Elonex awards Grounds Morris its 2m business

Elonex Computers has handed its 2m advertising account to Grounds Morris, although the PC manufacturer is still fighting legal battles with two former incumbents, McCann-Erickson and Peers Carter.

Elonex has had a stormy relationship with the advertising world over the past two years. In early 1993 it hired Peers Carter. By August the account had been awarded to McCann-Erickson, but two months later Peers Carter was rehired.

In July 1994 Peers Carter had to repitch against Maher Bird Associates following Elonex’s appointment of Jamie Minotto from MBA sister agency Simons Palmer Denton Clemmow & Johnson. Minotto called a review, but parted with Elonex on acrimonious terms four months later.

Peers Carter then took control of TV and press advertising for Elonex until last December when it was, once again, dismissed from the account (MW December 9, 1994). Elonex accompanied the sacking with a statement which publicly ridiculed agency head Peers Carter and his agency’s work, describing him as “a prima donna”.

Both Peers Carter and McCann are now in legal dispute with their former client, with McCann claiming its contract was terminated prematurely, and Peers Carter claiming defamation.

Neither Elonex, nor Steve Grounds and Rob Morris, the two former EURO RSCG Wnek Gosper creative directors behind Grounds Morris, were available for comment as Marketing Week went to press.