Vauxhall Motors calls on agencies to devise joint sales programme

Vauxhall Motors is approaching agencies to develop a strategic plan that will allow link-ups with other brand owners, to share the marketing cost of selling its cars.

Five agencies will pitch their ideas to the car maker next week to develop ideas, in the second stage of what is planned as a long-term scheme. It hopes to sign its first deal within two months. The agencies include McCann-Erickson Manchester, the PR company Hill & Knowlton, Carlson Marketing and direct marketing firm Claydon Heeley.

Vauxhall wants to attract brand owners that fit comfortably with particular car ranges, from the small-size Corsa through to its Vectra and Omega ranges. The scheme has been on hold since the October launch of the Vectra, but the company now wants to push ahead with it. Among the companies which have already been approached are Coca-Cola and Virgin.

“We are developing a strategy for companies which will fit with the car ranges,” says marketing director Wolfgang Schubert. “We are talking both about marketing programmes extending over the lifecycle of a product and short-term executions.”