Carat bags eBay Christmas media work

EBay has appointed Carat to its media planning and buying account without a pitch. The Aegis-owned agency is already working on a pre-Christmas ad campaign for the online auction brand.

A spokesman for eBay confirms the appointment but says it covers a specific Christmas brief only, with the campaign to run online and in print. The relationship could become permanent over the long term. The appointment does affect eBay ‘s advertising agency, Albion.

EBay’s £7m media account was previously handled by PHD but they parted company, after eBay moved its £10m promotional spend into digital and other below-the-line channels in February.

PHD was appointed to the account in 2004 after a four-way pitch against Starcom, Mediaedge:cia and then incumbent Mediacom (MW June 3, 2004). The appointment came ahead of eBay’s first major offline advertising campaign in the UK. Albion was appointed in May last year (MW May 31, 2007).

EBay says there are no plans to review media planning and buying after the Christmas campaign. It is thought spend in 2009 will continue to be committed to digital and below-the-line activity.