Mark Howe, managing director of interactive digital sales (ids), the advertising sales house of Flextech Television, is to leave the company after almost 13 years to pursue new challenges.In his role as managing director, Howe was instrumental in breaking new ground, both in advertising sales and creative initiatives.Commenting on his departure, Lisa Opie, managing director… Continue reading Howe Steps Down As ids Managing Director

Global advertising group, WPP, is expected to report an upturn in profits resulting in a boost in confidence in the media sector. According to industry speculation the group will reveal, at the end of the week, an increase of 25% in its profits for the first half of 2005, reaching £250 million. Revenues for WPP… Continue reading WPP Expected To Reveal Upturn In Profits

Quality and value of services are more significant drivers of customer retention than the number of channels and digital features offered, according to a new survey from TNS Media Research. The study looks into the key factors in customer loyalty, questioning 2,500 consumers of the USA’s largest cable and satellite providers on a range of… Continue reading Digital TV Customers Look For Quality And Value In Providers

Consumers are twice as likely to buy a product as a result of seeing a television commercial than they are after seeing a product in branded entertainment, according to new research from FIND/SVP. The study showed that 52% of viewers claimed they would buy a product after being exposed to a television commercial, while said… Continue reading TV Commercials Sell More Products

Merrill Lynch, predicts that online travel agency revenues will rise by 19% in 2005, reaching $27.7 billion. The analyst claims that online travel sales are winning a larger share of the overall travel market, accounting for nearly 30% of the total this year, up from 25% in 2004 and 21% in 2003. According to Merrill,… Continue reading Online Travel Revenues To Rise By 19% In 2005

Interactive TV advertising is becoming increasingly important for branding campaigns, with research carried out by IDS claiming that dedicated advertiser locations (DALs) are the most popular format, with 29% of respondents saying that DALs achieved the best results. In May, IDS conducted a online survey looking into industry opinion on interactive television advertising and found… Continue reading Interactive TV Advertising Increases In Importance

The digital marketing group of the IPA, IPA/DMG has announced its full support for the work of JICWEBS and ABC ELECTRONIC, in continuing to drive forward the development of industry agreed standards for the measurement of electronic media.JICWEBS and ABC ELECTRONIC recently undertakook a review of the guidelines for ad serving, working closely with IAB… Continue reading IPA Supports JICWEBS And ABC ELECTRONIC Work

Outdoor specialist, Viacom Outdoor, has launched Copywriting Goes Underground, a competition to highlight the power of words in capturing the attention and imagination of the millions of travellers who read posters opposite station platforms every day.The competition challenged Britain’s creative talent to design posters for a real client, using no fewer than fifty words and… Continue reading Viacom Showcases Creative Talent Underground

United Business Media (UBM) has been given the go ahead to purchase Mondiale Publishing’s hospitality business by the Office of Fair Trading.The deal, worth £5 million, will see UBM take control of Theme magazine and the Bar exhibition.First announced in June (see UBM Boosts Portfolio With Hospitality Title), the purchases will add to UBM’s current… Continue reading UBM Gets Go Ahead For Hospitality Acquisitions

The worldwide creative chief of advertising and media services agency, Publicis, is reported to be leaving the agency to start a non-advertising business in a joint venture with his current employer. David Droga has declined to provide any details about the new company or his partners, other than to say they are not from the… Continue reading Publicis Creative Chief To Start New Company