Pernod Ricard UK has hired AIS London to create social and content strategies for brands including Malibu and Absolut Vodka. The agency was appointed without a pitch, having previously handled some project work for the client, and joins Pernod Ricard's UK roster. The incumbent was Isobar. AnalogFolk, Malibu's global creative agency, is unaffected. AIS recently moved into the Havas "media village" alongside Havas Media and Arena to work more closely with specialists across the group.

The FT has unveiled its first design refresh in seven years this morning. The new-look incorporates a new custom typeface, called 'Financier', new colour graphics, a new-look front page and an index that lists the companies, sectors and people mentioned in its Companies section. The refresh will be accompanied by a global brand campaign, created by Adam&EveDDB, around the strapline, 'It is what you know.'

Next is making a return to direct mail after finding that a drop in the amount sent by rivals meant it is now more effective and has a positive impact on its business, boosting new customer numbers and profits. Speaking to Marketing Week at an event to announce its first half results, Next boss Lord Wolfson said the retailer had switched off its DM marketing over the past six or seven years. With the volumes sent out by brands much lower now it has "turned it back on" and found that it helped to increase sales in the UK.

Morrisons is blaiming challenging trading conditions for a fall in turnover and pre-tax profits, despite having run its "biggest ever" marketing campaign. Total turnover for the six months to 3 August fell 4.9% to GBP8.5bn, and pre-tax profits tumbled 51% from GBP371m to GBP181m. Like-for-like sales, excluding fuel and VAT, dropped 7.4%. However, chief executive Dalton Phillips said the supermarket was "encouraged by the progress" made since implementing the start of a three-year turnaround plan six months ago.

Scotland voting for independence would be disastrous for the UK's GBP15bn-a-year advertising market, according to the heads of leading agencies including Bartle Bogle Hegarty and M&C Saatchi. Leading advertising industry figures have raised concerns including what would happen to advertising regulation in an independent Scotland. The Advertising Standards Authority is the UK's current regulatory body for the industry.

From November, advertisers using Sky AdSmart will be able to deliver TV ads to Sky homes by the first two letters of an area's postcodes, building on the existing location-based targeting offered by Sky AdSmart. The system will also enable advertisers to use their own customer data to help reach preferred audiences. This will allow advertisers to create their own bespoke customer segments, in addition to the choice of 90 customer attributes already offered by Sky AdSmart.

Guardian News & Media is inviting readers to join a new membership scheme to generate new revenues for the loss-making group. The centrepiece of the new initiative will be a warehouse near its London HQ that is expected to be opened as an events venue in autumn 2016. The membership scheme has three levels. "Friends" can sign up for free to book tickets and receive updates and "partners" will pay GBP15 per month to get priority booking and discounts. "Patrons" will pay GBP60 per month for a "backstage pass."

Twitter has raised $1.3bn from the debt markets, less than a year after its flotation, raising speculation that it is amassing a war chest for acquisitions. So far, its acquisitions have been on a relatively small scale. In May, it paid $134m for Gnip -- a company that provides data about social media -- and shortly before its market debut, mobile publishing platform MoPub, for $350m. Wednesday's move stoked expectations that it will step up the pace of its acquisitions, and also continue hiring top-flight engineers.

Channel 4 is to make live streaming of its TV networks and on-demand service 4oD available in a new online hub, branded All 4, to better exploit the growing trend in viewing on devices such as tablets and smartphones. As part of the digital transition, the 4oD catch-up TV service will be scrapped. The All 4 initiative forms the next stage of Channel 4 chief executive David Abraham's plan to keep connected with the broadcaster's youth audience -- for which advertisers pay a premium -- which is drifting from traditional TV to digital.

Facebook has signed up Unilever, BMW, Red Bull, Samsung, Mondelez, P&G and VW to its new EMEA "client council." The social network's vice president of EMEA and architect of the council, Nicola Mendelsohn, explains that the council will help Facebook align its business priorities with the marketing needs of brands -- for instance, by fostering greater levels of creativity in copy and imagery used in campaigns on the social network. Agencies on the council's list include Mediacom and Aegis Media.