Bates secures 13m Hyundai task despite conflict with 100m Seat

Bates Europe will be hired to create an estimated 13m pan-European account for Hyundai, despite picking up the 100m pan-European account for rival Seat Cars.

A spokesman for the Korean car company’s European operations says: “We are reading the situation closely. We have discussed it with Bates Europe and it will find a solution to this problem.

“We are thinking of Bates and will make a plan for the pan-European campaign.”

He says a formal decision will be made within two weeks. But it seems clear that Bates’ decision to create a separate business unit in London to handle Hyundai and avoid conflict with Seat will be enough to satisfy the Korean company.

The campaign will stress that Hyundai manufactures more than just cars and does not affect Hyundai’s relationship in the UK with Leagas Delaney.

The Volkswagen-owned Spanish car maker Seat handed its 100m pan-European account to Bates Worldwide last week, following a seven-month pitch.

The pitch was delayed by internal wrangling at VW. The addition of the DDB-owned Griffin Bacall to the final shortlist, which also included the FCB/Wilkens network and Casadevall Pedreño, is being seen as a concession to Germany, because DDB handles VW globally.

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