Bupa has shortlisted HHCL & Partners, Leagas Delaney, Duckworth
Finn Grubb Waters and WCRS for a pounds 6 million brief to produce a
brand-building campaign with a strong creative theme. The pitch is
expected to take place in January.
Discovery Foods, which produces tortillas, salsas and Mexican, Cajun,
Creole and Texan sauces for the UK market, is looking to appoint its
first ad agency. Court Burkitt & Company, Anthem and Joshua will all
pitch for the business early next year.
Channel 5 has confirmed that it will launch its digital terrestrial
television service next week. The channel will be a simulcast of Channel
5’s existing terrestrial service. Channel 5 plans to rent the 50 per
cent of its digital capacity that won’t be required for its own
simulcast broadcasts.
Keith Reinhard, the chairman and chief executive of DDB, has been named
president of the Cannes film, press and poster jury for 1999. Reinhard
started his advertising career as a creative and is best known for a
McDonald’s campaign. At Cannes this year the DDB network won a record 34
lions and its Brazilian agency, DM9 DDB, was named agency of the
year.
IPC Magazines has handed Duckworth Finn Grubb Waters the pounds 1
million brief to advertise its NME and Melody Maker titles following a
head-to-head pitch against Fallon McElligott. Both agencies have been
asked to repitch campaign ideas for Loaded.
Richard Storey, the senior planner on the British Airways account at M&C
Saatchi, has been appointed the agency’s planning director. His
promotion coincides with the arrival of two additions to the planning
department - Gareth Kaye, who joins from TBWA, and Rebecca Munds, who
has been working with Chiat Day in Los Angeles.
The art director, John Messum, is returning to Saatchi & Saatchi after
two years at HHCL & Partners. Messum left Saatchis with his partner, Jo
Tanner, in February 1997 after nine years at the agency. It is not yet
known who Messum will partner at Saatchis. Tanner is remaining at
HHCL.
Ninety per cent of consumers believe UK law should be brought into line
with the US, where advertisers wanting to use the image of a dead
celebrity must get permission from the celebrity’s estate. The poll was
carried out on behalf of the Celebrity Group, the celebrity casting
consultancy.
HHCL & Partners has created seven new partners, taking the total to
37.
They are: Alison Wright and Emma Serednyj, both account directors;
Richard Packer, head of TV; Richard Huntingdon, account planner; John
Parkin, copywriter; Tamsin Robilliard, head of traffic and Darrell
Berry, head of IT.
The Independent Television Commission has reduced the fees broadcasters
have to pay to cover the ITC’s costs of licensing and regulating
commercial television. The 1999 tariff will raise pounds 16.46 million
in 1999, a decrease of 1 per cent on 1998.
Laura Ashley, the beleaguered fashion retailer, is talking to Leagas
Delaney and WCRS about developing a new strategy for the brand. It
parted company with Bean Andrews Norways Cramphorn and its media buyer,
CIA Medianetwork, in May.
Talk Radio has confirmed it will renew its contract with Walsh Trott
Chick Smith when it expires at the end of this year, although Saatchi &
Saatchi has won the task of advertising its new drivetime show, Sports
Night. Saatchis will work alongside Walsh Trott, which retains
responsibility for the radio station’s overall brand advertising.
The Media Trust has joined forces with Channel 5 and the British
Television Advertising Craft Awards to launch a new competition to raise
the profile of social issues. Entrants are invited to submit scripts for
ads which will be judged by a panel including Trevor Beattie, creative
director of TBWA. The winning entries will be screened on Channel.
