Express Newspapers has admitted that it will not renew its contract
with St Luke’s, its agency of record, when it expires at the end of this
month.
The decision comes amid widespread industry speculation that the
newspaper group would review its creative account, sparked by the
disastrous ’full speed ahead’ ads for The Express, which show a busy
editor rushing through the newspaper’s offices pursued by her harassed
staff.
Instead, the Scottish agency, The Bridge, will work across the entire
group’s creative account, comprising The Express, Sunday Express and
Daily Star. The Bridge already works on The Express’s Scottish
advertising and has produced tactical TV advertising to run across the
UK.
St Luke’s was appointed to work on the pounds 5 million Express account
in January after Leo Burnett resigned the business at the end of 1998.
But the agency has not produced any creative work for The Express since
July.
Paul Woolfenden, commercial director of Express Newspapers, confirmed
that the contract with St Luke’s was ending. He said: ’The direction we
took required more tactical advertising. St Luke’s was not best suited
to that. We know we have an image problem. We may use direct marketing
to resolve this.’ Evans Hunt Scott is the newspaper group’s
below-the-line shop.
Andy Law, founding partner of St Luke’s, said: ’We are happy to sign off
with them at the end of the year. There’s no animosity at all.’
Brian Crook, the managing director of The Bridge, said: ’We’ve been
confirmed as the main agency for Express Newspapers.’
