Ford parks WPP, names BBDO

Car manufacturer Ford has selected Omnicom’s BBDO as its new lead creative agency after 75 years with WPP, following a business review that launched in April.

Wieden+Kennedy was also involved in the pitch and gained a slice of the account. The independent agency network will run specially selected projects as an innovation partner from its New York office.

WPP will retain some of the business, with its dedicated Ford agency GTB set to lead media planning and buying, digital and production, as well as Tier Two advertising work in the US, shopper and performance marketing and website development.

BBDO will begin with Ford on November 1. Fellow Omnicom digital agency Organic and TLGG Consulting will also handle part of the account.

Intel appoints Dentsu Aegis Network

Global tech giant Intel has selected Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN) as its global media agency following a review.

DAN has created Team Intel to work on the account which includes talent from across the network’s agencies including Amnet, Merkle and Carat. The appointment covers offline media, social media, programmatic and analytics. iProspect and Cardinal Path will continue to handle search and digital marketing respectively.

The review of the account took place over six months and was managed by Joanne Davis Consulting. Omnicom agency OMD previously held the global media account since 2008.

Eurotunnel travels to Southpaw

Creative agency Southpaw has won a five-way pitch for a brief to create a campaign to celebrate Eurotunnel Le Shuttle’s 25th anniversary next year.

The work will run in early 2019 across the UK, France and Netherlands ahead of Eurotunnel Le Shuttle’s official birthday on May 6, 2019. The creative will appear across TV, print, radio, out of home, digital, social and email platforms.

Southpaw won Eurotunnel Le Shuttle’s social media business in January and launched its MORE campaign platform last month. The new work will aim to educate and raise awareness about Eurotunnel Le Shuttle and its services.

Betsson goes with Hearts and Science 

Omnicom-owned data-driven marketing agency Hearts & Science has been appointed by Betsson to handle the company’s global media strategy as well as programmatic and media buying activity.

The Swedish online gambling firm is the agency’s first pan-European client and the account was won after a competitive review. The work will run in a string of international markets with London as the main hub.

Hearts & Science’s brief spans programmatic in nine countries, including its biggest market Sweden, as well as Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Peru and Spain. It will also handle above-the-line media buying such as TV in four of those markets – Denmark, Italy, Norway and Spain. IPG Mediabrands will look after media buying in Sweden.

Betsson operates a variety of subsidiary brands including Betsafe, Betsson NordicBet and CasinoEuro in 11 countries and chose Hearts & Science because of its behaviour-led approach.

Who Wot Why to drive What Car?

Independent creative agency Who Wot Why has been appointed to car buying company What Car? to handle its advertising following a competitive pitch that took place in the summer.

The new partnership is expected to see a creative campaign launch later this year across TV, out of home, digital out of home and radio.

Who Wot Why’s recent work includes campaigns for People’s Energy, Sky Bet, The APA and the mobile network giffgaff.

World Vision looks to VCCP

International charity World Vision UK has appointed VCCP as its lead agency following a four-way pitch.

The fully-integrated agency will work on creating a strategic brand narrative for the charity, as well as on specific campaigns throughout the year including its Christmas work for 2018.

The charity has been striving to improve the lives of the most vulnerable children around the world since 1950.

Melbourne Racing Club captures Tinkerbell

Australian agency Thinkerbell has been appointed to manage Melbourne Racing Club's (MRC) media planning and buying after a competitive pitch.

Thinkerbell will work closely with The Royals, MRC's long-standing creative agency of record, and other agency partners. The appointment takes effect this month.

The news was announced by Peta Webster, chief commercial officer at MRC and Margie Reid, managing partner at Thinkerbell.