Y&R beats three to 1m London Transport Buses

Young & Rubicam claims to have picked up the 1m London Transport Buses account, previously held by SP Lintas, following a four-way pitch.

Y&R beat BMP DDB Needham, Abbott Mead Vickers. BBDO and Bates Dorland. SP Lintas pulled out of the statutory review in March. It had run the “Get on board” campaign for London Buses – sold in April 1994 to private operators – for four years.

LTB was created to regulate and control the capital’s 32 bus companies following the sale of London Buses. It also advertises on behalf of the private operators, although some advertise their services separately.

According to Y&R planning director Tim Broadbent, the brief for the campaign had two main objectives: “To lure car drivers onto buses and build support and confidence among consumers and legislators,” he says.

LTB is controlled by London Transport, whose recently appointed director of marketing, Norman Cohen, sat in on the pitch and decided on the agency.