Daimler-Benz and Chrysler are reviewing an estimated pounds 1
billion worth of global media buying in a drive to cut costs following
their merger this week. The new company, Daimler-Chrysler AG, is
discussing potential savings from consolidating its media buying across
all brands and models on a market-by-market, continental or global
basis. - Advertising Age
BT has confirmed that it will drop the ’it’s good to talk’ slogan from
its advertising because the telephone is being superseded by e-mail and
the internet. The telecoms giant will hold a statutory review of its
pounds 135 million advertising account next year. - Sunday Business
Front, the new lads’ magazine from Sally O’Sullivan’s publishing house,
Cabal, has been banned from the shelves of Sainsbury’s and Asda. The
supermarkets are refusing to stock the latest edition of the magazine
because of concern about its content and its target readership of boys
aged 16 to18. Last month’s launch issue featured double-page spreads of
topless women and an article on hardcore pornography. - Marketing
The Central Office of Information is preparing to hire agencies to run
big-budget ad campaigns for two key Government social policy
initiatives, the working families tax credit and the minimum wage. The
COI has shortlisted the roster agencies, Ogilvy & Mather, Euro RSCG Wnek
Gosper, St Luke’s and TBWA GGT Simons Palmer, to pitch for the working
family tax credit campaign. The pitch will be run by the Inland Revenue
with a budget of pounds 5 million. - Marketing Week
British American Tobacco, the world’s second-largest tobacco company, is
close to striking a deal with the Ministry of Sound, the
nightclub-to-publishing business, that will give BAT a global strategy
for marketing its cigarettes to young people. The deal would formalise a
relationship which has already seen BAT sponsor Ministry of Sound
nightclub tours in Asia and a series of club nights around Britain. -
Marketing
Signet, the jewellery retail group which owns the H. Samuel, Ernest
Jones and Leslie Davis chains, is reviewing its pounds 3 million
creative account handled by Mortimer Whittaker O’Sullivan. The H. Samuel
marketing director, Nick Hamley, has briefed agencies, thought to be
RPM3, CKBT, FCA! and CDP, as well as the incumbent. - Marketing Week
United News and Media and Pearson are in talks with Warburg Pincus, the
US fund manager, about the acquisition of its 18 per cent stake in
Channel 5 for up to pounds 100 million. United News, which owns 29 per
cent of the channel, and Pearson, which owns 24 per cent, are both keen
to increase their stake in the channel, which attracts more than 5 per
cent of viewers. - Sunday Telegraph
Time Warner and United News and Media have scrapped plans to build a
pounds 225 million movie theme park and production studio on 250 acres
near Rugby. The theme park has been shelved for at least seven years and
may be abandoned, dealing a blow to United’s media expansion plans. -
Sunday Times
Dixons, which launched the UK’s first free internet service eight weeks
ago, is claiming a spectacular success that could have profound
implications for the future of the UK internet market. It says it has
475,000 customers for ’Freeserve’ - only 25,000 behind the UK market
leader, AOL, and ahead of CompuServe, which has 400,000 customers. -
CampaignLive
Coors Brewing International has appointed a dedicated UK marketer for
the first time and is on the verge of announcing a European marketing
director. The US brewer set up European headquarters in London in May
after ending a six-year joint venture with Scottish Courage and taking
over its own marketing. - Marketing Week
One2One has announced a strategic alliance with 95.8 Capital FM and the
Carphone Warehouse, which will enable customers to tune in to live
broadcasts and services via a branded handset. - General release.
