Walker Media has emerged triumphant in the four-way pitch for First
Choice’s media planning and buying account, its first real win in an
open competitive pitch since its launch at the beginning of this
year.
Walker Media pitched for the pounds 4 million account against the
incumbent, Media Insight, a sister media agency to MindShare, BMP
Optimum and New PHD.
The pitch came down to two earlier this month - Walker Media and New PHD
- and Walker Media was awarded the business last week.
The media rethink follows an overhaul of the holiday company’s creative
account last November.
The creative business had been handled by Ogilvy & Mather, Media
Insight’s sister creative agency, but it moved into Walsh Trott Chick
Smith a year ago.
Although media had been expected to come under the spotlight at the
time, First Choice decided to stick with Media Insight. Now the company
is said to be looking for a fresh approach to its media strategy and a
new media partner to work alongside Walsh Trott.
Virginia Dick, marketing communications manager at First Choice, said:
’Walker Media came up with the most innovative solutions.’
The win brings Walker’s new-business tally to more than pounds 130
million.
However, its other wins have either followed the appointment of its
sister creative agency, M&C Saatchi, on the creative account, or have
not involved fully competitive pitches. The pounds 10 million Channel 5
business, for example, moved straight into Walker Media because the
client had worked with the agency’s management in a previous
incarnation.
