Nintendo in crisis account talks with JWT

Nintendo and J Walter Thompson are in crisis talks this week about who will handle the computer games giant’s ad account.

JWT is understood to be angered at the decision to plough this year’s budget into trade marketing instead of ad support (MW last week). It is also said to be unwilling to continue the account without any guarantee it will inherit the Ultra-64 launch which it was originally promised when it won the account.

The agency is understood to be threatening to resign the account which it was expected to hold until the end of the year.

A review of the business was scheduled for January to decide which agency would carry out the 20m-plus launch of the Ultra-64. JWT was expected to repitch.

But according to sources JWT is now in talks with Total Home Entertainment, the firm which took over Nintendo’s distribution and marketing in August.

THE managing director Alan Taylor confirms negotiations are taking place but will not give det-ails. He says a shortlist for the Ultra-64 account will be made by February. “I hope JWT will be a contender for that shortlist,” he says.

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