NS&I 3.7m creative, media and direct marketing roster

National Savings & Investments (NS&I) is reviewing its creative, media and direct marketing agencies as part of a five-year statutory review. The total advertising account is worth 3.72m. The pitch is being overseen by NS&I head of communications Tim Mack.

The Treasury-backed Government agency uses EHS Brann for direct marketing and OMD UK for media planning and buying. Citigate Lloyd Northover handles branding for NS&I. It does not use the COI Communications’ agency roster.

BMP DDB was handling a brand-building campaign, but the two parted company a year ago because, according to a spokesman for the agency, NS&I was not spending enough.

An NS&I spokesman says: “Most of our contracts run for five years, and a number of marketing services contracts come to an end in March next year.”

NS&I uses press and magazine advertising, with some poster work. In addition, it has a sponsorship deal with Classic FM, which runs until March 2003. The spokesman says: “We can’t guarantee the budget

for TV – but it may be possible.”

Until February, NS&I was known as National Savings, but added “Investments” in an attempt to broaden its image beyond the “grey market” and appeal to younger investors (MW February 14). It is best known for Premium Bonds, which give holders entry to lottery-style monthly draws, with a minimum prize of 50. Premium Bonds have benefited enormously from the launch of the National Lottery in 1994 – since then, investment in them has leapt from 4bn to 17bn.