Potter Dow lands £3.2m DCF business

Direct Car Finance (DCF) has appointed Potter Dow to handle its &£3.2m through-the-line business, following the resignation of Red Cell in April (MW April 4).

DCF, which trades under the name Approved Car Finance, did not hold a formal pitch, but instead recruited independent marketing consultants to trawl agencies for ideas. Red Cell held the account for only four months and apparently split from the company, citing creative differences.

At the same time, DCF parted company with media buying and planning agency MindShare, which, along with Red Cell, is part of the WPP Group. Media agency Brilliant was reappointed to handle the buying and planning business, having lost out to MindShare. Leeds-based Brilliant was first appointed to DCF’s media account in June 2001.

Both Red Cell and MindShare had been appointed by Pat Farrell, who was group marketing director at DCF for four months before he resigned in April to join Ford as global head of consumer insight (MW April 18).

DCF offers vehicle loans to people with poor credit history. In July, it was bought by motor finance company Auto Credit Trust for about &£10m. Auto Credit Trust chairman Roger Gewolb was appointed executive chairman of DCF in October.