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Daihatsu is understood to be reviewing its pounds 5m advertising

business, following the announcement last week that the FCB and Bozell

networks are to merge. The account is handled by Banks Hoggins O’Shea

FCB, but a conflict of interests has emerged because Bozell is the

global agency for Chrysler.

Commerzbank, Germany’s fifth largest bank, will launch its Comdirect

internet trading service in the UK with a pounds 3.5m campaign later

this year.

CDP Media and Evans Hunt Scott Eurocom are understood to be competing

for the campaign. Comdirect is Germany’s largest internet broker. It

will compete with Charles Schwab and E-trade.

CPM, Europe’s largest field marketing agency, has merged with fellow

Omnicom-owned telemarketing company InTelMark. The company will have a

combined turnover of pounds 80m. Tom Preece, InTelMark chief executive,

becomes managing director, reporting to CPM International chairman Tony

Stratton.

Eddie Phillips, CPM UK & Ireland managing director, will head expansion

into North America.

Sony Computer Entertainment is launching a new ’teaser’ direct marketing

initiative through Claydon Heeley this week. It is designed to whet

consumers’ appetites for the release of PlayStation 2, due to launch in

the UK in autumn 2000. Sony is mailing over one million PlayStation

customers with a special PIN number, enabling them to access information

about the new console, either by phone or by logging on to the company’s

web site.

News International is closing its weekly listings guide, The Source, due

to lack of advertising support. The guide is distributed free with The

Sun each week. This Friday’s issue will be the last to appear.

Levi’s is revamping its flagship UK store in London’s Regent Street as a

destination store, set to open on October 30. Features will include a

’customisation factory’, where customers can create their own

personalised designs on jeans, a ’chill out’ area with sofas, books and

internet terminals, and a DJ booth. Levi’s will refit other stores

throughout the UK with elements of the new design.

Coty has promoted its top UK marketer, Anastasia Ayala, to a new role

overseeing its Rimmel cosmetics brand on an international basis. As

senior vice-president, Rimmel Global, Ayala will oversee Rimmel’s

marketing worldwide, and continue to oversee Coty’s UK marketing.

Energis is set to assume control of Racal Telecom’s contract to handle

data transfer for the National Lottery, if its pounds 750m bid for the

company is successful. Energis was one of a number of companies to

express an interest in running the National Lottery, when submissions

were invited early this year. Racal Electronics, the parent company of

Racal Telecom, will maintain its one-quarter equity share in

Camelot.

Thomas Cook this week launches an online travel service, offering

consumers a choice of over two million holidays. Visitors will be able

to plan their holiday via the new web site, and then click on a callback

button to arrange the details over the phone with a Thomas Cook

representative. The site was developed by Fitch Digital Group and

ICL.

Retail group Kingfisher has reported a 40% increase in first-half

profits to pounds 254m, at the top end of forecasts. The group, which

recently failed in its attempt to take over Asda, is now the biggest

home-improvement retailer in Europe, and the third biggest electrical

retailer.

Marks & Spencer has put Kings, its US supermarket chain, up for sale,

claiming it does not fit its overseas strategy. It will keep menswear

retailer Brooks Brothers, and expand the chain internationally.

The charity Age Concern is seeking an agency to create a brand-building

campaign, focusing in particular on its financial services products such

as household and pet insurance. The AAR is conducting the search.

Future Publishing has bought The Official Manchester United and Chelsea

Football Club magazines from Zone Holdings, for an undisclosed sum.

Future’s raft of titles includes Total Football, Total Sport and Total

Guitar.

This article was first published on Marketing