Grey loses bulk of Nokia

Grey has lost the bulk of its Nokia business after failing to make it through to the final round of the Finnish handset manufacturer’s £175m global advertising pitch. JWT, Wieden & Kennedy and Mother will now compete for the account.

Grey could continue to act as the company’s network agency after making it through to the final three on what Nokia is calling the “network logistics” side of the business along with DDB and JWT. But JWT, W&K and Mother have been shortlisted to pitch for the creative and strategic portion of the account and the winner will be appointed as Nokia’s lead agency.

Nokia called the pitch in January in a bid to consolidate its roster. Grey had handled the account in Europe and the US, while Bates was the incumbent in Asia.

Bartle Bogle Hegarty is the only one of the six agencies shortlisted not to make it through to the shortlist for either part of the account. Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R was also part of WPP Group’s “Team Nokia” along with Grey and Bates.

It is thought that Grey and Bates would be Nokia’s network agencies in those regions where Mother and Wieden & Kennedy do not have a presence should one of them win the creative and strategic account.