William Hills to hold pitches for below-the-line accounts

William Hill is reviewing its below-the-line activity including retail, sales promotion and customer relationship management. The bookmaker is holding three separate pitches for the accounts and is understood to have already drawn up shortlists.

It is understood that Leeds-based agency Poulters, incumbent on the retail business, and Prego, which has handled a number of direct marketing briefs for the company, are both repitching.

The reviews follow the appointment in February of MyTravel marketing director Adam Harris to the new role of marketing controller at William Hill (MW February 14).

Harris was briefed to “exploit the opportunities” that the relaxation of the rules related to gambling advertising offer, following the introduction of the Gambling Act 2005 in September last year.

Harris says the below-the-line review is taking place partly because Poulters is undergoing a management restructure and it was felt this presented an opportunity for the company to re-examine all of its below-the-line arrangements.

In March, Harris oversaw a pitch for a press and radio campaign for William Hill’s online casino arm. The brief was won by Leeds agency Home, which has previously with the company to create the first TV ad for its bingo operation (MW March 20).

Leo Burnett, which scooped a £2m branding brief for the company in January, is unaffected by the review.