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It is rare for an advertising agency to enjoy the level of attention that Springer & Jacoby is currently attracting in Germany. True, others such as Saatchi & Saatchi have achieved it in their time elsewhere, but the fall from grace of what was once Germany's most respected creative hot shop, is currently a buzzing topic on the business pages of the nation's newspapers, prompting Sunday broadsheet Die Welt am Sonntag to take a closer look at what has caused its problems. To read the original article, in German, click on the link below (left) to be taken to the Die Welt am Sonntag website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to read a full English-language version, translated by From Europe With Love.
21.12.05
Over the past couple of years in continental Europe, brewers have linked with makers of household appliances to develop and market products which allow beer drinkers to enjoy the taste of a glass of freshly-dispensed draught beer in the comfort of their own home. With some success, says the Dutch daily newspaper Algemeen Dagblad. Heineken, which linked with Krups, has sold more than 150,000 of its 'BeerTender' system, the paper says, while Philips has sold 30,000 of its PerfectDraft systems - developed in conjunction with InBev - since October alone, prompting it to call on supplies from abroad. To read this story for yourself, in Dutch, click on the link below (left) to see it as published on the Algemeen Dagblad website. Alternatively, to see a longer version, in English, translated by From Europe With Love, click on the link below (right).
16.12.05
When Madonna's latest album, 'Confessions on a dancefloor', was released, tie-ins were set up with various telecommunications companies internationally to market the songs through a variety of channels. In France and in what what was probably the most sophisticated, multi-channel launch to date, Warner Music linked with France Telecom in a range of agreements, including the making available of hi-fi ringtones. But was it a success? Yes, says Thierry Chassagne, head of Warner Music France, speaking in the French newspaper Le Figaro. 'Confessions on a dancefloor' has so far sold 600,000 copies in five weeks, practically as many as the singer's previous album, Chassagne tells the paper. In terms of results of the link with France Telecom, Chassagne says that more than 500,000 digital sales have been achieved, with almost 200,000 hi-fi quality ringtones having been downloaded, in addition to 65,000 polyphonic excerpts from the first single taken from the album. In comparison, he says, most leading artists sell no more than between 60,000 and 90,000 ringtones. This degree of success has ruffled 'physical' outlets such as Fnac and Virgin Stores, Le Figaro counters and asks Thierry Chassagne how he would analyse their reaction. True, he admits, the additional digital channels upped the promotional pressure around the launch, but this was to the benefit of all those in the marketplace. Being digital, he continues, allowed Warner to measure consumer traffic and habits. If traditional outlet chains face competition from telecoms companies for future music sales, they themselves are going to have to look at getting into telephony, he concludes. The promotion around the Madonna album will then have served to open the dialogue between the different parts of an industry rapidly changing in shape. To read a longer version of this article, in French, click on the link below (left) to be taken to the Le Figaro website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Warner Music France.
14.12.05
Just last week, Swiss supermarket chain Migros announced that it was to launch a range of alcohol-free wines. Good news for wine-loving shoppers who can still enjoy a drink while not needing to worry about drinking and driving. Bad news, however, for a number of farmers who have reacted angrily to the plan, says the newspaper Le Matin. Offered in red, white and rosé versions, the wines have in fact been produced in France since 1998 by a cooperative named 'Bonne Nouvelle' (which, coincidentally, means 'good news'). It is being introduced by Migros, the leading Swiss supermarket chain, on a trial basis and, if the trial proves successful, will be rolled out nationally in 2006. Traditional vineyard owners, however, may not be numerous among its customer base. "I haven't tasted it, but it doesn't sound too good", one farmer from Chouilly tells Le Matin. Another, Luc Massy, says he doesn't really see the sense in making wine without alcohol, unless it is perhaps meant to have some therapeutic effect. Alcohol, he says, supports the wine's bouquet. Without it, the drink is stripped of its substance Some have responded to the development with amusement. "This new product makes us smile a little", says one, Roger Burgdorfer from Domaine du Paradis, "but it really doesn't have much to do with us. Wine reflects the soul of the farmer, it's a way of living. Without alcohol, this drink, which does not merit the name of 'wine', is nothing more than a sort of fruit juice". Others, however, have reacted more strongly. Wine taster Christophe Venetz, says Le Matin, is categorical about the matter. "This type of product is more than neutral, it's completely depersonalised", he tells the newspaper. "Genuine wine has a character, it releases emotions. This is all about the globalisation of taste. I would even say that Migros is 'coca-colaising' wine. By taking the alcohol out of the wine, you're castrating it, definitively! What's more, the process of making wine without alcohol is relatively expensive and this does not, as a consequence, make it comparable or competitive with simple fruit juice". Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in French, on the Le Matin website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Migros.
12.12.05
Makers of premium-priced branded goods have generally tried to look the other way as the discount grocery channel has grown across Europe. Now, however, it is so big and of such importance to overall retail sales that even companies such as Unilever can no longer ignore it. That, at least, is the conclusion one could draw from statements made by the company's group chief executive, Patrick Cescau, in Sao Paolo last week. Quoted in the Dutch online newswpaper Zibb, Cescau says that, on the one hand, European consumers are willing to pay extra for products of particular quality, but at the same time they want to be able to secure low prices on commonly-bought goods. "Everything in between is losing market share", Cescau says, announcing that, from now on, his company must look to serve both segments. "We have to better meet consumer needs", he continues. "There is now a big market out there, caused by changes in consumer demand, that we are not serving. The value-for-money equation for cheaper goods is different: one can imagine a detergent that freshens up clothes but doesn't get rid of the most stubboern stains". Cescau admits that Unilever already derives a substantial income from sales through discounters, but says that it is a route he intends to pursue more intensively. "They offer more than just a low price", he says. "The simplicity, clarity and accessibility in surroundings which can sometimes be attractive appeal to consumers". To read this story for yourself, in Dutch, click on the link below (left) to see it on the Zibb website. Alternatively, to visit Unilever's global website click on the link below (right).
12.12.05
Reichelt, a Berlin-based supermarket chain owned by the Edeka group, has reacted to consumer protest by taking a shower gel branded and promoted as being 'Erich's luxury' gel off its shelves. The Erich referred to is Erich Honecker, formed head of what was once East Germany. Despite the fact that sales have gone well, Reichelt has bowed to the protests of people who suffered under that regime and withdrawn the product from sale, says the news magazine Der Spiegel. Company spokesman Andreas Laubig plays down the decision, saying that the shower gel was only on a sale as a one-off promotion. Nevertheless, in future, he says, decisions on what products to include in such promotions will be subjected to more critical examination.
To read this story for yourself, in German, click on the link below (left) to visit the Der Spiegel website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Reichelt.
12.12.05
The 'four Ps' of marketing, it seems (product, price, place, promotion), are no longer enough to stimulate the curiosity of consumers and induce them to purchase, says the Italian online business journal Tgfin.it. That is leading an increasing number of companies to seek to strengthen their market presence by forming strategic alliances. One company to have taken this route is the glass mosaic manufacturer Bisazza Mosaici. And with some success, given that sales have risen five-fold over the past five years and 20% in 2004 alone.
"For the last Milan car show", sales director Marco Piscitelli tells the journal, "we covered four Mini models using our mosaics. The unique results attracted customers and the press alike, with incredible benefits for our image. "We benefitted in terms of increased brand awareness in our traditional market and Mini was able to enter into the world of design, positioning itself as a brand in tune with the world of art". To read a longer version of this article, in Italian, click on the link below (left) to be taken to the corresponding page on the Tgfin.it website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to see the same article, translated into English by From Europe With Love.
08.12.05
Coca-Cola took advantage of a press conference in Paris on Wednesday to unveil a new drink brand, 'Cola Blak', writes the French news agency AFP. A mixture of traditional Coca-Cola and extracts of coffee, the drink will, first go on sale on January 15th 2006 in France, AFP says, before launching in the United States in April and in Spain 'before the summer'. Long rumoured to be in the pipeline, Blak is considered by Coca-Cola as being potentially as important to it as Coca-Cola Light, AFP says. "It creates a new category of adult drinks", spokeswoman Isabelle Hubsch boldly tells the agency. Blak is targeted at young adults "who are looking for a refreshing, invigorating boost during their working day", Ms. Hubsch adds. In contrast to the traditional red and white employed on the company's flagship brands, Cola Blak will be sold in black bottles that largely mask the container's contents. These include only 20 calories per 100 millilitres, around half of those contained in traditional Coca-Cola. The name 'Blak', Ms. Hubsch continues, was chosen to add to the sense of mystery around the brand, which is believed to be positioned in the same market territory as the recently-launched Pepsi Max Capuccino. This is the first time, AFP says, that the American-based multinational has chosen to premiere a major product outside the United States. To read this story for yourself, in French, click on the link below (left) to be taken to the Voila/AFP website. Alternatively, to visit Coca-Cola France although, as yet, there is no mention of 'Blak', click on the link below (right).
08.12.05
Dutch coffee maker Douwe Egberts has won a judgment from the European Patent Office forbidding any other company from making pads suitable for use with its popular Senseo coffee making system, writes the newspaper Algemeen Dagblad. The judgment handed down from the Antwerp-based EPO will affect a number of manufacturers of those similar to those of Douwe Egberts, whose patent on the design the ruling confirms, Algemeen Dagblad says. In the Netherlands, these include the supermarket chain Vomar and the coffee roaster Drie Mollen. Sara Lee, owner of Douwe Egberts, currently has court cases outstanding against these and other companies in Belgium and Germany. A joint venture between household appliance maker Philips and Douwe Egberts, Senseo first launched in the Netherlands in 2001 and has since gone on to become a success internationally, prompting manufacturers other than Douwe Egberts to produce their own, cheaper versions of the pads required to use the system. To read this story for yourself, in Dutch, click on the link below (left) to see it on the Algemeen Dagblad website. Alternatively, to visit the Senseo international website', click on the link below (right) .
07.12.05
German industrial conglomerate Beiersdorf is exploring new distribution avenues for its flagship Nivea skincare brand, says the advertising magazine Werben & Verkaufen (W&V). Among them is the world's first dedicated Nivea store, due to open in spring 2006 in Hamburg. The store, which will be spread over 3 storeys, will carry Novea's full range of facial and hair care, make-up, manicure and pedicure, colour therapy and massage products, W&V says. 17 Nivea-branded in-store shops are already operating in German department stores and performing well in terms of sales, Nivea says. The company is billing this latest opening as offering the customer a 'world of wellbeing for body and soul'. The company is aware of such outlets' potential as an active brand experience and will be making advisors available in store to give tips on a range of personal care issues. The store will be specifically designed to meet a growing demand for 'wellness quick-fixes', Nivea says. To read this story for yourself, in German, click on the link below (left) to be taken to the W&V website. Alternatively, to read the original press release from Nivea, again in German and as posted on Beiersdorf's corporate website, click on the link below (right) .
06.12.05
Inhabitants of the Belgian town of Hoegaarden are in uproar, says the newspaper Algemeen Dagblad, with the news that brewing giant Interbrew plans to move production of the 'white' beer which has made them famous to a factory at Jupiler. The move makes economic sense to Interbrew, which now owns Hoegaarden, given that it could enjoy economies of scale from using the same facilities it already uses to produce Jupiler-brand beer. That, however, is of little consolation to the good people of Hoegaarden, who would be left simply with a bottling facility for packaging the end product. Around half of the present workforce stand to lose their jobs as a result of the decision, Algemeen Dagblad says. And while Interbrew spokesman Lian Verhoeven seeks to reassure consumers that the taste of the beer would remain the same, not everyone is so convinced. It's more than just a matter of pride. Café owners fear for their income, given that the town of Hoegaarden would suddenly become less interesting to the thousands of tourists who currently visit each year. The unexpected closure, Algemeen Dagblad says, is a bitter blow for the brewery workers, too. "InBev says that Hoegaarden can be brewed anywhere, but that doesn;t take into account people's feelings", says union spokesman Hugo Coosemans, while Pierre Celis, who originally founded the brewery laments that: "it hurts to see something you built up so successfully yourself just disappear". To read this story for yourself, in Dutch, click on the link below (left) to see it on the Algemeen Dagblad website. Alternatively, to read up about Hoegaarden on InBev's typically global website, click on the link below (right) .
06.12.05
After much debate, France's National Assembly has finally adopted what is known as article 57 of the law on public health, says the newspaper Le Figaro. The article in question relates specifically to the advertising of food products but, as the heads of the French advertising agency association AACC tell the paper, rather than a step forward in protecting the public's health the law as approved is strongly disappointing. AACC president Hervé Brossard tells Le Figaro that his association has been working in close collaboration with the food industry, nutritionists and legal experts for over a year, as well as maintaining contact with politicians with a view to making the law as applicable and effective as possible. The decrees now published, however, will make the 'healthy' messages that accompany advertising for certain food and drinks products ineffective and unlikely to alter the eating habits of the French. Vice-president Christophe Lambert agrees that the law will prove counter-productive. "It's bad news for everyone", he says. "The information strips that go with the advertising campaigns will pollute the brands' messages without allowing the ads to communicate a clear and effective message in respect of health." "We are aware of the seriousness of the problem", he continues. "Childhood obesity and the concerns about other areas of the public's health mean action has to be taken. Advertising can play an active role in combatting this scourge by dealing directly with people's eating habits. But you have to respect the fundamental rules of communications. That will not be possible with these decrees when they are published next February or March. To read a longer version of this story for yourself, in French, click on the link below (left) to be taken to the Le Figaro website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the site maintained by the AACC or click here to see the full article translated into English by From Europe With Love.
05.12.05
Spain's Institute for Women's Affairs is to set up a commission to monitor the portrayal of women in advertising, writes the newspaper El Mundo. The commission, the Institute's head, Rosa Peris, tells the paper, will be made up of advertisers, agencies and consumer associations. Its announcment follows the release of figures by the country's 'Sexist Advertising Observatory', which show that 171 complaints were made by members of the public in 2004. Although this figure is slightly lower than that recorded during 2003, when 177 complaints were made, 14 companies were asked to withdraw or change their advertising during the year. The Comission will come into operation in the first half of 2006, El Mundo says, and will release statements saying when it considers advertising unacceptable, although it has no formal regulatory capacity.
According to the sexist advertising observatory, campaigns for Axe men's care, Siemens household appliances, the soft drink Kas Naranja and rum brand Don Barceló (shown) were the most complained about. To read a longer version of this story for yourself, in Spanish, click on the link below (left) to see it on the El Mundo website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the Don Barceló site or click here to see a fuller version of the article translated into English by From Europe With Love.
05.12.05
Germany is looking to capitalise on the fact that it is hosting next year's soccer World Cup to promote itself to foreign visitors, as well as boosting self esteem among its own citizens. Earlier this year, ad agency Scholz & Friends was appointed to head up the promotional effort and agency creative head has been outlining to the Swiss advertising and marketing magazine Persoenlich just what this involves and some of the creative ways his firm is going about presenting the comcept of Germany as Land der Ideen' (or 'the country of ideas'). Turner stresses that, in describing itself thus, Germany isn't suggesting that other countries don't have ideas but that the idea is to bring to the forefront what he believes the country is known for worldwide. One feature of the campaign, Persoenlich notes, involves the placing of an enormous pile of books on the Bebelplatz in Berlin, once the scene of a historic book-burning incident during Nazi times. That, says Turner, is just one of a range of initiatives, all taking the form of large sculptures. While they may have little to do with football, Turner points out that once 2006 has passed, Germany will still be there and the intention is to form a lasting image of the country's creative strengths in the minds of visitors. Official partners of the campaign include major companies such as e-On, BASF and Deutsche Telekom. To read a longer version of this story for yourself, in Italian, click on the link below (left) to be taken to the Persoenlich website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the official 'Land der Ideen' website or here to read a longer version of the interview, translated into English by From Europe With Love.
05.12.05
Italians are thirsty for more and more information and are accessing it through a growing range of sources. At least that's the result of the 39th report produced by Censis, a research foundation set up to explore themes of socio- economic importance. Reported on the online business journal Affari Italiani, the survey classifies the population by their uptake of new and existing media services. Thus 'marginals' (using television only) and 'the poor' (who use no more than two media types) are identified, although in each case the number of people falling into these classifications is falling. The number of consumers who can be classified as 'average' (defined as making good use of media, without including the internet) is also falling, Censis says. The number of 'omnivores', on the other hand (and who use as many as seven types of media) and 'pioneers' (eight types and over) is growing. "Around 20% of the Italian population is truly taking advantage of the digital age", Censis says. This is proved by penetration figures for communications and entertainment devices: 90% of citizens have a mobile phone, 85% a video recorder and, in just one year, the percentage of the population owning a DVD player has risen from 21% to 60%. According to Censis, around 20 million Italians could be considered as internet users during 2005, equivalent to just over 40% of the population. To see what else the foundation discovered, either click on the link below (left) to read a fuller version of this article, in Italian, on the Affari Italiani website, or click on the link below (right) to see the full text of the press release on the Censis website.
05.12.05
Albert Heijn, the Netherlands' leading supermarket retailer, has unveiled the first of what it is calling a 'new generation' of stores, with a format designed to appeal both to those looking for standard presentation of top brands and to other (or the same) shoppers looking for goods at low prices with minimal presentational frills. These, in the style of 'hard' discounters such as Aldi and Lidl, will be sold from boxes, as delivered from the factory, while recognised brands - or 'A-Marken', as they are known in Holland - will be allowed a place on the shelves. Four openings are expected to follow in 2006, says the news site AgriHolland Nieuws. The motive behind the new format, according to Albert Heijn, is the changing expectations of consumers who now demand a combination of convenience and inspiration, helpful staff and attractive prices. Around 35% of stock in traditional Albert Heijn outlets bears the company's own brand, AgriHolland Nieuws says, but this percentage is much higher in the new-format stores. One feature of the new range is a selection of 60 products - sold under the 'Kies & Kook' ('Choose and cook') brand, which promises shoppers that, by buying for of them, they can put together a meal in 15 minutes for just 8 euros. To read a longer version of this story for yourself, in Dutch, click on the link below (left) to see it as published on AgriHolland Nieuws. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to open up a video sequence in Windows Media Player format that gives an overview of what the new format looks like and posted on the website of the Dutch business newspaper Zibb.
05.12.05
Aldi, the discount grocery chain, is to launch its own mobile phone service this week, claims the German newspaper Bild. The service will be made available throughout the company's 4,000-plus strong network, Bild says, with experts predicting that, where the market leader goes, others will soon follow. The four leading network operators - T-Mobile, Vodafone, E-Plus and O2 - have long feared competition from mass market retailers. Vodafone has resisted the urge to cooperate with them, Bild says, although O2, which has a smaller market presence, has struck a deal with the coffee chain Tchibo. Aldi's service is launching with E-Plus as a partner and offers a 10 euro call voucher as an introductory gift. Once that has been used up, calls will cost 15 cents per minute for calls to German landline phones and other national mobile networks. Aldi customers calling each other will pay just 5 cents per minute. To read this story for yourself, in German, click on the link below (left). Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Aldi's German website and check out the new service for yourself.
30.11.05
French insurance firm Maaf Assurances is offering holders of its complementary health policy a discount of up to 40 euros per year if they consume products with anti-cholesterol properties sold under Unilever's Proactiv brand, writes the newspaper Le Figaro. According to the two companies, who released a joint statement on Tuesday, the deal is destined to be a 'precursor' to other, similar initiatives and forms part of a drive to lower cholesterol levels and therefore lessen the risk of heart disease. Under the terms of the promotion, which will run under the name 'Pur bonus santé', policy holders will need to send their sales receipts to Maaf by 31st December 2006. For the first seven Proactiv products bought, they will receive a discount of 10 euros on the annual cost of their policy, rising to 22 euros per 14 products and 40 euros for 21 products, Le Figaro says. Products sold under the Proactiv brand include margarines, dairy drinks and yogurts. According to Maaf and Unilever, around 3 million Frenchmen currently purchase Proactiv goods. Announcement of the deal follows closely on a similar arrangement announced by Unilever rival Danone, which will link with another insurance company - AGF - from the beginning of 2006, offering advantages to buyers of its Danacol cholesterol-lowering products. To read a longer version of this story, in French, click on the link below (left) to be taken to the Le Figaro website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Unilever's French website.
01.12.05
Austrian company Almdudler, maker of the herb-based lemonade drink of the same name, has been told by a Luxembourg court that its bottle design is not unique enough to benefit from EU trademark protection, says the newspaper Die Presse. Almdudler first applied for a '3-dimensional trademark' in 2001, claiming that its brand consisted of the particular shape of the bottle, plus its composition, which varies from clear in the middle to grained in the lower and upper parts. That request was turned down, a decision which the company decided to appeal to before the European Court of Justice. The Court, however, has confirmed the earlier decision, saying that the bottle was of a clear type generally used by bottlers of lemonade and therefore did not constitute a strong enough signal which might cause consumers to attribute its form to one manufacturer or another. Almdudler has thus failed to replicate Coca Cola, which has secured widespread trademark protection for its characteristic shaped bottle, including in the EU. To read a longer version of this story, in German, click on the link below (left) to go to the Die Presse website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Almdudler.
30.11.05
Got a friend that can't stop telling you all about this or that new product with great enthusiasm? Well, if so, it could be that he or she is a 'buzzer', at least in the Netherlands. The latest films, CDs, games, cosmetics... buzzers get them all for free, as long as they promise to go around telling the world about their plus points, says the magazine Trouw. 'Buzzing' is the idea of the Amsterdam-based firm Buzzer, founded by Willem Sodderland, and capitalises on the fact that the most effective form of promotion is often word of mouth. "People are tired of all the commercials", he tells Trouw, "you have to reach them in another way. We let consumers speak for themselves, effectively making them marketers". Three main reasons lie behind buzzers' motivation, according to Sodderland. Firstly, status (they get products before other people hear about them), influence (both on people and on manufacturers) and having a story to tell. "We offer manufacturers a group of discriminating consumers who are please to tell people how satisfied they are with their product", says Sodderland. "The manufacturer gets free advertising and both sides profit from the deal". The idea for Buzzer, Trouw says, stems back to 1998 when Sodderland was involved in an 'incubator' group helping small companies to get their ideas off the ground. He soon realised how important the first group of consumers were to the potential success of new brands which often did not have the funds to advertise. The idea gradually developed into a company set up by Willem Sodderland with Robert Cornelissen, one they claim is unique in Europe. To read more about 'buzzing', in Dutch, on the website of Trouw, click on the link below (left). Alternatively, to check out Buzzer for yourself, in Dutch, and even to register yourself with the firm click on the link below (right). Can't face it in Dutch? Click here to be taken to the English-language section of Buzzer's website
30.11.05
Italy's film industry has been hit over the past year or so, writes the online newspaper Affari Italiani, by a decision taken by the country's finance authorities to cut state funding. As they search for other sources of revenue, Affari Italiani says, they are increasingly turning to product placement. Camelot, an agency that specialises in such deals, says that once changes in local laws made the practice possible, it immediately set to work to make sure that the Tim mobile phone brand would be present in the film 'Qua Vadis baby'. Five further titles due to appear in 2006 will include product placements negotiated by Camelot, agency head Paola Mazzaglia tells Affari Italiani. The first will feature the lead character in 'Eccezionale Veramente 2' using the 892 892 phone number enquiry service to locate his daughter. Subsequent releases will benefit the pasta brand Pasta Garofalo, among others. Through such deals, Mazzaglia says, Camelot has brought over a million euros into the Italian fim industry in just one year. Click on the link below (left) to read a longer version of this story for yourself, in Italian, on the Affari Italiani website. Alternatively, to visit the daily news site of the leading Italian film company, Cinecittà, click on the link below (right).
30.11.05
On the one hand, Swiss shoppers want cheap, discount products, on the other sales of luxury goods continue to rise. This phenomenon has caused one academic to claim that, increasingly, Switzerland is a nation of 'smart' consumers. Torsten Tomczak, professor of marketing at the University of St. Gallen, says that, while buying their wine at low prices from the supermarket chain Denner, well-off people are not willing to give up their high-priced watches. For David Bosshart, director at the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute, which monitors consumer trends, this presents retailers with a new kind of challenge. Migros and Coop, Switzerland's two largest retailers, have reacted by introducing low-priced 'value' lines and upscale premium own brands ('Premium Labels Selection' in the instance of Migros and 'Fine Food' at rival Coop). Bosshart points to Tesco in the UK as a key reference and stresses the importance of its 'positively classless' approach in bringing about the supermarket chain's success. Ad agency Advico Young & Rubicam agrees, says the advertising and marketing magazine Persoenlich, that cheap on its own is not enough. Among brands growing in sales are Migros' reasonably-priced 'M-Label' brand, but more expensive 'fair trade' goods sold by Max Havelaar are also seeing increasing sales. In sectors other than grocery, Persoenlich says, one of the most high-profile adjustments to the trend is that undertaken by H&M, which has signed a series of top-of-the-range designers to produce limited runs of mid-priced fashion, with tremendous success. Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in German, on the Persoenlich website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute.
30.11.05
With the number of corner grocery shops - affectionately known in Germany as 'Tante Emma Laden' (or 'Aunt Emma shops') - continuing to fall, their owners are being called on to develop their offer if they are to be able to compete with more modern and larger retail forms such as super- and hypermarkets, writes the newspaper Kölner Stadt Anzeiger. "The number has fallen by fully half in the past ten years", says Michael Gerling of the city's Eurohandelsinstitut (EHI) business college. The EHI forecasts that 2,000 corner shops will have closed in just one year by the end of 2005, leaving the number of such outlets at 33,000. In 1993, the figure was 56,000. "That's dramatic", says Gerling. But while many German shoppers would rate their local store as 'essential', this is not reflected in their shopping behaviour. Since 1993, average shop turnover has fallen by almost 30%, he calculates, with customer numbers falling by 13%. "Either the 'Tante Emma' shops change or they are going to die out", Gerling continues. As for how they might change, he suggests that they could offer home-made soups or lunches. "The market is about nutrition", he tells the Kölner Stadt Anzeiger. "That doesn't just mean ingredients for meals, but meals themselves". Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in German, on the Kölner Stadt Anzeiger website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to see a selection of photos of a typical 'Tante Emma' shop.
29.11.05
Santa Clara church in central Stockholm is currently undergoing renovation, which has involved putting up scaffolding around the building, including its spire. What better opportunity, thought the fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M), to put up a giant poster advertising jewellery. Having reached agreement with the company undertaking the renovation work, Libergs, H&M duly went ahead, little understanding how controversial the move was to prove. Now, says Sweden's leading advertising magazine Resumé, and following adverse reactions from both Stockholmers and the church's Dean, Hakon Långström, the company has agreed to take it down. The church originally voted not to authorise placing of the poster on November 7th, says the Swedish religious newspaper Kyrkans Tidning, meaning that H&M has already had what could be considered to be a full campaign at the site. Now, as company spokeswoman Anna Bergare tells the paper, "H&M has respected the church's wishes and taken down the poster. If the church doesn't want it then it's not in our interests either". According to Libergs, the church had been sent an e-mail proposal back in September, outlining the kind of images that might be used by the advertising agency involved, but not the final version of the poster. "The church said that it was OK", its head Kenneth Liberg tells Kyrkans Tidning. To see what else he tells them and if you've never visited a Swedish religious newspaper before, click on the link below (left) to read a longer version of this story on the Kyrkans Tidning website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to read the story in Resumé or here to visit H&M's Swedish website.
24.11.05
Christmas is traditionally high season for advertisers of food products, particularly those aimed at children, says the Spanish trade magazine Marketing Directo. This year, however, they will not be able to use celebrities such as Rafael Nadal or Ronaldinho, due to regulations recently agreed by government authorities with leading manufacturers. According to article 13.2 of the PAOS code, as the regulations are known and which was introduced in September, advertisers are prohibited from using well-known people in their campaigns or otherwise suggest that products can produce unreal effects (such as allowing children to fly). Over 80% of companies have already signed up voluntarily to the code, Marketing Directo says. But while celebrities are ruled out, their relatives are not and one company has already taken advantage of this to use the mother of motorcyclist Dani Pedrosa in its advertising. It remains to be seen whether the ban on celebrity spokespeople also applies to famous fictional figures such as Father Christmas or traditional elements of Christmas such as the 3 Kings, whose arrival is celebrated each year in most Spanish cities with a procession. Decisions on each case will be made by Autocontrol, the advertising industry's self-regulatory authority. Click on the link below (left) to read a longer version of this story for yourself, in Spanish, on the Marketing Directo website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Autocontrol and explore what they do, in Spanish or English.
24.11.05
Dutch children's protection foundation Stichting De Kinderconsument has sent an open letter to the internet and mobile phone company Scarlet asking it to alter its current promotion, which offers a free child's mobile phone for every adult subscription taken out, writes the advertising magazine Adformatie. Displayed on posters across the nation, advertising for the promotion shows a woman and a young girl dressed in what the foundation describes as 'miniscule lingerie'. Despite its potential to offend and the number of complaints which it has prompted, Holland's self-regulatory vetting authority, Reclame Code Commissie, gave the campaign the green light, Adformatie says. Now Stichting de Kinderconsument has taken up those complaints and new ones it has received asking for the billboard and the website to be taken down. Basis for the complaint is that the young girl is shown as an exact copy (including lingerie and make-up) of an attractive young woman who is 'clearly sexually attractive and displayed in a seducive pose in lingerie that leaves nothing to the imagination'. Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in Dutch, on the Adformatie website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Scarlet's website and make your own judgement on the promotional approach it is taking.
24.11.05
Almost one in every four products bought in European supermarkets carries the brand of the outlet in which it is sold, according to figures released by the retail audit company AC Nielsen and reported by the Spanish advertising and marketing magazine Ipmark. Although slow to pick up on the concept initially, Spain is now one of the countries with the highest penetration of 'own label', Ipmark says, with 26% of mass market grocery goods now carrying the supermarket's own brand and with sales having grown over the past year at a pace equivalent to three times that of branded goods. Worldwide, 17% of FMCG products are sold as own label goods, Nielsen says, a figure which rises to 23% in Europe. In all regions surveyed, growth in private label is greater than that observed in manufacturer-branded products. The highest level of own label penetration in Europe is in Switzerland, where 45% of goods sell under the names of leading supermarket chains such as Migros and Coop. Other countries where penetration is high include Germany, at 30%, the UK (28%), Belgium (25%), France (24%) and Holland (22%). Click on the link below (left) to read a longer version of this story for yourself, in Spanish, on the Ipmark website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit AC Nielsen's English-language global website.
22.11.05
Over the past year or so, Dutch supermarkets have been engaged in a fierce price war, which has hurt manufacturers of branded goods. Now, says the trade journal Marketing Online, some of them are fighting back with a jointly-produced magazine. On Friday 18th November, around 750,000 households will have woken up to find a copy of 'Lekker in het Leven' ('Life tastes good') in their letter box, Marketing Online says. Running to 34 pages and accompanied by a set of discount coupons, the magazine counts among its backers Procter & Gamble (P&G), Douwe Egberts and HJ Heinz. Aimed at families with children, its features show how innovations made by such companies are contributing to improving family life. According to Ronald van de Straat of P&G, around 60% of Dutch retailers will accept the coupons, although Albert Heijn, the country's leading supermarket chain, is one notable exception. The promotion is a first in the Netherlands, he adds, and one in which P&G took the initiative. In neighbouring Belgium it had conducted a similar exercise on its own, although other manufacturers joined in later. Total value of the coupons is € 25.50. The publication of this first issue of the magazine constitutes a large-scale test, although experience in both Belgium and Germany shows that similar promotions are capable of stimulating shopping visits and sales. Should it prove successful in the Netherlands, publication two or three times a year is envisaged. Click on the link below (left) to read a longer version of this story for yourself, in Dutch, on the Marketing Online website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the website of Procter and Gamble in the Netherlands.
22.11.05
Belgium's postal service, La Poste, is conducting a large scale survey to see what kinds of advertising citizens want to receive, according to the national newspaper Le Soir. The company has already distributed around 1 million forms through letter boxes, Le Soir says, with more to follow as La Pste seeks to reach all families. Called 'Select Post', the initiative will allow families to specify which product categories they would be happy to receive advertising for, thus enabling advertisers to better target their mailshots. "While the volume of traditional mail is tending to stagnate, addressed promotional mailshots still have room to grow", a spokesman for La Poste tells th enewspaper. A first test wave of surveys sent out at the beginning of the year to 25,000 households produced response rates above 30%, the spokesman continues. What is perhaps more surprising, he says, is that consumers requested direct mail in an average of 52 categories. Around 80% of advertisers spoken to by La Poste approve of the initiative, with 42 already having agreed to take part. Click on the link below (left) to read a slightly longer version of this story for yourself, in French, on the Le Soir website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to read the longer press release sent out (by post?) by La Poste.
21.11.05
A wine maker in southern France is this week celebrating victory, having won his battle against a drinks multinational to call his produce what he wants to, writes the news agency AFP. Based in Cabestany, close to Perpignan, Jean-Philippe Beille thought nothing of naming his best wine 'Tinto absoluto' (which translates as something like 'absolutely very red wine'), AFP says. Little did he imagine, however, that the Swedish makers of the vodka brand Absolut would consider this an attempt to trade on the brand values that they have so cleverly built up over the years. Absolut's reaction was to object to Jean-Philippe registering the wine's name with France's trademark authority, the INPI, despite the fact that its maker was able to point to clear differences between a deep red wine and a clear vodka that hardly anybody drinks in the region in which he produces. 5,000 bottles were produced and everything seemed to be running well until one of the vineyard's Swedish clients requested that the packaging be changed, AFP says. Struggling to get the business back on its feet after the death of his father, Beille was keen to maintain his stance and unable to either accommodate the request or employ a lawyer to fight his corner in the French courts. "I defended myself with good sense", he tells the agency. "Firstly, the products have different colours. Then there is the fact that they are consumed differently". The dispute quickly caught the attention of the local and then the national press in France, fuelling a spirited movement of defence in favour of Beille. "Without really wanting to", Beille continues, "we became a symbol of Catalan culture". And a defiant one, at that, with slogans appearing such as 'Vodka no pasarà' ('No vodka here'). Now the vineyard is free to continue marketing its wine under the name it originally chose, "some buyers are suddenly deciding it's very good", says its maker. Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in French, on the website of Voila, which publishes news stories from AFP. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the website set up especially to support Jean-Pierre Beille's defence of his 'tinto absoluto'.
Netherlands: Pepsi or 'Ipsei'? Soft drinks giants to face off in the European trademark court
Soon to be launched in the UK but available now for over a year in Germany and the Netherlands, one of Coca Cola's latest new product introductions has caused severe discomfort at its major rival, Pepsico. The reason? Well, says the Dutch business news website Zibb, the fact that the product is called 'Ipsei' might have something to do with it. Pepsico, it says - and perhaps with some reason - feels that this is uncomfortably close to the name of its star soft drink, Pepsi. For its part, Coca Cola counters with the claim that the name is in fact derived from 'ipse', which is Latin for 'self', and continues to promote the product as having a surprising taste, unique design and being good for the body, given that it contains natural anti-oxidants which help to strengthen the body's defences. Bottled in the Netherlands by Vrumona, a subsidiary of Heineken, Ipsei will now be the subject of a judgement by the European Patent Office in the Dutch town of The Hague, says Zibb. Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in Dutch, on the Zibb.nl website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the website set up for Ipsei in neighbouring Germany or here to see the product presented to the Dutch public.
21.11.05
Austrian newspaper Der Standard took advantage of a recent visit to the country by Tony Wright, CEO of Lowe & Partners Worldwide, to question him on a range of topics. In his post for around one year, the newspaper asked him if it was fair to say that his network was still 'work in progress'. Wright denies this, saying that much has changed in that time, although quality issues still need to be resolved. Bringing together the very creative staff of the London-based Lowe network with those of US-based Lintas, five years ago, he admits, however, did not work. Asked about the continuing speculation that its troubled parent, IPG, might be looking to sell off Lowe, Wright says that there are currently no such plans and points out that the agency is strongly positioned in growing markets, such as Russia, India, China and Brazil. Within the network, emphasis over the coming year will be placed on achieving healthy profitability. One trade magazine, Der Standard points out, recently said that Lowe continued to be having trouble in Europe. "Everybody agency network is currently unhappy with continental Europe", Wright responds, "there's hardly any growth. I am particularly unhappy. Lowe is just not strong enough in these countries. The culture shock after the Lowe/Lintas merger was felt at its strongest here. For example, Lintas used to be a really strong agency in France, now we're struggling. In Germany, Lintas was once number one". Click on the link below (left) to read a longer version of this interview for yourself, in German, on the Der Standard website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the website maintained by the network's agency in Austria, Lowe GGK, which enjoys a particularly high profile.
21.11.05
Aldi, the German-based 'hard discount' grocery retailer, is to launch a weekly TV listings magazine in its Belgian stores from November 23rd, writes the national newspaper De Standaard. Published each Wednesday, the new magazine will be made available in two languages and two versions. 'TV compact' will be offered for sale in stores located in Flemish-speaking regions of Belgium, while 'Télé-compact' will cater for French-speaking, TV-watching shoppers. The magazine will have a pocket format and contain 84 pages, combining an overview of the week's programming plus background information, tips, 'interesting facts' about the world of TV and plenty of games, De Standaard says. The initiative is being undertaken in conjunction with Sanoma, one of Belgium's leading publishers. Aldi, the newspaper adds, is not the first Belgian retailer to enter the world of TV listings magazines, with Carrefour, the hypermarket chain, having launched 'Mijn Week TV' - a free publication - in November 2001. Carrefour ceased its involvement, however, less than a year later. The price of Aldi's magazine has not been made public. Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in Flemish/Dutch, on the De Standaard website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Aldi in Belgium and check out this week's special offers.
21.11.05
Aldi, which has built its success on offering low-priced, exclusive own label brands instead of the major brands to be found on the shelves of most retailers, is currently in talks with both Coke and Pepsi about stocking their drinks in its German outlets, writes the business newspaper Zibb.nl. Aldi's German operations are split into two, with each of them run by one of the billionaire brothers who own the chain. The discussions underway, Zibb says, relate to the company's stores in southern Germany ('Aldi Sud') and come shortly after confectionery maker Ferrero also agreed to have its products listed in the discounter's shops. Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in Dutch, on the Zibb.nl website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Aldi in Germany.
21.11.05
Increasing complaints are being made to travel agencies by Dutch holidaymakers in Turkey, writes the newspaper Zibb. The cause of the unhappiness? A Russian 'invasion' on the beaches. Now those agencies are responding with packages that include accommodation in hotels in which it is guaranteed that no Russians will be staying. "Russians have a completely different mentality to the Dutch", says a spokesperson for one such agency, Annasol Vliegvakanties. "We adapt ourselves and our friendly with the staff. They behave as if the hotel is their own and are often unfriendly towards the personnel and other guests". Annasol, in conjunction with Ten Tours, says Zibb, has reacted by promoting all-inclusive holidays in 4- and 5-star hotels with a guarantee that only guests from western Europe will be staying in the other rooms. Says a spokesman for another travel company, Corendon,: "Our clients complain alot about anti-social Russians. They've taken over the role that used to be occupied by the Germans. Irritation number 1 is the buffet - they over-fill their plate meaning the food disappears too quickly. Then they get up extra-early to put their towel down beside the pool. They are coarse, even in appearance. In general, our clients find that Russians have a lot of money but not many manners". Click on the link below (left) to read a longer version of this story for yourself, in Dutch, on the Zibb website. Alternatively, to check out the Turkish holiday range on offer at one of the companies mentioned in this story - Corendon - click on the link below (right).
21.11.05
Two recent court rulings do little to resolve the running dispute between confectionery maker Ferrero and the organisers of the 2006 soccer World Cup. In a first judgement, on November 2nd, the European trademark authorities ruled that FIFA could exercise exclusive control over the brands 'WM 2006', 'WM Deutschland', 'Deutschland 2006' and 'WM Deutschland 2006' ('WM' = Weltmeisterschaft = World Cup). FIFA's defence of these 'brands' had been prompted by the fact that Ferrero - famous for such products as its 'Rocher' chocolates and 'Kinder Surprise' eggs - had registered eleven similar names. But while the European court ordered Ferrero's right to those names to be removed, a more recent judgement, made by a Frankfurt judge, now prevents FIFA from forbidding the use of 'WM 2006' in promotions for unrelated products, says the German sales and marketing magazine Absatzwirtschaft. Quite who will have the last word remains to be seen, Absatzwirtschaft says. Ferrero is planning to depend heavily on World Cup-related promotions in coming months to boost sales and welcomed the ruling by the Frankfurt court. "FIFA has withdrawn its injunction against Ferrero and been ordered to pay all costs", a satisfied spokeswoman, Almut von Rissenback, told the press. Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in German, on the Absatzwirtschaft website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the official WM 2006 website or here to visit Ferrero in Germany.
21.11.05
Just a few days ahead of the launch of Media Smart, an inititative designed to help teachers educate children aged between 8 and 12 years old about advertising, Belgium's association of communications companies (ACC) has launched a campaign designed to stress the usefulness of commercial communications, says the local trade magazine Media Marketing. Placed in a number of newspapers for which space is sold by the company Scripta, the campaign seeks to combat prejudices against advertising, Media Marketing says. Its slogan? 'La pub. c'est pour tout le monde' ('Advertising is for everyone'). In placing the campaign the ACC starts from the point of view that everyone uses adevrtising, every day - even if often unconsciously - to convince others or simply to find a buyer. This last motive, Media Marketing says, is what serves to form the core of the campaign. Creatives from the ad agency Euro RSCG have used genuine classified adverts to develop a range of executions that bring home to readers the fact that advertising plays an essential role in putting people with basic needs and wants in touch with others in a position to satisfy them Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in French, on the Media Marketing website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the ACC website and, in particular, to see From Europe With Love's favourite execution from this new campaign (this will open up as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file on your computer - the advert is for a hairdresser who will visit your home, meaning you don't have to get your 'Afro' out of the door).
26.09.05
Germany is looking to the biggest non-commercial advertising campaign in its history to help it pull itself out of its current subdued mood, writes the newspaper Der Standard. At the heart of the campaign, Der Standard says, is a new TV ad that uses the slogan 'Du bist Deutschland!' (in English, 'You are Germany!'). The spot, which broke on Sunday September 25th, will run for a period of four months on the country's leading channels, accompanied by full-page print ads in all major newspapers and magazines. Equivalent total investment of over €30 million backs the campaign, although no money will in fact change hands and all media space will be donated free. "Our aim is to establish a new mood that this country is going forward", Bernd Bauer, spokesman for 'Partner für Innovation, the organisation behind the campaign, tells Der Standard. To achieve this, the campaign hopes to motivate each individual to make their own personal contribution to lifting Germany out of its 'crisis'. "A butterfly can unleash a typhoon", TV presenter Sandra Maischberger is quoted as saying, with perhaps not the best sense of timing given events in the United States which coincide with the appearance of the campaign. Maischberger is one of over 30 well-known personalities lending their endorsement to the campaign. Others include the ice skater Katharina Witt, who asks in the TV ad: "Wie wär's, wenn Du Dich mal wieder selbst anfeuerst" (in English: "Imagine what could happen if you fired yourself up again). The general theme behind the push, Der Standard says, is encapsulated in the phrase: "Don't ask what others can do for you. Your are thoes others. You are Germany!". The work was produced by star ad agencies Jung von Matt and kempertrautmann, without a fee. Originally planned for June, the campaign was postponed on account of the parliamentary elections which took place this month. Its first appearance has been scheduled for 7.56pm on both the leading state-funded TV channels, ARD and ZDF, with the leading commercial channels following 17 minutes later. Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in German, on the Der Standard website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to go to the website set up to support the 'Du bist Deutschland' campaign and which, hopefully by now, Monday, should be up and running.
26.09.05
Like their counterparts elsewhere, from October 17th onwards, French fans of the singer Madonna will have to content themselves with listening to the first single taken from her forthcoming album, 'Confessions on a dance floor', until the full collection is released on November 14th. Unless, that is, they subscribe to France Télécom's mobile and cable services. In what is described by the newspaper Le Figaro as the most innovative promotion of a singer since the advent of digital media, Warner Music France and France Télécom have signed an agreement which allows the telecoms operator to distribute advances taken from the new album via a range of channels before the official release date. The agreement, Le Figaro says, covers ringtones for mobile phones, music downloads over the internet and even the purchase of videoclips via television. Over the first six months of this year, Thierry Cassagne, head of Warner Music France tells the newspaper, revenues derived from digitally-delivered music accounted for 3% of the group's total revenues. That proportion will now be boosted by the Madonna deal, which will see the first extract from the new album being made available for download by clients of France Télécom's Orange mobile phone service. In specially-edited, ringtone form, the tune will cost 3 euros per download, of which Warner will receive 60 cents. Five additional downloads will be made available on October 4th, plus a new version of the single, which will then be made fully available on October 17th. On that date the full multi-platform strategy will also kick in, with Madonna video content available via ADSL to subscribers. Using these and other tactics, Warner is hoping to achieve sales of the album of more than 700,000 and thus exceed the performance of the singer's previous disc. Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in French, on the Le Figaro website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Warner Music France.
26.09.05
Car maker Ford and its advertising agency Ogilvy are claiming a world first with an innovative campaign set to run between September 20th and 28th, writes the Belgian advertising and marketing magazine, Pub. During that time, poster will be displayed in seven of the country's major railway stations which 'talk' to passers-by to gain their interest in the company's autumn promotions. Each day for the duration of the campaign and during rush hour only, as travellers approach the posters the man shown on them 'comes to life', blinking his eyes and smiling. Behind the scenes, a real-life actor then engages the spectator using a hidden camera and a joystick to control his character's movements. Designed to inform, stimulate and amuse, the campaign also aims to convey the 'miraculous' conditions on which various Ford models are available this autumn. In addition to a physical presence in stations, Ford has set up a website where, it claims, visitors will be able to see for themselves the reactions of people spoken to by the posters. Click on the link below (left) to read a longer version of this story for yourself, in French, on the Pub website. From Europe With Love has visited the website and is less than impressed with the visual quality of the reactions captured by the hidden camera, but if you'd like to see for yourself, just click on the link below (right).
31.05.05
Just the latest in a growing line of European capital cities anxious to ensure that it is keeping up the pace in terms of attracting both tourists and business traffic, Norway's Oslo has commissioned itself a new visual identity, writes the country's advertising and marketing magazine Propaganda. The design, Propaganda says, is intended to communicate that Oslo is 'modern, urban and colourful' VisitOslo. tourist head Tor Sannerud commissioned the new identity, Propaganda says, from local graphic design agency Deville. It wil be used by all entities charged with attracting visitors to the city, under a common brand. Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in Norwegian, on the Propaganda website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to go directly to the website maintained by 'VisitOslo' to promote itself as a destination.
18.05.05
Earlier this month, it was reported that Holland's self-regulatory advertising commission, Reclame Code Commissie, had received over 200 complaints - all from religious groups and individuals - about a TV ad showing a giant hand emerging from the sky and redirecting a football which was going wide of its target into the goal (click here to remind yourself of that earlier story). Versatel suspended transmission of the ad while the commission was considering its decision. Now, however, says the country's leading advertising magazine, Adformatie, the company is free to put the ad back on air. Despite an explicit reference to the 'hand of God' being responsible for the intervention, the commission ruled that the ad was not in poor taste. Versatel had always maintained that the phrase referred to an incident involving Argentina's Diego Maradona in a match against England. Protesters, on the other hand, felt it was a direct and inappropriate reference to.., well, God. Not even 1,100 signatures handed in by religious and political group ChristenUnie were enough to sway opinion at the Reclame Code Commissie. Versatel, as a consequence, feels its decision to air the spot - which publicises the transmission of football matches over its ADSL lines - vindicated and says that it is 'sorry that the ad attracted so many complaints. We didn't mean to offend anyone'. A decision on whether it will indeed go back on air, however, remains to be taken, Adformatie says. Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in Dutch, on the Adformatie website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Versatel's website and see the ad for yourself, in Windows Media Player format
18.05.05
It must have seemed a good idea at the time and, indeed, some of the articles appeared to be selling rather well. But now, says the newspaper Die Presse, Dutch trade giant Vendex and its flagship department store, de Bijenkorf, have decided to take all goods branded with the image of ex-Chinese dictator Mao Tse Tung off its shelves. Vendex decided that it would be a good idea, Die Presse says, to run a promotional week around all things Chinese and including goods such as furniture, porcelain, vases and silks. These - especially the porcelain - sold like 'hot cakes', but other products such as T-shirts and teacups bearing the image of the oppressive leader were shunned by shoppers. Worse than this, the company was bombarded by a protest campaign conducted by way of e-mail, letters and phone calls. Many people, it appears, thought that Vendex should in no way be associating itself with the activities of a 'mass murderer', even less displaying his image prominently in its stores. "Mao out" was a common call of protesters. Faced with negative reaction that simply grew and grew, Vendex decided to clear its shelves of 'Mao' products, Die Presse says, with a company spokeswoman admitting to the paper that "the thing with Mao was a major error of judgement". It is, Die Presse says, as if the company had been stocking cups and shirts bearing images of historical figures such as Hitler or Stalin. That, it continues, is where marketing has to stop. Dutch consumers, it appears, would agree with that sentiment. Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in German, in Die Presse. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the department store chain in question, de Bijenkorf.
16.05.05
According to the German news magazine Der Spiegel, the board of car maker BMW has serious doubts about whether to continue with its interests in Formula 1 motor racing. "The probability", a senior spokesman tells the magazine confidentially, "is very high that we will get out". The reason, Der Spiegel says, is that the Munich-based company is simply fed up with not winning. Already, last year, team head Helmut Panke admitted that "in the long term, it simply isn't acceptable just to go along for the ride. We want success next season". This year as last, however, the team has no chance of securing the championship, with drivers Mark Webber and Nick Heidfeld lying sixth and tenth in the rankings, while BMW trails Renault, Toyota and McLaren-Mercedes in the constructors' championship. "If we simply continue to follow the rest, then that's not a good investment", says board member Manfred Schoch. BMW's commitment to Formula 1, Der Spiegel says, is currently costing it a figure far exceeding 200 million euros per year. Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in German, on the Der Spiegel website. Alternatively, and to continue to live the dream, click on the link below (right) to visit the BMW WilliamsF1 team website.
16.05.05
Parmalat, the Italian dairy products manufacturer which went so spectacularly bankrup towards the end of 2003, is counting on the launch of a new line of products designed to halt the ageing process to restore its fortunes, writes the advertising industry newsletter Pubblicità Italia. Called 'Jeunesse' (the French word for 'youth'), the line includes yogurt, skimmed milk, fruit drinks and pineapple-flavoured desserts, Pubblicità Italia says. Its launch will be backed by a 10 million euro advertising campaign set to run throughout the summer and, if successful, will also be sold in export markets. The products are all enriched with the co-enzyme Q10 and a variety of vitamins said to have anti-oxidant properties. They are aimed principally at female consumers aged between 35 and 44 years old who, while they don't believe in miracle cures, Parmalat says, do pay attention to their health. "With this new brand", Parmalat managing director Carlo Prevedini told the press last week, "we want to send a signal of rebirth and a re-establishment of the company's strength. Our relaunch is not simply a question of cuts and restructuring plans, but also of product innovation". The advertising campaign will use the line "Jeunesse, nutri la tua giovinezza' ('Nourish your youth') and appear on TV and in print witha view to reaching a sales target of 30 million euros in the products' first year. To read a longer version of this story for yourself, in Italian, click on the link below (left) to visit the Pubblicità Italia website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Parmalat.
16.05.05
Dutch airline KLM is to make a number of its flights 'business only', writes the online business newspaper Zibb. More space and better food and drinks, it hopes, will help it to capture business travellers in a fiercely competitive market. The first flights carrying only business passengers, Zibb says, will be between Amsterdam's Schiphol airport and Houston, Texas. Later links may be added to New York, Chicago and Detroit. KLM expects to entertain the greatest demand from multinationals such as Shell and Unilever, grateful for the opportunity to send their managers on exclusive flights. KLM will not operate the flights itself, Zibb says, but will sub-contract the work to the Swiss company Privat Air, which already operates a similar service for the German carrier, Lufthansa. Each plane will have a maximum of 48 seats, each with plenty of room around it. Boarding and leaving the plane will naturally be much quicker, Zibb says, given the reduced number of people. Prices will be set at a level comparable to that of a business class ticket on a standard flight, but with better food and wine. Click on the link below (left) to read this article for yourself, in Dutch, on the Zibb website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit KLM.
16.05.05
If you drink too much Coca Cola it might make you ill but that, a German judge ruled last week, is your problem, not the company's. The Essen court through out a complaint lodged by a man blaming his daily consumption of the fizzy drink for his subsequently developing diabetes, says the newspaper Kurier. The complainant, himself a judge, has spent the past three years seeking damages from the soft drinks giant but had already lost cases in numerous courts in respect of a similar claim against the chocolate company, Masterfoods. Judge Mathias Kirsten ruled that Coca Cola did not contain excessive amounts of sugar. "The product has its particular characteristics and these are what its consumers want and buy", he said. Hans-Josef Brinkmann, who brought the case to court, was seeking around 7,000 euros in damages, in addition to an order obliging Coca Cola to pay any costs that might be necessary to treat his diabetes over the next 30 years. His claim was based on the fact that for over 3 years, he drank a litre of Coca Cola and two Snickers bars every day. Partly as a result, his weight rose to around 100 kilos. This final judgement confirms the court's first ruling, in November 2001, when it said: "That Coca Cola is sweet is a given. Whether it is poisonous is all down to the dosage". Click on the link below (left) to read a longer version of this article for yourself, in German, on the Kurier website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Coca Cola's German website.
16.05.05
"We'd like it to turn out something like Red Bull. In reality, that's pretty unlikely and the first thing we have to do is survive for the next 3 years". Hans Vriens has prior experience, having been employee number 5 at the firm founded by Dietrich Mateschitz which was later to go on to establish Red Bull as the worldwide reference point in energy drinks. But while he may be realistic, Vriens is nevertheless optimistic, says the Austrian newspaper Der Standard. Prior to joining Red Bull, Austria's leading exported consumer brand, Vriens had, like Mateschitz, worked in Procter & Gamble's marketing department. Now, with his partner David-Jan de Zeeuw, he has set up a new firm with a coffee- and milk-based product based on Starbucks' Frappuchino and called 'Returnity'. Returnity has attracted backing from a venture capitalist fund to which Nestlé is a contributor. Having originally set up in business in March 2004, the pressure is now to be raised with increased investment in advertising, Der Standard says, to build on the awareness gained with Returnity's first 'dancing brain' campaign. So far, the product is available in Austria and the Netherlands. The initial target is to achieve turnover of 20 million euros, then growth of 5% annually and possibly wider distribution. Vriens is realistic, acknowledging that around 99% of all new drink launches fail in the marketplace but, he says, "Returnity has what it needs to belong to the other 1%". Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in German, on the Der Standard website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Returnity, which you can read about in German, Dutch.. or English.
13.05.05
Conscious that tastes are changing and that consumers are continually looking for healthier ways to snack, Pepsico is actively looking at the possibility of launching snacks based on dried fruit, writes the Spanish newspaper Las Provincias Digital. The paper took advantage of a visit by the company's head of southern Europe, Ramón Tatay, to Valencia, to quiz him on a wide range of topics, including the fruits. Around 40% of Pepsico's sales, Tatay says, currently come from snacks. The company already sources other products, such as Tropicana fruit juice, from the region aruond Valencia and further south, in Murcia, and may now look to local farmers to help it develop sales of savoury snacks such as biscuits, dried fruit and cereal bars. Valencia is home to most of Spain's leading producers of dried fruit and Pepsico, Tatay says, definitely wants to take things forward with them. Click on the link below (left) to read a much longer version of the interview with Ramón Tatay for yourself, in Spanish, on the Las Provincias website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to read all about dried fruit, in Spanish, on the consumer website consumer.es.
13.05.05
There'll be no more excuses for late kick-offs at Swedish football matches with the news that DHL, the courier company, is changing its sponsorship strategy to one based around the proposition of 'we deliver footballs', writes the country's media magazine, Dagens Media. The switch comes with DHL believing it now boasts sufficient awareness among the Swedish public, Dagens Media says. The scheme will officially be called 'Football Delivered'. Instead of having its name appear on pitch side boards, DHL will now deliver match balls to all Royal League (second division) games and to certain premier league matches. "Where it's possible, we'll turn up with a van, if not, children wearing DHL clothing will deliver the ball", spokesperson Kalle Eliason tells the magazine. The move comes after an internal review of all sponsorship activities and reflects, Eliason says, the fact that football is the biggest sport, while DHL is the biggest courier company in the country. The deal will allow it to run various corporate entertainment events alongside games. Click on the link below (left) to read this article for yourself, in Swedish, on the Dagens Media website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit DHL in Sweden.
11.05.05
Towards the end of last month, it emerged that Fiat was planning a major new advertising campaign in its home country designed to foster the national solidarity of Italians (click here for a reminder of that story). With the campaign now on air, reaction has been swift.. not from Italians, but from Germans liveing in Italy, says the newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ). One of the ads in the new campaign uses the line "When you buy a German car, the Germans say a hearty thank you" over images of typical Bavarians toasting the purchase with a glass of the local beer and repeatedly saying 'Danke' ('Thank you'). Inviting Italians to 'give us a try' by playing on their sense of nationalism, the new approach stands out, FAZ says, but not in a way that appeals to everyone. Joachim Blüher, head of the Villa Massimo in Rome, a German-run institution which funds art projects based on Roman Art, has written an open letter to Fiat president Luca di Montezemolo, saying that: "I don't think you could go much lower. This advertisement has hurt and saddened me". Apart from the message itself, Blüher points out that the fact that the word 'danke' is presented in Gothic script in the ad further attacks sensitivities in that it was the favoured typeface of the German authorities in and leading up to the Second World War. Villa Massimo's funding originally came from a German jew. The first airing of the campaign was on April 25th, the day when Italians celebrate their liberation from occupation in 1945, and it is envisaged as a tactical, rather than a long-term strategic approach. In addition to German cars, French and Japanese vehicles were also targeted in the work, using the appropriate 'merci' and 'arigato' thank you phrases. For every four foreign cars bought by Italians, one workplace is cut at Fiat, unions claim. Fiat's market share in Italy is currently between 27% and 28%, significantly below last year's level. Importers of those cars haven't commented on Fiat's initiative, preferring to 'bite their tongues'. Click on the link below (left) to read a longer version of this story for yourself, in German, on the FAZ website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Fiat's Italian site and where, perhaps diplomatically, there is little mention of the controversial campaign.
11.05.05
Last week it was reported that Spanish football club FC Barcelona was set to break with tradition and carry shirt sponsorship for the first time, having struck a lucrative deal with the organising committee for the 2008 Olympic Games in China (click here for a reminder of the story). Now, however, it appears that the deal may be in doubt, with sources citing the government's unhappiness that Barcelona should have spoken about the agreement before it should, says the Austrian newspaper Der Standard. Further on, the committee (BOCOG) is quoted as saying that it never had any contact with the club about a 150 million euro conract, despite Barça president Joan Laporta apparently travellling to Peking last week to finalise the arrangement. It is, the BOCOG says, nothing more than a rumour and one that may now not come to fruition. Some Chinese observers had, in any case, questioned the wisdom of paying so much money to display the Games' logo on the shirts of a European football club. Click on the link below (left) to read more on this story for yourself, in German, on the Der Standard website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Barça.
11.05.05
Swedish fashion firm H&M has commissioned Stela McCartney to design around 40 garments for its autumn collection, writes the local advertising industry magazine Resumé. The line will sell under the name 'Stella McCartney for H&M', the magazine says. In a press release, McCartney says that she finds it very 'exciting' to be able to offer an entry-level range to such a wide female target audience. That audience will take in western Europe and North America, from November this year. McCartney follows Karl Lagerfeld, who was similarly drafted in to contribute to H&M's autumn collection last year. Stella McCartney launched her own clothing label in 2001, the company says, and has since worked with Gucci. Her clothes are currently officially available in 43 countries. Click on the link below (left) to read more on this story for yourself, in Swedish, on the Resumé website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to see the press release, in Swedish, on H&M's global website.
10.05.05
Irish 'boy band' popsters Westlife may be good at enthralling audiences of teenagers (and their mothers) from the concert stage. But change the surroundings and success is not as assured. After a court case lasting over 5 years, the European Court has ruled against the group and in favour of Imperial Tobacco subsidiary Reemtsma, which had objected to their attempt to register 'Westlife' as a brand as the name was too close to that of the company's West cigarettes, popular particularly in Germany. While the decision does nothing to stop Westlife performing (you can form your own opinion about that), it does prevent them from claiming exclusive rights to the name, due to the fact that consumers might become confused given the similarity of other names, including that of the cigarette brand. The judgment, made by a European Court in Luxembourg, allows Westlife to continue to use their name and place it on merchandise. According to the BBC, the judges ruled that the similarity between the terms 'West' and 'Westlife' was likely to confuse 'the average German consumer'. Click on the link below (left) to read more on this story for yourself, in English (unusually), on the BBC website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the site of Markenbusiness (and also in English), which specialises in legal stories involving brands and currently has a further European Court judgment involving Adidas as its top story.
09.05.05
Jurgen Klinsmann, trainer of the German national football team, has told his players that the boots they wear at next year's World Cup, which Germany is hosting, must be Adidas branded. The ultimatum was reported this week by the national tabloid newspaper Bild and was accompanied by the blunt phrase: "If a player says he has to play in another brand, then he can go home". Background to Klinsmann's intervention is the fact that Adidas is the official supplier to the German team. Individually, however, many of the players have their own contracts with other suppliers such as Nike and Puma, in which they agree to wear them every time they play. Letters were sent out to twelve such players asking them to show 'solidarity' with the German football association, DFB. "If a player thinks he can sue us to be able to wear his own shoes, then he can't complain when he doesn't play. If they don't accept that, then they won't be called up and they can watch the game on TV", Klinsmann is further quoted as saying. National team players in fact signed an agreement to abide by the DFB's conditions some months ago, Bild says, in return for which they receive regular payments from the sponsorship pool. In October last year, goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was criticised after he wore Nike-branded gloves during a friendly international match against Iran. Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in German, on the Bild website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the version of this story published, in English, by the BBC.
09.05.05
Recently, it was announced that Duval Guillaume, Belgium's leading independent advertising agency, was to set up an office in New York. Now the newspaper Het Nieuwsblad has spoken to founder André Duval to find out the background to his decision and a little more about how his agency has grown up over the years in the face of stiff competition from international networks who have mostly made the trip in the other direction. Click on the link below (left) to read English-language extracts from the interview, here to read the earlier story or, alternatively, on the link below (right) to read the full, original version for yourself, in Dutch, on the Het Nieuwsblad website.
09.05.05
Benetton, the Italian-based clothing manufacturer and retailer, has signed a deal with Mattel, the American toy maker, to launch a 50-item range of clothing and accessories for young girls, the company announced in a statement last week. Described as a 'worldwide exclusive partnership', the agreement will run until the end of 2006. The clothing, Benetton says, combines its unique style with the Barbie brand essence of 'aspirational fashion, fun and friendship'. The range will be made up of four contemporary looks using styles based on designs from Paris, New York, London and Stockholm. First garments will appear in stores from September 15th. The initiative will also involve the launch of limited edition Barbie dolls with clothing mimicking that in stores. The link-up comes against a background of falling sales of traditional toys, particularly in Mattel's main market of the USA. Click on the link below (left) to read a longer version of Benetton and Mattel's press release for yourself, in English, plus take advantage of the opportunity to browse the new range, at the Benetton website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Barbie - it's probably been a while.
09.05.05
France's government has designated this Monday May 16, Whit Monday, as a 'Journée de la Solidarité ('Day of Solidarity'), a day on which, instead of enjoying their usual holiday, its citizens should work and donate part of the wages they earn to charity. Sounds like a very 'solidary' approach... problem is, the French are massively against the idea, says the advertising magazine CB News. Now, faced with opinion polls which clearly show the level of dissatisfaction, the Ministry for Solidarity, Health and the Family has commissioned top ad agency CLM BBDO to produce a print campaign to convince the public of the merits of the scheme. Involving 4 separate ads and a total media spend of 3 million euros, the campaign will run until May 9th in a variety of regional and national newspapers, CB News says, depicting individuals who would be able to benefit from the funds raised. The 'Journée' has been controversial since it was announced, with some, such as the union CFTC, applying to have it legally annulled. It was first applied in 2004, as a way of generating much needed funds to go towards healthcare by placing a levy, payable by the employer, on the wages earned by employees on that day. The previous year, around 15,000 mosty elderly French people had died in a wave of extreme heat. Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in French, and see the ads in the pages of CB News. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the Scottish newspaper Sunday Herald, where you can read a longer article, in English, about the unrest the 'Day of Solidarity' is causing.
09.05.05
Anybody planning any Wi-Fi marketing activity in France had better call their printers pretty quick, as a result of a decision made last week by the country's general commission for naming and terminology. The term Wi-Fi derives from the words 'wireless' and 'fidelity' and that, the commission ruled, made it an anglicism in a country which is fiercely keen to keep its own language alive. ASFI, too, has its roots based in real-life words, deriving from the term 'accès sans fil à internet' ('wireless internet access'). The ruling was published in the government's 'Journal officiel' last week, as was the view that instead of 'MMS' to describe multimedia messaging services, people should instead refer simply to 'messages multimedia'. It's goodbye, too, to 'hotspots' - those places, for example in an airport, where you can go to gain temporary broadband access to the internet. From now on, these will be known - in official language at least - simply as 'zones d'accès sans fil', or 'zones ASFI'. Finally, the commission reminds high-tech literates, the sender of unsolicited e-mail messages should not be referred to as a 'spammer', the English term, but an 'arroseur', which roughly translates as 'sprinkler'. Click on the link below (left) to
read this story for yourself, in French, on the Voila website. Alternatively, click on the
link below (right) to visit the site wifi.fr, which exists to serve as a centre for news
and discussion about
06.05.05
In idiomatic Spanish, when somebody says you are 'hablando chino' ('speaking Chinese'), it means that the person cannot understand what you are saying. For people in Barcelona, the phrase has just taken on a whole new meaning. Earlier this year it became clear that a deal to put a sponsor's name on the shirts of FC Barcelona, the Spanish football club, was getting nearer, if not imminent. Last week, it became clear that the deal was very close to conclusion. The Barça president, Juan Laporta, admitted in an interview last month that such a deal was 'inevitable', despite the club proudly never having played with the name of any commercial entity emblazoned across its shirt. Now it emerges that the Chinese government has been in negotiations since December with a view to striking a deal to cover the next five years. The income FC Barcelona can expect to receive amounts to between 95 and 108 million, says the Catalán newspaper La Vanguardia. Beyond simple sports sponsorship, the agreement involves the formation of a joint venture which will include mini-tours by Barcelona players in China. 80% of the venture will be owned by Chinese Youth Media, a government-owned agency, the remainder by the club. The deal replaces one previously planned with a gambling website, Betandwin, which some of the club's members thought was not appropriate. The opportunity, on the other hand, to compete on the Chinese market on an equal - and even better - basis than clubs like Manchester United or Real Madrid could not be ignored, La Vanguardia says. All that remains to be determined is the message that will be displayed on the shirts. What is certain that it will be designed to promote Beijing's holding of the Olympic Games in 2008. Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in Spanish,on the La Vanguardia website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit FC Barcelona.
06.05.05
Beate Uhse, the German-based retailer of sexy underware and other erotic goods, is to close the stores it currently operates in Norway, writes the newspaper Byavisa. First to shut its doors, the paper says, will be the outlet in Tronheim, with those in Oslo, Bergen and Stavanger set to follow before the end of the year. Despite good sales in 2002, the year the company first arrived in Norway, performance has fallen below expectations, with a loss being reported in both 2003 and 2004. Janne Roos, head of the company's Norwegian operations, says she is unclear as to why the format should have failed to prove a success, although the fact that marketing spend was cut was definitely a contributing factor, she believes. "Perhaps people are buying fewer sex and erotic products from shops and more over the internet", she continues. Trondheim-based sexologist Berit Håvold has an alternative view, telling Byavisa that: "The shops had good knowledge and expertise in advising adult women about sexuality. But competitors in Trondheim put more focus on fun and younger people. Beate Uhse is a serious player and the market itself may be a little less so". Click on the link below (left) to read a longer version of this story for yourself, in Norwegian, in the pages of Byavisa. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Beate Uhse.. it's up to you.
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Scholz drops Springer & Jacoby
interest
France Telecom to brief in January
Coop reviews account 
B&O appoints Scandinavian trio
DDB
buys into DM shop Sepia
