Carat wins 2m DVLA media brief

Carat has won the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) £2m media planning business following a pitch against PHD and incumbent Starcom MediaVest.

The pitch, which was called earlier this month (MW November 2), was handled by COI Communications. It is now holding a separate creative review. Incumbent DLKW, Lowe & Partners and Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R have been shortlisted for the pitch.

The agencies will both be briefed to create a campaign reminding people to tax their vehicles. A COI spokeswoman says/ “The main aim of the campaign is to urge the 3 million motorists that miss the car tax renewal deadline every year to pay on time.”

The DVLA works with Agency.com and I-level on digital campaigns – they were appointed a year ago to launch a scheme to offer driving licences online.

Starcom MediaVest has lost several COI accounts in recent years. Earlier this year, it lost the £3.5m account for the Department for Work and Pensions to MindShare, and last year the agency lost the COI’s £70m TV buying work to Carat, although it then won the £20m radio buying business from OMD.