BT hands APL special projects work

BT is understood to be hiring Ammirati Puris Lintas to work on special projects as part of its advertising review.

It is thought that the agency will be handed special assignments such as new product development, though BT refuses to confirm or deny the move. Sources say APL may be taken on as “agency of record”.

Hiring APL would be the latest twist in the long-running saga of BT’s ad review, originally revealed in Marketing Week (December 18 1997).

Last week, the telecoms giant delivered a blow to incumbent Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO by giving the business account which it had handled to M&C Saatchi. M&C pitched against APL, Partners BDDH and Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe for the business.

However, AMV chief executive Michael Baulk said it was “encouraging” to retain BT’s 60m consumer account. The agency had been expected to lose a larger slice of the business.

The result is still awaited on the youth account. Pitching agencies include HHCL & Partners, St Luke’s, Duckworth Finn Grubb Waters, Wieden & Kennedy and AMV.