Volkswagen Commercial hands creative business to BBH
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles UK has appointed BBH as its ad agency of record, moving the account out of Adam&Eve/DDB following a competitive pitch.
While on the B2B roster, Adam&Eve/DDB created work like the brand's campaign with Balls to Cancer / Volkswagen
The appointment means VW's commercial arm will join sister brand Audi on BBH's client list. The Publicis agency will work on VW's B2B brand, digital and social communications strategy for across the Caddy and the California Campervan ranges.
Parent company Volkswagen will continue to work with Adam&Eve/DDB and it's network counterpart DDB Berlin in the UK and Europe. While on the B2B roster, the Omnicom agency created work like the brand's campaign with 'Balls to Cancer' – which urged drivers to take as much care over their health as they do their vans.
Sarah Cox, head of marketing for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles said: "We are excited to be working with BBH as our lead creative agency, and a partner to our business.
"One of the reasons BBH stood out in the pitch process was thanks to its ability to think and act as one with our brand, offering more than just advertising solutions.
"Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is a brand rich in heritage and with the introduction of our first electric vehicles this year, the new partnership with BBH could not have come at a better time. Personally, I am looking forward to producing some great B2B work that will stand out from the crowd in the commercial vehicle space."
VW's appointment of BBH comes against the backdrop of a bigger plan to overhaul and consolidate its global agency roster on the passenger business into five regional "powerhouses" which pool together digital, social, PR and media.
The group's chief marketing officer Jochen Sengpiehl said last year that the move would lead to greater brand consistency across the group's consumer vehicle portfolio and that the car marque worked with "too many agencies"
Towards the end of last year, WPP picked up the North America portion of the creative business, while Omnicom was handed responsibility for Europe and South America, and Cheil was given the green light to continue to handle China.
In the UK, it's understood BBH's brief will be to champion the brand's B2B 'Working With You' commitment, which promises to collaborate in 'partnership with customers and their businesses, providing them with the best products and aftersales support, whether they’re buying one or a thousand vans.'
The win for BBH follows on from Barclays putting it on high alert with an ad review. Longtime client Virgin Media also announced a review last month, for which BBH has declined an invite to pitch.