Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO turned down the chance to pitch for the
Prudential’s pounds 14 million business last week, while it awaits the
result of its pitch against Bates Dorland for the pounds 26 million
merged Halifax/Leeds account. Bates Dorland and AMV presented strategic
pitches to Halifax’s chief executive, Mike Blackburn, last Wednesday. A
decision is due on 13 December. According to a source, AMV has not
completely shut the door on the Pru. ‘If Halifax awards AMV only part of
the business, AMV is almost certain to reject it and resume talks with
the Pru,’ the source said.
Agencies are circling for a piece of BSkyB’s pounds 18 million
advertising as its three-month contract with Duckworth Finn Grubb Waters
comes to an end. Sources claim the business could be up for review,
following recent moves by Sky to keep in close contact with agencies.
However, Sky has already extended Duckworth Finn’s contract for another
month, and insiders say the satellite channel is likely to proceed with
ad hoc arrangements with agencies rather than plump for any long-term
relationships.
The Alka-Seltzer account is set to switch to Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO
from McCann-Erickson after Bayer’s consolidation of its dollars 275
million global consumer care business within the BBDO network. The
arrival of Alka-Seltzer, and the anti-thrush treatment Canesten, is
expected to boost AMV’s billings by pounds 4 million.
MediaCom has scooped the pan-European Lexmark International account.
Lexmark is IBM’s printer subsidiary and the account is worth pounds 2.5
million in the UK. Planning and buying was previously held by Initiative
Media in a number of European markets.
Roger Kennedy, the design company director charged with taking part in a
pounds 2.5 million Jaguar fraud along with Renny Platt, the ex-Saatchi
and Saatchi joint head of facilities, was cleared of plotting to defraud
Jaguar this week. However, Kennedy was found guilty of conspiring to
commit false accounting in relation to over-inflated invoices that he
submitted to Platt. Kennedy, Platt and three other defendants will be
sentenced in early January. Kennedy is not to be confused with Saatchis’
current head of typography.
Knight Leach Delaney has abandoned its action against Rizla and Cowing
Balmforth Trendall (Campaign, 10 November). A statement issued through
the law firm, Bristows Cooke and Carpmael, said: ‘KLD acknowledges that
there has been no infringement of copyright or breach of confidence by
Rizla or by CBT, nor any other wrongdoing by them in connection with the
Rizla campaign’.
Mark Austin has been recruited by the CIA Group to head its new media
joint venture in Singapore. CIA has joined forces with Asia’s largest
independent ad agency, Batey Ads, to launch Singapore’s first media
specialist, CIA Medianetwork (Singapore). Austin - who left Austin West
Media, the company he helped found, in May - will manage around
US dollars 50m of billings.
The Metropolitan Police has drawn up a list of agencies to pitch for its
pounds 2 million account, currently held by Saatchi and Saatchi. The
long list comprises Leagas Delaney, Ogilvy and Mather, Delaney Fletcher
Bozell, Lowe Howard-Spink, BMP DDB Needham, Ardley Phillips Horrell and
the incumbent.
CIA Medianetwork, TMD Carat, Universal Media Manchester and TMC
Manchester are lining up to pitch for the pounds 5 million media
planning and buying for Green Flag, the national breakdown recovery
service. Pitches are understood to be due next week and a decision is
expected before Christmas. CIA is the incumbent.
Mark Patterson, the group media director on Ford at O&M Media, is tipped
to join 20/20 Media as the second-in-command to managing director, Paul
Woolmington. Steve Varcoe, the head of TV planning at Manning Gottlieb
Media, has also joined 20/20.
The next issue of Campaign (15 December) will be the last of the year.
Campaign will be in its new offices at 174 Hammersmith Road, London W6
7JP from 23 December onwards. Phone and fax numbers remain unchanged.
