5m Nintendo for Austin West

Austin West Media has won the 5m UK media planning and buying account for Nintendo.

THE Games, the UK distributor for Nintendo, has handed the account to Austin West following last month’s split with Leo Burnett.

No other agencies pitched for the business as Austin West was appointed on the strength of previous work for the home entertainment giant. The agency worked with Nintendo on an ad hoc basis prior to Burnett’s appointment about a year ago.

Nintendo will not be appointing a creative agency to replace Burnett, which still has the account in the US.

Instead, creative work will be commissioned on a freelance basis with some advertisements adapted for the UK from other markets throughout the world.

According to Register-MEAL figures, Nintendo spent about 1.5m on advertising through Burnett in the 12 months to March 1997.

The main focus for Nintendo is the run-up to Christmas and THE Games spokesman Alex Fitzgibbons says the media spend will increase significantly to support activity during that period.