MEDIA: NU pools sponsorship activity into MVI

Norwich Union has consolidated its sponsorship strategy and

management for its Norwich Union and CGU brands into MVI Total

Sponsorship.

The five-year deal includes NU's sponsorship of the pounds 5m one-day

Norwich Union cricket league, as well as a number of initiatives that

have yet to be announced.

MVI, a division of CIA, pitched for the work against Connexus, the

incumbent on CGU's sponsorship business, and Countrywide.

The agency's appointment follows its work with Norwich Union on the

pounds 10m White Knight sponsorship of UK Athletics and comes on the

back of CGU's merger with Norwich Union last year.

MVI recently announced that it plans to expand into Europe, with offices

opening in Milan, Dussedorf and Paris. The agency will rebrand as Total

Sponsorship and work alongside CIA on shared clients and major projects,

such as Formula One and next year's World Cup.

MVI's London director, Andy Westlake, has been named managing director

of the rebranded agency. He will work alongside director of sport Jeremy

Clark and Mel Varley, who is currently strategic planning director for

CIA Worldwide.

Sports marketing consultant Alex Flynn will be a non-executive director,

while David Stubley, who is also managing director of Tempus' digital

marketing division, Outrider, will chair the board.

This article was first published on Marketing