Ladbrokes reviews advertising account
Bookmaker Ladbrokes has placed its multi-million pound advertising account up for review.
The account has been held by SapientNitro since its appointment as lead creative agency in July 2011, its first advertising account at the time. But The Drum understands it is now being put out to pitch.
It is understood that SapientNitro has been invited to repitch for the account, although neither the agency, nor Ladbrokes, would comment on the review.
Ladbrokes called the review following the departure of its chief marketer Stephen Vowles to Argos. It was Vowles who made the last agency appointment.
Vowles' exit led to a reshuffle within the Ladbrokes marketing team. It is now headed up by Andrew May, who joined as head of internet in May and was promoted to director of brand and research earlier this month, and Adam Collette, marketing communications director.
Upon its appointment, SapientNitro was tasked with handling the brand's multi-channel advertising, including print and TV.
During the agency's time on the account it developed the 'Game On' campaign featuring the renowned and very loud Italian football commentator Tiziano Crudeli and more recently 'The Odds Father' with football pundit and face of the brand, Chris Kamara.
According to the Holden Pearmain Advertising study, conducted by Kantar in 2012 following the brand's live odds campaign during the European Championships, Ladbrokes had the highest awareness in the UK bookmaking marketplace, with a year-on-year increase in awareness of 53 per cent.