Debenhams hires JWT to 15m account

Department store Debenhams has confirmed that it has handed its £15m advertising business to JWT following a two way pitch against Bartle Bogle Hegarty.

Last week the retailer dropped M&C Saatchi from the pitch process and in February Karmarama and Publicis were removed from the running.

The account went up for pitch in December when incumbent Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy’s resigned the account.

Debenhams did not run a Christmas campaign in 2008 and concentrated instead on luring customers via one-day sales.

It recently said it would increase its focus on its “Designer at Debenhams’ ranges as the collections by name such as Julien MacDonald and Betty Jackson were doing well amid falling sales elsewhere.

The chain, which recently bought the stock and temporary brand licence for Principles from administrators, reported its sales dipped by 3.6% in the six months to the end of February, compared to the same period last year as a result of recession-induced consumer spending cutbacks.