New PHD has held on to Adidas’s pounds 10 million UK TV buying
account following a head-to-head pitch against the incumbent on the
sportswear giant’s continental business, Carat.
It was anticipated that the pitch would see Adidas centralise its entire
account into Carat, although when the review was called in August
Adidas’s global head of media, Jason Dawes, was adamant that there was
no pressure to centralise.
Strategic and implementational media planning, and non-TV buying remain
with Adidas’s creative agency, Leagas Delaney.
Commenting on the decision, Dawes said: ’We saw two outstanding
presentations and felt that New PHD is still the best placed agency to
navigate our UK brand through the millennium.’
David Pattison, the chief executive of New PHD, commented: ’As an
incumbent you always feel under a little bit of pressure when you’re
under review, particularly when the business has been centralised
elsewhere. We are delighted that Adidas has recognised the quality of
the work we have produced for them.’
In August 1998 Adidas’s continental pounds 50 million media account was
realigned into the Carat network, following a pitch against Optimedia,
Initiative and Media Insight. At the same time the Amsterdam-based
creative agency, 180, was appointed to handle the European project work
with a brief to bring a more human feel to the sports brand’s
advertising.
