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Event Organisers Update ISSUE 84 May/June 2011

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ARE YOU BEING FIXED? The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has commenced an investigation into allegations of price-fixing by hotels of rates charged on third party…

HEADS UP FOR THE BRIBERY ACT A survey by law firm Russell Jones and Walker has found that 22% of UK companies have no plans to implement policies to take …

ALCOHOL DEATH AT IRISH HOTEL A 26 year-old man died of acute alcohol intoxication after downing at least eight shots of spirits in one glass, to celebrate…

TRAIN OR PLANE? A recent survey by the Daily Telegraph shows that despite the increase in Air Passenger Duty it can often be cheaper to fly within the UK on some…

ADMINISTRATION FOR VON ESSEN Von Essen Hotels, a group of 28 five-star properties which includes Cliveden in Berkshire, Wooley Grange in Worcestershire…

NOTHING TO CROW ABOUT Travellers on London Underground (LU) were spared two weeks of disruption recently when LU reinstated a train driver they had sacked …

LESBIANS REJECTED IN GAY BRIGHTON A lesbian couple are suing the management of the Brunswick Square Hotel, Brighton, for allegedly turning them…

RIP RSVP? The latest RSVP show at the Business Design Centre was considerably smaller than last year’s event, and “very, very quiet” according to some of the 93 …

DOWN WITH DRINK Organisers interested in the liquid refreshment served at their events will wish to know about the Imbibe Live exhibition…

Marketing Matters May/Jun 2011 ISSUE 20

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ALL CREDIT TO VISA
Some light has been shed, by the Daily Telegraph, on why credit card firm Visa might have been so keen to become the official card for the Olympics, courtesy of the….

JUSTICE ON A BUNG?
Good to note that the ludicrous gagging orders awarded to the undeserving by all the Mr Justice Noddies are being rendered useless by the publication of identities on….

MORE GREEDY BANKERS
Bankers, arguably now less popular than paedophiles, continue to fill their boots while still being financially supported by, er, us….

CLEAN-UP FOR DETERGENT SECTOR
Proctor and Gamble and Unilever have been fined a total of E315 million by the European Commission (EC) for fixing the price of washing powder….

BUY ONE, GET TWO, THROW ONE AWAY
Food waste, said to total a value of £6 billion a year or £680 per average family, is being tackled by the government in plans to scrap “best before” dates in favour of “eat by”….

BAD MEDICINE
Doctors are continuing to screw their patients with premium-rate telephone numbers, with those phoning for appointments being charged up to 41 pence per minute….

WEAK WINE OR STRONG CIDER?
Buyers at the lower- alcohol end of the wine market are switching to ciders as the recession deepens. (Off Licence News)….

BARCLAY’S MUGS
Those marketeers in the business of giving business gifts will know that some items can definitely give an unfortunate impression in some cultures….

Charity Matters Apr/May 2011 ISSUE 36

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HUNTERS ON THE RUN
A life member of the Hunt Saboteurs Association has won the right to sue his former employers for discriminating against him because of his strong animal rights beliefs….

SICK
Meanwhile an insight into the mentality of the hunting fraternity has been supplied by Robert Parsons, chief executive of the GoDaddy domain-hosting firm….

GAMEKEEPER IN THE DOCK
A former gamekeeper has been jailed for sixteen weeks for filming a fox, which had its mouth bound and was being held down by the neck, being attacked by two dogs….

DEBT PANIC
Debt charity the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) reports that nearly 50,000 people logged onto its website between midnight and 7.00am last year….

TIME TO CURB THE COUNCILS
News that councils are to be banned from imposing draconian fines on householders for infringements of very minor litter bin rules, such as not closing the lid or putting the….

WORTH IT?
It’s not just stupid councils that can make charitable folk feel their efforts are wasted – sometimes the people they are trying to help do a good job in that respect….

WATERWAYS CHARITY
A new charity is being formed to take over the running of Britain’s rivers and canals from British Waterways in 2012….

VALUE OF FREE MEALS AND FRIENDSHIP
Illuminating, it was, to read a whole page about the charitable free scoff enjoyed by London Datebook magazine columnist Johnathan Byrne, The Constant Eater….

Event Organisers Update ISSUE 83 March/April 2011

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CORPORATE HOSPITALITY NOT ILLEGAL The government has promised, so it must be true, that corporate hospitality and the giving of gifts to buyers (or MP’s) will not be…

CONFEX TO SUFFER “EXCEL EFFECT”? The event industry show Confex is to move from Earls Court to Excel in Docklands for 2012. According to the organisers the…

USING THE TUBE Disused Underground stations and tunnels are to be turned into conference centres and tourist attractions. This is the plan of entrepreneur Ajit …

BUYING SCAM AT MILLENIUM AND COPTHORNE Those wanting to supply Millenium and Copthorne Hotels now have to pay a fee to be included in the …

DIVIDED OPINION AT DAILY TELEGRAPH The food offering at the hip new W Hotel in Leicester Square has polarised opinion of experts at the Daily Telegraph…

WRETCHED CAMBRIDGE Meanwhile Cambridge has been described as a “wretched eating town” after Daily Telegraph food critic Matthew Norman and two of his …

RELAX AT HOLMEWOOD Those looking for a quiet and relaxing environment for their events can consider Holmewood Hall, a Victorian mansion house set in fourteen…

NEW IN SCARBOROUGH Those using the newly refurbished Spa Complex in Scarborough and looking for centrally located bedrooms can now use the new …

RELAX AT ALDWARK Good food in the two rosette restaurant and golf is available at the four-star Aldwark Manor Golf and Spa Hotel, fifteen miles from York and one of…

BUSINESS AND LEISURE BY NORFOLK SEASIDE Leisure resorts are an interesting choice for business events. The Potters Leisure Resort at Hopton-on-Sea, between…

BY THE ESSEX SEASIDE The refurbished Park Inn Palace Hotel at Southend-on Sea overlooks the famous mile-long pier and offers a ballroom for up to 220 delegates, six…

WINE EVENTS Those who have been to Madeira will know what fun a tasting of the islands famous fortified, wine, the result of a happy accident, can be. Delegates can…

NOT TO BE SNIFFED AT?  Aromatherapy presentations are offered by Scented Events of Leeds. These give delegates an introduction to the subject and a chance …

ACADEMIC VENUES The Academic Venue Show will showcase more than 40 venues in the UK and takes place on Wednesday 11 May at the Emirates Stadium, London…

HOT ROD FOR NEWBURY Newbury Racecourse is putting its money on live concerts as a new way of raising revenue. The first features Rod Stewart on May 29 to a…

Marketing Matters Mar/Apr 2011 ISSUE 19

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TAINT OF GADDAFI
UK academia has become the first casualty of links to dictator Col Gaddafi, as he and his sons struggle to preserve their lucrative hold in Libya….

FIDDLING THE BOOKS
An investigation into possible price-fixing of ebooks has commenced following revelations that some cost double the price of the paperback versions. One….

LABELLING FIDDLES
Food producers, retailers and restaurants are taking advantage of the fact that there is no agreed definition of the word “local” – an aspect that is increasingly sought by….

TELEVISION CONTINUES DOWNWARD SLIDE
Regulator Ofcom is allowing TV channels to interrupt films and single dramas with up to 12 minutes of advertising every hour, the same as for soaps. This is against the….

EVERY FIDDLE HELPS?
Latest shot in Tesco’s gripping price war with Asda is a promise to refund twice any saving in price on a “comparable shop” that shoppers can prove they would….

NICE ONE JOHN
Meanwhile the John Lewis chain are coming across as equally slippery with their back-tracking on their 86-year-old “Never Knowingly Undersold” guarantee to refund….

WHAT PRICE BRAND LOYALTY?
Proving that shoppers who just fill up their trolley at one supermarket, as all the supermarkets love them to, are seriously paying over the odds, we recently did a….

GRUB UP
If marketing is all about filling a need then the latest publication from restaurant experts Hardens will hit the spot with many parents….

BANKERS TO BUGGER OFF?
So where do the UK’s marketeers stand on the increasingly popular sport of banker-bashing? ….

DO AS WE DO?
Impressed, we were, with the Daily Telegraph advertisement for Daily Telegraph columnist Simon Heffer’s book Strictly English, apparently “perfect for anyone….

THE FUTURE’S ORANGE?
The delightful Olympic sport of ambush marketing is under threat again as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) seeks to protect those who give large sums….

Charity Matters Feb/Mar 2011 ISSUE 35

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CHARITIES AND TERRORISM
Officials in the US have accused the Palestinian Relief and Development Fund. Interpal, of supporting terrorism in the Middle East by funding Hamas….

BLOW THE WHISTLE
The former deputy director of prison counselling charity Forensic Therapies has been awarded £47,580 in compensation after she blew the whistle on the alleged theft….

HUNTING BAN TO STAY
The ban on hunting with dogs will stay for this year, despite assurances given by David Cameron that the 2004 Hunting Act would be repealed….

SUPPORT FOR SUICIDE CHARITY
Booker Prize-winning author Ian McEwan is to become a patron of Dignity in Dying, a charity which campaigns for the legalisation of assisted dying for the terminally ill….

AGE CONCERN FINED
The Westminster branch of Age Concern has been fined £15,000 for breaches of health and safety law….

BAD SPEAKER CHOICE
Those considering allowing politician John Prescott or media proprietor Richard Desmond to speak at their charity events might want to talk first to the organisers….

VIEW YORK AND SCARBOROUGH
Those organising events for their charities are invited to apply for places on a venue showcase featuring 50 venues in York and Scarborough and taking place on…

ACADEMIC VENUE SHOW
Those looking to book academic venues for their events are invited to attend the above exhibition….

FUNDING FOR THE FUTURE 2011
The above conference takes place on Tuesday 8th March at the QE 2 centre, London….

Event Organisers Update ISSUE 82 January/February 2011

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PIE IN THE SKY? Some recent developments in airship technology coupled with the high cost of travel could see giant craft carrying thousands of passengers, and…

LIES, DAMN LIES AND REVIEWS Hotelier and TV dragon Duncan Bannatyne is campaigning against untrue and negative reviews placed on TripAdvisor…

MORE REVIEWS Meanwhile some other hotels have been getting some bad press in the Telegraph…

FINE FOR ROYAL HOTEL The Royal Hotel, Ashby, Leicestershire has been fined £80,000 after a 78-year-old man was hit and killed by a reversing taxi at the hotel’s…

FINE FOR MARRIOTT Marriott Hotels have been fined a total of £20,000 for failing to protect contractors after a visiting consultant fell 2.5 metres through a closed…

CARLSON AD MISLEADING A complaint against Carlson Hotels Worldwide has been upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)…

MEAN STREETS According to a Times Online survey the Reperbahn in Hamburg, where the Beatles cut their rock and roll teeth, is Europe’s sleaziest street, with all its…

PAY UP AND SAVE OUR JOBS  Peel Airports, the owners of Durham Tees Valley Airport have introduced a “facility fee” of £4 for adults using the airport and £2 for…

OVERKILL FOR EMAIL Those marketing into the events sector are killing the effectiveness of email to event organisers by the over-use of it…

DISCOUNT FOR APRIL EVENT IN MANCHESTER  A 20% discount on its £35 day delegate rate is offered for event bookings at the University of Manchester’s flagship…

BOOK THE PENTHOUSE One interesting option at the new 48 bedroom Varsity Hotel and Spa, Cambridge is to book the Penthouse Suite, which could accommodate 8-12…

NEW IN CHESTER The new Abode Hotel, which overlooks the racecourse, offers 85 bedrooms, inclusive three sixth floor suites…

MANCHESTER IN LONDON Manchester Live is a showcase for 35 venues and attractions taking place at the Kensington Roof Gardens on Wednesday 2 March…

BUSINESS TRAVEL  The Business Travel and Meetings Show (BTMS) takes place at Earls Court, London, February 8/9…

VENUECHECK – CHANCELLORS HOTEL, MANCHESTER Judging by our recent visit the three-star rated Chancellors Hotel and Conference Centre, off Moseley Road…

Marketing Matters Jan/Feb 2011 ISSUE 18

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SLEAZY MARKETING AT LAND ROVER
Land Rover have paid 40 celebrities to write about their Range Rovers on social networking site Twitter….

QUICK SELL
Advertisers are developing TV ads that can be understood if run at up to 12 times the normal speed….

TV TURN-OFFS
Meanwhile the rise of reality TV shows is one main reason why 70% of over-55s claim that TV today is not worth the licence fee (YouGov poll)….

SUPERMARKETING
Savvy shoppers are learning that their perception of larger packs being cheaper is costing them money….

CUSTOMER CARE FROM TRAIN OPERATOR
Southeastern Trains have been accused of cancelling hundreds of trains during the recent cold weather, to avoid paying the compensation to their customers that is due….

TIGER AD A TURKEY
Gillette have dumped disgraced golfer Tiger Woods and a multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with him….

WORLD BEATER
One way of saving on the marketing budget is to produce a product or service that demonstrably outclasses everything else around….

REINDEER ROAST, KIDS?
German budget supermarket chain Lidl have been accused of destroying the magic of Christmas by selling reindeer steaks….

TFMA
The Technology For Marketing and Advertising (TFMA) exhibition takes place on March 1/2 at Earls Court 2….

Charity Matters Dec/Jan 2010/2011 ISSUE 34

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HELP THE GOVERNMENT
Everyone should routinely give 10 % of their estate to charity when they die. This is the view of the current Coalition, which wants to encourage more philanthropy from….

GOVERNMENT VERSUS CHRISTIANS
A charity, The Christian Institute, is funding the legal fees of the West Country guesthouse owners who are being taken to court by the government’s Equality….

£1.2 MILLION LEGAL BILL FOR RSPCA
The RSPCA has lost its legal battle to keep a £2 million estate left to it in a will….

GETTING MORE MONEY FOR DRUGS?
Drug addicts are being paid by an American charity to undergo sterilisation….

CHARITY BOXES STOLEN
Thieves stole charity boxes for the Royal British Legion, Macmillan Cancer Support, Action Research and Help for Heroes on Remembrance Sunday in North….

A BIT ON THE SIDE?
Family charities have condemned US company Ashley Madison, which makes its money from running a contacts website for those wanting to have affairs….

CHARITY PAYS THE PRICE
Charities hoping to get a favourable rate for their fund-raising events from charitable Charles Saatchi’s epomymous art gallery venue off Sloane Square might want to….

FREE SEMINARS FOR 2011
The free seminar programme for the Charities and Associations Exhibition (CHASE – London, February 22/23) has just been announced….

Marketing Matters Nov/Dec 2010 ISSUE 17

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IS CORPORATE HOSPITALITY BRIBERY?
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is concerned that the new Bribery Act, which takes effect next April, will classify corporate hospitality as bribery, rather than as….

PRICE FIXING FINES FOR AIRLINES
A total of €799 million in fines has been levied on 11 airlines by the EC, for price-fixing on securities and fuel charges on air cargo….

TESCO – EVERY LIDL HELPS
Tesco have the worst track record for advertising promotional items that are then unavailable in stores when customers visit to buy. (The Grocer)….

VOUCHER VOUCHER
Meanwhile the appetite of the general public for picking up bargains that really are available continues to grow, with vouchers for free or cut-price food in chain….

MORE BAD PRESS FOR NIGERIA
Nigeria, the home of advance fee fraudsters, has suffered another blow to its credibility with the news that Shell has been fined for bribing Nigerian customs officials there….

MULTIPLICATION
Now an official new word in the Oxford Dictionary of English, the staycation – taking a holiday in one’s own country – remains a popular choice for many of us currently….

I’LL HAVE THE PASTA DON GIOVANNI
A survey of 2000 cinema-goers by cinema group Apollo found that their knowledge of opera was a little lacking….

PREMIER PORKIE
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has persuaded budget hotel company Premier Inn to stop telling porkies about its size (Caterer and Hotelkeeper)…

WAITROSE PORKIE
The ASA have also censured Waitrose, for implying that the pork they sold was from pigs that lived outdoors, when in fact they were inside for most of their lives….