Top 10 tips to maximise the efficiency of marketing spend in a downturn
Written by Webmaster
Saturday, 30 August 2008
Marketing budgets - often among the early casualties of a recession - are declining faster than at any time since 11 September 2001, according to the IPA's most recent Bellwether Report. Yet, as Hugh Davidson, author of Offensive Marketing, points out: 'Studies show that brands that maintain or increase marketing spend in a recession tend to do better than their rivals in the long run.' He cites Reckitt Benckiser's results as an example. Due to strong NPD and heavy marketing support, the company's sales rose 20% between 30 March and 30 June. However, to escape hatchet-wielding finance directors, marketers must
German research firm GfK today dropped its bid to acquire Taylor Nelson Sofres, paving the way for WPP Group to acquire the London-based market research giant. That brings WPP one step closer to overtaking Omnicom Group for bragging rights as the biggest marketing holding company in the world -- but that doesn't mean TNS is going to make it easy for WPP CEO Martin Sorrell to reach that milestone. TNS said it still wants nothing to do with WPP's $2.2 billion takeover bid filed earlier this month. And the London Times website reported that TNS' largest shareholder, Cedar Rock Capital, rejected WPP's offer.
Taps Bloggers, Moms for Unconventional Product Launch
Written by Webmaster
Thursday, 28 August 2008
"...a fairly nontraditional marketing approach for the unconventional product, relying heavily on word-of-mouth and buzz marketing and relatively little on mass media...". Procter & Gamble Co. is trying something decidedly new with toothpaste: launching a product designed to be used once a week. The idea, of course, isn't to get people to brush less often. Rather, Crest Weekly Clean Intensive Cleaning Paste, which is set to hit stores by mid-September, is billed as a weekly addition to people's daily tooth brushing. The goal is to provide that "just-from-the-dentist," smooth, clean feeling, as P&G and some bloggers
Tiger Woods can do intricate golf-ball juggling maneuvers for Nike, drive the Buick brand from sleepy to sleek, and transform shaving with a Gillette razor into manly artistry. What marketing challenge is left? How about walking on water? And so he does -- for EA Sports, which today debuts its "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09" video game. Mr. Woods' water feat, however, will not be seen on the traditional media slate. The video was posted to EA's YouTube channel only. It shows Mr. Woods smacking a ball into a pond, where it lands on top of a lily pad. He sizes up the situation, takes off his shoes and socks,
News & Articles 
Marketing budgets - often among the early casualties of a recession - are declining faster than at any time since 11 September 2001, according to the IPA's most recent Bellwether Report. Yet, as Hugh Davidson, author of Offensive Marketing, points out: 'Studies show that brands that maintain or increase marketing spend in a recession tend to do better than their rivals in the long run.' He cites Reckitt Benckiser's results as an example. Due to strong NPD and heavy marketing support, the company's sales rose 20% between 30 March and 30 June. However, to escape hatchet-wielding finance directors, marketers must 
German research firm GfK today dropped its bid to acquire Taylor Nelson Sofres, paving the way for WPP Group to acquire the London-based market research giant. That brings WPP one step closer to overtaking Omnicom Group for bragging rights as the biggest marketing holding company in the world -- but that doesn't mean TNS is going to make it easy for WPP CEO Martin Sorrell to reach that milestone. TNS said it still wants nothing to do with WPP's $2.2 billion takeover bid filed earlier this month. And the London Times website reported that TNS' largest shareholder, Cedar Rock Capital, rejected WPP's offer. 
"...a fairly nontraditional marketing approach for the unconventional product, relying heavily on word-of-mouth and buzz marketing and relatively little on mass media...". Procter & Gamble Co. is trying something decidedly new with toothpaste: launching a product designed to be used once a week. The idea, of course, isn't to get people to brush less often. Rather, Crest Weekly Clean Intensive Cleaning Paste, which is set to hit stores by mid-September, is billed as a weekly addition to people's daily tooth brushing. The goal is to provide that "just-from-the-dentist," smooth, clean feeling, as P&G and some bloggers 
Tiger Woods can do intricate golf-ball juggling maneuvers for Nike, drive the Buick brand from sleepy to sleek, and transform shaving with a Gillette razor into manly artistry. What marketing challenge is left? How about walking on water? And so he does -- for EA Sports, which today debuts its "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09" video game. Mr. Woods' water feat, however, will not be seen on the traditional media slate. The video was posted to EA's YouTube channel only. It shows Mr. Woods smacking a ball into a pond, where it lands on top of a lily pad. He sizes up the situation, takes off his shoes and socks, 
