Ten agencies make shortlist in Save the Children ad rethink

Save the Children has called a review of its above-the-line

advertising arrangements after a period spent handling projects

in-house.

The charity has drawn up an initial list of about ten agencies, which is

expected to be significantly reduced before pitches are held later this

year. The agency hunt has been triggered by a need for the charity to

raise its profile and is expected to result in an increase in budget

from the £500,000 spent above the line in the UK last year.

Save the Children's account has most recently been held by M&C

Saatchi.

The agency was responsible for creating the "Save the children from

violence" campaign in 1999.

The charity has a reputation as a conservative client, with the vast

majority of its budget spent on press advertising, in contrast to the TV

campaigns for charities such as the National Society for the Prevention

of Cruelty to Children. However, Save the Children has made several

changes to its marketing arrangements this year. In February, Save the

Children's global direct marketing arrangements were pooled into the

charity's London office as the charity moved to cut down the number of

its various international direct marketing agencies to one.

Feather Brooksbank has since been appointed to Save the Children's media

planning and buying account.

Feather Brooksbank's appointment followed the departure of Save the

Children's marketing director of ten years, John Kingston, in March.

Kingston, who left to become the head of individual donor services at

the charity's Aid Foundation, helped increase the charity's funds from

£34.6 million in 1990 to £48.8 million last year.

This article was first published on Campaign