Nike has poached Ian Todd, the joint number two at the sports
marketing agency, the International Management Group. Todd, IMG’s
director of operations for Europe, Africa and the Middle East, will head
Nike’s sports marketing and sports entertainment divisions. - Marketing
Week
Bupa has parted company with its marketing director, Bruce Tranter.
Tranter had been talking to agencies about the future of the Bupa
account, but his departure may mean it is secure at Ogilvy & Mather.
Tranter’s work will be overseen by Peter Jones, director of
communications for Bupa, while a replacement is sought. - General
release
Elida Faberge has launched a fragrance in its Impulse Body Spray range,
Impulse Spice, with a 30-second ad through Ogilvy & Mather. The film
features the Spice Girls’ single, Spice up Your Life, and risque shots
of the band. - General release
Asda and Tesco have entered into a magazine market price war. Asda is
cutting the price of all magazines sold in its stores by 15 per cent
from next week. The announcement comes days after Tesco’s decision to
slash women’s weekly cover prices by 20 per cent for a month. -
Marketing
Manchester United Football Club is to launch a dedicated digital
television channel next year in partnership with BSkyB and Granada. MUTV
will feature the club’s friendly games but not live Premier League
matches, which will be covered by Sky Sports. - General release
Bates Dorland has created the first TV business campaign for Royal Mail.
The work is aimed at persuading business users to communicate more
frequently with each other. The ad, which breaks next week, shows an
office worker bursting into song after receiving a thank-you letter. -
General release
Mhairi McEwan quit her job as marketing director at Walkers Snack Foods
this week. Martin Glenn, commercial vice-president Europe, will manage
the role until McEwan is replaced. - Marketing
Standard Life’s shortlist for its main pounds 3 million brand
advertising account is said to include BMP DDB, Publicis, WCRS, Young &
Rubicam and the Leith Agency. The bank appointed the Union to handle its
direct banking division’s account last month. - Marketing Week
Capital is selling its 12.9 per cent stake in GWR for between pounds 22
and pounds 26 million. Capital received the shares as part of GWR’s
purchase of Mercia Sound, Leicester Sound and Radio Trent in 1993. A
spokesman for Capital said the decision to sell was part of a strategy
to focus entirely on wholly owned radio business. - Financial Times
Newcastle United’s Scottish manager, Kenny Dalglish, stars with his
daughter, Kelly, in the latest BT ad through Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO.
The commercial publicises a 25 per cent discount offer for residential
calls made over and above a household’s usual quarterly bill. Dalglish
is seen calling members of a football crowd one by one to thank them for
attending a match. - General release
The computer giant, Microsoft, has threatened to sue the supermarket
group, Asda, over the use of its name on a range of underwear. Asda used
the word ’microsoft’ to describe the stretch Lycra fabric used in a bra
and pants set. - The Sun
United Distillers has quit as the sponsor of the Scottish Football
League following the announcement that the ten Premier League clubs
intend to form a breakaway group. Its existing four-year contract, worth
pounds 10 million, is due to end in May 1998. - General release.
