Fiat rethinks advertising roster for new Punto launch

by James Hamilton, Campaign 30-Jun-05, 08:30

LONDON - Fiat is shaking up its global advertising arrangements and has asked several agencies, including the non-roster shop Mother London, to pitch global ideas for the launches of the new Fiat Punto and the Alfa Romeo 159.

The troubled Italian car giant has also approached Italy's Armando Testa and Saffirio Tortelli Vigoriti and a number of agencies in the Leo Burnett and Red Cell networks to crack the brief to launch the third-generation Punto, slated for the Frankfurt motor show in September.

The successful agency will work for a set fee, rumoured to be around £500,000, on a campaign that will roll out across Italy, France, Germany and Spain before moving into other European markets, including the UK.

Commenting on the pitch, Gregory Pingree, the newly appointed Fiat international advertising co-ordinator, said: "The new Punto is a major launch for Fiat and we want as many creative resources working on it as possible.

We chose Mother because it has a different, more creative approach."

Meanwhile, the Fiat-owned Alfa Romeo marque is talking to a number of agencies that work with Fiat brands, including Armando Testa, Leo Burnett and Saffirio Tortelli Vigoriti, in its search for a creative route for the launch of its 159 model. The incumbent, WPP's Red Cell, is believed to have already presented ideas. Mother is not presenting.

The launches will be crucial for the Fiat group in the face of poor sales and crippling costs. Car sales across Europe fell for the fifth month running in May and UK sales were down 52% year on year. In 2004, Fiat Auto posted an operating loss of €840m, the only company in the Fiat group to make a loss. Its losses in 2003 were €1.5bn.

Earlier this year, Fiat appointed the Red Cell network to create a campaign urging more Italians to buy Italian-made cars.

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