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Archive for December, 2008

December News 2008

Posted in News on December 15th, 2008

Zavvi continues with marketing plans

Zavvi is continuing with its Christmas advertising campaign, despite reports that it has called in a restructuring team from Ernst & Young, following the collapse of Woolworths.

The high street retailer will continue with its Christmas campaign ‘Bursting with Entertainment’ despite it suspending sales online due to ‘supply problems’.

However, the retailer, which previously traded as Virgin Megastores, says it will continue to drive consumers instore through its marketing campaigns. It is also currently planning its advertising and marketing campaigns for 2009.

An integrated initiative, created by Live and Breathe, adopts a non-traditional approach to Zavvi’s seasonal messaging, translating the retailer’s strategy of focusing on ‘entertainment as hero’, in line with its entertainment specialist positioning.

The retailer rebuffs claims that it has called in creditors but concedes Ernst & Young has been providing invaluable advice and expertise to the group over the past few weeks since Zavvi’s main supplier Entertainment UK was placed in administration.

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December News 2008

Posted in News on December 9th, 2008

Brand endorsements under pressure

With Sainsbury’s pulling out of its association with ITV1 prime time drama premieres (MW last week), Domino’s ending its endorsement of Sky One’s The Simpsons after almost ten years and sports superstar Tiger Woods being dropped by a cash-strapped General Motors, it could appear as though the bottom is dropping out of the sponsorship market.
Add to that football shirt sponsorship in the Premier League slipping down year on year for the first time in the league’s history and the blue-chips, such as financial companies, cutting ad budgets, and now critics are beginning to ask if sponsorship might be hit hard by the credit crisis as the fate of sponsors hangs in the balance.

Sponsorship, critics add, has enjoyed a rise in prominence and cost akin to the housing boom of the past decade, and now is perhaps similarly due a bust as cost-conscious marketers are less concerned with the allure of “owning” a property than the bottom line. Furthermore, it is a medium that, being in its infancy during the recession of the Nineties, has never had to prove its worth as it does now.

Others, though, point to a natural “balancing” in the market, something that can survive the scrutiny of procurement people and even sustain a brand through hard times. Carat head of sponsorship David Peters says: “The sponsorship industry is, relatively speaking, in its infancy.” He says that the first broadcast sponsorship deal was in 1989, just years before the last “proper” recession of the early 1990s, at a time when the football Premier League was just beginning and the highly commercial Champions League had not yet begun.

Rupert Pratt, managing partner of specialist consultancy Generate Sponsorship, admits: “It’s true that there is going to be a downturn in the market, there is no doubt that there will be a downturn in spend.” He suggests that those funded by the financial services market could be hit the hardest, but adds that sponsorship is a maturing market which has proved its worth.
“The top end of the market, the prestige rights, will remain relatively unaffected, but there might be a correction in the market in terms of pricing, ” he says. “Look at what the housing market has done.”

The shift has been particularly apparent in the shirt sponsorship market. Figures released last month from Sport&Markt’s tenth annual European Jersey report show that the overall level of shirt sponsorship across the six main European leagues has dropped for the first time from €405.3m (£344m) in the 2007 to 2008 season to €393.2m (£328.3m) this season.
The German Bundesliga has overtaken the Barclays Premier League with the largest total income from shirt sponsorship, due partly to West Ham United sponsor XL airlines going bankrupt, West Bromwich Albion being without a deal and Aston Villa bearing the logo of a charity on its shirt.
Meanwhile, questions have been raised over the sustainability of AIG’s £50m sponsorship of Manchester United after it received a US Government bail-out, while Newcastle United shirt sponsor Northern Rock has been nationalised and is unlikely to re-sign when its deal runs out.

In broadcast, lengths of deals are getting shorter, with Sainsbury’s tenure of the ITV1 drama premieres lasting four years, against the previous sponsor HSBC’s eight, and a number of properties switching sponsors yearly. Yet ITV sponsorship, content partnerships and interactive sales director Gary Knight says this is indicative of a shift in advertisers ’ priorities. The Coronation Street tie-up with confectioner Cadbury, which spanned ten years and four marketing directors was “unusual, he says.

“Anything with a three-year term now is a long-term deal. That’s a hell of a long time with any brand. In the old days it was very much the ‘chairman’s fund’, but they were not deals with any econometric modeling work. Every main sponsorship nowadays has that robustness before sign off. Brands change track a lot. Even when something works really well they will want a shift to try a different emphasis, ” he adds.

Some suggest that Sainsbury’s wants to shift its spend into value-driven communications and the limitations of broadcast sponsorship does not allow it to pursue this strategy as effectively as other media. They also add that Domino’s departure from The Simpsons (MW October 16) was fuelled by the introduction of measures around the promotion of foods high in fat, salt or sugar rather than its effectiveness. “Had it not been for the partial banning of junk food ads on TV, Domino’s would still be with The Simpsons,” says one media buyer. However, the pizza company still sponsors properties including ITV show Britain’s Got Talent.
“Our sponsorship of The Simpsons has been instrumental in our growth, especially in the early days when The Simpsons was our principle branding platform, ” said Robin Auld, the sales and marketing director at Domino’s in October.

Another deal that has led to a huge uplift for sponsorship is a two-year deal on Turner Broadcasting’s pre-school channel Cartoonito with GlaxoSmithKline’s Aquafresh toothpaste. The 90-second spot every evening before the channel closes at 7pm aims to highlight the importance of youngsters brushing their teeth before bedtime.
John Ferguson, Ebiquity head of international operations, says such deals underline that on-air sponsorship is seen more and more as an alternative to the traditional spot.

Jim McDonald, head of broadcast at media agency MPG, concurs: “As long as you have a property that really goes above and beyond, media owners will always be able to sell.”
Yet McDonald fears that because the metrics and measurements are not as ingrained as those of other media, sponsorship may miss out. “Because sponsorship is nebulous in terms of results and what it delivers, it means that if there are to be challenges to the budgets, you could very easily leave [sponsorship] off the schedule. But that means there are bargains to have.”

Anecdotally, some advertisers are understood to be setting aside monies to sweep up a number of properties should others drop them due to budgeting constraints. One reason for worry is that sponsorship deals are usually longer-term deals, although Peters says there will have to be flexibility in the market. Rights owners would far rather strike a year-long deal rather than broadcast or host an event with no sponsor (or money) in place.

Yet warning signs remain. Channel 4, usually the choosiest of media owners when tying a deal to match its properties, is understood to be talking to “anyone” about its forthcoming Celebrity Big Brother series. The last time the show hit
the airwaves in 2007, the controversy when Shilpa Shetty was bullied by other contestants led to Carphone Warehouse axing its deal. And Guinness owner Diageo is understood to be negotiating with the Rugby League over an extension of its title sponsorship. While rugby bosses are apparently angling for another three- to four-year term, Diageo is keener on a shorter term.
Adds Peters: “A lot has happened in 15 years. We can only speculate [what will happen in this recession] , but the nature of sponsorships tend to be long-term commitments which has advantage in a recession – which have lasted an average eight months in the UK since the war.”

For brands that are keeping their heads down or cutting budgets but need to maintain some semblance of public presence, being tied into long-term brand-building initiatives may be a blessing. For others, the need to cut costs and prove accountability, the economic crisis may force them to re-evaluate deals that have been struck in the good times.

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December News 2008

Posted in News on December 5th, 2008

Avoiding Christmas party calamities

Simple advice for employees that will keep your reputation and job safe after the potential disaster zone known as the office Christmas party.We’ve all heard the cliché, drunken declarations of love, slagging off the boss when they’re right behind you and the inevitable office snog that is talked about for years to come. The office Christmas party is a great opportunity for employees to let their hair down after a hectic year of work.However, it is vital to remember that even though you’re partying, it’s still an office event so here are some valuable tips to keep your reputation and your job safe over the yuletide season.

Know your limit: -This is rule number one, people can be slightly uncomfortable mixing their leisure time with colleagues and the obvious solution seems to be to drink so much you lose these inhibitions. All this results in is a splitting hangover and a huge risk of doing something you’ll regret in front of your colleagues. Steer clear of this by drinking less, drinking more slowly or alternating between alcoholic and soft drinks.

Avoid gossip and shop talk: -It’s always tempting to moan about management, slag off staff and whine about work, especially when the alcohol is flowing but this a huge no-no. Not only does shop talk make you sound like you have no life, you also run the risk of saying the wrong thing to the wrong person and if you’ve had a few then you’re probably saying it loudly enough to be heard by the person in question. Avoid like the plague.

Flirt at your own risk: – That guy or girl in accounting just smiled at you, you’ve not really noticed them around the office but they’re looking good to you right now, perhaps you should make your move? Harmless flirting can certainly break the ice at Christmas parties but it’s advisable to keep it harmless. With several glasses of house red in you, you may not be as charming as you think and they may not be as attractive as you think.

Know when your night is over: -Trust your instincts on this one. If you feel too drunk, sick or likely to embarrass yourself then make your excuses and leave. There is no shame in leaving early if you need to, most employers will respect that. Better to jump in that cab than to disgrace yourself, suggest going to a strip club and then fall asleep in the toilets. An office Christmas party doesn’t need to end in disaster, these are just the worst-case scenarios; the clichéd snogs, embarrassments and gossiping can be avoided if you’re sensible about it.

Remember, your co-workers will generally forgive any drunken misdemeanours but they won’t be forgotten. You see these people nearly every day so be conscious of your actions, keep your head held up high and if you can remember even one of these tips on the night you can probably wake up the next morning with a smile on your face, instead of with that minger from accounts.

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Burger King suffers Whopper Virgins campaign backlash

LONDON – Burger King has been accused of exploitation on the back of its new US ’Whopper Virgin’ campaign which features a Whopper vs Big Mac taste test among Thai villagers and Transylvanian farmers.The premise of the Crispin, Porter & Bogusky campaign is: "If you want a real opinion about a burger, ask someone who doesn’t even have a word for burger.

Called ’Whopper Virgins’, the campaign started with teaser ads on TV directing people to an identically named website, which promises to reveal the results of the test on Sunday afternoon US time.The site is currently hosting a slideshow of pictures of the Transylvanian farmers, Hmong tribesman in Thailand and a remote community in Greenland, matched with teaser lines such as "Watch the whopper virgins take their first bite".The tactic has not played well with some sections of society.

Academic Sharon Akabas of the Institute of Human Nutrition at Columbia University lambasted the campaign as "outrageous" and "insulting".Akabas told the New York Daily News: "What’s next? Are we going to start taking guns out to some of these remote places and ask them which one they like better."Marilyn Borchardt, development director for Food First, told the paper the campaign was insensitive: "The ad’s not even acknowledging that there’s even hunger in any of these places."Some bloggers have also given it the thumbs-down. The Inquisitor said: "It’s hard to place exactly where this begins on the level of wrongness".

Burger King has not commented directly on the reaction to the campaign.However, Russ Klein, the company’s president of global marketing, strategy and innovation, told the Wall Street Journal it approached the project with "extreme care" and "the first order of business was to be certain that we conducted the filming with respect for the cultures and people involved in the test".Klein said the aim of the campaign was to find out how the Whopper "would perform in a world that didn’t have ad or marketing awareness or any sentimental attachments" to either Burger King

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Woolworths collapses but does the public care?

Woolworths’ service is diabolical and it is behind the times but many will miss the high street store if it disappears, according to the latest Brand Republic video. Woolworths went into administration on November 26 and is understood to have debts of £385m. At present the stores are continuing to trade but Brand Republic asked members of the public if they will miss Woolies if it disappears from the high street.

The majority of people interviewed in the video said that they would miss the store, which some see as national institution, but when asked why they thought it had collapsed "diabolical" service, an inability to change with the times and "uninviting" emerged as criticisms.Woolworths’ CD, DVD and computer games distribution business Entertainment UK is also in administration.However there has been some good news for the retailer according to administrator Deloitte, which said on Wednesday that there has been "strong interest" in buying the leases of Woolworths’ 815 stores across the country.The comment came ahead of the 4pm Thursday deadline for potential buyers to register their interest.

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Orange snowman goes on sale by popular demand

A three-inch paper snowman designed as a prop for mobile operator Orange’s retail stores has proved such a hit with customers that it has been put on sale as a charity Christmas gift.

The cubic-shaped snowman, designed by Chrissie MacDonald at Peepshow Collective, will be reproduced and sold in Orange stores for £2.50, with half of the proceeds going to Orange’s global charity partner Unicef. Apparently the lure of the Orange snowman was too much for one customer who attempted to steal a three-feet version on display.Orange retail staff are also enamoured with the snowmen, taking great pride in styling its scarf every morning and renaming their Christmas mascot.

Ian Doyle, director of Orange retail, said: "It is unbelievable the amount of requests we have had from customers wanting to buy the quirky little snowman. Our retail stores have been full of people coming into the shop just to see them."After getting so many requests to purchase one, we decided to put them into production to satisfy customer demand and make some money for a good cause."

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Moet delivers crystal-clad champagne in time for Christmas

Moet & Chandon will give consumers the chance to buy personalised bottles of champagne with words formed from Swarovski crystals at its temporary central London boutique, which will launch on December 3.

The Atelier Moet will be the UK’s first temporary champagne store, open from December 3-28, offering unique Christmas gifts through its bottle personalisation service.

Consumers will be able to visit the temporary space, located at 70 New Bond Street, London, to buy a bottle of Moët & Chandon champagne, hand-customised with a requested name, monogram or the date of the customer’s choice made with Crystallised Swarovski Elements.

They will be able to purchase a 75cl bottle and arrange for home delivery the next day for £50. Alternatively customers can watch the artisans at work in the boutique applying the crystals by hand and take the bottle away with them for £75.

Larger formats will also be available, up to the 1500cl Nebuchadnezzar bottle, and customers will also be able to order over the phone.

Sally Warmington, Moët & Chandon brand director, said: "As the UK’s favourite champagne we are thrilled to offer this unique

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Jobs – December 2008

Posted in Jobs on December 4th, 2008

Marketing Assistant , Brand Recruitment, Salary: £18000-£20000

You will have knowledge of marketing, ideally within a professional services environment. Having gained, or working towards a marketing qualification, you must have excellent communication and organisational skills with the ability to remain effective and focused under pressure.Working as part of a team you will be responsible for data management of client records and support other business development activities. You will also be involved in direct marketing campaigns, mail shots, create marketing brochures, help organise events and provide general administration to marketing division. The successful candidate will have excellent IT skills in databases/CRM, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Working for a leader in their field with offices nationwide, this is an opportunity to join an international company within a challenging and rewarding environment. Brand Recruitment offers the services of an employment agency for permanent work. Visit Brand Recruitment online to apply for other key marketing opportunities in the East of England. If you have not heard back from us within seven days please assume that your application has not been successful. Contact: Helen Sharpe

Marketing Specialist, Gallery Resources, Salary: £22000-£25000

This leading financial services company are now looking to recruit a Marketing Specialist to work in its Cirencester head office. The position covers a broad range of marketing disciplines and will require the successful person to work closely with a dedicated business consultancy team. You will develop product marketing campaigns and initiatives that ensure the business brand is maintained and developed successfully and to also aid client acquisition and relationship marketing strategies. You will also lead projects on developing marketing best practice throughout the business and work closely with the various stakeholders to ensure consistency. Further responsibility includes the development of communication channels across all company locations to ensure the marketing messages are conveyed accurately and their value understood. You will also be required to update and develop the intranet marketing material pages and organise the appropriate material for use at regular meetings. Other areas of marketing responsibility include PR and producing editorials, development of interactive presentations and assisting with events and exhibitions.To be considered for this exciting and challenging role you should offer strong marketing skills across a number of different disciplines. You will certainly have experience of internal communications and have a flair for creating interesting campaigns and initiatives that will appeal to stakeholders and clients. You will also have a persuasive and engaging personality to ensure productive relationships are forged and maintained. Financial services experience would be an advantage.Gallery Resources work with clients and candidates from a range of marketing and creative disciplines and place people in permanent, freelance and interim roles. Many of our candidates and clients come to us by recommendation and we are proud of our personal, professional and friendly approach to recruitment. Contact: Matt Cooper

Press and PR Manager – Sports Events, Ad Lib, Salary: £27k – £30k

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced PR professional with great knowledge of sports and lifestyle media to join a thriving national charity in a pivotal role.As their Press and PR Manager, you’ll work closely with the Senior Press Officer and be responsible for the development, project management and delivery of an integrated PR, Media and Communications campaign strategy for a number of running and sports fundraising events.Your main focus will be to manage a high profile integrated media campaign for a large scale running event in 2010 however you will also build on this to maximize brand profile and national and regional media opportunities across the full event portfolio.Your responsibilities will be wide ranging from developing a running focussed PR strategy, end to end project management of all media campaigns and securing media sponsors to recruiting journalists to participate in events and ensuring a coordinated approach to media relations throughout the organisation.As a key figure you will represent the charity at a senior level therefore it’s vital that strong working relationships are established and developed with all external partners and media contacts. Your ability to communicate effectively at all levels internally is also crucial to operate successfully in this role.To be considered a proven and successful track record of developing and implementing integrated PR campaigns, specifically within the sporting events and/or charity sector at a senior level is essential. Through managing media and corporate partnerships and managing key media events you will have developed excellent project management, communication and relationship management skills.In return you can expect a salary of £27k – £30k pro rata and the opportunity to join a successful and highly regarded organisation. Please be aware that this is a 15 month fixed term contract that can be carried out from either their Bristol or London offices.The deadline for applications is Monday the 15th December with the aim to hold interviews the week commencing 5th January. Contact: Carolyn Ayles

Director of Sponsorship – Extreme Sports, Pzazz Recruitment, Salary: c.£75k

With the complete rights, including media, to their exciting sector, they are in a strong position to drive their business forward and achieve their goals. To realise their vision, our client, is looking to bring on board an integral member to their team, a serious hard hitting ‘Director of Sponsorship’.The successful person will need to be able to demonstrate they are a hard hitting professional with a flair for business development, and an outstanding record within Sport & Sponsorship.Our client is ideally looking for someone who comes from a background in dealing with the less main stream sports; i.e. extreme sports, motor sports, aeronautics, sailing or cycling.The organisation comprises an outstanding management team and group of associates all of whom can boast a phenomenal track record in their own fields of expertise.This is a major career opportunity for a driven individual, if you feel you have the credentials to apply for this outstanding position, please contact David Bulmer on 01372 860 100 .Contact: David Bulmer

Account Manager – Events, Major Players, Salary: £150-£180

They are looking for an Account Manager with top agency experience who has worked on Automotive/Sports projects for top name clients. The successful candidate will have experience in managing large scale experience events, and will be expected to manage a large team.If you have the required experience, then apply immediately. Contact: Robert Hitchen

Marketing Director, Daniel Williams Consultancy, Salary: Up to 80k + Bens

One of the most high profile private members clubs prides itself on the level of service offered to members and guests. Building on the success of 2008, 2009 is set to be a phenomenal year as the global expansion plan begins with the launch of a boutique hotel and a number of restaurants. An exceptionally broad role covering everything from B2C customer communications & the forming and implementing of a B2B acquisition plan. You will also manage all PR surrounding numerous high profile events, thus you will need to be ‘socially engaging ’ as many of the members are high profile individuals. This is one of the most exciting briefs we have managed in recent months and offers the chance to lead a very strong team in achieving an ambitious but exciting set of objectives. We are looking for a strong commercial marketer, capable of driving brand equity, club membership whilst creating an exciting buzz to surround new proposition and event launches. With experience in the leisure sector, you will be an excellent man manager, have acquisition and retention skills within the consumer or business market as well as affinity partnerships and agency management skills. Established in 1991, Daniel Williams Consultancy is a respected market leader within a number of chosen recruitment disciplines. Recognised as a major force in the B2B/FMCG Marketing sector, we offer a quality led service geared to achieving results. Call and register with a consultant experienced in your market sector and dedicated to meeting your career objectives. Contact: Daniel Pincott