Total Media boosts portfolio

Total Media is to handle planning and buying for online gaming

company WON.net and Microsoft’s Cambridge-based WAP and speech

recognition divisions.

The agency scooped the WON.net account after a competitive pitch

involving two unnamed rivals. The business is worth pounds 1.5

million.

Established in the US in 1998, WON.net enables internet users to engage

in virtual battle in a variety of games, from chess to football, with

up-to-the-minute graphics. The company stresses it does not sell games,

but ’is solely concerned with providing quick, easy and free access to

gaming’.

In September, it will merge with another games site, Prize Central, when

it will be rebranded Flipside.com. Total Media is handling media

planning and buying for the UK launch and the rebranding. Creative is by

Gayal, the Paris-based agency that handled the website’s launch in

France.

Total Media joint managing director Guy Sellers said the strategy would

consist of an initial ’serious, heavyweight online campaign’, followed

by offline work. ’Our expertise in both the online and offline areas

appealed to the client,’ Sellers commented. He added: ’In the past year

we have positioned ourselves as an agency geared specifically to helping

launch clients in the UK, who are looking for a combination of on- and

offline solutions.’

The account director on the business will be Nigel Potter, while Nick

Adams is account manager.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has appointed the agency to handle planning and

buying for its new WAP and speech recognition divisions.

Microsoft acquired the two companies, formerly called STNC and Entropic,

last year. Total Media is using local press and poster sites to promote

the units’ presence in Cambridge and to attract recruits. ’Basically,

we’ll be launching them in the Cambridge area, which is becoming known

as Silicon Fen,’ said Sellers.

Agency director Annie Lambert will head the business. Sophia Gemson will

assist her as account handler.

Total Media has won new business worth pounds 5 million since the

beginning of the year. The Kensington-based agency has been appointed by

Holiday Autos, PolicyPlus, the National Gallery, Octopus Publishing and

the Royal Garden Hotel.

This article was first published on Campaign