RHM drops AMV and Grey from £15m roster
Ranks Hovis McDougall (RHM) is breaking links with two agencies in the middle of a major review of its &£15m advertising account designed to slash its roster.
Grey Advertising’s Red Grey division will relinquish the &£5.2m account for Mr Kipling’s cakes at the end of the year.
A RHM spokeswoman says Grey has pulled out for “various reasons, including potential conflicts of interest”.
RHM is also parting company with Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO, which will relinquish the Robertson’s brand at the end of the month. No decision has been made about finding a successor.
The Advertising Brasserie will continue to work on the Paxo account on a project-only basis.
RHM has invited roster agencies Saatchi & Saatchi, TBWA GGT Simons Palmer and D’Arcy to pitch for Mr Kipling.
Saatchi handles the &£2.4m Bisto business, TBWA works on Sharwood’s, also worth about &£2.4m, while D’Arcy holds the &£5m Hovis account.
The three agencies will continue to come under the spotlight as part of a review of RHM’s business by Agency Insight. It is expected to be completed by the spring.
The RHM spokeswoman adds: “There could be further rationalisation, so it has not been decided whether all three agencies will remain on the roster.”
BBJ Media Services, which handles all media planning and buying, remains unaffected.
