DWP explores ways to publicise merger

News3-PensionerThe Department of Work and Pensions is considering creating a new public-facing brand that will reflect the operational merger of the Pensions Agency and the Disability and Carers Service that took place last year.

It is recruiting a new team of five marketers to carry out customer research and insight work to establish whether the DWP would be easier to manage if its public communications were streamlined under one brand.

The merged Pension, Disability and Carers Service (PCDS) was created last April because more than 50% of pensioners also interact with the Disability and Carers Service as benefits claimants.

The DWP is looking to recruit three senior marketing officers, a senior marketing officer with a brand focus and a marketing officer to handle communications at the merged agency.

The brand officer will advise on whether to establish a public relaunch of the agency as a merged entity.

Meanwhile, the Government has appointed DDB to handle campaigns to promote the changes to the state pension and workplace pension entitlements that will take place in 2010 and 2012.

DDB won a pitch against CHI & Partners, Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy and Delaney Lund Knox Warren. Strategic communications agency Rise and PR agency Brand & Brown will also work on the account.

The DWP says that the campaigns are in early planning stages and the timings of launches have yet to be agreed.