The week in marketing

Phones4U is launching the latest ad in its 'Great Deals 4 Popular People' campaign this week. The execution, created by Adam & Eve, features two people dressed in cardboard warrior outfits engaging in battle. The ad will run for the next three weeks, followed by the final ad in the drive at the end of the year. Caspar Nelson, head of brand communications at the mobile retailer, said Phones4U would 'reassess' its ad campaign to put in place a fresh strategy next year.

- eBay pulls mail rating

Strike action by Royal Mail workers has prompted online auction site eBay to remove the option for buyers to rate sellers on the time they take to send an item. The change will take effect during the strike and continue for a brief period afterwards. eBay said in a statement: 'We are working with several alternative postal carriers to ensure that sellers can provide the levels of service that are critical in the run-up to Christmas.'

- H&B's TV return

Holland & Barrett is to roll out a fresh TV push tomorrow (Thursday), featuring Blue Peter TV presenter Gethin Jones. The ad is the first work for Holland & Barrett by Big Communications since being appointed as the retailer's lead agency last month. The first tranche of activity supports Holland & Barrett's signature 'Buy one, get one half price' deal, while later ads will focus on a combination of price information and the advice it can offer consumers.

- Dettol in £1.5m push

Dettol has launched a £1.5m campaign to push the antiseptic brand in the run-up to the cold and flu season. The drive for the Reckitt Benckiser-owned brand will run across TV, radio and online, and focus on Dettol's ability to kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, including the H1N1 swine flu strain. The campaign will run for three months.

- WW adds Thick Cream

Weight Watchers has tied up with Dairy Crest to launch a Reduced Fat Thick Cream, which it claims contains 70% less fat than standard double cream. The variant follows the launch of Weight Watchers Creme Fraiche in 2008. According to Weight Watchers, its Reduced Fat Cream contains 12% fat and one Weight Watchers point per 30g.

- Milk body hires Air

The Organic Milk Supplier's Co-operative (OMSCo) has signed up TV presenter Donna Air to promote healthy eating to women. Air will be used as the face of the campaign to help consumers understand the differences and benefits of organic milk. According to OMSCo, the purpose of the activity is to get women to 're-think their inner beauty to bring their natural beauty out'.

- Macmillan's call

Macmillan Cancer Support is promoting a free phone service for people affected by cancer. Cancer sufferers and their relatives and friends in the UK can now ring one number, rather than various regional numbers, as had previously been the case, to access Macmillan's services.

Watch the ad at marketingmagazine.co.uk

- Raleigh to take Tour

Raleigh is to make its professional road cycling comeback with plans to compete in the Tour de France. The cycle brand, which entered a winning team in the Tour in 1980, will launch a Team Raleigh racing team in 2010. It has applied for UCI Continental status, which enables it to compete in Europe, and will initially take part in UK races as it seeks to secure an invitation to the Tour of Britain & Ireland.

Ed Kemp on sports at marketingmagazine.co.uk

- Audi in Sony PS3 tie

Audi is promoting its high-performance electric sports car, the e-tron, with Audi Space, a branded virtual world and game on Sony PlayStation Home, a 3D community on the PS3. The e-tron car will feature in a multi-player driving game, created by branded content company Veemee.

- Hovis backs white loaf

Hovis is launching a digital campaign to drive sales of its Soft White loaf. The online activity is the first run by the brand since Agency Republic was appointed to its account in June. The campaign includes rich media, online advertising and pre-roll ads, all highlighting the fact, through a series of 'Soft Moments' narrative films, that Hovis Soft White was voted Britain's softest white bread in a series of taste tests last year.

- McDonald's turns 35

McDonald's is celebrating its 35th anniversary in the UK with a nostalgic 'Favourites' campaign. The push features menu items, including the Big Mac and the Quarter Pounder with Cheese, which featured on McDonald's first UK restaurant menu in 1974. The drive features the strapline 'There's a McDonald's for everyone' and shows a range of people visiting its branches. The TV execution, by Leo Burnett, aims to highlight how the brand has evolved over the years.

Watch the ad at marketingmagazine.co.uk

- Michelin in global ads

French tyre brand Michelin is launching a global ad campaign with the strapline 'The right tyre changes everything'. The ad breaks this month in the US. It will appear in 55 countries and be rolled out in the UK and Europe next year. It features brand icon the Michelin Man in an animated world, and is intended to convey that by using the right tyre, consumers can reduce their vehicles' fuel consumption, increase driving safety and extend tread life.

Watch the ad at marketingmagazine.co.uk

- Mothercare's TV tie

Mothercare has sealed a partnership with Turner Broadcasting's pre-school channel, Cartoonito. The tie will be backed by a campaign launching on 19 October and featuring Mothercare brand ambassador Myleene Klass. It will include a film, created by Klass, of a group of mothers singing My Favourite Things from The Sound of Music. Half a million DVD copies will be distributed to playgroups and nurseries. The content will also be used in TV ads and on social media sites, including Mumsnet, to drive mothers and children to Cartoonito.

- Ford pushes Ranger

Ford is backing its Ranger 4x4 pick-up truck with a campaign aimed at showing it can handle extraordinary situations. Print ads, by Ogilvy Advertising, take a comic-book style and depict a fictional magazine called Real Man's Adventures. One ad features an Indiana Jones-like escape from an exploding temple.

- VisitEngland in 'quirky' vote

VisitEngland is staging a public poll to determine England's most quirky pastime, and is seeking a national media partner to drive awareness.

In the build-up to the Enjoy England for Excellence 2010 Awards, which will take place in Brighton on 23 April (St George's Day), VisitEngland will encourage regional and then national voting under the banner 'Where else but England?'

Suggested events include 'gravy wrestling' in Lancashire (pictured), 'snail racing' in Norfolk, and 'toe wrestling' in Derbyshire.

Separately, VisitEngland, which came into existence last April, will be announcing a fresh long-term strategy for English tourism.

MOST READ

Marketingmagazine.co.uk's most clicked-on stories for the week ending 9 October 2009

1. Waitrose runs campaign based on comment by Arsenal manager
2. Burger King sets its sights on UK breakfast sector
3. Cadbury Caramel Bunny to show off her curves in designer dress
4. Comparethemarket.com ad features meerkat Aleksandr in a Jacuzzi
5. Gas Safe showcases farting cowboys in TV campaign
6. L'Oreal directs viewers to Cheryl Cole TV ads with press teasers
7. Tesco Clubcard signs up 1m customers since relaunch
8. England vs Ukraine football World Cup qualifier heralds future of
online sports

This article was first published on Marketing