ITV hunts £15m agency to replace M&C Saatchi

by Jeremy Lee, Marketing 05-Sep-07

ITV has put its £15m advertising account up for review, eight months after David Pemsel stepped into the role of group marketing director at the broadcaster.

M&C Saatchi was hired by Pemsel's predecessor, Clare Salmon, who also
worked with the agency when she was marketing director of the AA. It
will not repitch for the business.

The agency has held the ITV account since 2005, following Bartle Bogle

Hegarty's decision to resign the business shortly after Salmon's

appointment.

Pemsel, who was promoted to his current role at ITV from marketing
director, has appointed the AAR to handle the review; it is understood
that an appointment is due before the end of the year, with the agency
due to take over the account from the start of 2008.

ITV is also expected to announce the appointment of a commercial
director, to whom Pemsel will report, in the next few months.

M&C Saatchi, which was responsible for creating the offline campaign for
the launch of ITV.com, pictured above (Marketing, 29 August), found its
grip on the account weakened when Pemsel hired Mother in May to handle a
project.

ITV's on-air marketing is handled in-house by ITV Creative; it is
unaffected by the review. Its media planning and buying account will
remain at MindShare.