Starcom to handle 70m Tele2 pan-European media account

Tele2, the Swedish telecoms company, has appointed Starcom to handle its €100m (£70m) pan-European media planning and buying account.

The agency beat Carat in a final pitch. OMD, Universal McCann and Group M were involved at an earlier stage.

The review, which was called in July (MW July 19), was overseen by executive vice-president of sales and marketing Anders Olsson. It is not known whether there was an incumbent agency on the pan-European account.

Tele2 launched in the UK in 2003 and has worked with BLM Media after the agency won the business at the start of 2004 following a pitch against Carat, MindShare and ZenithOptimedia.

Beechwood was appointed to handle the company’s integrated UK advertising account at the end of 2005 (MW November 17, 2005).

It is thought the agency has produced outdoor and press ads, as well as direct marketing campaigns. Tele2 had previously run a high-profile advertising campaign in the UK comparing its prices with BT’s.

Tele2 has been offloading its investments in fixed-line services across Europe, which it says are in structural decline. It sold its French fixed and broadband business to SFR at the end of last year and Vodafone bought its Italian and Spanish operations in October.

The deal will allow Vodafone to offer broadband in the two countries. Tele2 Italy has more than 2.6 million customers and Tele2 Spain has 550,000 customers – 240,000 of which are broadband subscribers..