BDH scoops 12m Nissan retail account

Nissan Europe has appointed BDH/TBWA to handle a £12m pan-European brief for the dealership network.

The Manchester-based agency will be responsible for running the car-maker’s retail marketing operations and for producing integrated retail campaigns for dealerships across 18 countries.

The agency will also work in each individual market to launch a new pan-European strategy called the “Nissan Retail Marketing Way”.

BDH/TBWA has held Nissan’s UK retail business since 2001 and supports 220 dealerships through the country. It won the account after the Paris-based car-maker carried out a six-month evaluation of agencies across Europe.

Darren Cox, head of brand promotion at Nissan Europe, says: “Although BDH/TBWA has worked with Nissan GB for several years, this pitch was started from scratch and we considered many options.”

BDH/TBWA chief executive Robert Harwood-Matthews says the account will be run through the agency’s retail marketing department in Manchester, which will be responsible for local press, radio, direct marketing and point-of-sale work.