WTCS takes Sainsbury’s task

Sainsbury’s Bank has appointed Walsh Trott Chick Smith (WTCS) to the £15m relaunch of its car insurance.

Sainsbury’s Bank has appointed Walsh Trott Chick Smith (WTCS) to the &£15m relaunch of its car insurance.

The appointment was overseen by Sainsbury’s Bank chief executive Tim Pile and marketing director Kate Nicholson. The pitch was handled by The Haystack Group (MW September 23).

WTCS pitched against St Luke’s and incumbent Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO (AMV). The bank says WTCS will work alongside AMV, but says that the appointment of the new agency does not affect AMV’s hold on the rest of the advertising business for Sainsbury’s Bank or parent brand Sainsbury’s.

However, it will be a disappointment for AMV, which is having to repitch for Homebase’s &£24m advertising (MW last week).

Sources close to the business have suggested the relaunched car insurance will be backed with a &£15m spend, but Sainsbury’s Bank claims it has yet to decide on marketing budgets.

Sainsbury’s Bank is a joint venture with Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS). Sainsbury’s Bank car insurance is sourced from Esure, which is a joint venture between insurance guru Peter Wood and HBOS.

Esure last year launched a sister brand, First Alternative, aimed at higher-risk drivers, which was extended to include First Alternative Woman this year.

Sainsbury’s Bank this week launched new credit cards offering zero per cent on purchases for the first 12 months and a choice of cash-back or Nectar points.