Industry News - April, 2007

HSBC's new direct mail campaign is promoting its services to businesses with a new cardboard book featuring jelly beans.

Featuring the tag line Your Business is Unique, the pack displays a photograph of jelly beans on the front cover, with an actual sweet stuck to the last page.

Mad.co.uk says the effort that has gone into the design of the pack makes it appealing, with glossy cardboard pages and attention to detail not being spared

It is aimed at small and medium-size... more...

Visa Europe's brand advertising will now be visible in the real world as well as the virtual one.

The company has unveiled its own island in online world Second Life, which can be accessed through a virtual teleport.

This means that Visa Europe will join Vodafone, Coca-Cola and Nissan, which all currently have presences in Second life, according to mad.co.uk.

Sandra Alzetta, senior vice president of innovation at Visa, commented: "Visa has approached Second Life i... more...

Barclaycard is to launch a new environmentally-friendly credit card that will be promoted by an equally green campaign.

The provider says that product promotion will purely be done online and that card statements will also only be made available online.

It adds that the announcement of the new card has coincided with the launch of the "We're in this Together" campaign in London.

Anthony Jenkins, chief executive of Barclaycard, commented: "Barclaycard Bre... more...

The new M&S Money car insurance television advertising campaign is to feature model Jodie Kidd driving a stock car.

Ms Kidd will star as a rally driver in the promotional features that are said to be shot in "atmospheric black and white".

The adverts will also feature a voiceover from Mariella Fostrup, who will explain the policy's benefits such as 14 days' free car hire and a key replacement service.

Marks and Spencer says the adverts will debut on May 1... more...

The introduction of coffee shops in certain branches of Abbey has uplifted the customer experience, according to one commentator.

In a letter to designweek.co.uk, a marketing representative suggested that placing Costa Coffee into its branches repositioned the business from a former building society to being "innovative, customer-focussed and dynamic".

It also allowed customers to "combine their banking needs with their lifestyle choices," said marketing rep... more...

A new insurance price comparison site is to be promoted through a TV ad campaign.

The site, motorinsurancesupermarket.com, will be advertised in TV-based campaign to be screened from June.

It is hoped that the campaign will highlight the site's capabilities for finding the most competitive and best quality insurance products, tailored for customer needs.

Wayne Lee, director of 4 insurance and creator of the search engine, said that the site will be geared primarily tow... more...

Airmiles and has joined forces with Lloyds TSB to launch a loyalty card that will be available from June 1st.

The marketing campaign in support of the launch will include TV, radio and press. Although no details for the marketing spend are available, Airmiles spent £10 million last year.

The new Duo Card Account offers customers double the current airmile earn-rate and will increase their earn-rate to up to one airmile for every £10 spent. The account will also provid... more...

Lloyds TSB is targeting the Polish migrant market with a new current account that is "ideally suited" for people who have recently moved to the UK.

As well as offering up to £355 of benefits, the account includes a money transfer card to enable customers to send money back home.

The card can be sent to a chosen family member or friend who can use the pre-loaded card for purchases and cash withdrawals wherever Visa is accepted.

Caroline Brady, head of seg... more...