Littlewoods is preparing to centralise its pounds 8 million media
planning and buying business alongside a review of its creative agencies
as part of a reassessment of its marketing suppliers.
The media review will pool media for Littlewoods’ Home Shopping
division, its retail outlets, and the lotteries and pools division into
a single media agency. It is likely that creative agencies will be put
under the spotlight early next year.
The media business is split between MediaVest Manchester, which handles
the Index, Janet Frazer and Littlewoods catalogues; BBJ Media Services,
which has the Littlewoods Pools and scratchcards account; and CIA Media
Solutions Manchester, the incumbent on the retail media account.
The two creative roster agencies are Yellow M, which handles the
catalogues and lotteries business, and DMB&B, which holds the
Littlewoods Pools account.
The decision to overhaul marketing suppliers follows the integration of
marketing for the stores, home shopping and gaming divisions. Susan
Murray was poached from Smirnoff last month to become Littlewoods’ group
marketing director.
A Littlewoods spokeswoman said: ’Following the integration of our three
retail businesses, we’re putting all external agencies under review.
It’s early days and no decisions have been made yet.’
The bulk of Littlewoods’ advertising goes into its home-shopping
operation, which accounts for around pounds 4 million media spend.
