Saatchi scoops H-P global push

Saatchi & Saatchi and Goodby Silverstein & Partners in the US have been appointed to handle Hewlett-Packard’s first global branding campaign, worth $100m (&£64m).

San Franciscan agency Goodby Silverstein will handle the creative and strategic work, while Saatchi’s US operation will be responsible for international markets and media. Both are on the H-P roster.

The company says it will continue to work with its other roster agencies, including Hal Riney & Partners, which handles PC advertising.

The worldwide ad blitz will be the computer giant’s first pure branding drive; previous advertising has focused on H-P’s range of products, such as printers and e-services.

The company is in the process of spinning off an $8bn (&£5.1bn) start-up business, Agilent Technologies, which it aims to float later this year. This will handle all H-P’s test and measurement products. It is understood the branding push will promote H-P’s core services in the wake of the Agilent breakaway. But advertising strategy has yet to be finalised.

H-P, the world’s second biggest computer supplier behind IBM, recently came under fire after awarding new chief executive Carly Fiorina a $90m (&£57.7m) pay package. The company has defended the deal, which comprises $80m (&£51.3m) in options and restricted stock over the next five years, as well as a $3m (&£1.9m) signing-on fee, $1m (&£640,000) annual salary and a bonus of up to $3.75m (&£2.4m). She joined from Lucent Technologies.