Express Newspapers’ commercial director, Paul Woolfenden, has
confirmed that the newspaper’s incumbent media agency, IDK Media, has
been asked to repitch for the account next week.
Woolfenden said: ’We have asked IDK to present their views on what they
think is the best way forward for the Daily Express.’ He is keen to have
greater planning input, as well as review the agency’s buying targets
and overall service.
News of the review comes as a further blow to the beleaguered agency
which last week lost the pan-European press buying for Calvin Klein, as
well as Lloyds TSB’s pounds 11 million account last month. It also
recently lost the Somerfield business, which was centralised into
Universal McCann in September. IDK, a CIA subsidiary, has held the
Express’s centralised media account since the early 90s.
The move is part of a general review of suppliers by the newspaper
group.
One casualty was its creative agency, Leo Burnett, which declined to
repitch (Campaign, last week).
Tony Kenyon, the deputy chairman of CIA Medianetwork who is responsible
for the account, was unavailable for comment.
Woolfenden also confirmed that the Express was working with the
below-the-line agency, Evans Hunt Scott, on a project basis but added
that the relationship ’may become more firm as time goes on’.
Three agencies are pitching for Express Newspaper’s creative account:
Young & Rubicam, RPM3 and St Luke’s. Fallon McElligott was invited to
pitch but declined. Burnetts won the business in April from the previous
incumbent, Lowe Howard-Spink.
