Digital marketing company ValueClick is claiming a first in online advertising with the launch of an innovative new campaign using technology that allows consumers to purchase products within the ads themselves.The technology comprises a secure skyscraper that guarantees online consumers a risk-free buying experience covering the entire purchase process from credit card checking through to… Continue reading New Format Could Revolutionise Online Advertising

UK cable operator, Telewest Communications, dramatically reduced its losses during 2003 as the benefits of its financial restructure and a return to focus on customer relationship have begun to bear fruit. Losses at the company were down from £2.2 billion in 2002 to just £272 million last year. Group operating loss was reduced from £1.9… Continue reading Telewest Turns The Corner As Loss Declines

Advertising account activity increased again in February, with further reviews in the pipeline, according to the latest edition of Lehman Brothers‘ New Business Scorecard. The broker says that WPP came top of the pile, whilst Omnicom and Publicis were ‘solid’ and Interpublic showed further deterioration in the form a number of major account reviews. Overall,… Continue reading Advertising Account Activity On The Up, Says Lehman

More than half of UK households do not know the difference between analogue and digital television, despite a series of high-profile advertising campaigns. This is according to new research carried out by the Consumer Analysis Group (CAG) and commissioned by Sony. The study reports that 48% of licence fee payers do not yet know how… Continue reading Majority Of UK Viewers Confused Over Digital Television

Demand is growing across Europe for high definition television (HDTV), with more then 17 million homes expected to have HD-equipped sets by 2008, according to a new report from Strategy Analytics. HDTV is a television display technology that offers higher resolution pictures and sound quality similar to that of a compact disc. It typically uses… Continue reading Demand For HDTV Grows In Europe, Says Strategy Analytics

The Advertising Association has criticised hard-hitting proposals to restrict the promotion of junk food to children, claiming they would do little to combat the growing problem of obesity.The organisation’s director general, Andrew Brown, claims that plans put forward by the Food Standards Agency to curb fast food advertising and promotions would be totally ineffective in… Continue reading Advertisers Rally Against Ban On Fast Food Promotion

Hachette Filipacchi has confirmed that Durex has backed out of a sponsorship deal with its flagship teen magazine Sugar following criticism for promoting contraception to youngsters.The condom manufacturer’s logo will no longer appear on a special twelve-page editorial section in the May issue of the magazine, which is intended to educate and inform teenagers on… Continue reading Durex Backs Out Of Sugar Sponsorship Deal

International magazine publisher, Future Network, is to issue its first dividend to shareholders after reporting a strong set of financial results for the full year 2003. The group said that turnover was up by 11% to £182.7 million, whilst operating profit rose by 24% to £22.5 million. Earnings per share rose from 4.4p in 2002… Continue reading Future Sets Maiden Dividend As Revenue Rises 11%

Profits at global advertising network, Publicis Groupe, rose by 21.8% to €263 million in 2003. This follows the integration of Bcom3 (see Publicis Confirms BCom3 Merger Details) and a return to sustainable organic growth, the company said this morning. Organic growth at the network was 2.0%, within which there was a 3.7% rise during the… Continue reading Publicis Looks Strong, Whilst Interpublic Slumps

The advertising recovery is gaining momentum according to SMG, but this could not prevent the Glasgow-based media group from posting poorer than expected profits for the full year 2003. The group this morning reported pre-tax profits down by 27.7% from £24.2 million in 2002 to £17.5 million last year. Analysts had expected profits to be… Continue reading SMG’s Profits Tumble 28% As Advertising Decline Bites