Royal Mail has drawn up a shortlist of three agencies for a final
pitch for its pounds 14million media planning and buying account. The
incumbent, MediaVest, along with TMD Carat and BMP Optimum, have made it
through to the final stage. The original pitch-list included Mediapolis,
Zenith Media and Bates Dorland, which was pitching for planning
only.
General Motors Europe has put the work of four agencies into research
after last week’s pitches for the pan-European launch of the new
Opel/Vauxhall Corsa. Saatchi & Saatchi Frankfurt, Rainey Kelly Campbell
Roalfe, Lowe Howard-Spink and McCann-Erickson Europe have put forward
campaign ideas. A result is expected in two weeks.
Jazz FM is to advertise above the line for the first time since October
1995 and has hired Ambler Rodford to create the campaign. The last work
for Jazz FM was created by the design consultancy, Wolff Olins, in
October 1995. No decision on media has been taken.
The Department of Trade and Industry has formally approved the Mirror
Group’s proposed acquisition of the regional newspaper publisher,
Midland Independent Newspapers.
Cowan Kemsley Taylor has beaten Mustoe Merriman Herring Levy and FCA! to
the Mr Mash account. Press work for the instant mashed potato brand will
break next year. Mr Mash, the brand leader in France, has previously
advertised on TV in the UK through FCA!.
Optimedia has scooped the pan-European media planning and buying task
for the US appliance giant, KitchenAid. The brand will launch in Europe
at the beginning of 1998 with creative work handled by Wilkens. Budgets
have still to be finalised for 1998.
Eagle Star has shortlisted five below-the-line agencies for a review of
its trade marketing and database development account. They are: Grey
Integrated, Brann, Claydon Heeley, WWAV Rapp Collins and Lovell Vass and
Boddey. A decision is expected within two weeks.
Rupert Garrett, head of radio at BBJ Media Services, is moving to GWR’s
sales house to become an agency group head. He will report to the
national sales controller Peter Charlton who, in turn, reports to Duncan
George, the national sales director. Garrett takes up his appointment
later this year, until which time he will remain at BBJ.
Work from J. Walter Thompson has been substituted for that of GGT in the
research stage of Wesleyan Insurance’s pounds 4 million advertising
review. The move follows GGT’s withdrawal from the pitch against BDDH
last week because of possible conflicts following news of its planned
merger with BST-BDDP.
Virgin One, Richard Branson’s direct banking venture, which launched
this week, is in talks with its media agency, Manning Gottlieb Media, to
come up with a strategy for the project’s national roll-out next year. A
creative agency will be required once a communications strategy has been
devised.
The WPP media independent, Media Insight, has been confirmed as the
official full-time media agency for First Choice Holidays and Flights.
The appointment, which formalises a previous ad hoc arrangement, comes
in the middle of a creative review of the pounds 1.6 million
account.
Tobacco sponsorship of sport will be phased out over several years, the
Government admitted in a House of Lords debate on Tuesday. Lord
McIntosh, a government spokesman, conceded that some sporting events,
such as motor racing, could move outside Europe following a ban. He
said: ’Compromises are going to be necessary’.
Peter Mead, the chairman of the Abbott Mead Vickers group, is to become
patron of the Andrea Adams Trust, which campaigns against bullying at
work. He will help the charity communicate the services it offers to
individuals and companies.
