Equinox scoops £2m Georgia Pacific work

Georgia Pacific has appointed Zenith Optimedia-owned Equinox Communications to handle its &£2m media planning and buying account, following a three-way pitch.

Georgia Pacific, which makes brands such as Nouvelle toilet roll and Lotus Thirst Pockets, has been without a retained media agency since the company split with the defunct Cordiant-owned Bates and moved to HHCL/Red Cell last summer (MW September 11 2003). Carat handled media for the company’s last ad campaign for Lotus Thirst Pockets earlier this year, but this was a one-off project and the agency did not pitch for the overall business. Carat handles the media for rival tissue company SCA Hygiene. HHCL/Red Cell, which created the “Drip” campaign for Lotus Thirst Pockets, is unaffected by the media review.

The appointment of Equinox marks Georgia Pacific’s return to Zenith Optimedia, which handled all the company’s media duties as retained agency before last summer. Zenith Optimedia has chosen Equinox to work on the Georgia Pacific brands because it is positioned to handle challenger brands and first-time advertising clients.

The review was overseen by marketing director Simon Hawkes, who was appointed last August following the departure of joint marketing controller Andy Davis (MW August 29, 2003).