Sand, Sea but no Sun for Kiniki

October 6, 2009

Our client, Kiniki - the online underwear and swimsuit brand - found itself in hot water with The Sun newspaper recently.

Launching it’s brand new patented swimwear technology that allows 80% of the sun’s UV rays to pass through it – giving an all over tan whilst retaining one’s modesty – Kiniki hit on a visual ‘before and after’ creative execution.

The headline simply stated, “Tan through swimwear” with an accompanying photo of a few tastefully shot women in swimwear.  

The problem?  One of the young ladies was keen to show her bikini tan line which involved dropping her bikini briefs by an inch or two.  Yet even with the top of her rear-end clearly shown it was felt that the visual treatment retained her modesty whilst demonstrating the unsightly impact of a bright white tan line.

All good you might say? 

Not so, as The Sun felt compelled to inform Kiniki’s media buying agency (i.e. us)  that the ad would be banned on grounds of taste. 

With The Sun’s ethical bar normally set so low only a centipede could crawl under it, we were left scratching our heads at how a paper that prides itself on exposing teenagers’ breasts could suddenly raise the bar so high even The Telegraph would blanch.

Solution?  By covering the lady’s backside with a 30% discount offer, The Sun felt assured that its dignity would be upheld.  That’s alright then.

Attinger Jack launches AJ Media

October 1, 2009

September highlights

September 29, 2009

No, we’re not talking about Ann Gardiner’s hair, but rather to flag up one of this month’s episodes involving David Attinger and his Mont Blanc.

It all started with a review of Cash4Gold’s latest ad campaign in Marketing magazine.  As David read the piece, his face went redder than a bottle of Gevrey-Chambertin accompanied by a demeanour that could best be described as ‘frosty’.

With AJ’s staff giving him a wide berth for the remainder of the morning, our Managing Director let rip with his trusty feather and ink.

The result?  A scorching riposte to Jon Howard, laying it out clearly that advertising is all about sales, not fancy creative.  As David continually points out, creative is only important to the extent that it drives sales. 

Quite.

Indeed, all AJ staff know that “creative for creative’s sake” is a sure fire way of putting David into the sort of mood not seen since Winston Churchill discovered Germany had invaded Poland.

View the letter below: 

Alice carves them up….

September 22, 2009

A few weeks ago, New Media Age published a gossip story about one of Attinger Jack’s clients, Donald Russell (purveyors of gourmet Scottish meat).  The magazine took Donald Russell to task because it had inserted leaflets for its range of meats within Amazon book deliveries.  What, NMA enquired, does quality beef have to do with a book on Parisian couture?

Not one to see her clients unfairly berated in the press, our very own Alice Buttling-Smith leapt to the defence of Aberdeenshire’s most famous butcher with a stinging reply.  Here it is in full:

I read your comments regarding Donald Russell mail order butchers using Amazon product dispatch for their inserts and failed to see what was so bizarre.  You clearly like everything to fit into very defined boxes, but if they stuck with ‘Meat Lovers Monthly’ their schedule would be somewhat limited.

Since when was meat a niche product? Do you feel uncomfortable if a butcher opens next door to a book shop, does Tesco selling CD’s & DVD’s in close proximity to their meat counter send shivers down your spine?

The reality is that Amazon customers have a similar profile to Donald Russell customers, they are ABC1 & they purchase by mail order, you will also find them in gardening, women’s fashion & book club PD’s. The product they are selling is not relevant, it is the audience that you are buying. In fact if they were selling similar products then the insert would not be accepted as it would be considered competitive.  This is not as you described ‘a strange coincidence’ – it is called targeting.

Ouch.

IAB’s Lead Gen Taskforce hits the mark

September 18, 2009

As readers of this blog will know, the IAB Lead Generation Taskforce is the first group in the UK established to promote the benefits and opportunities of online lead generation, which saw a growth of 94% worldwide last year.

Sitting on the Taskforce is our very own Alex Attinger, who along with other members of the group has been instrumental in helping draft a series of educational whitepapers to help marketers demystify the channel.

Alex’s main input has been into the whitepaper looking at co-registration lead generation, especially issues of lead validation and lead quality – a subject that’s close to Alex’s heart as anyone who meets him will testify (we once caught Alex talking about lead gen quality to the local café owner who faked mild interest as she buttered his chicken roll).

For lead generation marketers, the IAB’s whitepaper’s are a ‘must-read’, written by a team of cutting edge industry specialists who really know their co-reg from their back end pathway.  Please click here to download.

A word of thanks to the IAB’s Amit Kotecha who has been the coordinator of the whitepapers and in the process endured hours upon hours of lead gen witterings and mutterings from the various Taskforce members.  His ears are still ringing now.  Thanks Amit.

Grant Crymble joins Attinger Jack

September 8, 2009

Attinger Jack’s Bath office is pleased to announce the appointment of Grant Crymble as Media Manager.

Yet another member of Attinger Jack’s south west mafia, Grant prides himself on not being the stereotypical Cornishman – although you’d never know it as he tucks into his lunchtime pastie, washes it down with rough cider and shouts to all and sundry, “alright me han’some?”

Crymble has the big task of managing Attinger Jack’s media department which has been operating successfully for 28 years.  No pressure there then.  

Grant will report directly to Media Director, Alice Buttling-Smith, and will be responsible for accounts such as Dial-a-Phone, Accident Advice Helpline, Optical Express, Laithwaites Wines, Countrywide and Toolstation.

He joins from MediaVest where he worked on the Barratt/David Wilson Homes accounts.  Before that, he spent four years at BLM in Bristol where he worked on HobbyCraft and Brittany Ferries amongst others.

David Attinger, Managing Director of Attinger Jack says: “Grant comes to us highly recommended and his ‘can do’ attitude allied to his management skills will be very welcomed in our busy media department.”

In a veiled warning, David continues, “I would add, however, that having personally steered this agency through three recessions in ’81, 90’ and 2001, Grant won’t be able to play the ‘credit crunch’ card.”

Welcome to Attinger Jack Mr Crymble!

Glass with class

September 3, 2009

This week sees a first for one of Attinger Jack’s clients, Countrywide, who are the UK’s leading glass room and glass veranda specialist.

After a successful period running off-the-page direct response ads, Countrywide is now venturing into DRTV with the creation of its first ever TV ad.

Launching this week across a number of terrestrial and digital channels, the ad stars Nigel Havers (the quintessential English gent).  By all accounts Nigel was the perfect gent off screen too, thoroughly professional and charming in equal measure.

Whilst many leading brands will spend £100’s of thousands on one single ad, Attinger Jack prides itself on producing compelling ads for a fraction of the cost.  After all, DRTV works on a cost per response basis so producing high quality but low cost ads is critical for the business model to stack up. 

Congratulations therefore to our very own Tim Blackshaw and also Mark Sheldon’s Adopted Films who have produced a stunning ad at an unbelievable price. 

We think the ad’s fabulous – well we would wouldn’t we – but take a look for yourself by clicking on the following link:

http://www.aja.co.uk/popups2/countrywide.htm

5-A-Side anyone?

September 1, 2009

Not so much a bid to drum up new business in the form of broken legs but rather an attempt to bond with suppliers, Accident Advice Helpline will this weekend host its annual 5-A-Side tournament in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Representing Attinger Jack interactive, who are a key lead generation supplier for AAH, step forward Adam Seogalutze, Tom Evans and Alex Attinger.  Apparently Alex’s PA, who is not eligible to play because her gender is definitely of the female persuasion, will ‘run the line’.  That’s the linesman’s flag to you and me.

The event takes place at Powerleague, Queens School, Aldenham Road, Bushey, WD23 2TY and starts at 11.30am. 

Alex informs us that the prize ceremony will be held at 5pm.  Whether that’s because he expects to be up on the podium is open to conjecture, but all of us at AJi fully expect Tom, Adam and Alex to be ensconced in the Dog & Duck by 3pm latest.

Good luck chaps!  If anything untoward happens don’t forget to call 0800 180 4123.

Alas poor Elliott, I knew him

August 26, 2009

Friday saw the sort of send off any young man would be proud of.  Step forward young Elliott Astles, Attinger Jack’s enthusiastic 18 year old who has graced the Bath agency with his dedication and impeccable politeness. 

It was therefore with a heavy heart that Attinger Jack bade farewell to Elliott after he announced a few week’s earlier that he would be travelling to Australia to fulfil a lifetime dream of talking to crocodiles and surfing with sharks in Manly Bay, Sydney.

Festivities opened with a barbecue in the garden of AJ’s offices in Bath.  Things then got a little heated, literally, with David Attinger informing all and sundry that if the barbecue took any longer to catch fire we’d be having the sausages for Monday morning’s breakfast, not Friday night’s party.  Cue 20 firelighters, whip-saw flames and singed eyebrows as the accompany photo attests to.

As for Elliott, after manfully dodging flames that would make any Aussie bush fire look tame, our intrepid adventurer made it to the Slug and Lettuce pub.  What happened next remains a blur, especially to Elliott, who has since informed us that he left a few choice cuts of beef all over Bath.  Call it an inverted treasure trail.

Elliott, we’ll miss you.  Good luck down under!

Welcome Mr Meston

August 20, 2009

 My God man, what sort of photo is this?  You look like you’re auditioning for the Men in Black.  We’d have asked you to sit down but your shirt seems like it’s starched to the point of being harder than birch wood.

Welcome Mr Meston to planet AJi.

On a more serious note we’re delighted to announce the arrival of Paul Meston to Attinger Jack interactive in Farringdon. Paul will be given the high pressure title of Head of Business Development.

Previously Business Development Manager for Clash-Media!, Meston was also Sales Director at PCN Media from 2005-2008.

Paul says: “Attinger Jack interactive has a Grade A reputation in generating high quality leads for its clients as recognised by its participation in the IAB’s lead gen taskforce.  I am delighted to be joining such a dynamic and progressive company and using my expertise to help develop the business further.”

Alex Attinger, Managing Director of Attinger Jack interactive, says: “I’m glad he said the above or he’d have been sacked.”

Welcome aboard Paul!  And good luck from all the team here in London.