TMD Carat holds on to 40m Abbey

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TMD Carat has retained the 40m Abbey National media buying and planning account after a three-way pitch, while Zenith Media is tipped to win Abbey National’s General Insurance business.

TMD Carat pitched against Abbott Mead Vick-ers.BBDO and Mediastar in a statutory review headed by Abbey National marketing director Ambrose McGinn.

BMP DDB Needham was invited to pitch for the business but had to withdraw because of a conflict of interest with its Alliance & Leicester business.

Abbey National’s 6m General Insurance division, a joint venture with Commercial Union, is understood to have appointed Zenith on a project basis for two months. Zenith will help the start-up operation prepare a media strategy before it receives pitches from a shortlist that will include Zenith as well as BBJ Media Services and its sister agency TMD Carat.

TMD Carat is tipped to win the centralised News International media buying account this week. The business is presently split between it and the Media Factor. Pitches by the two incumbents, Mediastar and BMP, took place last Monday.

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