HMV reviews £14.5m advertising account
HMV UK is reviewing its advertising account, which has been held by Bds Beechwood for the last seven years.
The incumbent agency has been invited to pitch for the business, which is worth &£14.5m (Nielsen Media Research). The pitch is for the HMV account alone and does not include Waterstone’s, which is part of the HMV Group.
HMV declines to identify the other agencies invited to pitch for the final presentations, which will be made between March and April. Media, handled by OMD UK, is not being reviewed.
It is thought that marketing director John Taylor will oversee the pitch. Head of marketing Laurie Webster, who joined last year from Oddbins, is also likely to have some input.
HMV Group, including Waterstone’s, was one of the high street’s best performers over the Christmas period. For the five weeks to January 3, it saw sales rise by 6.6 per cent, and three per cent on a like-for-like basis.
The music retailer alone recorded total sales growth of 9.2 per cent (3.3 per cent like for like).
HMV sold more CDs and DVDs than all the supermarkets put together, despite increased competition from the sector.
