• MPs Call For Health Warnings On Alcohol Bottles
    The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Alcohol Misuse has called for alcohol to carry cigarette-style health warnings. Measures proposed also include strengthening regulation of alcohol marketing to "protect children and young people," introducing a minimum unit price for alcoholic drinks, and cutting the drink-driving limit. The report also argues for "mass media health campaigns" informing consumers of the dangers of alcohol misuse, and on-pack labels detailing nutritional and calorie information.
  • Facebook Rails Against 'Like' For Reward Incentives
    In the name of more authentic connections, Facebook is prohibiting the promotion of brand Pages and social plug-ins with what it considers to be "artificial incentives" like "rewards," and access to apps and content. "We want people to like Pages because they want to connect and hear from the business, not because of artificial incentives," Harshdeep Singh, a software engineer at Facebook, explained in a Thursday blog post. "We believe this update will benefit people and advertisers alike."
  • Who Might Be Lining Up A Bid For Time Warner?
    "The Daily Telegraph" has gone through the list of suitors for Time Warner now that Rupert Murdoch has conceded defeat. Disney would be a good fit, but the paper believes it is unlikely because it prefers smaller takeovers. Apple would be a great fit to add content to its streaming services. The same goes for Google. Amazon has also showed signs of moving into content. The paper, however, suggests that all would be risky moves -- and backs Murdoch to return later with an improved offer.
  • Twitter Offers Objective-Based Campaigns Geared To Specific Goals
    Advertisers on Twitter can now create campaigns focused on specific marketing goals, and pay only when people take desired actions as a result. With the rollout of objective-based campaigns, announced Thursday, marketers can choose from a range of key goals including driving Tweet engagements, Web site clicks or conversions, app installs or engagements, followers, or leads. For each objective, Twitter's self-serve ads tool will suggest the appropriate ad format.
  • Adidas Vows To Take The Fight To Nike
    Adidas is planning its biggest-ever advertising campaign next year as it fights back against rival Nike. The world's second-largest sportswear maker has admitted that it needs to invest more in its brands. Herbert Hainer, the chief executive of the German company, promised the "most ambitious" brand campaign in the company's history for 2015. Hainer said Adidas would lift its marketing budget from 13% to 14% of sales in 2015, raising it by up to EUR200m (GBP159m).
  • Anchor Ends Eleven-Year Relationship With CHI & Partners
    Anchor is ending an eleven-year relationship with CHI & Partners. The dairy foods brand is not believed to have contacted other agencies, but the GBP4m account has been placed under review and the incumbent has said that it will not re-pitch. Stuart Ibberson, the senior marketing director at Arla, which owns Anchor, said: "CHI have delivered some great work for us over the last 11 years, but we feel the time is right to refresh our communications on the Anchor brand."
  • Grolsch Signs Up VCCP
    Grolsch has ended a short spell without an above-the-line agency with the appointment of VCCP. The agency won the account without a pitch and will work on a large campaign to celebrate the brand's 400th anniversary next year. Grolsch last pitched in August 2013 when it appointed Karmarama to create its digital and social campaigns. Karmarama will continue to create digital and social campaigns for the beer brand, whose global integrated agency, The Bank, is unaffected by the pitch.
  • Pinterest Launches Chat And Pin-Sending Features
    Pinterest is breaking into mobile messaging with a new feature for users to chat about particular Pins, or anything else that comes to mind. Encouraging broader interactions, Pinterest has also made it possible for users to send Pins -- the visual bookmarks that users amass on their "boards" -- and messages to multiple people. The move seems like a logical next step for Pinterest, which has already established itself as one of the Web's more popular sites.
  • Financial Services Authority Gives Social Guidance To Firms
    Financial services are the powerhouse of the UK economy, but they must be advertised with a long line of terms and conditions information. In new guidance issued yesterday, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said firms should think seriously about dropping Twitter and Facebook ads from their channel mix if their space limitations present compliance issues. Among the guidance the FCA suggested brands consider images, if text is too limiting and all adverts should be identified via #ad.
  • RB Signs Nine-Figure Global Deal With Facebook To 'Move Away From Advertising'
    Facebook and health and hygiene brand RB are entering into a multiyear, nine-figure global partnership that will integrate members of their global sales, marketing and creative teams and co-create new brand engagement opportunities. The overarching premise is that RB (formerly known as Reckitt Benckiser) will leverage Facebook as a media channel to help drive sales, achieve broad reach and increase brand loyalty. Facebook will help with the development of RB's media plans and creative campaigns.
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