Adam & Eve wins 7m Phones4U ad account

Phones4U has appointed Adam & Eve to handle its £7m advertising account following a three-way pitch against Mother and incumbent WCRS. The Jack character (pictured), used in its advertising for the past five years, will be scrapped as a result of the appointment.

The pitch was started in September last year following the departure of marketing director Jim Slater. The mobile phone retailer started talks with WCRS, which has worked with the company on a project basis since 2004, but also had chemistry meetings with a number of smaller agencies. It was thought to have also contacted Brooklyn Brothers and RKCR/Y&R in the early stages.

The review was then thought to have been delayed when it appointed management consultant Russell Braterman to replace Slater as marketing director (MW November 13), and later restarted with the three shortlisted agencies.

WCRS created Jack along with other characters such as Scary Mary. It created a series of executions on a project basis, which were updated to promote handsets and deals.