BBC to review £5m ad roster

The BBC is to launch a statutory review of its ad agency roster in June, when it will put out a tender in the Official Journal of the European Community.

A preliminary notice has been placed in the journal by the BBC’s procurement department advising of the review and valuing the accounts at &£5m.

The corporation, which is undergoing a wide-scale re-organisation under new director general Greg Dyke, is undertaking a “needs analysis” of its marketing, to be completed by the end of this month.

This will appraise the type of ads and promotions that are needed across the television and radio channels, and will form the basis of the ad review.

Agencies which will be reviewed include Leagas Delaney, Fallon McElligott, J Walter Thompson and Circus. Regional agencies McCann-Erickson in Northern Ireland and Faulds Advertising in Scotland will also be reviewed. An agency will be appointed for Wales.

The review will not include media.

Head of BBC brand marketing David Grint, who will conduct the review, says: “This is the first time the whole of BBC marketing has come together to look at its needs, rather than each department doing its own thing.”

Grint claims that the &£5m figure included in the preliminary notice is incorrect, but will not state the accurate figure, as the BBC refuses to give figures for its ad spend.

Final decisions about the agencies will be made by director of marketing and communications Matthew Bannister and his senior team.