The week in marketing

Pathe is promoting its high-school horror film Tormented with an integrated campaign. The push, by BLM Quantum, will be driven by text messages sent directly to 30,000 15- to 19-year-olds. The activity will also include viral seeding.

- Sony signs to Spotify

Sony PlayStation has signed up to become the first branded playlist partner on Spotify, the ad-funded music-streaming service. The video-games console brand is using the deal to promote its SingStar range of titles.

- Marmite plans crisps

Unilever has terminated its licensing agreement with Walkers and is to release its own Marmite-branded crisp products. Walkers had used the Marmite brand since 2002. Unilever is also expanding its Marmite Snacks range, with cashew nuts and crisps. These will join the brand's mini rice cakes and cheddar bites, which launched in 2008.

- Nestle in £6m drive

Nestle is backing Rowntree's Randoms, its biggest confectionery launch of 2009, with a £6m spend. The product, which includes sweets in a variety of textures and flavours, launches this month with the strapline 'Let your random side out'.

- LG hires UK chief

LG Electronics has appointed Ward Crawford, a former managing director at Green & Black's, as its chief operating officer for the UK. It has also boosted its brand marketing team, promoting current business solutions manager Fiona Landsberg to brand manager, as well as hiring Natasha Khan from O2 as digital marketing executive and Sylvain Berrier as research and insight manager.

- Tunisia in tourism ads

The Tunisian National Tourist Office is launching a UK campaign highlighting the country's iconic attractions, which include Carthage, the Sahara and the Mediterranean. Above-the-line activity was created by Fox Kalomaski. It comprises national press ads and London Underground 16-sheet cross-track posters.

- St Pancras activity

Network Rail has appointed marketing agency Ruby to the advertising and media planning and buying account for St Pancras International station following a pitch. The three-year contract is worth £3m. Future campaigns will aim to position the station, which re-opened in November 2007, as a lifestyle destination in its own right.

- Barclaycard to review

Barclaycard has launched a review of its UK direct marketing arrangements. The payments brand is currently using an agency roster established in 2001. All agencies on the roster have been invited to repitch. The process will be overseen by Barclaycard's director of brand and advertising, Gary Twelvetree.

- Sky hires director

Sky has appointed David Murdin to the new position of director of sports and marketing. Murdin was previously British Airways' global head of brand, product and service. Christian Cull has left Sky as director of customer communications to join TUI as communications director.

- Starbucks card launch

Starbucks has launched a loyalty programme offering customers free added extras to their coffee, such as syrup or an extra shot. The Starbucks Card is being supported with point-of-sale material and on the Starbucks website. Mark Ritson, page 18

- LSC appoints Livity

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has hired youth communications agency Livity to create an awareness campaign aimed at ethnic groups who experience difficulties with literacy and numeracy skills. It will primarily target 16- to 34-year-old Black Caribbean, Bengali and Pakistani men through TV, radio and cinema this summer. The work forms part of the LSC's ongoing Skills for Life 'Get On' drive.

- 3 pushes Skype tie-in

Mobile operator 3 is to launch an ad campaign promoting its Skype offer, which it claims is 'changing mobile forever'. The TV ad, 3's first in more than 18 months, pushes its free Skype package. Skype is also available on the Apple iPhone, but only in wi-fi areas. 3 is the only mobile operator to offer Skype with no top-up charges, other fees or line rental.

- RDA refreshes brand

RDA Organic has revamped its children's drinks range, repackaging the products in resealable pouches. The refresh of the Sqqquishy smoothie and Squeeezy juice products was undertaken by branding consultancy Identica. The agency has also been briefed to develop a visual identity for the brand.

- TfL in cycle scheme

Transport for London (TfL) is seeking a title sponsor for its London Cycle Hire scheme. The scheme launches in May 2010. It will enable Londoners to pick up and drop off one of 6000 hire bikes at 400 locations in nine boroughs and several Royal Parks in central London.

- Magners in pear ads

Magners has rolled out an integrated campaign to back its pear cider variant. The ads, which broke last week, aim to appeal to male on-trade drinkers. The TV executions star Welsh comedian Mark Watson, who has appeared on BBC comedy panel shows such as Mock the Week.

To watch the ad, visit marketingmagazine.co.uk

- Conference planned

Marketing and PR Week will host a two-day conference on public-sector communications. The event will be held at the Ibis Hotel at Earl's Court, London, on 23-24 June.

For more information, visit publicengagementconference.co.uk

- Age charity OKs Sky

Merged charity Age Concern and Help the Aged has launched an accreditation scheme called Age OK. It will approve products and services that experts have judged to be sufficiently 'age-friendly'. Sky is the first brand to have been awarded the accreditation, for its Sky+ remote control.

- Robinsons' tennis tie

Robinsons will build on its association with tennis by sponsoring 2008 Junior Wimbledon champion, Laura Robson. Robinsons has previously sponsored Tim Henman and Andy Murray.

Ed Kemp on sports at marketingmagazine.co.uk

- Orange boxes up film offer

Orange promoted the fifth anniversary of the launch of its Orange Wednesdays two-for-one cinema ticket offer by creating the world's biggest tub of popcorn this week.

It marked the event yesterday (Tuesday) by dropping a tonne of popcorn from the giant tub, which was suspended in front of Tower Bridge.

The tub, which bore the slogan 'Wednesday is friendsday', also contained £10,000-worth of prizes. It was 20ft high and took seven days to build

The event was devised by M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment.

MOST READ

Marketingmagazine.co.uk's most clicked-on stories for the week ending 1 May 2009

1. Top 100 global brands by value 2009
2. Consumers interact with McDonald's digital billboard at Piccadilly
Circus
3. Unilever plans to launch Marmite breakfast bar
4. T-Mobile holds karaoke flash-mob event in Trafalgar Square
5. Google breaks $100bn brand value threshold
6. Car marques target consumers with scrappage incentive ads
7. Boots rebrands No7 product as anti-wrinkle cream flies off the
shelves
8. Move to rebrand swine flu to halt pork boycott

This article was first published on Marketing