Union wins Irish Sea ad business

Scottish creative agency The Union has been appointed to handle advertising for Irish Sea Services, understood to be worth up to &£1.5m.

The agency won a four-way pitch to obtain the account, which will include work for high-speed SeaCat ferry services and the Isle of Man Steam Packet. The Union was the incumbent for SeaCat, winning the brief from Faulds Advertising of Edinburgh in 1996. The previous incumbent for the Isle of Man Steam Packet was Brunnings of Manchester.

Irish Sea Services runs seven routes across the Irish Sea from ports in England, Scotland, Eire and Northern Ireland. It launched the SeaCats in 1992 and took control of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company in 1996.

It is sponsoring the 2001 Irish National Poetry Competition and is a division of the Sea Containers group, which also owns rail company GNER and the Orient Express.

The Union recently opened a Leeds office, which will assist in servicing the accou

nt. The agency’s other main clients include Velux Windows, Scottish Media Group and Scottish Courage Brands. It launched a direct marketing arm, Only U, last year.