Grand Union wins £3m Video Networks contract

Video Networks has appointed Grand Union to its &£3m integrated marketing account in preparation for the relaunch of its video-on-demand and internet services under the HomeChoice brand next year.

The agency pitched against EHS Brann, Claydon Heeley Jones Mason, Harrison Troughton Wunderman, 23red and Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel to win the account. The pitch was overseen by former NTL marketing chief Jeremy Davies, who has been acting as a consultant for the company until it finds a new marketing director (MW July 24).

Davies says: “We were looking for a highly integrated agency that could act as a virtual marketing department until the relaunch next year. Grand Union demonstrated that it has that capability in spades.”

Grand Union will be expected to set up systems to manage the customer database, build a customer website, develop a brand positioning and create and execute a customer acquisition strategy, primarily using direct mail.

DFGW handled the original launch of HomeChoice under its then marketing director Mark Springett, who left Video Networks last year following a major restructure, along with more than 400 other staff (MW September 19, 2002).

US investment company Digital Explosion has since invested heavily in Video Networks in return for a controlling stake in the company. HomeChoice has fewer than 10,000 subscribers in the London region.