Excite seeks agency for £40m pan-Euro business
US Internet portal Excite is looking for an agency to handle its full-service pan-European advertising account, worth up to &£40m.
Excite’s European advertising has been largely confined to the UK since it launched here three years ago. Its billings were worth &£10m in 1999.
But it is seeking to expand its service across Europe and is planning to quadruple its marketing spend.
Incumbent agency Henry Cole, which has tailored existing US campaigns for the UK and French markets, will work alongside the new agency. Branded Limited creates Excite’s US advertising.
An Excite spokeswoman declined to comment on how the account will be split between Henry Cole and the new agency. A decision is expected shortly.
Excite aims to float its European operation on the London or Frankfurt stock exchanges before the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Excite is teaming up with Procter & Gamble to develop a youth-oriented website to promote P&G goods to UK teenagers (MW January27).
The site, as yet unnamed, will provide community, chat and other interactive services alongside content secured through third-party deals. It will have an advertising budget of several million pounds.
