Tenneco seeks ad agency to handle £6m Monroe shock absorbers brief

Tenneco Automotive is reviewing its &£6m pan-European advertising account for its Monroe shock absorbers, held by J Walter Thompson.

The company is already in talks with Edinburgh-based Leith Agency and the incumbent, but is also preparing to meet other agencies over the coming weeks. At least two agencies have declined the invitation to pitch.

The review should by completed by late November or early December.

The work will cover Europe and the Middle East, and television ads are expected to be shown in short bursts during the winter and early spring – the peak season for shock absorber sales, according to a company spokeswoman.

The company has no plans to review its media buying, held by MindShare.

Tenneco Automotive is one of the largest manufacturers of vehicle control and emission control products in the world. Based in Illinois in the US, it was created following its strategic separation from the Tenneco packaging business in 1999.

The current global economic slowdown is hitting the company, with second quarter results for 2001 showing a net income of $10m (&£7m) on the back of $925m (&£652m) revenue in the quarter. This compares with $15m (&£10.6m) net revenue on the back of $942m (&£664.6m) revenue for the same period in 2000.