MG OMD wins 75m anti-obesity brief

The Department of Health has handed Manning Gottlieb OMD the communications planning role for its £75m anti-obesity initiative following a pitch against Carat, Mediaedge:cia and Naked.

The pitch for the advertising is expected to be completed in the next week. Abbot Mead Vickers.BBDO, M&C Saatchi, Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest and Wieden & Kennedy are battling it out for the account.

The anti-obesity campaign forms part of the Government’s Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives strategy. The pitch is being carried out by COI and is being overseen by former Boots marketer Andrew Brent, who was recently drafted by DoH (MW April 24).

A decision on the direct marketing portion of the account is also due, with Partners Andrews Aldridge, EHS Brann, Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel and Tullo Marshall Warren on the shortlist.

The win for MG OMD closely follows its appointment to the Food Standards Agency’s £4m communications planning account following a three-way shoot-out against the incumbent ZenithOptimedia and MediaCom.