McCann-Erickson Manchester and Universal McCann have fought off
stiff competition to hang on to the pounds 5 million Magnet account in
the kitchen company’s third advertising review in seven years.
’It was a close-run thing,’ David Wethey, the managing director of
Agency Assessments, the consultancy that was brought in to help conduct
the review, said. ’Retail experience was mandatory; Magnet was not just
looking at advertising.’
The final shootout pitted McCanns against Butler Lutos Sutton Wilkinson,
Arc and J. Walter Thompson Manchester. Poulter and the Morgan
Partnership were involved at an earlier stage.
The chief executive of McCanns Manchester, Brian Child, who has a
reputation for fighting hard to retain existing business, said Magnet
was looking for a partner, rather than just an ad agency. ’I think we
have retained the account because of our range of in-house expertise and
our integrated approach to business,’ he said.
Andrew Airey, the Magnet group’s new marketing director, said: ’I wanted
to ensure we had an agency with strong retail experience and a truly
integrated approach. McCanns’ strategic planning, depth of creative
resource and expertise in direct response media and direct marketing
gave it the edge.’
McCanns Manchester will now work with Magnet to implement a three-year
strategic marketing plan. ’We will begin to see the strategic impact of
our advertising around Christmas time,’ Child said.
Magnet has appointed Mark Collier its marketing strategy and services
manager. He will oversee the agency work. Airey, who replaced Ken
Partington, joined Magnet from Blue Circle Industries eight months ago.
