Initiative wins 60m CK Cosmetics Euro account

Calvin Klein Cosmetics has appointed Initiative Media to handle its 60m centralised pan-European media buying account.

Initiative previously handled all TV buying across Europe and CIA Medianetwork bought all other media for the Unilever-owned fragrances and cosmetics business.

The two incumbent networks competed for the “winner-takes-all” account after a pitch was called in September.

Former Calvin Klein Cosmetics UK managing director Shelley Smyth was promoted to become the company’s first vice-president marketing and sales development for Europe in October.

Smyth ran the pitch alongside senior vice-president/general manager Europe Lynne Bonson.

A spokesman says: “The company feels that consolidating all media into one agency will create a more coherent approach.”

It will continue to work with Initiative offices in each country as well as the pan-European office in London.

The loss of the prestigious Calvin Klein account will come as a blow to CIA, which has suffered a run of account losses – including BT’s 110m TV buying account – and redundancies in recent months.

Six directors and other staff lost their jobs on October 30 (MW October 22), and former chief executive Mike Elms moved to a international client development role (MW October 15).

Calvin Klein Cosmetics brands include unisex fragrances CK one and CK be, Eternity, and Escape.

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