Liverpool Culture Council to appoint ad agency for 2006

Liverpool Culture Company (LCC), which is overseeing the city’s role as European Capital of Culture 2008, is in the process of appointing an advertising agency for a campaign next year.

The organisation says that the campaign is one of many that it will be running as 2008 approaches and will promote Liverpool as a tourist destination.

A spokesman says that there has been a creative pitch for the business, which will involve national and international work, and that an appointment will be made soon.

He stresses that the contract is for a specific tourism campaign rather than overall City of Culture activity. The LCC has its own creative teams that have worked on other campaigns in the past and ad hoc agency appointments will be made where necessary, he explains

The crowning of Liverpool as European City of Culture 2008 is expected to result in an overall windfall of about &£2bn for the city, much of which is expected to be spent on initiatives to dispel negative assumptions people hold about it.

Last year, LCC unveiled its 2008 logo, which will be used on all advertising and marketing materials. It was created by local agency Finch and Bartle Bogle Hegarty (MW September 6, 2004).

A number of companies have also been signed up as official partners to the 2008 celebrations, and they are expected to contribute about &£2m each.