3 Monkeys triumphs in battle for 3 mobile brief

The agency’s remit will include manning the press off­ice, generating news stories and launching new products and services for the mobile telecoms firm. 3 Monkeys will also handle issues such as int­ernational roaming and will consult on overall strategy.

Four-year incumbent Lexis, Cohn & Wolfe and The Red Consultancy also pitched for the account in early August.

The pitch was presided over by 3’s marketing director John Penberthy-Smith, who described the four agencies on the pitch list as ‘the best in the business’.

The 3 account will be handled by a ten-strong team at the consumer shop, including ‘chief monkey’ Angie Moxham. There will be input from the newsroom, staffed by six ex-national print and broadcast journalists.

The mobile company took on a new integrated communications agency, Euro RSCG Biss Lancaster, earlier this year (PRWeek, 22 June 2007). Meanwhile, Lexis landed Nokia’s consumer brief (PRWeek, 15 June 2007). Dir­ector of corporate comms at 3 Hugh Davies said there was no conflict with the acc­ounts and insisted the review began before Lexis’ Nokia win.

The mobile firm surprised the tech PR industry earlier this month by appointing former managing editor of Mobile magazine, Guy Middleton, as head of corporate comms (PRWeek, 2 August 2007).

Middleton has ten years’ experience in tech and business journalism, but none in PR or comms.

Lexis and 3 Monkeys have already started the handover process. 3 retains Slice for project work.