…as it bags £25m retail Vodafone account

Vodafone has appointed its lead global agency J Walter Thompson to handle its UK retail advertising account, worth about £25m.

The agency is creating a division called High Street to focus on the account. Vodafone’s below-the-line roster agency, One Bite, will handle the business alongside JWT. The two agencies saw off competition from MI Marketing, Seven, Storm and Tango and to win the business.

Vodafone decided to review its roster of below-the-line agencies, which comprised Clockwork, One Bite, Rapport and Tango, late last year and revealed a shortlist at the end of January (MW January 23).

The agencies worked on different parts of the business, but Vodafone has consolidated the account in order to ensure that the retail work is a natural progression of its brand advertising.

Senior marketing manager for Vodafone UK Nicky Mackrell says the company called the review with a view to improving co-ordination between the telecommunications and the retail brand.

Vodafone appointed JWT to its global advertising business last May (MW May 16, 2002). Wieden & Kennedy remains the brand’s lead creative agency, but Vodafone is phasing out about 20 agencies, including WCRS, which worked on accounts in its 16 territories. The global account is worth about £300m.