TBG London lures insurance bosses to head new division

Full-service digital marketing agency TBG London has poached Budget
Insurance head of digital Scott Holmes to spearhead its launch of a
dedicated insurance division.

Holmes will lead TBG London’s new insurance arm alongside former Budget
head of sea…

Full-service digital marketing agency TBG London has poached Budget Insurance head of digital Scott Holmes to spearhead its launch of a dedicated insurance division.

Holmes will lead TBG London’s new insurance arm alongside former Budget head of search Simon Wardropper. Holmes had previously operated an internal digital marketing agency at Budget, whose brands also include Bennett’s Bike Insurance.

The insurance division launches with about £3m-worth of business from Group Direct and Yes Insurance. The full-service digital agency will handle all media planning and buying, creative and digital marketing strategy for Yes Insurance and the Group Direct business – which owns the eCar, eVan, eBike and eTravel online brands.

TBG London managing director Simon Mansell says: "TBG is winning more and more business in the financial sector. To have Holmes and Wardropper from Budget Insurance as founding members of this new division is a real coup for us and our new clients. They both have an in-depth understanding of the market and can apply the skills and therefore emulate the success they both achieved at Budget."

TBG provides creative, strategy, media planning and technology services. The agency, founded by Mansell in 2001, has billings of over £6.5m, with clients including American Express, Dating Direct, Littlewoods and Ocean Finance. Last year, it ran the first TV-style ads on MyKindaTV, an online TV channel. (MW September 14, 2006)