ASDA reappoints Carat to £40m media after review

Asda has reappointed Carat to handle its £40m media planning and buying business after a “closed review” of the account. It has also retained Publicis for its creative account.

Asda has reappointed Carat to handle its &£40m media planning and buying business after a “closed review” of the account. It has also retained Publicis for its creative account.

It is understood that senior marketers at the Leeds-based supermarket met with both roster and non-roster agencies (MW May 18).

An Asda spokesman says: “We conducted a review with all of our consultancies, something that we do every year to ensure that we are getting the best value for money.”

Publicis will continue to work on the creative account, which it has held for about 17 years. It has recently developed Asda’s “More for you for less” advertising strategy.

As part of the review, Carat has also added a &£2m chunk of online branding work to its account. Asda is seeking to strengthen its corporate presence online and has asked the agency to help develop the strategy.

Asda marketing manager David Martin says that the agency will also help to extend Asda’s in-store presence into its online work.

Richard Sexton, group communications director at Carat, says: “We are delighted to continue our 12-year relationship with Asda and look forward to taking it to the next level.”

Brilliant Media handles Asda’s &£12m regional and local media business (MW August 4, 2005). The supermarket is currently seeking a marketing director following the departure last month of Richard Hodgson, who quit to join rival Waitrose as buying director. Director of retail marketing Katherine Patterson is currently handling Hodgson’s responsibilities.