Starcom picks up £4m Barclaycard

Barclaycard has moved its £4.2m media planning and buying account out of OMD UK to Starcom Motive, without a formal pitch.

The move has consolidated the entire Barclays Bank account into Starcom Motive, which was handed the bank’s £15m media account two years ago (MW July 5, 2001). At the time, the selection was the group marketing director Simon Gulliford’s first high-profile decision. The appointment was followed by the agency being awarded the Woolwich account (MW June 20, 2002).

Barclays brand strategy director Caitlin Thomas says the appointment of a single media agency for both Barclays and Barclaycard will lead to cost savings and enable more integration of the group’s activity. In March 2002, the bank consolidated the rest of its media business into Starcom Motive.

Barclaycard is in discussions with the FA Premier League about continuing its sponsorship of the Premiership, which expires next summer after three years. Barclaycard also has the global rights outside the UK to market Manchester United-branded credit cards.

In October last year it launched a national television campaign created by BMP DDB showing someone trying to buy the Mona Lisa, to highlight its rates and price promise.

In May, Barclaycard began to offer zero per cent for the life of a transfer from other cards, as long as the card was used once a month, compared with the standard zero per cent for six months of its rivals.