Sharp picks W&K for global LCD TV launch

Sharp Electronics has appointed Wieden & Kennedy to work on a global launch of a range of LCD televisions aimed at the mass domestic market.

Sharp Electronics has appointed Wieden & Kennedy to work on a global launch of a range of LCD televisions aimed at the mass domestic market.

The agency is understood to be working with the Sharp’s American, European and Japanese marketing teams for the launch. Sharp spent &£2.5m on advertising in the UK last year.

It is understood that Sharp’s headquarters in Osaka is overseeing the project. The launch plans do not include the UK, although it is understood that the range, which aims to make LCD TVs, currently an expensive item, accessible to the family market, will be launched here later.

It is thought to be the first time that Sharp has used a global agency for a launch project. It is not known how much the account is worth but it is estimated to be a multi-million-pound launch. The project does not affect the brand’s relationship with its agency of record, Hakuhodo. It is also not thought to affect its relationship with its local UK agency, Manchester-based Angel Meadow. The Sharp brand has used limited advertising in the UK recently, and has mainly focused on promoting its TVs through print advertising.