|
|
|
|
||
 |
|||
|
Week ending - Friday 01 March 2002 Supplied by http://www.brandrepublic.com This week's top stories: Honda UK in customer drive to improve sales Kyndal picks IMP to handle extensions MCCA in initiative to bring talented staff into industry Martell interactive push set to boost Grand National tie DMA condemns leaked EC report on ads targeting children News from the last 4 weeks Honda UK in customer drive to improve sales By Matthew Arnold - LONDON (Marketing) Honda UK is tipped to hand its below-the-line business to Hicklin Slade & Partners. The brief is to reverse the car marque’s declining UK sales through closer contact with its customers. The decision is due ahead of a critical communications campaign in April supporting the launch of the Jazz subcompact model. It follows the collapse of Honda’s previous below-the-line agency, Team LGM. The car company is understood to be in final talks with Hicklin Slade. The agency is expected to be handed a brief that will see it work closely with the car-maker’s other roster agencies to improve Honda’s threadbare database and increase its contacts with consumers. Honda’s Swindon-based European operations have been struggling recently, despite record profits and a run of new models. Sales were down 16% in Europe overall for 2001, while new UK car registrations for the marque were down by 7% to 63,459, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Despite strong sales for its Civic saloons and CRV off-road model, Swindon has been hit by the strength of the pound against the euro, which recently caused the company to jettison plans to build the Jazz in the UK. The car-maker has also been slow to capitalise on Europe’s appetite for the diesel engine, and continues to suffer from gaps in its product range. Team LGM was consolidated into sister agencies Dynamo and Finex Group in January when US-based parent company Incepta Group collapsed. The below-the-line review follows a creative pitch last May that resulted in incumbent advertising agency CDP being dropped in favour of Wieden & Kennedy. Advertising manager Chris Brown spoke at the time of putting together an ‘ideas factory’ – a roster of agencies that could produce closely co-ordinated and sophisticated work. Honda’s media planning and buying business, which is handled by Dentsu-owned CDP Media, is unaffected by the pitch. Hicklin Slade & Partners declined to comment, and a Honda UK spokesman said that no final decision had been made. [back to top] Kyndal picks IMP to handle extensions By Matthew Arnold - LONDON (Marketing) Scottish spirits distiller Kyndal has hired IMP Edinburgh to handle its £200,000 below- the-line account as it prepares to launch a range of products and brand extensions. Kyndal, which was formed from a management buyout from Jim Beam Brands Europe in October, boasts a 9% share of the global scotch whisky market and owns brands including Whyte & Mackay, Dalmore, Isle of Jura, Vladivar, Veba and Glavya. Kyndal marketing director Glen Gribbon said the company’s long-neglected brands have great potential for extension. “Scotch was never a priority for Jim Beam Brands,” said Gribbon. “But there are very good opportunities for development and that’s where we see a lot of our future growth coming from.” Kyndal recently launched pre-mixed drink Vladivar Veba, a spin-off from its Vladivar vodka brand, and is eyeing other possibilities in the pre-mixed drinks category. The distiller also recently launched a ‘malt discovery pack’ containing three of its scotches for sale in duty- free shops. In Sweden, it is piloting Stewart’s Vatted Malt, an extension of its Stewart’s brand. IMP’s brief includes on- and off-trade promotion, event marketing, trade advertising and corporate design. According to Gribbon, IMP was hired because of its understanding of Kyndal’s business. IMP worked on the Galvya and Vladivar brands prior to the MBO. Separately, Kyndal has appointed new media agency Tuna to handle its new media brief, including co-ordination of all internet activity, development of an online marketing strategy, and design and maintenance of all brand sites, a corporate site and extranet. [back to top] MCCA in initiative to bring talented staff into industry LONDON (Marketing) The Marketing Communications Consultants Association (MCCA) is launching an initiative to help the marketing communications industry attract and retain new talent. Called Talent Pool, the service consists of a recruitment consultancy that aims to match graduates, candidates from the client side and freelancers with vacancies in MCCA member agencies. Talent Pool also plans to assist in the retention of people already working in the marketing communications industry by enabling better placement of candidates. The launch follows the rebranding of the MCCA, which was previously known as the Sales Promotion Consultants Association. [back to top] Martell interactive push set to boost Grand National tie LONDON (Marketing) Pernod Ricard has briefed integrated marketing agency iris to handle a promotional campaign that will build on Martell’s ongoing sponsorship of the Grand National. The interactive marketing push, which breaks this week, focuses on European travel retail stores located in major airports. It offers customers the chance to win up to 10,000 euros by guessing how many riders will finish this year’s Grand National. Martell hostesses dressed as jockeys will encourage people to come in-store, with winners receiving a miniature bottle of Martell or pair of Martell-branded binoculars. [back to top] DMA condemns leaked EC report on ads targeting children LONDON (Marketing) The Direct Marketing Association has condemned a leaked European Commission report on advertising and promotions targeting children. The report, Commercial Practices Aimed at Children, warns of a proliferation of advertising targeting children. It recommends wide-ranging regulation to clamp down on “exploitative” merchandising, advertising in schools and on the internet, sponsorships and on the collection and processing of personal data on children. [back to top] News stories from the last 4 weeks:
22 February 2002
|
||
|
|||
|