Publicis scoops 120m H-P task
Publicis has won the global creative account for Hewlett-Packard’s PC and server businesses, worth more than 120m ($200m), after a head-on pitch with Saatchi & Saatchi.
The appointment is a major blow to Saatchi, which held the account in the US and other markets throughout the world.
Publicis already held the European part of the account, which switched from Saatchi in May 1996. It is understood to be worth 20m.
Publicis’ recent acquisitions of US ad agencies, including Hal Riney & Partners and Evans Group, may have helped sway the decision.
The pitch did not include media, which is handled by Optimedia in Europe and Saatchi in the US. The media account may also be consolidated in the near future along with H-P’s other creative accounts, such as printers.
Jon Van Duyne, general manager for the consumer business products organisation in the UK, says: “At H-P there’s a trend towards consistent and effective advertising around the world.”
Using one agency or network on a global basis is common in the computer industry. Compaq consolidated its business in the DDB Needham network in June. In the same way, IBM has centralised its account at Ogilvy & Mather.
