Virgin Mobile in Times stand-off over Orange ads

Ravi Chandiramani and Colin Grimshaw,

August 06, 2003

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Virgin Mobile in Times stand-off over Orange ads

LONDON – Virgin Mobile is pressing ahead with ads attacking Orange's 'Fair' campaign as it attempts to settle a row with The Times over its refusal to run them.

The Times turned down Virgin's ad, which was to run a day after Orange took all the ad space in Friday's Times to launch 'Fair'.

Virgin Mobile brand director James Kydd threatened to pull Virgin Group's entire £3.4m annual advertising spend from The Times and The Sunday Times.

In a counter-response, The Times' owner, News International, threatened to ban Virgin Group, including Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Trains, from The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun and the News of the World.

Kydd told Marketing that the parties hoped "to seek a swift resolution".

The press ad, 'The truth behind Orange's 1p texts', highlights its conditions of a £19.99 annual fee and a daily five-text limit. It will break this weekend in broadsheet papers.

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