USA
KC CHOOSES NAKED COMMUNICATIONS
Kimberly-Clark Corporation has selected Naked Communications as its communications planning agency to help implement an integrated marketing programme better designed to confront the realities of today's communications and consumer environments.

Naked will work closely with Kimberly- Clark to better integrate the efforts of all of KC's agency partners to develop media-neutral marketing ideas, communications plans and channel strategies for K-C's consumer brands, including Huggies, Kleenex, Scott, Pull-Ups, Cottonelle, Viva, Depend and GoodNites.

"The current agency model, producing marketing programs built around 30-second television ads, is no longer relevant for today's business environment," said Tony Palmer, chief marketing officer for Kimberly-Clark. "It is incumbent on clients to take an active role in reshaping the model. This move is a key step in K-C's commitment to this agenda."

According to Hedy Lukas, K-C's vice president of integrated marketing communications, Naked Communications will work with the company's key agency partners, JWT, MindShare and Ogilvy & Mather in implementing the new model. "We are pleased with how our agency partners have embraced our new integrated and media-neutral approach to marketing our brands. By adding Naked as part of our marketing resources, we believe they will be a strong partner in helping K-C and our agencies accelerate our brand-building initiatives, improve effectiveness of our marketing resources, and maximise the return on our marketing investments.

"Naked brings a fresh, innovative and transparent view to the party. By engaging them within our marketing process we expect to drive real change in how we market our brands in a really short period of time.

Ultimately, we need fully integrated and balanced approaches to reach consumers and customers in ways that drive return on our marketing investments faster. We cannot achieve this by just tweaking the old model." P&G opens deluxe Charmin restrooms in Times Square.

On 20 November, actress Molly Shannon opened 20 free, deluxe fully-staffed public restrooms in New York City as the Charmin® restrooms made their return to Times Square in time for the holiday season and New York City's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

More than 420,000 people from 100 countries and all 50 states visited the Restrooms during the 2006 holiday season. The 2007 facilities once again feature 20 plush restrooms, offering the convenience of easily accessible, family-friendly facilities at the crossroads of the world. Attendants are on staff to service each stall after every use, and families will be entertained by the fun, interactive activities.

The Charmin restrooms are open from 19 November to 31 December, seven days a week from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm, but will be closed on Christmas Day. They are located at 1540 Broadway in Times Square between West 45th and West 46th Street.

MAXCESS UPDATE FOR APRIL 2008
Maxcess International has announced the addition of lay-on roll technology, more handson sessions and a plant tour to the agenda for Conference Week 2008, to be held 21-25 April in Philadelphia, PA., USA

Keith Hamilton of Deacro will describe the technology of lay-on rolls, which will complement evolved content from Fife, MAGPOWR and Tidland on guiding, tension, slitting and winding technology. The weeklong curriculum will offer attendees an intensive view of web handling, from general theory to the detailed application of technology. Additional opportunities for hands-on training and a plant tour have been added to foster further discussion on converting techniques and practices.

Maxcess University aims to provide access to information on the latest technology and the training on how to use it properly, in formats that are easily accessed for multiple styles of learning. Content for the University reflects expertise of Fife, MAGPOWR and Tidland in winding, slitting, guiding, and tension control product categories.