WHSmith Online appoints GBC to drive traffic to site

WHSmith Online, the internet arm of the high street retailer, has

appointed GBC Consumer Technology on a consumer PR brief.

The account was awarded following a three-way competitive pitch, and is

currently worth pounds 100,000 in fees, although this may increase as

the exact details of the account are fleshed out.

The account will be headed by Sara Tye, account director, reporting to

Lesley Saville, WHSmith Online marketing director. The team’s remit is

to target consumers through the mainstream media, and drive traffic to

the site.

WHSmith is the largest multi-channel supplier of books, films and games

in the UK, selling through retail outlets, the internet and interactive

TV. In March it introduced kiosks to high street and travel stores, at

which consumers can browse and order merchandise to be delivered to

their homes.

It aims to take a 30 per cent share of on-line book sales in the UK, and

is currently the second largest on-line book retailer, after

Amazon.co.uk, with BOL.com in third place. WHSmith Online receives over

seven million page impressions a month.

Previously Biss Lancaster worked on a project for WHSmith Online, which

finished in February. The agency did not pitch for the account and still

works on the WHSmith Literary Awards.

- GBC has won a three-way competitive pitch to handle PR for

Simplyfood.co.uk, the UK’s biggest food and wine web site and e-tailer,

based on page impressions.

The site is owned by Carlton Interactive, and features merchandise,

restaurant and recipe guides and on-line chats with celebrity chefs. The

account is also led by Tye.