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Sony has shortlisted J Walter Thompson, Saatchi & Saatchi, Young & Rubicam and the BBDO and DDB networks to pitch for its 50m European account.

Sony has shortlisted J Walter Thompson, Saatchi & Saatchi, Young & Rubicam and the BBDO and DDB networks to pitch for its 50m European account.

The European Central Bank is believed to have invited nine agencies, including Publicis in London and EURO RSCG, Young & Rubicam and Grey Advertising in Germany, to pitch for a global advertising campaign to launch euro bank notes. The project is understood to be worth up to $50m (31m).

WWAV Rapp Collins has appointed marketing consultant Kate Marber to the new position of commercial director, which includes responsibility for new business and internal communications.

Publicis’ direct marketing arm, Publicis Dialogue, has been hired by Asda to help launch the George school clothing mail-order catalogue.

LEA Events, the marketing consultancy, has been appointed to handle marketing and PR for Richard Branson’s rugby league club, the London Broncos.

Interbrand Newell & Sorrell has appointed Penny Harris, former head of innovation at First Direct, as head of brand development.

The London Fire & Civil Defence Authority has put its London-wide fire safety advertising account out to tender. The business is worth 1.5m over three years.

The Leith Agency has launched its first campaign for Atlantic Telecom. Three TV ads run across Scotland, supported by press and radio until June. Each humorous ad portrays a benefit of being an Atlantic customer – such as a second phone line as standard.

Promotional Campaigns Group (Manchester) has won the 49’s betting game account.

Tullo Marshall Warren has created a direct marketing campaign for BTCellnet’s new product, Onephone, to tie-in with a TV, press and new media launch campaign.

Grey has hired Mark Collis as creative director of its Silver Grey division. The agency denies he will work as number two to creative director Tim Mellors…

…Grey Advertising in the US has blamed the loss of clients such as Barilla and Kraft for its first quarter results, when net income fell 98 per cent to $107,000 (66,875) from $5.03m (3.1m) in the same period in 1998.

Timex UK, the watch company, is reviewing its 500,000 ad account, held by McCann-Erickson. Fallon McElligott is expected to win the business.