…as Unilever pulls it from roster and hands O&M brief

TBWA GGT Simons Palmer’s shortlived place on the Unilever roster has ended with the Physio Sport TV commercials moving to Ogilvy & Mather.

Unilever’s fragrance division Elida Fabergé split the 5m launch for the unisex sports range between the two agencies in May. TBWA took the lion’s share of the account with the TV work, while O&M handled the press and poster work.

TBWA is still a roster agency for Unilever’s rival Beiersdorf, which owns Nivea. Beiersdorf has in the past denied that there was any conflict.

A spokesman for Elida Fabergé confirms that all of the Physio Sport work will now be handled by O&M.

Sources inside Elida Fabergé say that it was a mistake to split the account and that it was becoming too difficult for the marketing department to manage the brand’s communications.

TBWA produced three executions for Physio Sport. The strapline is: “Physio Sport. Part of the ritual.”