B’lowfish stung as Charcol hires Masius for £5m task

John Charcol, the Bradford & Bingley-owned mortgage broker, has pulled its £5m advertising account out of B’lowfish and handed it back to Masius after only six months.

By

John Charcol, the Bradford & Bingley-owned mortgage broker, has pulled its &£5m advertising account out of B’lowfish and handed it back to Masius after only six months.

Masius (formerly DMB&B Financial) had held the business for 11 years but lost it earlier in the year without a pitch (MW January 20) only six weeks after being reappointed when it beat Joshua, Team Saatchi and B’lowfish.

It is understood Charcol chief executive Keith Scott made the decision to hand the business to B’lowfish, having previously worked with the agency. Scott has now quit in the wake of the &£100m takeover by Bradford & Bingley and it is understood the building society’s flotation plans fuelled the decision to reappoint Masius.

B’lowfish managing partner Chris Pearce says: “After developing successful ads for Charcolonline, we are hugely disappointed and a little confused by the decision, but good luck to the new agency.”

Masius refused to comment on the move, and no one at Charcol was available for comment as Marketing Week went to press.

Last month, Charcol pulled a B’lowfish press ad which featured a glum traveller and the caption “Charcolonline could have saved me &£165 a month on my mortgage. Bugger, bugger, bugger”, even though the Advertising Standards Authority rejected 28 complaints over use of the word “bugger”.

Recommended

IT plays crucial supporting role

Marketing Week

I agree with Steve Hemsley that it is difficult to find a balance between IT and marketing skills in an employee (“Good skill hunting”, MW July 6). The skills and personality profile of a “good” marketing person and a “good” IT expert are different and to some extent conflicting. A good marketing department should consist […]

Banks Hoggins lands £10m task to develop Hays Personnel brand

Marketing Week

Support Services company Hays has appointed Banks Hoggins O’Shea/ FCB to handle its £10m advertising business for its recruitment arm Hays Personnel. The agency will manage all Hays’ recruitment advertising. It has also been briefed to develop the Hays brand into a recognised recruitment company and develop its online brand, which will be launched by […]

Coutts boosts team with top appointments

Marketing Week

Coutts, the Royal Bank of Scotland-owned operation whose clients include the Queen, has strengthened its marketing department with the promotion of two senior executives. Caroline Moss and David Middleton replace former group marketing director Paul Feaney, who quit late last year to head NatWest’s investment arm, just before RBS bought NatWest and, with it, Coutts. […]

Latest from Marketing Week