Monster nominates BBDO Worldwide for £100m global account

Monster is understood to have appointed BBDO Worldwide to its $200m (£100m) global advertising and branding business. It follows the online recruitment site’s decision to halt its £20m pan-European advertising pitch last month, in order to expand it into a global pitch (MW August 9).

MonsterMonster is understood to have appointed BBDO Worldwide to its $200m (£100m) global advertising and branding business. It follows the online recruitment site’s decision to halt its £20m pan-European advertising pitch last month, in order to expand it into a global pitch (MW August 9).

JWT and TBWA, who were shortlisted for the pan-European business, were invited to pitch for the consolidated account. DDB London was on the initial shortlist, although parent company BBDO Worldwide ran the global pitch from the US.

Monster’s previous agencies of record included Boston-based agency Brand Content and Leo Burnett, which worked for Monster in the UK on a project basis, but declined to pitch.

The protracted pitch was called in May by Monster.co.uk marketing director Lisa Hutt, who left a month later to join Fish4. She was later replaced by former Nectar marketer Richard Campbell.

The global rethink is said to have been prompted by chief executive Sal Iannuzzi, who took over in April. Last month he announced a programme of job cuts and slashing expenses by up to $170m (£84m) a year on the back of lower-than-expected earnings.

The first creative work from BBDO is due out at the start of 2008. Sister agency Atmosphere BBDO is believed to have been tasked with developing digital activity.

Media agencies IPG’s Deutsch and WPP’s Mediaedge:cia will continue to handle the domestic and international planning and buying responsibilities.