FCB under threat as Samsung readies £300m review

by Staff,, Campaign 19-Feb-04, 15:30

LONDON - Samsung, the consumer electronics giant, has put its global brand agency Foote Cone & Belding on alert as it prepares to review its £300m global creative account.

Samsung, which competes against the likes of Sony and Nokia, has been conducting a review of its brand positioning. It is looking to replace its "DigitAll: everyone's invited" strapline with the aim of making it a more premium brand. It is understood that FCB has struggled to crack the brief.

FCB produces overarching brand work for global and regional campaigns, while the Korean agency Cheil Communications, which is unaffected by the review, is responsible for producing local campaigns and adapting some of the international work for local markets. Cheil is a Samsung subsidiary.

In May, Samsung consolidated its £10m media planning and buying account for the UK into Initiative.

The account was previously split between Initiative and Carat. Carat handled £5.5m of the media spend, which covered UK-specific advertising for electronic products including mobile phones, computers, televisions and fridge freezers.

Initiative won the consolidated account without a pitch after working on pan-European assignments.

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