Pickfords shortlists trio as part of ad business review

Pickfords, the moving and storage company, is reviewing its advertising business.

A Pickfords spokeswoman confirmed the review, but would not be drawn on which agencies are involved in the pitch. It is believed that six agencies were approached, with three making it onto the shortlist. A decision will be made by mid-June.

Raw Media, a full-service agency, is the incumbent on the account, but will not repitch for the business.

Pickfords, which until recently was part of relocation services provider Sirva UK, has been under financial pressure due to the slowdown in the UK housing market and the US credit crunch.

Reports at the beginning of the year claimed that up to 1,300 jobs would be at risk if it did not secure additional funding.

Pickfords’ US parent Sirva Inc – partly owned by Clayton and private equity firm Dubilier & Rice – filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February.

The following month, Sirva announced it had reached an agreement to sell Pickfords, the UK’s largest moving and storage business, and Allied Pickfords’ international moving business in the UK to a company managed by the Team Group, an international moving company.