The week in brief
Telefonica plans £200m media planning pitch
The Spanish telecoms company is preparing to launch a media planning and buying review across its European business, according to Campaign. The review, thought to be statutory, is expected to start in April and will be run from Madrid. It includes Telefonica’s £50m account for O2, whose UK media is held by Publicis subsidiary ZenithOptimedia.
Separately, Vodafone has confirmed it is reviewing its existing £600m global media planning and buying account. The account is currently held by Omnicom’s OMD, which beat Team Red to the account in August 2009.
EY hires WPP’s John Rudaizky
EY has appointed John Rudaizky as global brand and external communications leader. Rudaizky was managing partner at Saatchi & Saatchi from 1987-2001; founder of RudaizkyRyan from 2002-2005; global business director at JWT from 2005-2007; and chief executive for WPP’s global multidisciplinary division from 2007-2014, where he established its Red/Vodafone and GSK teams.
Campaign puts Lenny Henry back on our screens
Premier Inn has launched a £15m campaign featuring its brand ambassador Lenny Henry. A new TV ad, created by Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R, sees Henry in his Premier Inn bed on a tour of the UK, and is designed to drive the brand’s comfort message. Planned and bought by Manning Gottlieb OMD, this is Premier Inn’s largest ever media spend.
Kit Kat, meanwhile, is back with its catchphrase “take a break,” this time in a new TV advert featuring a high-speed car chase between cops-and-robbers. Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels actor Vas Blackwood stars in the ad – created by JWT London. Mindshare handled the media.
Land Rover UK on the hunt
The car manufacturer is looking for a specialist agency to devise a digital and social media strategy, BrandRepublic reported last week. Mindshare currently works on Land Rover UK’s social media communications. OgilvyOne is the company’s global digital agency, and is not affected by the review. Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R is Land Rover’s creative agency in the UK.