Sekonda brief reverts to CDD less than three months after TBWA win

Time Products UK has moved the &£1.5m advertising account for its Sekonda watch brand out of TBWA/London, less than four months after the agency won the business. It has returned the brief to its previous agency, Campbell Doyle Dye (CDD).

The business was moved in June, following a competitive pitch between TBWA, CDD and a number of unnamed agencies. It is not clear why the business has reverted to CDD. No one from Sekonda was available for comment as Marketing Week went to press.

The June review was thought to be part of a move to revamp Sekonda following an overall brand assessment by Time Products managing director David Merriman. Merriman joined the company in November 2003 from Richemont Group, following the departure of Justin Pollock (MW October 23, 2003).

Pollock appointed CDD to the Sekonda account in March 2003, without a pitch. The agency had originally been brought in to handle the more upmarket XS brand.

Sekonda was famous in the Eighties for its “Beware of Expensive Imitations” advertising campaign, which was created by Gold Greenless Trott. The account was later moved into M&C Saatchi.

It is understood that the decision to move the business does not affect Sekonda’s media agencies, Rocket and PHD.