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Belgium 
Edited weekly. Last published on: 17 December 2005
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Hand-filtered
stories from the online mainstream and trade press designed to give you topical insight
into Belgian advertising and marketing, life and lifestyles............. 19.12.05
While promotional expenditure through it may still be small when compared to traditional channels, the advertising industry is increasingly embracing the internet, says the Belgian newspaper La Libre Belgique. Two young entrepreneurs - David Dzialowski and Ofir Ejnes - quickly understood the enormous potential of the medium, the paper says, setting up their own web agency, Pyramid, to work with mainstream advertising firms. After working initially with Saatchi & Saatchi, they have now teamed up with McCann-Erickson to form a new structure, Axes2.com, with the intention of adding an internet dimension to all McCann's campaigns. What's novel about the new company, which has already produced work for Coca-Cola and L'Oréal, is that Dzialowski and Ejnes work with a team of 100 software developers based far from Belgium, in Ho Chi Minh city in Vietnam. This allows access to a cheaper workforce available 20 hours out of 24, La Libre Belgiquw says, one that is highly skilled in terms of technology. Already one of the top 5 Belgian online agencies, Axes2 is now looking to expand internationally on the back of its relationship with clients such as Coca-Cola. To read this story for yourself, in French, click on the link below (left) to see it on the La Libre website. Alternatively, to visit Axes2, 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) .
02.12.05
In the countries where one is maintained, the index of prices paid by consumers for a selection of commonly bought goods offers a faithful reflection of changing times, as new products find their way onto the list and others, less frequently bought than they once were, fall off it. Revisions to Belgium's consumer price index - known simply as 'l'index' - pubilshed this week allow an insight into how purchasing habits are changing there and - in truth - in most of Europe and beyond. Created in 1920, says the newspaper La Libre Belgique, the 'index' has expanded from the 56 products it contained then to 480 today. Nine years ago, additions to the list included pizza, corn flakes and lemonade with tea extracts. This year the new entries include GSM mobile phones, DVD and CD burners and other such devices. Belgium's authorities revise the index every 8 to 9 years, La Libre Belgique says, basing themselves on the results of a survey of household spending. Results of last year's survey have not yet been officially released but the manner in which the index will change can be reasonably foreseen. Click on the link below (left) to read a longer version of this story for yourself, in French, on the La Libre Belgique website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to open up a PDF file on the Belgian government's statistics website that explains the country's consumer price index.
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 go to Aldi in Belgium and check out this week's special offers.
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).
09.05.05
Belgium's trade authorities have launched an investigation into the promotional offer put in place by the supermarket chain GB, says the newspaper De Morgen, as to whether it is legal. Customer complaints against Carrefour, French-based owner of GB's 400-strong chain, centre around the conditions of the offer, while the consumer organisation Test-Aankoop points out that, of the 53 products for which GB offered to refund 100% of the purchase price, many were unavailable after the first few days of the promotion. Under Belgian law, it is forbidden to advertise products which are not fully available under the terms advertised, De Morgen says. Carrefour counters by saying that stocks this year are 34% larger than in 2004, when a similar promotion was run. In any case, it adds, the promotion was only offered 'as long as stocks last'. To read this article for yourself, in Dutch, follow the link below (left) to the De Morgen website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit GB and find out what else is on special offer this week.
03.05.05
Belgium and the Netherlands may sit right next to each other in the European landscape but their shopping habits are very different, research reported by the online newspaper Zi-Biz reports. Basing itself on data compiled by GfK, the panel research company, it says that Belgians tend to go shopping less often but spend a lot more than their neighbours once they do venture down to the supermarket. The average southern Belgian, GfK reports, goes out to buy groceries 105 times per year, spending an average of € 39.70 for a total annual spend of € 4,170. Their compatriots in the north oif the country go slightly more often, at 119 times, spending an average of € 30.10 (total: € 3,850). Across the border in the Netherlands, the average frequency in the north and south is 142 visits and 134 visits respectively, spending € 19.50 (in the south) and € 21 (in the north) for an annual total of € 2,770 and € 2,810. Belgians, it adds, claim that service is the most important thing they look for when they go to the supermarket, with price being ranked no higher than fifth. In the Netherlands - where supermarkets are engaged in a long-running price war - the item is right up there with quality as the most sought-after attribute. To read this article for yourself, in Dutch, follow the link below (left) to the Zi-Biz website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit GfK and find out what else they've been measuring recently.
25.04.05
The Senseo coffee making system - a machine developed jointly by Douwe Egberts and Philips which allows consumers to make the perfect coffee every time using a combination of technology and proprietary coffee 'pads' manufactured by Douwe Egberts - has proved a hit since its introduction, first in the Netherlands and then internationally. So successful, indeed, that at least three Belgian coffee roasting companies have produced pads which can also be used in Senseo machines. Philips and Douwe Egberts, however, considering that every element of their system involves proprietary techniques and materials, contested their right to do so in the courts. An Antwerp judge ruled in February 2004 that they could not be so protective of Senseo and decreed that the three companies could continue to make and market their 'me-too' pads, reports the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad. Disagreeing, Philips and Douwe Egberts decided to appeal, leading to a judgment this week that an 'expert' should now investigate just who is in the right. Senseo was launched in the United States in January 2005 after selling 5.5 million machines in the five countries in which it was available before that date. It has, according to Philips, achieved a remarkable household penetration rate in Philips' home country of the Netherlands, where it is now present in fully 30% of households. To read this article for yourself, in Dutch, follow the link below (left) to the Het Nieuwsblad website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to find out more about Senseo wherever you are and in the language of your choice.
18.04.05
Rumour has been turned into fact, says the Belgian magazine Media Marketing, with the news that a number of major advertisers are to club together to form their own media buying agency. In a move similar to that which led to the setting up, Media Marketing says, of Kobalt, a similar structure in neighbouring the Netherlands, major institutional clients including the Loterie Nationale, postal service La Poste and the reailway company SNCB are to launch their own agency from next year, dedicated at first to print planning and buying but which may eventually extend its reach to other media. In addition to the three founding companies already named, it is possible that others - such as supermarket chain Delhaize, the bank Fortis and telecoms company Telenet - will also join, with negotiations said to be in an advanced state. The venture has the code name Barracuda. Kobalt member companies include Heineken, the retailer Ahold and ABN-AMRO bank. Its roots date back to 1970 but it was really during the 1990s that it consolidated its marketplace presence, in response to the growth of specialist media buying agencies. To read this article for yourself, in French, follow the link below (left) to visit the Media Marketing website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to find out more about Kobalt (in Dutch).
11.04.05
Rumour has been turned into fact, says the Belgian magazine Media Marketing, with the news that a number of major advertisers are to club together to form their own media buying agency. In a move similar to that which led to the setting up, Media Marketing says, of Kobalt, a similar structure in neighbouring the Netherlands, major institutional clients including the Loterie Nationale, postal service La Poste and the reailway company SNCB are to launch their own agency from next year, dedicated at first to print planning and buying but which may eventually extend its reach to other media. In addition to the three founding companies already named, it is possible that others - such as supermarket chain Delhaize, the bank Fortis and telecoms company Telenet - will also join, with negotiations said to be in an advanced state. The venture has the code name Barracuda. Kobalt member companies include Heineken, the retailer Ahold and ABN-AMRO bank. Its roots date back to 1970 but it was really during the 1990s that it consolidated its marketplace presence, in response to the growth of specialist media buying agencies. To read this article for yourself, in French, follow the link below (left) to visit the Media Marketing website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to find out more about Kobalt (in Dutch).
04.04.05
InBev - the half-Belgian, half-Brazilian brewing company - is expecting a lot from its new campaign to market the Brazilian beer, Brahma, in Europe, according to the Belgian newspaper La Libre Belgique. Brahma's flagship brand launches in 15 countries this month, the paper says, with the intention of placing it up there alongside Stella Artois and Beck's as one of InBev's global brands. Despite initial suggestions that availability would be limited to bars and pubs, Brahma has been on Belgian supermarket shelves since Friday. Frédéric de Radiguès, recently-appointed managing director of InBev Belgium, explained the company's strategy this week to La Libre Belgique. Brahma, de Radiguès says, with its low level of bitterness and its lack of after-taste - something which non beer-drinkers are very sensitive to - is a very interesting product to consumers, in particular women. Asked whether he is aiming to counter the success of Corona, the Mexican bottled beer, de Radiguès says 'no', but that a lower price positioning could interest people not accustomed to drinking beer. Sales targets, nevertheless, La Libre Belgique says, have been set way above the 5,000-6,000 hectolitres currently shifted by Corona. As regards other competitors - such as Carlsberg, Heineken and Tuborg, regarded in Belgium as 'premium pils' beers - he notes that this is a small segment, accounting for less than 2% of the market and not destined to grow strongly. Belgians, de Radiguès says, are not prepared to pay 40%-50% more for a Carlsberg that really isn't very different from a local brand such as Jupiler. There's more of this article and you can read it for yourself, in French, by clicking on the link below (left) to visit the La Libre Belgique website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to go global with Brahma's new, worldwide website.
29.03.05
Want cheap groceries? Then come to Belgium. According to figures released by the national authorities and confirmed by research conducted by retail auditors AC Nielsen, of Belgium's 3,600 super- and hypermarkets, over 10% are operated by Aldi, the German-based 'hard discount' retailer, alone. Concluded on 31st December 2004, this latest research concludes that there are currently 3,601 such outlets trading in Belgium, with a total of over 2.8 million square metres of floor space. 371 of these are Aldi outlets, followed by close rival Lidl (229), Super GB Partner (188), AD Delhaize (185) and Colruyt (177) says the newspaper La Dernière Heure. Not discounting this, both Aldi and Lidl continue to be on the lookout for new sites, La Dernière Heure says, signalling that the grocery price war is set to continue. Taken together, the newspaper notes, 5 retail brands - Carrefour, Delhaize, Aldi, Super GB Partner and Colruyt - account for over 50% of the total floorspace of Belgian super- and hypermarkets. Click on the link below (left) to read a longer version of this story for yourself, in French, on the La Dernière Heure website website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to be taken to the world of Aldi in Belgium (which, it has to be said, looks very similar to the world of Aldi anywhere else).
23.03.05
Belgium's magazine marketers are indignant at plans announced by the authorities to introduce a 2.5-cent tax on publications sold in blister wrapping, writes the trade magazine Media Marketing. The tax - due to be introduced in 2006 - represents a 'significant' additional cost for some publishers, Media Marketing says. It will be levied in proportion with each title's declared circulation. Alain Lambrechts, head of the publishers' association Febelma, points out that 2.5 cents amounts to five times the production cost of the blister pack itself and tells Media Marketing that he plans to appeal. Click on the link below (left) to read a longer version of this story for yourself, in French, on the Media Marketing website website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Febelma.
20.03.05
The emergence of the 'new man', one that cares for himself in a way previously associated only with women, has been a popular topic for the Belgian press over the past year or so. New research conducted by Ipsos suggest it is a trend which genuinely is taking hold, says the newspaper La Dernière Heure. The initiative was seized early by manufacturers, La Dernière Heure says, developing and marketing products which catered for the man who wants to actively safeguard and enhance his health and appearance. According to a 2004 poll conducted by Nivea - who, of course, would have an interest in conducting surveys which say people want the products they sell - 40% of men use a moisturising cream on their face while 25% worry about the wrinkles that appear with age. Those barely-believable statistics, however, can now be compared to new research from Ipsos, which spoke to 361 Belgian men aged between 18 and 45 years old. Ipsos, too, found increasing male interest in self care. While the immediate response of 55% of those spoken to, when asked what the idea of 'looking after their body' meant, as to say 'washing', 23% mentioned the purchase of products specifically designed for the purpose. Just three years earlier, the same question had been answered with the same response by just 12% of interviewees. What, La Dernière Heure asks, are the specific products in question? Well, Ipsos says, 1 in 5 men use a hydrating cream on their face, with 4 out of 10 doing it on a more occasional basis. Other products mentioned included lip care, peeling aids, anti-wrinkle creams and such like. The Belgian market for men-specific 'beauty' care products amounted to €42.2 million in 2004, with sales at Nivea more than trebling during the past three years alone. And don't think that it's all just to impress the ladies. While 37% of respondents said that the main aim of their grooming activity was 'seduction', this was only the 5th most-popular answer. Interested? Click on the link below (left) to read a longer version of this story for yourself, in French, on the La Dernière Heure website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the Belgian Nivea website - you just have to decide whether to explore it in Dutch or French.
12.11.04
Coca Cola may have reached an agreement, says the Belgian magazine Trends, with the European Union about its competitive tactics, but it remains just as strong in Belgium as a result of the weakness of its competitors and the power it exerts over the Belgian retail industry. In reaching his company's agreement with the European competition minister, Mario Monti, Trends says, Coca Cola put an end to an inquest that was started five years ago and avoided a fine that seemed inevitable. But at the same time, Coca Cola's representative, Neville Isdell, admitted that the company had used its dominant position to act against the interests of competition. The original complaint emanated from Coke's eternal rival Pepsi and suggesting that Coca Cola offered significant discounts to clients as long as they favoured the company's entire product range over competitors - even if these were less popular than competing products. Pepsico says that it is happy to be able to compete on a level playing field but, says Trends, what - in reality - will really change. On the Belgian soft drinks market, Coca Cola has a 65% share. "In terms of cola-based drinks, that rises to 90%", says Elise de Deken, in charge of drinks purchasing at the leading supermarket chain, Delhaize. Click on the link below (left) to read a longer version of this story for yourself, in French, on the website of Trends. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit Coke's Belgian website - lots of Flash, but pretty good.
26.10.04
Belgium's Catholic church is not known for seizing the initiative and putting itself in the spotlight by way of exploiting modern means of communication, but a campaign running since October 12th is currently changing all that, writes the newspaper La Dernière Heure. In what is an unprecedented step, the Fondation Saint-Paul - a foundation which exists to encourage young people to explore and respect the gospel of Saint Mark - has called in an advertising agency (Grey) to produce a free postcard, poster and internet banner campaign targeting 15 to 25 year-olds and inviting them to 'save themselves' by visiting a dedicated website and learning more about the foundation and its activity. "Because the today's young people are the bosses of tomorrow", spokesman Xavier Cornet tells La Dernière Heure, "and because one can sense a great spiritual thirst among them". The fact that they are targeting purely young people could concern some, the paper says, given that any cult - whether recognised by the state or not - could use similar means to reach similar audiences. Indeed, no legislation exists to restrict their ability to do so, although the cost of mounting promotional campaigns does constitute a practical barrier. Fondation Saint-Paul, however, enjoys significant backing which, although it is a religious organisation, is obtained independently of the church. Click on the link below (left) to read this story for yourself, in French, on the website of La Dernière Heure. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the website of the 'Fondation' where you can see examples of the posters and visuals developed by Grey. To visit the 'save yourself' website itself, click here. If you want to visit Grey's Belgian website - where the agency bills itself as 'a marriage agency between brands and consuimers' - just click here.
12.10.04
After 15 years, the pay-TV transmitter Canal+ is to be transformed into Be TV, reports the newspaper La Dernière Heure. And its a momentous event in the country's televisual history. "Fifteen years ago, I took the mad risk of launching pay-TV in Belgium. Four years ago, I decided that there weren't enough bubbles in the concept and, for the past year and a half, we've been working to put those bubbles back", Daniel Weekers, head of Be TV, said on Tuesday. He and other Be TV heads are not shy to post their ambitions, either. "We're going to shake up people's habits in regard of television", the new platform is claiming, which may well be true given that Be TV plans to add 60 channels to those already available to Belgian TV viewers. First to launch, on October 29th, will be Be Premium and Be bouquet, the platform's themed channels, carrying content such as cinema, football and basketball. Be 1 will also show films in a 1+1 format that has proven successful overseas, offering viewers alternative starting times for viewing features. "In launching this new channel", Weekers tells the paper, "we have worked hard over a period of months". Losses are expected in 2005 and 2006, with the new company expected to break even in 2007. A figure of 200,000 subscribers is the initial target, against a current figure of 170,000. "We couldn't just buy Canal+ Belgique, paint the walls a new colour and run it like a small or medium-sized enterprise", Weekers concludes. "We have made significant investments and aim to change the way the Belgian audiovisual landscape looks". Click on the link below (left) to read a fuller version of this story for yourself, in French, on the website of La Dernière Heure. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the Canal+ website in Belgium before it changes its identity.
11.10.04
To pay for your purchases, says the newspaper La Dernière Heure, you normally walk up to the checkout where a person scans your gods. But at the Super GB supermarket in Etterbeek, since last month, automatic checkouts have been installed alongside their more traditional counterparts. After a moment's surprise, the paper says, the client discovers a machine allowing him or her to perform the operation themselves. First, using a touch screen, he/she chooses the language which, in addition to French and Dutch, includes German and English. The machine than announces to the shopper, in that language, the steps to follow. The user passes the product along a conveyor belt where it is recognised thanks to its barcode. To pay, he or she can use a plstic card or cash. If the latter, the self-scanner will even give change. Then you just have to put the shopping in bags. Those who fear such innovation need not worry, as a traditional cashier is on hand to help with any problems and, indeed, must be present to perform certain operations. "Reductions or Visa card transactions need help from somebody else", explains GB director André Patrice. "But for the rest, the automated voice is perfectly adequate". The first users, La Dernière Heure says, seem to appreciate what they perceive to be a practical, fast process. But only for small purchases, as the procedure takes longer than the traditional method, where the client can arrange items bought while the cashier scans others. One client, however, Arianne, as a small complaint. "Unfortunately, there's a risk that employees will find themselves unemployed because their checkouts have been taken out and replaced with self scanners. That's the way a company that wants to save time will go". Unique in Belgium, the test will run until the end of the year, GB says, before drawing its conclusions. Click on the link below (left) to read a fuller version of this story for yourself, in French, on the website of La Dernière Heure. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to be taken to the GB supermarkets website.
06.10.04
Belgacom, Belgium's leading telecoms company, is linking with the charity Child Focus to launch a scheme enabling parents to track down lost children, reports the local newspaper Het Nieuwsblad. Under the scheme, called "Hallo Ouders" ("Hello parents"), parents pay 5 euros for a pack of three badges designed to be worn by their child when out and about. Each badge carries a telephone number and an identification number. Should the child become lost, any adult finding him or her can call the number on the card and the call will automatically be diverted to one of seven numbers registered by the parent with the scheme's administrators. When one of the phones are answered, the two parties are connected, Het Nieuwsblad says. If no-one is available, the call is automatically forwarded to Child Focus. The badges were dreamt up by father of two who wanted a way for his children to get in touch should they get lost, even though they may not know the right telephone number on which to reach him. They can be bought in Belgian supermarkets such as Champion and Delhaize, as well as other outlets such as Quick and Dreamland. Of the 5 euros they cost, three go to Child Focus, two to Belgacom. Click on the link below (left) to read a fuller version of this story for yourself, in Dutch, on the website of Het Nieuwsblad. Alternatively, click here to be taken to the Child Focus website or on the link below (right) to visit the "Hallo Ouders" website.
06.10.04
That people seek higher and higher levels of equipment in the cars they buy is well know, and auto makers are keen to fuel the car-driving population's desire for the latest gadgets and conveniences. Some, however, are completely unnecessary. That, at least, is the opinion of Febiac, the Belgian federation of the car and two-wheeler industries. "Speed regulators", spokesman Joost Kaesemans tells the newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, "are of little use on Flemish roads because of the weight of traffic. In the Walloon part of the country, there are only a couple of long stretches where you can use them. Cruise control can help you control the car a little better, but really its just the latest thing in comfort. Its certainly not a priority in making Belgium's roads safer". Click on the link below (left) to read a fuller version of this story for yourself, in Dutch, on the website of Het Nieuwsblad. Alternatively, click here to be taken to the Febiac website and read more words of wisdom in relation to Belgian road safety in Dutch, French or English.
29.09.04
The Flemish government and its advertising agency, AB Promotions, have been awarded the Copy Cat Buster Award 2004 for their road safety campaign that ran using the line: "Agressief rijden: waar eindigt het?" ("Aggressive driving? Where does that lead to?"). The Award, says the Belgian advertising magazine Pub, is given by the country's association for promotions and communications, Vepec, to campaigns which borrow largely or completely on the work of others. In this case, Vepec's jury decided that the government's advertising was markedly similar to work produced by Saatchi New Zealand for that country's Land Transport Safety Authority Authority (LTSA). It was, Vepec tells Pub, "the same product, the same objective, same idea and the same treatment". Second place in Vepec's annual round-up went to Ogilvy Brussels for its ad offering "la meilleure couverture, même à la maison" (the same cover, even at home") for the mobile phone company Proximus. That, Vepec says (and you have to believe them) was extremely similar to a 2002 campaign for the fast train service, Thalys, which promised "Bruxelles-Paris aller-retour en un éclair, à partir de 1.800 F" ("Brussels-Paris, there and back in a flash from just BFr. 1,800). The bronze award was given to Zazoo condoms and its agency Duval Guillaume, for allegedly having copied an earlier campaign, "Teddy Bear", produced in Frankfurt by Ogilvy & Mather for Condomshop. Of the three, Zazoo/Duval Guillaume is probably the least worried, given that its work was awarded the prestigious 'Diamond Award' by the local advertising association, Creative Club of Belgium. Click on the link below (left) to read a fuller version of this story for yourself, in French, in the pages of Pub. Alternatively, click here to be taken to the page on the Proximus website where the company displays its recent advertising, here to be taken to the page on the LTSA website where you can learn about and view the New Zealand campaign in full. Want more? Then you can always click on the link below (right) to be taken to the Zazoo website, where you'll quickly see that the company is very proud of its recent advertising, download it and view it.
27.09.04
More than one in three Belgian consumers now owns a CD writer, says the newspaper Der Standaard, with the proportion of the population reported to own a DVD writer estaimted at 15%. The figures come from a study conducted by the consumer association information centre Oivo, Der Standaard says. Oivo questioned 486 Belgians during July and August, finding that 38% of respondents said they owned a device for writing their own CDs and that these people tended to come from the middle and upper ranges of the social scale. One in three of those spoken to also admitted to making their own music CDs. Click on the link below (left) to read a fuller version of this story for yourself, in Dutch, in the pages of Der Standaard. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the Oivo website where you can read up on this and other research conducted by the organisation.
21.09.04
Belgium's youth is growing taller and fatter, says the newspaper La Dernière Heure. Over the past 10 years, the height of the average teenage boy has increased by 1.5% and his weight by 1.2 kilos. For girls, the equivalent figures are 1.1% and 1.1 kilos. The average height of a teenage Belgian boy is now 1.78 metres, compared to 1.66 metres for a girl. The figures - which apply to teenagers living in the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium - are taken from a study conducted by the Catholic University of Leuven, the results of which were released last week. In reaching their conclusions, the University's researchers measured and weighed a total of 16,000 young people. Figures for adolescents in French-speaking regions are likely to be similar, La Dernière Heure says, although certain differences in size may exist given the different origins of the two races. The only similar, previous study had been conducted in the 1960s, making its findings obsolescent today. In the interim period, average height has increased by 5 centimetres. The main reason behind the increases, the report's authors say, are improved lifestyles and greater wealth. Nevertheless, not all of the effects have been beneficial. "The average Flemish youth has grown heavier by one kilo per decade", they write. "That's too much in relation to the height". Click on the link below (left) to read a fuller version of this story for yourself, in La Dernière Heure, in French. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the site of the University of Leuven, in English or Dutch.
15.09.04
In a week in which the drinks giant Coca Cola was forced to admit that earnings are likely to be down this year, with sales of its carbonated soft drinks hit by nutritional trends, in particular the Atkins diet, news from Belgium that further dents the prospects for makers of soft drinks and sweet snacks. In truth, it is symptomatic of a trend evident in a number of countries, particularly in Europe and especially as regards the question of children and healthy eating. The city of Brussels this week annonunced that, from January 1st next year, there will be no more automatic vending machines in its primary or secondary schools dispensing soft drinks or sweets. In their place, says the newspaper La Dernière Heure, the city's authorities are to install water fountains and dispensers which, it says, are better for children's health and don't cause waste to be produced. 24,000 machines will be withdrawn from schools as a result of the decision, most of them originally installed to serve as an additional source of income for the establishment. An average school with around 1,000 students, says La Dernière Heure, could expect to make around €7,000 per year. The decision will hit Coca Cola harder than any other company, given that the company operates fully 80% of the 4,000 machines currently placed in Belgium's secondary schools. A similar blanket ban is due to become effective across France on January 1st. Click on the link below (left) to read a fuller version of this story in La Dernière Heure, in French. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the section of the Coca Cola Belgium website which deals specifically with questions relating to health and the company's soft drinks.
09.09.04
Thomas, for the fourth consecutive year, is the most popular name given to newly-born Belgian boys, writes the newspaper La Dernière Heure. In all, 721 children were christened Thomas during 2003, the paper says. Among girls, Emma (726) took over from Laura (701) at the head of the list, after the latter had held the top spot for 3 years, according to figures released by the Belgian national statistical institute, INS. There is, the INS says, more variation in girls' names than in boys' and, as always, the country's various regions contrast strongly as a result of cultural and language differences. In Flemish-speaking regions, for example, Emma and Robbe are the most popular names while in the French-speaking Walloon regions, Léa and Hugo top the list. In Brussels, and reflecting its more cosmopolitan nature, the most-chosen female name is Sarah, the most popular name for a boy Mohamed. Click on the link below (left) to read more of this article for yourself, in French, on the website of La Dernière Heure. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the website of the INS, which you can explore in various different languages. If you want to download a list of the favourite names, either click here to go to the page detailing all available downloads, including population and labour statistics, or right-click here to download the complete list of names as an Excel file.
07.09.04
Is a Belgian's home his castle? That's the question asked, along with a number of others, by the insurance company Axa, which has published the results of a survey into the country's living habits and attitudes to housing. Almost 8 out of every 10 Belgians, Axa found, live in a house, with only 24% living in an apartment. This figure changes, says Axa, when you look at different age groups, with those aged under 34 and over 60 much more likely to choose an apartment over a house (33% and 41% respectively) and consequently much more likely to rent, rather than buy their lodgings. 23% of respondents to Axa's survey said they lived 'in the countryside', 38% in a village and 36% in a town or city, which somehow contradicts the image one might have of Belgium as a smallish country that is densely populated. When it comes to the house itself and in a proportion which will cause surprise to inhabitants of some other European countries, 4 out of 10 owners had their dwelling built for them. This, however, is heavily weighted towards older generations, with younger housebuyers today tending to purchase a house that is ready-made, rather than commissioning a new one. Average age of buyers, Axa says, is 32.9 years old, rising to 35.2 in Brussels. Whatever the age group, housing represents the single most important item of personal expenditure in Belgians' minds, followed by food and travel. Surprisingly, perhaps, the car was mentioned as less important. Ask Belgians why their house is so important, Axa says, and they tend to say for safety reasons (43%). Other responses include 'a good investment' (24%) and 'freedom' (15%). In fact, for the majority of respondents to the survey, the house - over and above the functional aspects of shelter - is a place 'to feel at home'. Click on the link below (left) to visit the website of La Dernière Heure, the newspaper that reported this (wonderfully insightful) piece of research and where you can read the remainder of the article for yourself, in French. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the website of Axa, the company that conducted the study.
04.09.04
Belgium may be famous for its beer but, according to those in the know, it just isn't as good as its reputation. Interbrew, says the newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, admits that it has been altering the mix of hops used in its brewing for a number of years now, much to the displeasure of the British expert Michael Jackson (no, not that one) who says that it is "criminal to tinker with Belgian beer". Belgium's reputation for beer expertise remains generally untainted, but there are reasons. "Thankfully, we can put that down to the variety and not to our beers produced these days for mass consumption", says local expert Ben Vinken. "We are famous worldwide for our regional beers, but our pils products are going from bad to worse", Vinken tells the newspaper. Vinken believes Belgian beer is becoming much too sweet and losing its traditional bitter taste, something that Michale Jackson, author of a number of books on the subject, agrees with. "The really good beers are untouched", he says, "but the taste of the average pint is becoming less bitter by the day. Industry concentration is making this a problem worldwide." According to Interbrew, the Belgian-based brewing giant, that's what consumers want. "A Jupiler or a Stella from twenty years ago is not the same as it is today", spokesman Lian Verhoeven tells Het Nieuwsblad. "We have altered the mix of hops to produce a sweeter taste. Not overnight, but over the course of a few years." According to Jackson, this is a cynical, profit-driven development. "People don't want to drink a vat of beer after work. They just want to enjoy a pint. Sweet drinks slip down more easily, so brewers hope to make more profit. It seems they're forgetting authenticity in the process." To add insult to injury, Interbrew has announced that, effective September 1st, barrels of Jupiler and Stella Artois are to increase in price by between 2.5% and 3.4%, says the newspaper La Dernière Heure. Citing rising energy prices and increases in raw material costs worldwide, company spokesman Lian Verhoeven tells the paper that his company has been obliged to take an exceptional decision, which adds to the 2.5% increase already imposed in January. At retail level, the price of a glass of beer can be expected to rise by 12 cents, says La Dernière Heure, predicting that the country's other brewers will follow suit. Click on the link below (left) to visit the website of Het Nieuwsblad and read a fuller version of this article, in Dutch. Click here to see the article in La Dernière Heure, in French, about these latest price rises. Click on the link below (right) to visit the website of Interbrew... or is it, no it's not. Having merged with the Brazilian company, Ambev, it's now called InBev, which is just about the least evocative corporate title you could ever attach to a beer company. Or do you disagree?
02.09.04
Retailers may be obliged to accept the largest Euro banknotes, writes the Belgian newspaper Nieuwsblad - including 100, 200 and 500 euro denominations - but it appears that a number of outlets, among them shops operated by the telecoms operator Belgacom, are refusing to do so, much to the dissatisfaction of the authorities. "The notes are legally-recognised means of payment", stresses the minister for consumer affairs, Freya van den Bossche. Recently, in Belgium and a number of other European countries, the focus has been more on the usefulness of 1 and 2 cent pieces. In intense trading, such as the annual sales, however, retailers are increasingly uncomfortable dealing with larger-value denominations, with many posting notices that €100 and €200 notes will not be accepted at the checkout. At Belgacom's outlets, they are permanently off limits, Nieuwsblad says. "That way, we don't need so much change", spokesman Jan Margot tells the paper. "We made the decision because it's so expensive to transport money. Safety plays a role too. Our clients can play in plenty of ways: they can settle the bill through their telephone statement, or they can pay with bank and credit cards." The authorities, however, see it another way. "Such practices", says Freya Van den Bossche, "just aren't on. Of course, you don't have to accept payment of something worth half a euro with a 100 note, but in all other cases, the notes should be accepted", she says. Click on the link below (left) to visit the website of Het Nieuwsblad and read a fuller version of this article, in Dutch. Click on the link below (right) to visit the website of the European Central Bank, in English - but, which it has to be said, is not at all inspiring.
Quality labels may have proliferated in recent years, especially on fresh food products, yet according to one Belgian professor, consumers pay little or no attention to them when deciding what to buy. Most such labels are designed to communicate to shoppers that products meet certain criteria in terms of safety, but consumers, says Xavier Gellynck, simply expect the government and food producers to guarantee these anyway. Gellynck was speaking at a study afternoon of the Belgian agricultural economy association. Expensive television advertising, he told delegated, serve only to give the impression to farmers that something is being done with their money. Industry spokesman Jos Vanwezer disagreed with Gellynck, pointing out that such labels have an important role to play within the supply chain, with professional wholesale and retail buyers increasingly looking for quality guarantees. Click on the link below (left) to read a much fuller version of this story for yourself, in Dutch, on the website of VILT, the Flemish agriculture information association. Click on the link below (right) to be taken to the InSites Consulting website whictaken to the website of one such quality label, Eburon, which is applied in Belgium to fresh fruit.
Interbrew, the Belgian-based drinks giant, has linked the with consumer electronics and household good maker Philips to launch an in-home beer delivery system that allows drinkers to enjoy real draft beer in the comfort of their own homes. The company's initiative comes some months after a similar move by Heineken, which linked with Krups to launch BeerTender (click here to see that story). At first, PerfectDraft will be available only in Belgium, although its roll-out is planned for other countries should experience on Interbrew's home market prove encouraging. It is, the company claims, an 'exciting' new system which combines a high-quality appliance with brands consumers are already familiar with and prefer, such as Stella Artois and Jupiler. PerfectDraft features a real tap handle, internal cooling system, pump and 6-liter light metal keg and is claimed to keep the beer at a constant temperature of 3° C. Once installed, the beer stays fresh for 4 weeks, the partners claim. PerfectDraft is suitable for a variety of different brands in Interbrew's portfolio. Click on the link below (left) to visit the website of the Dutch advertising magazine Marketing Online, (where we read this story). Click on the link below (right) to read a fuller version of the original press release issued - in English - by Philips and Interbrew, on the Interbrew website.
13.08.04
Around 56% of Belgian 'internautes', as internet users are known locally, bought goods or services over the internet last year, says the newspaper Le Soir. That's a total of around 2.25 million people, the paper points out, taking its figures from the Belgian Internet Mapping study, conducted every 6 months by the local consultancy, InSites Consulting. InSites conducted telephone interviews with over 2,000 Belgians to reach its findings, which include the calculation that 4% more internet users bought online last year than had done during its previous survey. 1 in 5 of those shopping over the internet, report problems with their transaction, says Le Soir, but this does not appear to deter them from repeating the experience. Only 8% of those spoken to who had already shopped online said they would not be doing so in the future, while 12% who have not done so yet say they expect to do so at some time. According to InSites, the purchase of tickets for events or for transport account for 14% of all transactions, while the share accounted for by book sales plummeted during the latest survey period from 15% to 9%. Says Steve Belleghem of InSites to Le Soir: "Our survey shows that not only event and transport tickets have picked up strongly, but also the online sale of clothes. This trend confirms that, more and more, Belgians consider the internet as a sales channel in its own right, not just a way of buying low-risk, standardised products such as books and CDs." Credit cards, Belleghem says, are the most popular way to settle an online transaction, used for half of all purchases. Click on the link below (left) to read a fuller version of this story for yourself, in French, in the pages of Le Soir. Click on the link below (right) to be taken to the InSites Consulting website which, in international user-friendly fashion and despite being in Belgium, presents itself in English.
That's the question the Belgian advertising magazine, Pub, asks itself this week, noting that the latest data compiled by MDB/CIM, which monitors the advertising market in Belgium, suggests that spending rose by 11% over the first 6 months of 2004. Among the different media, newspapers and magazines more or less matched the rate of market growth, television spending, at 10.3%, came in marginally under it. So despite the apprently positive start to the year, says Pub, it's probably best to adopt a cautious approach. That opinion is strengthened when one considers that some of the leading media agencies expect the status quo to be maintained this year, or even a slight market decrease. Click on the link below (left) to read a fuller version of this story for yourself, in French, on the Pub website. Click on the link below (right) to read an alternative version, again in French, on the website of rival publication Media Marketing (MM), which appears nevertheless to concur with Pub's opinion tha Belgium's advertising industry should 'cross its fingers' as regards full-year performance.
28.07.04
Given the demands of modern life, Belgians may not be spending any less, but they are certainly, it appears, spending less in cash. The number of automatic teller machines (ATMs) in Belgium fell from 1,203 to 1,136 last year, says the newspaper La Dernière Heure. And it has been falling since the year 2000, the newspaper adds. "The decrease can be explained principally by the amount of merger activity between banks and of banks' own brand networks", Marina de Moerlooze of Banksys tells the paper. Perhaps unsurprisingly, La Dernière Heure also states that the number of withdrawals is falling. However, this is not simply because there are fewer machines. It is also because younger people have adopted new electronic payment methods. In addition, the number of 'self banking' services has increased. And, of course, you can now withdraw cash with your grocieries when you pass through the supermarket checkout. The main victims are those who are clients of the smaller banks, La Dernière Heure says, who are finding they have to travel greater and greater distances to be able to withdraw cash. Click on the link below (left) to read a fuller version of this story for yourself, in French, in the pages of La Dernière Heure. Click on the link below (right) to visit the website of Banksys (which markets payment systems and cash distributors), going directly to the page which lets you identify the location of any cash dispensing machine in Belgium you like!.
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