Giant friendly society seeks revamp partner

LV=, the financial services friendly society previously known as Liverpool Victoria, is looking for an advertising agency to handle its creative account, worth several million pounds.

It is thought that the agency will be given the task of raising the profile of the friendly society, which rebranded earlier this year, and that LV= has been approaching agencies with experience of launch activity.

The society was believed to be reviewing its agency roster earlier this year, although the process was put on hold while a number of senior marketing posts were filled.

Agencies of record include Redtag, TLG Marketing and cchm:ping, which has worked with the society on a project basis.

Earlier this month LV= appointed Nationwide Building Society marketer Gautam Datar as head of brand management, a move believed to have restarted the pitch process.

Datar, a Nationwide veteran of 19 years, reports to group marketing director David Radford and has been tasked with heading sponsorship and CSR activity, group proposition development and creative services.

LV=, the UK’s largest friendly society with 2.5 million members, was founded in 1843. The company says the revamp was prompted by a "need to evolve" to make itself more relevant.

The Bournemouth-based mutual insurance group is currently rebranding all its products and services. Last month it launched a brand refresh campaign which involved its first television advertising, created by The Partners.

LV= declined to comment on the status of the pitch, saying that the company reviews its marketing arrangements on an "ongoing basis".