Farm wins 5m Freesat account

Farm has won the 5m advertising account for Freesat, the free digital satellite service backed by the BBC and ITV. The agency is expected to devise a campaign ahead of a Christmas marketing push

Farm has won the £5m advertising account for Freesat, the free digital satellite service backed by the BBC and ITV. The agency is expected to devise a campaign ahead of a Christmas marketing push.

The agency won the business following a pitch against a number of undisclosed agencies. The review was through Creative Brief and overseen by Freesat brand marketing and communication, Will Abbott.

Freesat previously worked with Fallon, which created a print and poster campaign for the service’s launch in May. Media Planning Group handles media planning and buying for the service; Agency Republic produces digital advertising and Billington Cartmell was previously appointed to handle retail activation activity. The service is also reviewing its direct marketing account.

The joint venture has been planned for a number of years but launched only after being given the go-ahead by the BBC’s governing body BBC Trust last year.

Freesat project director Emma Scott, a former Freeview launch director, was appointed as the venture’s first managing director in October last year. Abbott, a former BSkyB marketer, was appointed last November with Richard Lindsay-Davis as commercial development director.

The service will offer more than 200 channels plus interactive services for a one-off payment. It will target both the 27% of the UK population who are currently out of Freeview coverage and consumers with HD-enabled TV sets looking for free-to-air high definition channels.