The tenure of Delaney Fletcher Bozell and its media arm, 20/20 Media, on
the pounds 1 million Financial Times business is under threat following
news that the newspaper is set to call a full-service review of its
advertising account.
The move comes on the back of job changes at the paper two weeks ago, in
which Ben Hughes, the worldwide ad director of the FT, and Jane Scott,
the marketing director, both moved sideways (Campaign, 29 November).
Delaney Fletcher and 20/20 have held the FT account for four years,
after winning it in December 1992. In March of this year, the agencies
took the FT on to television for the first time in seven years
(Campaign, 8 March). The business was previously with Ogilvy and Mather.
O&M was responsible for the renowned copyline - ‘No FT, No Comment.’
The line was dropped when Delaney Fletcher first took over the business,
but was reintroduced two years later.
The review will be overseen by the newly installed team of Michael
Murphy, the director of UK business, and Andrew Gilchrist, the
international director, who have split the worldwide ad and marketing
directors jobs between them.
Murphy played down reports of a formal review although he did confirm
that he was taking a hard look at advertising.
He said: ‘We will be looking at the agency in the new year. Whether we
have a full review or not has yet to be decided but it will encompass
everything, including media, and there won’t be any more television work
until we have looked at what we are doing about our advertising.’
He added: ‘My priority is to get to meet everybody in advertising and
marketing here and then look at the agencies. I think anyone in a new
role would want to look at every aspect of the business.’
