Walsh Trott scoops 6m Sunday Express account

The Sunday Express has appointed Walsh Trott Chick Smith to handle its 6m creative account.

Walsh Trott was a late entrant on the pitch list. It is understood to have beaten HHCL & Partners, Abbott Mead Vickers. BBDO, Lowe Howard-Spink and D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles to the business. Incumbent Leo Burnett did not pitch.

The appointment was made by the Sunday Express’ new editor Sue Douglas and Express Newspapers’ managing director Andrew Cameron.

The newspaper is believed to be headhunting a candidate for a senior marketing role (MW March 29). At present, the circulation and marketing director is Don Grey.

Douglas has successfully argued for the title’s advertising budget to be increased from 1m last year to 6m. This follows the stabilisation of the title’s sales since she took over. In March, the title sold an average of 1.2 million issues a week.

Walsh Trott has yet to be briefed on which creative strategy the newspaper wants to follow, but it is understood that plans to turn the title into a broadsheet have been abandoned.

Since her appointment in December, Douglas has brought in 17 new journalists from The Sunday Times and The Times and has redesigned the title’s masthead.