Marketing, media & advertising agencies

Sage by Heston Blumenthal, a new range of appliances from the celebrity chef, has appointed MBA to handle its UK advertising account.

Comparethemarket reviews CRM account

Comparethemarket.com is holding a pitch for its CRM business, currently held by Havas EHS, in the second review of its creative roster this year.

Cigarette giant looks for ad agency

British American Tobacco is looking for an advertising agency to handle a campaign to support the launch of its Vype electronic cigarette next year.

Govt seeks shop for Think! activity

The Department for Transport is looking for an advertising agency to continue its Think! road-safety campaign, ending a decades-long relationship with Leo Burnett, in the first major brief issued to the Government's new creative framework.

Diageo launches Cîroc vodka pitch

Diageo is looking to expand its roster with a search for an advertising agency to handle its vodka brand Cîroc.

JWT London hires Barber as head of broadcast

JWT London has hired Laurence Barber from Mother as its head of broadcast, replacing Anthony Falco.

AMV lands government brief to increase electric car sales

Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO has won a pitch to create a campaign to boost sales of low-emission cars.

Pitch update

This week's pitch news.

Pick of the week: HSBC, JWT London

Jeremy Lee thinks JWT London has done itself proud with its HSBC spot for the Lions tour: "A nice idea well executed. The creative bar has been set high for Saatchi Saatchi, which takes over the account." It was created by Iain Weatherby and Daniel...

Now picks up Freesat advertising business

Freesat, the satellite TV service, has appointed Now to handle its ad account.

Turkey of the week: Typhoo, Bradley.tv

Ian Darby is still cringing after watching Typhoo s latest TV spot: "The sight of epic cheester Ben Fogle grimacing and making odd noises while on a treadmill is just painful. A contender for worst celebrity ad of all time, it made me yearn for the d...

No 65: The Hidden Persuaders

Ask people if they have read a book about advertising and chances are they will name The Hidden Persuaders. Since it was first published in 1957, Vance Packard s Orwellian portrait of ad people probing the unconscious desires of consumers has shape...

The agency that became a film studio

Gravity Road fed on the imagination of ordinary consumers in its campaign for Bombay Sapphire, Mark Boyd explains.

Luke Williamson, co-founder, Fabula

How did you get into fashion? I got into collecting denim a long time ago when I used to shop in American Classics on the King s Road [in Chelsea, London] and rifle around looking for old Redlines. I used to skateboard in them, which is a bit crazy,...

M&S's agencies confident of future despite exit of Sharp

Marks & Spencer's agencies were confident this week that no agency review would take place imminently, despite the retirement of the brand's executive director of marketing, Steven Sharp.

Volkswagen changes gear under McLeod

VW's advertising has evolved as the brand has grown market share, its UK marketing chief tells John Tylee.

Great ideas don't require bravery

Ad agencies are holding themselves back by pandering to their clients' misguided fear of rocking the boat, when the biggest risk is their work not being noticed at all, Chris Hirst writes.

Are consultants a threat to agencies?

For agencies already operating in a super-supplied market, the arrival of Accenture s tanks on the advertising lawn doesn t look particularly welcome. Earlier this month, BMW hired the consultancy to help manage some of its digital marketing efforts....