Infiniti picks TBWA for 40m Euro account

Infiniti, Nissan’s luxury marque, has appointed Nissan incumbents TBWA and OMD to handle its £40m pan-European advertising and media planning and buying accounts ahead of its launch in Europe next year.

Infiniti has been in talks with several non-Nissan roster agencies (MW August 23) but has handed the accounts to TBWA and OMD without a formal pitch. The pan-European advertising will be run from TBWA’s Paris office.

Tullo Marshall Warren, which also works with Nissan, has won the direct marketing and digital accounts for Infiniti following a pitch against undisclosed agencies. The marque is also holding a pitch for its events and sponsorship business.

Infiniti Europe head of marketing communications Andreas Sigl says: “We looked at who was in the Nissan family as a starting point but it wasn’t a requirement to appoint those agencies. We kept the playing field level and looked to find the best agencies for our business.”

Sigl and Infiniti Europe marketing director Bastien Schupp oversaw the agency search. Schupp, who was previously general manager for brand and advertising at Nissan Europe, was handed the top marketing role at Infiniti Europe earlier this year (MW April 5).

Infiniti launched in the US in 1989 and sales increased by 88% between 1999 and 2005 to 136,401. The line-up includes luxury sports utility vehicles and executive saloons.

Infiniti will be going up against Toyota’s luxury marque Lexus, which has seen sales jump 60% across Europe in five years.