PHD has won the £20 million Transport for London media
planning and buying account.
The agency will handle media planning and buying across the transport
infrastructure of London, including the London Underground service and
buses.
PHD, which has been reappointed to the account, also adds the media for
the planned Congestion Charge to its brief. The mayor of London, Ken
Livingstone, plans to introduce charges for motorists to reduce traffic
levels in the capital.
The shortlist for the pitch included MediaVest, Starcom Motive, OMD and
Manning Gottlieb Media. PHD beat sister Omnicom agency OMD in a final
head-to-head.
Transport for London traditionally spends between £8 million and
£9 million a year and is expected to spend at least as much on
publicising the Congestion Charge.
The review was forced because Transport for London had to put its media
account up for pitch when it took responsibility for traffic, which
means it overseeing communications for the congestion charge.
Charlie Edelman, Transport for London's general manager of marketing and
communications, presided over the pitch. A result on the Transport for
London creative and direct marketing pitches is imminent.
