YouView appoints agencies ahead of launch

YouView, the joint venture between the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, Arqiva, BT and Talk Talk, has appointed a roster of agencies ahead of its launch.

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The agencies are tasked with coordinating the brand launch and rollout of YouView across all media and channels by the middle of 2011.

Adam & Eve will handle the online TV platform’s advertising account and OMD will handle its media planning and buying.

Momentum will act as YouView’s specialist retail and experiential marketing agency.

Sources close to the situation claim that CHI & Partners was due to win the account, but lost out due to a conflict of interest caused by TalkTalk being a client. RKCR had also expressed an interest but could not work on the account due to its work with the BBC.

Richard Halton, formerly programme director of IPTV at the BBC, is the company’s new CEO, who helped to appoint the agency alongside marketing director Tim Hunt.

Hunt says: “We believe YouView will transform the way people watch TV forever and have assembled a highly talented agency team to help deliver this.”

Ofcom approved the launch of YouView despite opposition from rivals Virgin Media and BSkyB.

The company’s digital agency, Saint@RKCR/Y&R created the brand’s new logo.

This story first appeared on Pitch, Centaur’s subscription-based online interactive marketplace for agencies and clients to share news, opinion and debate.