Mother agency poised to pick up ITV Sport

ONdigital is tipped to appoint Mother to handle the advertising for the launch of its new digital channel ITV Sport.

The agency is understood to have pitched against Leagas Delaney and BMP DDB.

The news follows speculation that BMP DDB is losing its grip on ONdigital’s &£27m advertising business, as ONdigital’s marketing dir-ector Jeremy Dale has reportedly been talking to other agencies about the company’s rebranding as ITV Digital this summer.

ONdigital has refused to comment on whether its business is up for review, or if it will hand the business to a new agency.

Insiders say ever since ONdigital’s shareholders – Carlton Communications and Granada – announced the digital terrestrial pay-TV platform was to rebrand, the company has been looking at its existing supplier base.

ITV Sport is a new pay-TV channel which will broadcast through ITV Digital. It will show games from the UEFA Champions League, Nationwide League and the Worthington Cup.

Last month ONdigital appointed Naked, the communications strategy agency, to advise it on media strategy and communications.

No one from Mother was available for comment.

A spokesman for ONdigital denies the appointment.

He says: “We have had all the pitches and are getting towards a point of final decision.”