Cellnet avoids phones in 10m push

Marketing Week

Mobile phone network provider Cellnet has unveiled details of its new 10m campaign through Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO, which was revealed in Marketing Week (MW August 18). At the same time, Cellnet is trying to distance itself from widespread customer confusion over how mobile phone contracts work by rewriting its literature along the guidelines set down […]

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Marketing Week

Robbie Williams, teen idol and former Take That popster, is to appear in a series of advertisements for Pepsi – dressed as a woman. The teenage heart-throb will appear on posters for Pepsi’s 7-Up Light dressed in a woman’s wig, bikini bottoms and stilettos. Pepsi is hoping his appearance will appeal to the 7-Up target […]