The British Airports Authority is poised to announce a formal
tender for its media planning and buying business following the joint
appointment of HHCL & Partners and Publicis last week to handle its
creative account in the UK and Europe respectively.
The winning media agency will work on BAA’s UK retail account, including
its retail operations in Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, as well as
focusing on its international business development. The last agency to
work on this account was Zenith Media, according to MMS.
Gavin Miller, BAA’s marketing manager, media, said: ’We are reviewing
what we want to do and where we want to go with media in the light of
the creative and direct marketing reviews.’
In July, BAA announced it would review its direct marketing agencies as
it looked to expand its activity in this area. The company anticipates a
period of upheaval as it prepares for the abolition of duty free
shopping in 1999, which could lead to pounds 30 million being shaved off
its profits.
Publicis and HHCL won the creative tasks following a three-way pitch
involving Ogilvy & Mather. Bates Dorland, the incumbent on the business
for ten years, decided to pull out of the pitch in October - seven
months after a review was announced.
Dorlands said it was withdrawing because of what it believed would be a
’fundamentally different’ relationship between BAA and the shop it
eventually appointed.
In July, Rocket won BAA’s duty free advertising media planning and
buying, and is working with the client’s roster promotions agency,
Interfocus.
The account used to be handled by Western International Media. The media
buying review will be announced in the Official Journal of the European
Communities.
