The Observer reviews £2m creative account

The Observer newspaper, which is experiencing a circulation resurgence, has called a review of its &£2m advertising account, currently with Ogilvy & Mather.

Guardian Newspapers marketing director Marc Sands says he wants to “strengthen the newspaper’s creative work”.

Ogilvy & Mather has held the &£2m account since July 1997, but has declined to re-pitch for the business.

Five agencies are pitching for the account. They are Mother, Fallon, Leagas Delaney, Deakin Blazey and BMP DDB.

Sands says: “The Observer is the success story of the Sunday papers, the fastest-growing Sunday broadsheet. It is hoped that by strengthening the creative work further the newspaper can capitalise even more on this growth.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the new creative work that agencies present to take the Observer to the next level.”

Earlier this year Sands chose BMP DDB for the &£3m Guardian account, including its websites, after calling a review when he started his job in May last year.

He said then that The Guardian had a “clear vision” but it had not been “translated particularly strongly for some time”.

The link up of The Guardian and BMP DDB meant the partnership that created the famous “skinhead” ad was together once again.

The Observer has an average net circulation of 454,462 for the six months to July.