McCann scoops £8m Totalserve

McCann-Erickson UK’s Manchester office has won the £8m launch account for Powernet Telecom’s consumer Internet product Totalserve.

McCann-Erickson UK’s Manchester office has won the &£8m launch account for Powernet Telecom’s consumer Internet product Totalserve.

Powernet, the Manchester-based telecoms and Internet service provider (ISP), is one of four UK companies – the others are BT, Cable & Wireless and NTL – with a national infrastructure. It plans to make Net access as reliable as using the telephone.

“When you pick up a phone and dial a number you know it’s going to work. Our vision is straightforward. We want to bring that level of reliability to the Net dial-up market,” says Powernet chief executive Ian Carey.

McCann was appointed by Powernet marketing manager Shaun Charity after pitching against four Northern agencies: Poulter Partners, GCP, Huet and Cahoots.

The agency will create a national TV, radio and press campaign – to launch in March. Media buying will be handled by Universal McCann.

A corporate campaign will target businesses that can use the Powernet infrastructure to operate as virtual ISPs.

Powernet’s value has soared from &£2m to &£300m this year. It has accumulated a claimed &£84m from private investors to invest in its systems.

The company plans to float on the London Stock Exchange in the next 18 months.