OMD tipped to pick up 56m Boots task from MediaCom

Boots is tipped to appoint OMD to its £56m media planning and buying business, following a pitch against the incumbent MediaCom and Starcom.

MediaCom, which has lost the business after five years, is understood to be getting ready to pitch for the £80m Tesco media planning and buying account. Tesco’s media business is currently handled by the beleaguered Initiative, and sources suggest the agency has been put on notice by the client.

WPP-owned MediaCom has held the Boots account since 2003 and has since extended its relationship to include strategic planning, previously handled by Naked.

Boots called a pitch of its media business in July following a new commercial structure and the announcement that it was splitting its marketing team into three with the creation of new heads for loyalty and customer communications, in-store marketing and CRM.

The realignment of its marketing and trading teams brought the two divisions together under a new commercial function that aimed to help fulfil its ambition to become a “world class pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer” (MW.co.uk July 21).

All marketing heads report to marketing director Elizabeth Fagan, who at the time said the changes would be the driving force behind product and brand development and would put customer relations at the core of Boots’ marketing strategy.

Fagan’s role has since been enhanced to marketing and trading director, extending her remit to supervision of the brand’s commercial operations. She works alongside Ian Filby, who was appointed retail brand development director.