DMB&B wins Avon account

DMB&B has won the 2m UK Avon account as a result of a 39m worldwide consolidation of creative and media advertising into the MacManus Group network.

In the UK, various creative agencies, including the O’Connell Partnership and HHCL & Partners, have worked on the creative work with Avon’s in-house unit in the past.

Last year Avon spent 2m on its first advertising campaign for four years, which updated its Avon Lady image with the “Dare to change your mind about Avon” ads.

The move also takes the UK media account out of Carat and into DMB&B’s media arm, MediaVest.

Avon chief executive Charles Perrin says: “We’ve made great progress in creating an outstanding portfolio of global brands which will comprise 70 per cent of total beauty sales by the year 2000.

“With the proven global experience of NW Ayer and DMB&B and their partner companies, we are enhancing Avon’s position as one of the world’s great consumer brands.”

Perrin says Avon intends to triple its global advertising spend over the next two years. In 1997, it spent 1.3 per cent of its 3bn worldwide turnover – a spend of 39m.

An Avon spokeswoman says transition to a single advertising network will take several months and marketing strategy has yet to be finalised.