Body Shop hires Bean Andrews
Virgin Rail is understood to have shortlisted six agencies for its combined advertising account. They are St Luke’s, Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe, Duckworth Finn Grubb Waters, WCRS, HHCL & Partners, Barkers and Doner Cardwell Hawkins.
Wrangler is launching an ad campaign by Abbott Mead Vickers. BBDO next week that uses footage of real-life US rodeos (right). The ads show shocking clips of broken bones and dramatic battles with bulls. They end with the strapline “99 out of 100 rodeo riders wear Wrangler” and they will run for five weeks.
Leagas Delaney is no longer working on Pepe Jeans, which was billed as a 10m account when the agency won it several years ago. It is not clear whether the jeans maker is looking for a new agency.
Brann, one of the largest below-the-line agencies in the UK, has been bought by US company Snyder Communications for 48.5m. Brann says the deal will allow it to expand internationally.
Butler Lutos Sutton Wilkinson has snatched the Europ Assistance ad account from DMB&B Financial. The company, which provides holiday insurance, car breakdown services and domestic emergency services, has very little brand recognition in this country despite being one of the largest in this sector in Europe.
Functional Nutrition, the food company, is understood to be talking to agencies about launching an ad campaign. Functional Nutrition handles the Heartwatch concept, a franchise marketing opportunity where individual manufacturers make products under the Heartwatch brand name, as long as the ingredients and formulation meet strict nutritional guidelines.
TWBA International Network has replaced Delaney Fletcher Bozell as Mexican fast-food restaurant Taco Bell’s creative agency. The account is worth 150m worldwide.
Mitchell Patterson Grime Mitchell has teamed up with Interpartners to provide formal links with agencies in Europe and the US.
Evans Hunt Scott has been appointed by British Gas Services to handle its 1m direct marketing account. The campaign includes inserts and direct mail.
Saatchi & Saatchi’s ex-new business director, Jo Smith, has been hired by Cowan Kemsley Taylor as business development director.
