Virgin Direct casts net for 7m task

Virgin Direct, the financial services arm of the Virgin Group, is reviewing creative arrangements for its 7m (Register-MEAL) advertising account.

“Other financial services companies are catching up on the style of our ads,” says Martin Campbell, product development manager at Virgin Direct. “It would be nice to get new blood on upcoming projects on the creative side.”

Financial advertising and PR specialist Consolidated Communications will maintain its lead role in co-ordinating Virgin Direct’s advertising effort, he says. Media buying across Virgin Direct’s product range will also remain with incumbent Manning Gottlieb Media. Ammirati Puris Lintas created the last TV work for the company.

But marketing director Tony Wood is thought to have lined up visits to several mainstream advertising agencies. Virgin Direct has not ruled out selecting more than one creative agency to work alongside Consolidated on future campaigns. “There’s no reason to stick with one agency,” says Campbell.

Virgin Direct currently spends over 7m on advertising its personal equity plans, life assurance and direct pensions products.