VSO to mix spend for creative work

Marketing Week has reported that we have put our &£1m advertising business out to a closed tender this month (MW last week). Our intention is to combine our high volume direct response recruitment advertising with brand awareness campaigns, previously handled by two separate agencies, Associates in Advertising and Burkitt DDB respectively.

Both agencies have delivered fantastic creative work that has helped revolutionise the way we market Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO).

The creative contribution of the team at Burkitt DDB in particular has given VSO a new energy and currency. It is hard to imagine many agencies having achieved so much on such a low budget. Interestingly, their imaginative approach was founded on the humour and the insight that comes from Hugh Burkitt having been a VSO himself.

The response to the ads produced by both agencies has been excellent, but it now makes sense for us to combine the spend under one roof and achieve closer integration and cost-effectiveness.

Matthew Bell

Communications director

VSO

London SW15