Toyota hands GRP £4.5m regional brief

Toyota is to move its &£4.5m regional advertising account into Glasgow-based Guy Robertson Partnership (GRP) after striking a deal with the incumbent agency.

The account, which includes TV, radio, press and direct marketing, will be handled by full service agency GRP from January 2001.

The incumbent agency Riley Advertising has London and Glasgow offices. But is restructuring its Scottish operations with a view to withdrawing from retail advertising. The plan was to pass on the business and the staff that service the account, yet keep it in Scotland.

Riley director Michael Gibb was tasked with finding a suitable agency to take on the Toyota business and the 12 Riley staff who work on the account. Gibb will now become a partner at GRP.

Gibb says: “GRP is the ideal partner [for Toyota] with the right blend of systems, investment, resource, infrastructure and a desire to develop the account in areas that were previously inaccessible, such as the Internet and new media.”

Toyota marketing director Paul Philpott says: “Our regional account has grown in importance and stature over the past five years with Michael Gibb at the helm and I’m delighted that with the whole team moving we can achieve a seamless transition for our dealer network.”

GRP handles accounts including Stewart Milne Homes, Rangers Football Club, Invergordon Distillers and Proquip.