Seven compete for £25m Woolworths ad account

Woolworths is to review its &£25m advertising account, spelling the end for the Paul Kaye-fronted campaign created by incumbent agency Bates UK.

Earlier this month Marketing Week revealed that Woolworths was reviewing its advertising strategy for the important Easter trading period and was planning to drop the foul-mouthed comedian (MW January 16).

Woolworths has already invited seven advertising agencies to pitch for the account. These are thought to include Bates UK, Delaney Lund Knox Warren, Bartle Bogle Hegarty, TBWA/London, McCann-Erickson, Leo Burnett and WCRS.

The pitch is expected to take a month. It is being managed internally by marketing director Octavia Morley and head of brand communications Mark Trinder. The review will not affect Zenith’s media planning and buying account.Morley says: “We need to refresh our brand identity in the year ahead and reinvigorate it in the eyes of customers.”

Any new campaign is likely to focus around children and celebrations, which are identified by Woolworths as the main force behind sales of its key products CDs, sweets, children’s clothing, toys and homeware.

The existing campaign was launched last year in response to criticism from the group’s chairman Gerald Corbett that its Christmas 2001 campaign featured too many celebrities and not enough products, and that it failed to increase sales.

The subsequent Paul Kaye campaign retained the “Well worth it” slogan, which has been used by the store for about five years, and introduced a large red “W” in the background, which provided a link to press ads.

Woolworths’ latest trading statement showed that underlying sales for the 23 weeks to January were up 1.2 per cent for the group.