Bates lands £10m B&Q online brief
DIY chain B&Q has handed Bates UK a brief to revamp its online service, B&Q Direct, understood to be worth up to &£10m.
Bates, which already handles the company’s retail business, is believed to have beaten WCRS and BMP DDB to the account, which involves relaunching the existing site DIY.com.
The pitches were overseen by Stephen Robertson, the former marketing director of B&Q, who became managing director of parent company Kingfisher’s e-commerce division, e-Kingfisher earlier this year (MW June 22).
Robertson says: “We decided to look afresh at what we wanted to do, but having spoken to several agencies: Bates came out on top.”
The revamped site will have full e-commerce facilities, enabling customers to order goods online. The existing DIY.com is an information-only site. It is not clear whether the new site, which is scheduled for launch next spring, will be renamed.
The move is part of Kingfisher’s strategy to boost its e-tailing operations. The group, which also includes Woolworths, Superdrug, Comet and music chain MVC in the UK, has forecast that online sales will rise from &£40m a year to &£1.5bn by 2004.
Media buying for the business will remain at Zenith.
