Four vie for £42m Argos and Homebase account
Argos Retail Group is reviewing its media buying and planning accounts for its Argos and Homebase brands with a view to consolidating the business into one agency. Together the accounts are worth &£42.4m
MindShare, the incumbent on the &£21.4m Argos account, PHD, the incumbent on Homebase’s &£21m account, Carat and MediaCom are pitching.
Marketing Week was the first to report that Argos Retail Group was considering consolidating the two accounts after its parent company GUS bought the Homebase DIY chain in a &£900m deal in November last year (MW March 27). At the time of the acquisition, a Homebase spokesman said that the deal would result in combined annual savings of &£20m over three years. A combined media buying and planning operation could contribute to this saving.
The review will be overseen by Paul Geddes, marketing director for Argos, and Andrea Preducov, head of brand marketing for Homebase. It will be one of Preducov’s last tasks before leaving the company later this year (MW May 1).
It is thought that ARG Equation, the catalogue business that includes Kays and Abound, will not be included in the review. Universal McCann Manchester handles its &£10m media account.
Homebase reviewed its advertising account last year just before it was bought, adding Lowe to the roster alongside incumbent Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO.
