Rumoured lay-offs as Poulters lose Redrow to Aylesworth Fleming
Widespread redundancies are believed to have been made at The Poulter Group, following Redrow Homes’ decision to move its seven-figure marketing account to Aylesworth Fleming. The two agencies were invited, alongside Manchester’s BDH\\TBWA and Cogent Elliott in Meriden, to enter a competitive pitch following Redrow’s decision to review its marketing output.
Industry sources have indicated that job cuts at Poulters will reach the 40-mark, with the loss expected to affect the entire group. Gary McCall, managing director of The Poulter Group commented on the rumoured redundancies stating: “The only comment I can make is that although a consultation process is still ongoing, I can strenuously deny that the level of redundancies is ‘as many as 40’ – that figure is way off the mark.”
The win is perfect timing for Aylesworth Fleming, however, which will run the Redrow account out of its fledgling Manchester office.
The base, which opened earlier this year, will be upsizing its team from 12 to 30 to handle the business.
The Poulter Group had handled the account for almost 10 years, winning the business in 1996 from Warrington-based Quadrant, and has produced several high-profile campaigns.
McCall issued a statement regarding the loss of the Redrow account: “From January 2006, Redrow Homes will no longer be a client of Poulters. We’ve enjoyed a strong working relationship with Redrow over nine years that, as with each of our client relationships, has been built on mutual trust and partnership. However, the very nature of the agency world means that even the longest standing of relationships are reviewed.
“Poulters has been proud to have handled the national advertising account for Redrow Homes for over nine years, a considerable length of time that is credit to the quality of the team and the work that we’ve carried out on their behalf. It has obviously been a considerable piece of business for Poulters during that time and we are currently looking at how best to realign the agency in its absence.”
The agency has undergone a number of changes in recent years, with the departure of senior figures, such as creative directors Paul Moran and Graham Doran, as well as head of marketing, Tamarind Wilson.
However, new business with the likes of Scottish and South Energy, Wagg Foods and Midland Mainline has been won by the agency in recent months.
McCall’s statement concluded: “The Poulters brand continues to attract some of the best brands in the UK. We’re proud to harbour some of the most creative and client focused specialists in the industry that enables us to be producing the consistently outstanding work .for which Poulters is recognised throughout the UK.”
Aylesworth Fleming, which launched the Manchester office to support its Bournemouth headquarters, is a specialist in the house-building sector, working with firms such as Taylor Woodrow and Gleeson Homes.
The agency now has 173 staff and has a projected turnover for the year to June 2006 of £38 million.
Nick Morris, managing director of the Manchester office, commented: “We are absolutely delighted to have won such a prestigious piece of business. We have already started on work on the new creative work, of which we are very proud and are flat out with implementing plans and the strategic direction of the account.”
The first creative executions are anticipated to launch early next year.