Halifax calls review of 18m advertising held by DLKW

Finance giant Halifax has put its £18m retail advertising account up for review. Incumbent Delaney Lund Knox Warren & Partners will repitch for the business.

The agency has held the account for eight years and created the “Staff as stars” campaign fronted by brand ambassador “Howard”. Media agency Vizeum remains unaffected.

DLKW also works with a number of other brands in the HBOS portfolio including Clerical Medical, which are unaffected by the review. The pitch comes just days after DLKW lost its AA business and founders Malcolm Green and Gary Betts departed.

The AA handed its £33m advertising and direct marketing accounts to Maher Bird Associate following a review which also included DM incumbent Rapier. Executive creative directors Green and Betts left the agency after completing their three-year earn-out, following its acquisition by Creston in March 2005.