MediaVest wins £10m Net brief

MediaVest has scooped the £10m media planning and buying account for the launch of online entertainment network Switch2.net.

MediaVest has scooped the &£10m media planning and buying account for the launch of online entertainment network Switch2.net.

This is the second new business win this month for the media agency, coming on the back of the centralised Tetley’s win, but following the loss of the Mars business in September.

MediaVest beat competition from Booth Lockett Makin to secure the main Switch2.net account, although BLM is tipped to win a special project from the online broadcaster. A decision will be made on the choice of advertising agency – between HHCL & Partners and Fallon McElligott – in the next few weeks.

Edison Interactive Group, the digital broadcast company behind Switch2.net, will launch the service in the early part of 2000.

It will offer consumers a mixture of online programmes, radio stations, information, entertainment news and reviews.

Edison Interactive head of broadcast David Wardlaw says: “We have a number of Switch2 channels to launch in the next six months and needed to get some talented players on board.”

Robert Ray, joint managing director at MediaVest, which led the pitch says: “The brief is challenging and we are able to fully exploit our integrated approach to on and offline media strategy.”

MediaVest’s team included planning director Daren Rubins, TV buying director David Jowett and head of new media Richard Townsend. They pitched to Will Sankey, joint managing director of Switch2.net’s media consultancy 86.

Sankey says: “Switch2.net is the ultimate new wave broadcaster. You can do things that censorship wouldn’t allow you to do on TV.”