Rapier Stead & Bowden has been appointed to handle the pounds 2
million launch of Standard Life’s telesales operation after a five-way
pitch.
Marketing Advantage, the Union, TBWA Payne Stracey and City Financial
Marketing were all involved in the final round of pitches for the
account, which is separate from Standard Life’s main above-the-line
advertising business. News emerged this week that the shortlist for this
account has been whittled down to just two, WCRS and the Leith.
Standard Life plans to launch its telesales operation, which will sell
financial products direct to the consumer, at the start of next
year.
Rapier has been appointed to look at a long-term strategy of dealing
directly with the consumer.
Jonathan Stead, the chairman of the agency, said: ’We believe we have
the opportunity to cut through the creative clutter usually associated
with life product advertising.’
Rapier has already begun work on the business, which will start by
talking to Standard Life’s existing customers before broadening out to
general press work.
Sandy McPherson, the client relations manager at Standard Life, said
there was a ’whole host of reasons’ why Rapier won the business. ’It
understands the market, offers a clear communications strategy, value
for money and people we can work with,’ he said.
Standard Life is in the final stages of a pitch for its pounds 6 million
centralised media account, and expects to make a decision by the end of
the year.
