Banks seek to pool 6m brief

The National Australian Bank Corp, owner of three UK bank brands, is to centralise its three media buying and planning accounts, worth 6m.

The centralisation covers media for the Yorkshire Bank, Clydesdale Bank and the Northern Bank in Northern Ireland. The NABC’s fourth brand, National Irish Bank in the Republic of Ireland, may also be included in the centralisation.

A shortlist has yet to be drawn up, according to sources close to NABC. Media for the Yorkshire Bank, worth 3m, is currently bought by Leeds-based Dixon Moutrie Silkstone. The Clydesdale Bank’s 2m media is handled by the Media Shop Scotland. The Northern Banks’ media is split between Belfast agency Creative Image and McCann-Erickson Belfast.

The move is designed to cut costs and is part of an overall review of marketing services which aims to unify the marketing operations of the banks.

The review is not intended to make media savings through volume deals as the advertising is bought in different regions. Market research, and other marketing functions, have been centralised into “customer segment” departments.

The Clydesdale Bank is without an agency. The Leith Agency resigned the account to handle rival Bank of Scotland.

Bruce Rose, general manager of NABC, says talk of a review is “currently premature”.