Dell Computer Corporation has appointed Fleishman-Hillard to handle
its European, Middle East and African corporate brand building
programme.
It is the first time Dell has chosen to use one agency to oversee its
corporate PR strategy across Europe, the Gulf states and South
Africa.
The contract lasts for three years.
F-H won the work, thought to be worth a fee approaching pounds 500,000,
after pitching against Burson-Marsteller, Countrywide Porter Novelli and
Biss Lancaster. The win means that F-H now holds the account for Dell in
the US and Europe.
The brief includes developing strategy for 17 countries across the
regions and co-ordinating local agencies for implementation. F-H will
target the boardrooms of major businesses to increase its share of the
PC supplying market.
The decision to devise a corporate strategy follows the arrival of
Dell’s European PR director, Annick Devillard, in February.
’The scale of our business in Europe means that we want to step up our
investment in communications,’ Devillard told PR Week.
The account will be run from F-H’s London office and will be headed by
corporate and financial director Deborah Saw, who will work closely with
global account leader Andy Lark, senior vice president of F-H
Dallas.
Dell reported record European sales of pounds 416 million for the third
quarter of 1997, a growth of 45 per cent.
