Scottish widows look to Union Direct for DM as WAVV wins Strongbow job
The Drum has learned that Union Direct has won the direct marketing account for Scottish Widows.
It is thought that Union Direct beat Navigator and incumbent WWAV Edinburgh in the pitch process to land the account.
WWAV insists that it is still working on the business, but no one at The Union, WWAV or Scottish Widows was able to comment any further.
Rumours that Scottish Widows was reviewing its business surfaced following the departure of former WWAV Edinburgh managing director Jane Ulke.
Speculation mounted that the company wished to hire another London agency to work alongside Team Spirit on the below-the-line account.
WWAV has since introduced a new management structure which saw three of the senior team at the agency promoted to the role of co-managing partner, with Patrick Norrie installed as head of creativity and innovation, Mandi Taylor becoming head of marketing and planning and Rebecca Peel taking the role as head of client services.
The new structure has paid off with WWAV Edinburgh winning a place on Scottish & Newcastle's DM roster, working with its Strongbow Cider brand.
The agency won the project in a four-way pitch overseen by brand manager Fiona Seath that sees WWAV tasked with developing a consumer recruitment and CRM programme using mobile phone and online technology as well as more traditional DM methods.
Seath said: "WWAV Rapp Collins demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of our market and our consumers and has devised an innovative strategy that we believe will engage our target market and increase their likelihood of choosing Strongbow as their 'first pint refreshment'.''
WWAV's Mandi Taylor, added: "This is a tremendous opportunity to bring the brand experience alive for consumers and help them develop a meaningful and mutually rewarding relationship with one of the UK's most popular brands."