Dixons pulls 20m ads out of NI

Dixons Stores Group has pulled all advertising from News International titles following a dispute over rates.

DSG, which comprises Dixons, Currys, PC World and The Link, is NI’s biggest advertiser. NI claims the business is worth 20m a year but sources suggest the figure is significantly higher. No DSG ads have been carried by The Sun, The Times, The Sunday Times or the News of the World for over a week.

News Group Newspapers advertising director Richard Webb says: “This is a matter between News International and the Dixons Stores Group.” He refuses to comment further. No one from DSG was available for comment.

In spite of the size of DSG’s spend, it is possible that NI will not back down. No advertising from Peugeot-Citroë has been carried since the end of May because of a similar argument over contract renegotiation.

DSG’s media planning and buying is handled by The Media Centre, which has a division dedicated to the 90m account, 80 per cent of which is spent on press.