Media Business nets 8m briefs

The Media Business Group has won the planning and buying for Morland, brewer of Old Speckled Hen, plus additional business from Direct Line Life. The work is worth a total of 8m.

The win comes as the agency moots spending up to 12m on a market research company, which was revealed this week when it declared a 65 per cent rise in pre-tax profits to 965,000 for the six months to October 31.

Direct Line Life, a joint venture between Scottish Widows and Direct Line, appointed The Media Business to launch its personal pension plan, using national newspapers and 48-sheet posters. Creative work is being produced by Lowe Howard-Spink. The agency already works on Direct Line’s financial services business, covering mortgages, savings and loans, and its insurance division covering home, motor and pet insurance.

David Porter, board account director at The Media Business, says: “The win means that The Media Business plans and buys on all Direct Line campaigns, giving us the opportunity to provide a broader planning perspective.”

Planning and buying for the Morland business will cover the newly-acquired Ruddles brands, as well as the cask ale Old Speckled Hen.

The creative work for this brand remains with Gloucester-based agency RPG Advertising.