Identity and Passport Service seeks agency for ad brief

The Identity and Passport Service is reviewing its advertising arrangements. The service, an executive agency of the Home Office, has approached a number of undisclosed agencies about the account.†

The agency will work on business including the roll-out of the controversial £4.74bn identity cards programme, as well as campaigns around passports and advertising for the general registry office, which is included under the office’s remit.

The review is being overseen by the COI. It is thought to be the first time that the IPS has sought an advertising agency. A Home Office spokesman says no budget has been set but that the appointment will be “long term” rather than on a project basis.

The IPS was created as an executive agency of the Home Office by joining the UK Passport Service and the Home Office’s identity cards programme two years ago.

The first cards were issued in November. They will be mandatory for foreign nationals and include their facial images and fingerprints in order to prove their right to work in the UK.

Previously, RKCR/Y&R has worked on advertising over passports. It was appointed to a project in 2006 to explain changes to passport regulations. Its brief was to target 17 to 20-year-old first-time applicants as the Home Office wanted to reduce the number of fraudulent applications it received from the group, which make up the vast majority of duff forms.