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Virgin gears up for BB sponsorship

Posted in Advertising, Media, Arif Durrani, Latest reporters' blogs June 3rd, 2008 by Arif Durrani

Ready or not here it comes again, resistance is futile.

The reality TV phenomenon that is Big Brother returns to Channel 4 on Thursday and show sponsor Virgin Media is set to churn out some 80 idents off the back of it as part of a multimedia blitz.

Virgin Radio tunes out

Posted in Media, Marketing, Branwell Johnson, Latest reporters' blogs June 2nd, 2008 by Branwell Johnson

What’s in a name? Quite a lot when it’s the Virgin brand. SMG has just sold Virgin Radio to Times of India but the name is not going with the station.

Xfm 104.9 needs to show indie spirit

Posted in Media, Latest reporters' blogs, Russell Parsons May 1st, 2008 by Russell Parsons

Quarter one Rajar figures for London indie music station Xfm 104.9 must have made uncomfortable reading this morning for both its present and probable future owners.

Northern Rock needs to be bolder

Posted in Media, Latest reporters' blogs, Russell Parsons February 19th, 2008 by Russell Parsons

If the old adage that all publicity is good publicity were true then Northern Rock would be well on its way to becoming the UK’s biggest financial institution.

Who really wants Virgin Radio?

Posted in Media, Oliver Milman, Latest reporters' blogs January 22nd, 2008 by Oliver Milman

Virgin Radio must feel fairly unwanted at the moment – its owner, SMG, has been in the process of selling it for the past year and potential suitors haven’t exactly been queuing up outside its studios in London’s Golden Square.

Wilting Flowers running scared?

Posted in General, Mel Varley, Latest reporters' blogs December 7th, 2007 by Melinda Varley

This week we saw the shock resignation from the Virgin Money account by Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R due to a potential client conflict should Virgin’s bid for Northern Rock be successful. Just days later, private equity firm JC Flowers dropped its bid. Is Virgin over confident or is it just press speculation?

There’s a new Sky Sheriff in town

Posted in Media, Digital, Branwell Johnson, Latest reporters' blogs December 7th, 2007 by Branwell Johnson

Adios James, the Murdoch heir apparently has a new mission and will now leave BSkyB in the hands of Sky’s chief financial officer for the past four years - Jeremy Darroch.

Branson tilting at windmills?

Posted in General, Marketing, Branwell Johnson, Latest reporters' blogs November 26th, 2007 by Branwell Johnson

Here he comes astride his charger, thundering down the hill to rescue Northern Rock. But can Sir Richard Branson stretch the Virgin magic to embrace the ailing lender?

Murdoch bovvered?

Posted in Media, Branwell Johnson, Latest reporters' blogs October 2nd, 2007 by Branwell Johnson

Is James Murdoch bovvered that the Competition Commission looks set to block BSkyB’s stake in ITV? The CC has “provisionally” (lovely word – covers a multitude of meanings) found that Sky’s 17.9 per cent stake restricts competition and operates against the public interest.

Going underground with Sky

Posted in Media, Digital, Branwell Johnson, Latest reporters' blogs September 4th, 2007 by Branwell Johnson

So Sky wants to launch a stand alone broadband service that does not tie customers to taking up packages for its cable channels? Am I missing something here? What happed to the triple play or quad play strategies that were meant to take the media/telecom companies into brave new worlds of profit?