BBC calls ad agency review

The BBC indicated last April that it is to cut its £80 m marketing budget with a likely impact on outdoor campaigns, on-air promotions and commissioned research, among other activity.

The corporation currently works with Fallon and Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R, among others.

The appointed agencies will work on targeted promotions and campaigns for specific BBC brands, services, programmes and on the development of appropriate channel branding for both TV and radio. They will be expected to produce online work and also promote the BBC’s digital platforms.

The Official Journal of the European Union tender will go out in March and the process will be carried out by the BBC’s Marketing, Communications and Audiences (MCA) department and its Procurement department.

Agency appointments are expected by the autumn.

The review comes three months after the corporation appointed Nicky Douglas as MCA director for BBC Vision. Her remit takes in the strategic brand direction for all BBC television channels and genres, excluding BBC News

She was appointed by director of marketing, communications and audiences Sharon Baylay, who joined early last year. Baylay is a former general manager of Microsoft’s online services division.

It’s believed that if a Conservative government is elected the BBC’s structure and activities are likely to come under rigorous review. The corporation has already come under sustained criticism from commercial operators, such as Europe and Asia chairman and chief executive of News Corporation James Murdoch.