Standard appoints BDDH in battle to halt sales fall

The Evening Standard has appointed Partners BDDH to handle its &£2.5m advertising account, as Associated Newspapers’ London title struggles to improve its declining circulation.

In a review handled by the Haystack Group, the agency pitched against Mustoe Merriman Levy, Fallon and Heresy. Incumbent Bates UK did not pitch.

Partners BDDH will produce promotional advertising for television, outdoor and radio. The newspaper is aiming to attract more women and younger readers.

Evening Standard managing director Sally de la Bedoyere has taken on responsibility for marketing at the paper. Marketing director Jane Hayman was made redundant in February.

In February, former Daily Mail deputy features editor Veronica Wadley replaced Max Hastings as editor at the newspaper. Since her appointment, there have been a series of editorial staff changes. Both de la Bedoyere and Wadley oversaw the agency appointment.

The latest figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations show that the Evening Standard has slowed the rate of decline in its circulation. Average net circulation for June was 417,548, down 0.67 per cent on May and 1.24 per cent on January to June 2001.

The Evening Standard capitalised on the recent early morning World Cup games with its five daily editions and claims it put on 60,000 sales a day when England was playing. The newspaper has also been involved in a public dispute with London Mayor Ken Livingstone, following its story that he was involved in a fracas with a Standard employee.

The newspaper signed up Ford Galaxy to sponsor its 52-page Great Days Out supplement, which was issued free with the publication yesterday (Tuesday).