WWAV secures 5m Sony Handycam brief

WWAV Rapp Collins has won a £5m pan-European above-the-line advertising project for Sony Handycam following a three-way pitch.

WWAV, which handles Sony’s promotional account across Europe, is understood to have secured the business earlier this year. The agency has created a press and outdoor campaign that will run in about 16 European markets. It is not clear whether the incumbent on Sony’s pan-European advertising business Fallon was involved in the pitch.

Fallon created a campaign for the Handycam brand last year that used real-life footage of people celebrating at birthday parties across three continents. The campaign featured the strapline “Easy to shoot. Hard to forget”.

A Fallon spokesman confirms WWAV has created the latest campaign, saying the agency was “better placed” for this project. He adds that Fallon will continue to work on the Handycam brand.

Fallon is behind Sony’s award-winning “Balls” campaign for its LCD Bravia televisions. The Sony marketer responsible for commissioning the Fallon work, senior vice-president of communications David Patton, is joining Grey London as its new chief executive (MW May 10). Patton is expected to take up his new role later this year.

Sony also appointed 180 Amsterdam to handle a global branding project across its entire business at the end of last year, following a pitch against Fallon London and one other agency.