118 118 to ditch Naked and take strategy in-house

Catherine Boyd, The Number's marketing manager, will assume day-to-day
responsibility for strategic communications with-in an expanded
marketing and product development team.

The Number is also seeking an integrated agency to handle all its direct
activity as it embarks on a strategy to transform the brand into a
multichannel information portal.

The review will not affect The Number's relationship with WCRS, which
created the TV ads featuring the moustachioed 118 118 runners. OMD will
continue to handle media, while Meme will oversee its digital
activity.

Naked has also been put on notice by Boots, which is preparing to shunt
the agency off its £45m agency roster (Marketing, 21 March).