Y&R tipped for youth drive at Aquascutum

Aquascutum is tipped to take on Young & Rubicam to handle its 1m advertising account as the upmarket retailer tries to appeal to a younger shopper.

The account is worth considerably less than what Aquascutum had originally announced as a 6m budget. However, it spent only 500,000 on advertising in 1994 and 342,000 in 1995.

The shortlist, consisting of Leagas Delaney, Cowan Kemsley Taylor, Young & Rubicam and Delaney Fletcher Bozell, has been whittled down to Y&R and CKT in recent weeks.

Visibility and marketing manager Nick Cheeseman says the pitches were yet to be taken to the Aquascutum board. However, he was adamant a final decision has not yet been made.

Aquascutum has not appointed an advertising agency since it split from Collett Dickenson Pearce in November 1994, when creative work was taken in-house.

The retailer is planning to refurbish its stores to portray a younger image. Its clothing ranges are also being revamped to attract younger customers to the Aquascutum label.

Aquascutum’s interests in the Far East are also being boosted through markets in India, Thailand, China and Korea.