BMP DDB scoops NatMags creative account for Best

The National Magazine Company (NatMags), which publishes Cosmopolitan and Esquire, has awarded its women’s weekly title Best’s creative account to BMP DDB in a two-way pitch against Bates UK.

BMP DDB has already created a radio ad for the magazine. NatMags does not use any other creative agency for its titles, and it is likely that BMP will pick up more business from the publisher in time.

NatMag’s media buying business was not part of the review and will continue to be handled by Initiative Media, which won the account in 1999. Its win followed a three-way pitch against Universal McCann and Media Planning.

Best was one of the titles acquired by NatMags in July last year, as part of the acquisition of the German publishing company, Gruner & Jahr UK. The acquisition of Best was NatMags’ first foray into the weekly women’s sector.

The deal – which took rival IPC Media by surprise as it had lined-up the titles to buy – brought the titles Prima, Your Home, Focus, Prima Baby and Best into NatMags’ portfolio.

The January to June 2001 Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) figures for Best posted a decline of 5.2 per cent year on year to a circulation of 432,252.

The publisher recently poached Justine Southall – launch publisher of Eve magazine at BBC Worldwide – as the publishing director for the Company, Best and She titles.

Southall has replaced Tim Lucas, who has been promoted to the newly created position of director of business development and ad marketing, overseeing all sales operations, as well as the external positioning of NatMags.

This month, NatMags is due to launch the teen spin-off of Cosmopolitan – CosmoGIRL!