Rapier lands 5m C&WC launch

Rapier Stead & Bowden has been hired to handle the estimated 5m corporate launch of Cable & Wireless Communications (C&WC).

The advertising campaign will be aimed at institutional investors, business leaders and the City. The new company, the merged Mercury Communications, Nynex and Bell Cablemedia, is expected to receive a full stock market listing next week.

Rapier has previously worked with Bell Cablemedia, where it was hired by its then executive director of marketing Ruth Blakemore, who is now marketing director at C&WC.

Although it has not yet set its advertising and marketing budgets, a figure of 50m has been suggested to compete with BT’s expected 200m spend this year.

The initial launch will include a national broadsheet campaign, and possibly posters. Below-the-line work on the campaign will be handled by Mercury roster agency Craik Jones.

A separate “brand” launch campaign to residential and business consumers will begin in the autumn and Blakemore is expected to recruit an advertising agency to handle this consumer work.

Rapier and Mercury’s agency HHCL & Partners will be considered for the branded campaign.