Yorks Bank hunts agency for revamp

The Yorkshire Bank is searching for an agency to handle an integrated campaign to reposition it “for the next century”.

The appointment of a new agency is part of a general marketing review and newly-appointed head of marketing and customer services Chris Herbert says the budget “will be substantially increased”. The Yorkshire Bank spent 4m on advertising last year (Register-MEAL).

Herbert says the bank has concentrated on personal loans and current accounts but now wants to broaden its range to provide a wider variety of services.

Herbert says the advertising spend will be split evenly between above and below the line and depending on the presentations he sees, he may choose one or two agencies. He wants to make a decision by the end of July.

The above-the-line work was handled by Burkitt Edwards Martin until January this year. Since then, the bank has used a number of smaller agencies in the North on an ad hoc basis.

Herbert was appointed as head of marketing customer services in January from Guardian Direct, where he was marketing director (MW January 20).