Weight Watchers calls review of UK advertising account

by Staff,, Brand Republic 07-Feb-05, 08:30

LONDON - Weight Watchers has called a review of its UK advertising as incumbent agency Frog resigns the account.

Frog has held the Weight Watchers advertising account since January 2001 and most recently worked on the launch of the new Switch Programme.

The UK review follows agency appointments by Weight Watchers in Europe. It recently hired FCB and Publicis to handle its €17m (£11m) continental Europe advertising business, following a four-way pitch against McCann Erickson and Proximity.

The two agencies replaced direct marketing agency Clark McKay & Walpole. That appointment did not affect Frog.

Weight Watchers also consolidated its £9m European media planning and buying account into Mediaedge:cia following a four-way pitch. The agency won the business after a shootout against ZenithOptimedia, Carat and Universal McCann in a pitch handled by the AAR.

Coinciding with the resignation of the account, Frog said that it was restructuring its business to focus on strategic and creative consultancy and was moving away from being a full agency service.

Frog said it would continue to work with Weight Watchers on other areas, including consultancy on programme development and design.

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