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Don Marketing

Marketing Week: Irate Don hits Shell investors

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Marketing Week: Irate Don hits Shell investors

Shell UK: Don has issued three writs and a court proceeding alleging wrongful use of retail promotion

27 Jan 1995

By Jon Rees

Shell UK dealers and institutional shareholders have received letters from sales promotion company Don Marketing accusing Shell of a cover-up involving a “flawed” promotion.

Don and Shell are involved in a long-running legal dispute, due to come to court in February. Don has issued three high court writs and county court proceedings against Shell, alleging the wrongful use of retail promotions developed by Don Marketing. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Don Marketing, the sales promotion company in a legal dispute with Shell…

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Marketing Week 

20 January 1995

Don Marketing, the sales promotion company in a legal dispute with Shell UK, is taking an advertisement in Service Station Magazine. The ad asks for people who are concerned about the ethical conduct of Shell to join a Shell corporate conscience pressure group.

Link to Original Article

http://www.shellnews.net/PDFs/MarketingWeek20January%201995.pdf

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Incentive Today: Shell fails to block agency’s legal action

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Incentive Today

Shell fails to block agency’s legal action

January 1995

Shell, it has been claimed, has failed to block a legal action mounted against it by one of its sales promotions agencies, writes Jonathan Bracey-Gibbon. The claim was made by sales promotion agency, Don Marketing, which has issued a writ against Shell for an estimated £350,000 for allegedly using its ideas in promotions worth £lOm without permission, and in some cases, payment.

Don Marketing has alleged that, having presented Shell with a brief called Hollywood Collection, Shell went ahead with the same idea under another name, ‘Now Showing’. read more

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Forecourt Trader Magazine: Promotion wrangle

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Forecourt Trader Magazine: Promotion wrangle

January 1995

Forecourt Trader uncovers the background to the legal dispute between Shell (UK) Ltd and promotions company Don Marketing UK (Ltd)

A legal dispute between Don Marketing (UK) Ltd and Shell UK (Ltd) is now spilling out into the public arena following the placing of advertisements in the trade press by Don Marketing, requesting information from Shell dealers.

The following is an attempt by Forecourt Trader to uncover the facts behind the dispute – from both sides.

In total, Don Marketing has issued three High Court writs and a County Court proceeding against Shell, alleging wrongful use of retail promotions developed by Don Marketing. Shell has already settled one of the three writs out of court. read more

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Incentive Today Editorial: SHELL SHOCK

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Incentive Today EDITORIAL

Nov/Dec 1994

SHELL SHOCK

IT HAD TO HAPPEN – although it would be naive to think that it hasn’t happened before because out-of-count settlements have usually kept the quarrel well out of the industry’s gaze. An agency is to sue its client not, as I say, for the first time, but the issue is one that is close to the heart of all marketing consultancies: the agency claims that the client has stolen (let’s not beat about the bush) promotional concepts which were presented by the agency speculatively and confidentially. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Marketing Week: Shell faces libel threat from Don

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Marketing Week: Shell faces libel threat from Don

31 March 1994

Sales promotion agency Don Marketing is threatening to sue Shell UK for libel while at the same time circulating the results of a poll it claims to have carried out among Shell retailers.

The two companies are due to meet in court over Don’s accusation that Shell used its ideas in a series of promotions without permission or payment.

Don has sent a letter to Shell from solicitors acting for Don claiming a press release the company issued two weeks ago was defamatory and untrue (MW March 24) and is demanding a retraction. read more

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PROMOTIONS & INCENTIVES: UP TO SCRATCH

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PROMOTIONS & INCENTIVES: UP TO SCRATCH

JUNE 1993

Picture Caption: Having shelved its Collect & Select promotion, Shell’s 1991 Star Trek scratch card campaign featured the first Star Trek series. It coincided with Star Trek’s 25th anniversary, Paramount launching a new series and BBC screening the original 1979 episodes

EXTRACTS FROM THE ARTICLE

But while there may have been a few disasters, there have also been countless successes. John Donovan, managing director of Don Marketing, an agency specialising in promotional games, says he has supplied more than a billion game pieces without any problems. He counts Shell’s Make Money game (said to have raised sales by 25%) and the Great Guinness Challenge (which boosted sales by 30%) among his biggest successes. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Promotions & Incentives Magazine: National lottery takes its chances

Promotions & Incentives Magazine: National lottery takes its chances

April 1992

Is a national lottery necessarily a good thing? Or is it too early in the game to predict a result?

A national lottery looks set to make a reappearance in the UK by 1994, after an absence of 166 years. We find out what the experts think.

John Donovan

Managing director, Don Marketing

“Compare this country with California, which is about the same size as Britain, and it gives some indication of the likely effects of a national lottery here. California has had a state lottery for about ten years and there are now more promotional games running than ever before. Another development has been the move by television networks into promotional activity.

“A National Lottery Board would decide who will have the franchise. The Pools Promoters Association must be very much hoping that they’ll be asked to run the national lottery. I think that’s fairly likely – after all they have the existing organisation and public confidence. But lots of US companies that supply electronic equipment in Europe for lotto-style cards have been lobbying as well.” read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Will Shell’s intergalactic experiment pay off?

Will Shell’s intergalactic experiment pay off?

Cover story plus coverage on 7 pages with extensive colour piks: Promotions & Incentives Magazine July-August 1991

MAIN ARTICLE

Hang on! I’ve got a new idea… …said Don Marketing when the agency sold Shell its idea for the Star Trek promotion, neatly persuading the oil giant to abandon its catalogue scheme promotions. Case study by Anne-Marie Crawford

“Promotions run in a cyclic mode. With our catalogue scheme we had reached the end of the cycle and run into stalemate,” says Alan McNab, national promotions manager at Shell UK.

Hence, faced with a moribund market, Shell decided to change tack and launch its Star Trek game.

Collect and select schemes, points equal prizes, have long been stalwart forecourt promotions among the leading petrol companies. The familiar catalogues from which consumers choose different items when they have collected a certain number of points are almost synonymous with buying petrol. read more

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Marketing Week LETTERS page: Scratch ‘n’ miff

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Marketing Week LETTERS page: Scratch ‘n’ miff

14 October 1988

With reference to your Special Report on sales promotion (Research: Ensuring the right response, Marketing Week, September 23).

We were flattered to read the reference by Brian Francis to the Cinzano Instant Roulette bottle label scratch-off game, which he praises as the “most successful ever pre-christmas promotion run of Cinzano”.

For the record, the promotional theme was developed in association with CBH & Partners and used an on-label game technique pioneered by Don Marketing for which a UK patent has now been granted. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Marketing Week Magazine: RESEARCH: ENSURING THE RIGHT RESPONSE

RESEARCH: ENSURING THE RIGHT RESPONSE

Marketing Week Magazine: RESEARCH: ENSURING THE RIGHT RESPONSE: 23 SEPTEMBER 1988

EXTRACT: The first scratch-card promotion to appear on-pack has been one of the most innovative promotions of the past few years. The game, on the back of a Cinzano bottle label, gave consumers the chance of winning a share of £100,000.

No research was available to test consumer and trade reaction and for security reasons it was impractical to test the promotion. But it proved the most successful ever pre-Christmas promotion run by Cinzano, generating immense trade support due to the appeal of the new technique. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Marketing Week: Don Marketing posts warning about Shell

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Marketing Week: Don Marketing posts warning about Shell

Don Marketing, the sales promotion agency alleging Shell breached copyright on the idea it used to create the Shell Smart card scheme, has placed an advertisement in this week’s Marketing Week warning businesses they may face legal action if they join the scheme.

Under the headline “Shell Smart Legal Notice”, the ad sets out the details of the court case and warns potential partners that participation in the scheme “may involve an infringement of rights, rendering it liable to legal action”. read more

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John Chambers and Shell Bruce’s Lucky Deal

John Chambers, Managing Director of Don Marketing during the period of several major national and international promotions for Royal Dutch Shell, including “Bruce’s Lucky Deal”, a playing card themed “Every Card Can Win” scratch card game in 1985 featuring legendary UK TV star, Bruce Forsyth.

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Marketing Week: Shell starts up a new promotion

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Marketing Week: Shell starts up a new promotion

2 November 1984

Shell is starting another round of forecourt hostilities among the oil majors with its third promotion. Called Make Merry, it is launched on November 5. It will cost the company little short of £4m.

The new promotion, again devised by Don Marketing, is offering more than two million prizes, of Christmas food and wine, plus a number of £10,000 shopping sprees at Harrods as top prizes. Based on matching symbols on a scratch-card, it will last to the end of. December.

“My impression is the public has become rather blasé about these promotions,” says Philip Stein, head of public relation’s for the Motor Agents Association. read more

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MARKETING MAGAZINE SALES PROMOTION SURVEY: 6 SEPT 1984

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MARKETING MAGAZINE SALES PROMOTION SURVEY: 6 SEPT 1984

EXTRACTS: So why did Shell, in February of this year, spark off the first promotional battle in petrol marketing for more than a decade? The answer, so the trade suggests, may have some-thing to do with Shell wanting to put the squeeze on those minor majors and the smalIer operators. Shell and the other oil majors had become rather shell-shocked by the bitter price wars of recent years, as marketing men were forced,’ not only to weather fluctuating prices of world oil and currencies, but also to keep an eye on what each competitor was doing. read more

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Shell Re-releases the “Golden Oldie” of the Sixties

The 1984 version of the famous Shell Make Money campaign has set alight the battle among the petroleum companies, and could lead to a renewal of the sort of promotional campaigns that were so familiar in the late 1960s.

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

John Donovan, Roger Sotherton and John Chambers, Don Marketing 1983

Don Marketing directors from the left, John Donovan (Chairman), Roger Sotherton (Marketing Director) and John Chambers, Managing Director. Photograph taken at Don Marketing Chelmsford UK offices in 1983, with Shell Singapore Make Money poster in background.

Don Marketing Managing Director John Chambers photographed on Shell forecourt during the spectacularly successful Shell Make Money game in 1984.

Fast flowing Don: Marketing Magazine 16 February 1984

Shell Make Money full page advert: Daily Express 21 February 1984 read more

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PACKAGING NEWS: CINZANO INSTANT ROULETTE

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CINZANO INSTANT ROULETTE

PACKAGING NEWS: LABEL GAMES

November 1983

FRONT PAGE

CINZANO drinkers could be in for a bonanza this Christmas in a £100,000 prize promotion. A breakthrough, by promotional games specialist, Don Marketing, has created what is claimed to be the first ever scratchcard competition to appear on a bottle label.

Instant Roulette is the name of the game chosen by Cinzano and this could lead the way in a new field of on pack promotions. See page 4 for full details. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Don Marketing Cinzano ‘Instant Roulette’ Game

Three Don Marketing directors, from the left John Donovan, Roger Sotherton and John Chambers at launch of Cinzano Instant Roulette Game in or around 1983. The worlds first scratch off competition game on a bottle label.

Same Don Marketing directors, John Donovan, John Chambers and Roger Sotherton, with John Chambers centre.

Don Marketing directors John Chambers (left) and John Donovan  photograph taken in or around 1983

Related articles

Cinzano Instant Roulette Bottle Label Game

If you’ve gotta lotta bottles…: Don Marketing Cinzano Game advert, Campaign Magazine 30 September 1983 read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Incentive Marketing and Sales Promotion: Chambers’ move in promotional games

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Incentive Marketing and Sales Promotion: Chambers’ move in promotional games

April 1983

John Chambers, sales promotion manager at Allen, Brady and Marsh has become managing director of Don Marketing, one of the world’s leading promotional games companies.

Says Chambers ‘The computer printing and video revolution has opened up spectacular opportunities for new sales promotion techniques. Don Marketing is at the forefront of this new technology and the potential is enormous.’ read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Don Marketing promotional games for Shell

Spectacular promotional games devised by Don Marketing in the 1980’s and 1990’s for Shell. This was before the series of SIX high court actions Don Marketing founders (the Donovan family) brought against Shell for stealing ideas and for defamation (all settled by Shell).

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This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Don Marketing co-founder Don Redhead

The late Donald John Redhead, known as Don Redhead. A Chartered Accountant, mathematician and co-founder with Alfred Donovan, Bob Donovan and John Donovan of the international sales promotion company Don Marketing. The photograph was taken in or around 1981.

Don can also be seen in this video clip from the BBC TV Money Programme in 1984, seeding Shell Mastermind high-value prizes into the print run of 96 million game pieces.

Don Redhead, director of Don Marketing

Don Redhead, director of Don Marketing

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Bernie Winters and Don Marketing

Comedian Bernie Winters with his St. Bernard dog Schnorbitz, surrounded by Don Marketing staff, from the left, Mary, Anita? Valerie Hewitt and kneeling down, Linda? Bernie had just presented a major cash prize to a lucky participant in a Don Marketing “Top Cash” scratch card game in or around 1980.

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Don Marketing exhibition stands

Don Marketing stand at a sales promotion exhibition held in or around 1982. Back row, from the left, Roger Sotherton, Marketing Director, Valerie Hewitt, Office Manager, and Ken Brown, Operations Director. Front row left, John Donovan, Chairman and to his right, John Chambers, Managing Director.

Mr Roy Rochford, joint founder of Rochford Thompson security printers, visits Don Marketing exhibition stand in or around 1979. To his left is Don Marketing co-founder John Donovan, and to the right of Mr Rochford is Roger Sotherton, Don Marketing Marketing Director. read more

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Bob Donovan and Valerie Hewitt visit Rochford Thompson printers

Don Marketing director Bob Donovan, with Don Marketing Office Manager, Valerie Hewitt, on visit to Rochford Thompson Security printers at Hambridge Road, Newbury in 1979. Freeline Football tickets being computer printed.

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Don Marketing forecourt promotional games 1979

Full page Don Marketing advert in Service Station magazine 1979 under the headline “HAVE YOUR PETROL SALES SLUMPED?” The promotion ran on several hundred UK petrol stations including Fina, Cleveland, Amoco, Esso, Shell/BP and the Blue Boar Group. 

Full page Don Marketing advert in Service Station magazine February 1979: Responses to Don Marketing co-founder John Donovan. 

Feeling Football was a revised version of a petrol sales promotion of the same name that we launched through an earlier incarnation of Don Marketing in 1967 called Jackpot Promotions. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.