BSkyB has offered England’s top football clubs just under pounds 1
billion for exclusive television rights to the Premier League for the
next three years. The broadcaster has made the informal bid, even though
the existing four-year, pounds 743 million deal still has 18 months to
run. Financial Times
Matalan, the discount clothing retailer, has shortlisted four
advertising agencies for its account, thought to be worth up to pounds 6
million. J. Walter Thompson, CDP, McCann-Erickson Manchester and the
incumbent, Willox Ambler Rodford Law, will fight it out over the next
two weeks. Marketing Week
The Government is reviewing its pounds 6 million Northern Ireland
advertising agency roster. The winning agencies will be eligible to
pitch for a range of government office accounts. Marketing Week
Robbie Williams, the pop superstar, has been named as the new face of
Pepsi. The pounds 2 million deal will allow him to be the first Pepsi
star to have full creative control of the ads. Britvic’s marketing
director, Andrew Marsden, said: ’His unpredictability means we could end
up anywhere.’ The Mirror
Psion, the hand-held computer company, is reviewing its creative and
media accounts as it gears up to its planned domination of the
pan-European software market for mobile phones and mobile computers.
Marketing Week
Saatchi & Saatchi has consolidated its relationship with Toyota by
scooping the task to create the first pan-European branding campaign for
its luxury car marque, Lexus. The agency handles both Lexus and Toyota
in the UK. Marketing Week
The BBC’s financial efficiency will be scrutinised by a team of
consultants, to be hired by the culture secretary, Chris Smith. He
announced the move in a Commons debate this week, challenging the
corporation to prove that it needed its requested pounds 650 million
spending increase. Financial Times
Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R has won the pounds 5 million account
for Quorn, the meat substitute brand best known for its TV ads starring
Will and Julia Carling. Marketing Week
Carlsberg is attempting to shake off the park-bench image of its
extra-strong lager, Special Brew, in a pounds 1 million advertising
campaign which shows god-like figures in mythical settings holding cans
of the drink. The Independent
The Sport Newspapers group, the publisher of the Daily and Sunday Sport
owned by David Sullivan, has dived into the red. The latest annual
accounts show the company plummeting from a pounds 6.3 million profit to
a pounds 3.5 million loss. Sullivan claims that the loss is the result
of pounds 9 million management consultancy fees. The Sunday Times
The oil giant, BP Amoco, is planning to rebrand all of its petrol
stations around the world under the BP logo. The group currently has
three brands in play: BP, Amoco and Arco. The Sunday Times
Martin Sorrell, WPP’s chief executive, has warned agencies of the
pitfalls facing those which take equity from internet start-up
businesses in lieu of fees. Marketing.
