Express Newspapers begins review of 10m advertising

Express Newspapers has started the long-predicted review of its 10m creative advertising account (MW September 20).

The three incumbents – D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles and Walsh Trott Chick Smith, which share The Express and Express on Sunday accounts, and Leo Burnett which handles The Star – are joined by BMP DDB, Lowe Howard-Spink and Ogilvy & Mather. O&M lost The Sunday Times to Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe last month.

The pitches will take place at the end of January and a result is expected in February. The agencies have been briefed to concentrate on repositioning the newspapers and making an input on their marketing and promotions strategy. They have also been asked to submit proposals to communicate the benefits of the Saturday magazine and the seven-day sports coverage. Media, which is handled by IDK Media, is unaffected by the present review.

It is the first time the two brands, The Express and The Star, have been centralised into one agency, reflecting the cost-cutting efforts of Express Newspapers’ new management.