GEC Marconi has appointed the New York agency, Athorn Clark &
Partners, to mastermind its relaunch as Marconi which begins on 30
November. A global television campaign is planned for December, while
teaser press ads have already broken in the The Wall Street Journal and
the Financial Times.
News International has shorlisted TBWA GGT Simons Palmer, Rainey Kelly
Campbell Roalfe/Y&R, Fallon McElligott and HHCL & Partners to pitch for
the launch of its interactive division, the details of which are still
under wraps.
British Midland has reduced the shortlist for its pounds 4 million
account to Bartle Bogle Hegarty and Partners BDDH. The incumbent, Faulds
Advertising, and Doner Cardwell Hawkins have been eliminated from the
pitch.
Worthington, the Bass-owned beer, has asked Fallon McElligott, Leo
Burnett and Publicis to pitch for its pounds 3 million bitter account,
which was previously held by WCRS.
The Publicis group has reported billings of almost pounds 3.1 billion
for the first nine months of 1999, a 22 per cent increase on the
corresponding period last year. It is predicting a 20 per cent billings
growth figure for the year.
The Havas Advertising Group has increased its billings by 32.9 per cent
to 5.3 billion euro (pounds 3.4 billion) for the first nine months of
1999, compared with 4 billion euro (pounds 2.6 billion) for the same
period last year. This is partly of a result of recent acquisitions
including Lopex in the UK.
Powernet Telecom, the newly launched internet service provider, will
choose between Poulter Partners and McCann-Erickson Manchester for its
Totalserve business which has a budget of pounds 8 million. Work from
both agencies is being studied by Powernet’s partner companies.
McCann-Erickson has entered the Icelandic market via a partnership with
the Gott folk agency. The agency will be known as Gott folk McCann.
Blue Square, the online betting service launched by City Index, has
appointed CIA Medianetwork and Girardot & Partners to handle its media
and creative accounts.
Motive has scooped the media planning and buying task for the launch of
John Charcol’s online mortgage service. The service, which launches to
UK consumers this weekend, offers mortgages, pensions, investments and
insurance products.
The Advertising Brasserie has created the first TV campaign for the
Disney Channel’s The Wonderful World of Disney. Three 30-second ads,
which break this weekend on some satellite channels including the
Discovery and History Channels, aim to highlight the special moments a
family shares when watching the programme.
Cable & Wireless has signed up 46,000 digital TV customers since
launching its digital cable television service in July, almost half of
which are new customers for the company.
Iceland has shortlisted three direct marketing agencies for its entire
below-the-line account. Claydon Heeley, M-S-B+K and Judith Donovan
Associates have been narrowed down from an original longlist of more
than 20 outfits.
Banks Hoggins O’Shea/FCB has bolstered its creative department with the
hiring of two new teams. The writer, Iain Pearson, and his art director,
Brian Watt, join from Saatchi & Saatchi. Matthew Lee, a writer, and
Brian Riley, an art director, both 28, were previously at Delaney
Fletcher Bozell, will also join the agency.
