I reckon the electricity industry should be nationalised. Or, more accurately, I reckon the electricity industry will nationalise itself. The early stages of conglomeration have started already, with Southern Electric of Alabama (swing low, sweet share-out) offering some 1bn for South Western Electricity, while Scottish Power puts a similar value on its offer for Manweb. […]
Troubled computer games firm Nintendo changed its UK distribution strategy for the sixth time in nine years last week when it scrapped its UK headquarters and axed 147 jobs. The Japanese company has ordered Nintendo UK to close its Fareham and Eastleigh offices and hand all sales, marketing and distribution responsibility to John Menzies subsidiary […]
Drambuie is recruiting its first sales and marketing director. His main responsibility will be to push the brand in international markets. The company has appointed Michael Beamish to the post. He was previously external affairs director for United Distillers, where he devised strategies for the Duty Free operation. He also held roles in international sales […]
The cabinet swap between Stephen Dorrell and Virginia Bottomley is already producing fireworks, as each starts to dismantle or rebuild the other’s work. Dorrell, the new Health Secretary, is winning headlines such as The Observer’s “Patients put first as Bottomley junked”, while his replacement at Heritage is making new friends in the arts and media […]
Texas Homecare, the DIY chain that was acquired by Sainsbury in January, is losing three marketing executives. Texas advertising controller Bob Cross, customer services manager Michael Dark and market research manager Maureen Mitchell will leave the company in December. The Texas chain is being integrated into Sainsbury’s Homebase, and the marketing function is moving to […]
Consumers will soon be able to enjoy a post-match bath with England football star David Platt through the launch of a range of Team England toiletries. Platt will unveil the products, which include aftershave, shampoo and conditioner, next week. They will be available at Boots the Chemist, Tesco and other major multiples. Team England products […]
ITV is to hold a second forum with car advertisers in September to discuss their concerns about TV airtime inflation . Car advertisers are likely to be told that they must move their airtime out of the overcrowded period after News at Ten and buy against other audiences such as women, instead of just ABC1 […]
Now that Guinness has firmly closed the closet door on its gay ad campaign (needless to say after the horse has bolted), the Diary can suggest another idea to net the pink pound. Two weeks ago Marketing Week revealed that SP Lintas had tossed the Glenryck Pilchards account back into the new business river. Whichever […]
Texaco marketing co-ordinator Helen Clark says: “We can’t put a Pizza Hut on it unless we own the site.” It seems a bizarre concern for a petrol company but sums up the dilemma facing Texaco, which is taking full management control of its retail sites in a move to maximise profits and forge a string […]
Despite reports of its imminent demise, “flexible friend” Access is back on TV this Friday with a new 2m advertising campaign. The ads, through Publicis, continue with the familiar Access and Money characters that have featured for the past 18 years. The commercials will run until October. They promote Access’ international use and feature Access […]
The poster industry is braced for a round of takeovers following the Office of Fair Trading’s decision to allow Maiden Outdoor to buy British Transport Advertising. The OFT no longer regards outdoor as a collection of different sized markets, but accepts Maiden’s arguments that it is one whole market. The acquisition gives Maiden 36 per […]
Condé Nast and NatMags have moved into the contract magazine market.
Whitbread is repositioning premium lager brand Heineken Export in a major advertising campaign that breaks this Friday. The new television and cinema campaign is the first since it dropped Stephen Fry’s “smooth talking bar steward” ads for Heineken Export (MW March 10). It is part of a 10m push to make Heineken Export into an […]
Denim giant Wrangler is seeking two marketing chiefs for its UK and European operations. Sue Childer, UK marketing manager, left last week after three years at the company to join Champion Sports in Barcelona. She had been in charge of Wrangler’s UK marketing since October last year, when the UK sales and marketing director role […]
A global brand needs to be able to cross language as well as trade barriers. “Coca-Cola” is internationally recognised, and the “McDonald’s” name is more famous than Jesus Christ, we are told. But up-and-coming US beer Miller Genuine Draft has fallen victim to its own conceit. In signing a brewing and distribution deal with Japanese […]