Euro RSCG Wnek Gosper, the incumbent agency on Abbey National, has
picked up the pounds 10 million task of launching the company’s new
internet bank, code-named Aquarius. Euro RSCG won the account after a
pitch against Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, Duckworth Finn Grubb Waters and
M&C Saatchi. General release
Vision Express has called a review of its pounds 11 million creative
account following the merger of its incumbent agency, Ammirati Puris
Lintas, with Lowe Howard-Spink, which houses the rival optician chain,
Dollond & Aitchison. - General release
Simon Burridge, managing partner at J. Walter Thompson, will be chief
executive of Richard Branson’s ’The People’s Lottery’ should Branson’s
bid succeed for the national lottery licence in June 2000. Both JWT and
MindShare have been appointed to work on the bid campaign. -
Marketing
The internet music venture, Peoplesound.com, which is 30 per cent owned
by Bernard Arnault’s Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey group, is holding a
creative pitch for its pounds 10 million account. An agency will be
appointed in January. - Marketing Week
Sara Weller, the former marketing director of the Abbey National, is
expected to take up a senior role at Sainsbury’s. It is thought that
Kevin McCarten, Sainsbury’s marketing director, will move to a group
marketing or strategic role within the company. - General release
Roger Partington, the former customer development director of Safeway,
has been appointed president of Eastern Energy, the UK retail division
of the US-owned energy giant, TXU. Partington left Safeway in July
following the arrival of the new chief executive, Carlos Criado-Perez. -
Marketing Week
Unilever is axing the UK’s seventh biggest detergent brand, Radion, as
part of its brand cull. Its sister brand, Surf, will receive a
significant increase in marketing spend. - General release
Flextech’s cable and satellite channels, Bravo and Trouble, have
appointed BANC to work on their advertising account. BANC’s appointment
follows Mother’s decision to resign the account in August. Media will
continue to be handled by PHDCompass. - General release
The internet investment company, eVentures, has appointed Rainey Kelly
Campbell Roalfe/Y&R to work on the launch of its online home mortgage
site, E-Loan. The Media Edge has picked up media planning and buying. -
General release
Gillette is putting together a pitch-list for its pounds 10 million
pan-European below-the-line business. The company is looking to assemble
a smaller roster of agencies which will work on brands such as Braun,
Duracell, Oral B, Waterman, Parker, Papermate and Gillette. - Marketing
Week
The Radio Authority has imposed the maximum fine of pounds 50,000 on the
London station, Xfm, and the South Yorkshire station, Hallam FM. Xfm was
fined for material aired in its breakfast programme in September which
included references to bestiality. Hallam FM also breached the statutory
requirements of taste and decency. - General release.
