Scottish Power switches £20m media to Starcom

Scottish Power is moving its &£20m media business out of Scotland after consolidating its entire account into London-based agency Starcom Motive.

The agency already handles the utility’s brand development business and has now been handed its retail and energy sales accounts, which have been stripped from Edinburgh agency Feather Brooksbank.

Feather Brooksbank and CIA Medianetwork’s London office both pitched for the account.

The media realignment is intended to simplify the company’s customer services strategy and deliver economies of scale. Scottish Power recently merged its electricity supply and retail marketing operations (MW January 27).

The business won by Starcom Motive does not include the media account for Thus, the telecom and Internet subsidiary formerly known as Scottish Telecom.

The account also excludes media business for a &£70m joint venture between Scottish Power and the Royal Bank of Scotland, which is being kept under wraps and will be launched in the autumn.

Scottish Power marketing services manager Kevin Toner says there are no plans to review the company’s creative roster, which includes Bartle Bogle Hegarty, appointed in 1998 to handle corporate advertising. The Leith Agency handles energy supply and Faulds Advertising deals with retail.

Strategic marketing director David Clarke oversees brand development. Willie MacDiarmid is managing director of sales and supply.