UK sportswear firm Umbro is reviewing its six-figure fee UK
consumer and trade PR account.
The pitching process has reached the second stage, with the original
field of six names narrowed to three agencies, understood to include
three-year incumbent Capitalize, Joe Public Relations and Shilland and
Co. An appointment is expected early next year.
The review was instigated by Umbro Europe’s recently appointed marketing
communications manager Shay Boyd.
He joined Umbro in September from rival Adidas and has responsibility
for the strategic direction of Umbro’s brand in the UK. He reports to
Martin Prothero, Umbro’s global marketing director.
Boyd said: ’Having moved from Adidas to Umbro, I am looking at all our
PR needs to get Umbro to the next stage in its development. I am looking
for the perfect fit.’
He spent nine years at Adidas, where he was group marketing and
communications manager across areas including fitness, tennis and
women’s brands. He replaced Peter Draper at Umbro, who left to join
Manchester United FC as group marketing director.
Umbro was acquired in May by venture capitalist Doughty Hanson for
pounds 90 million. A new senior management team came on board, led by
Peter McGuigan, a former president of Reebok.
In October Umbro came under fire when it emerged that some of its strips
were made in Romania and it was accused of using cheap foreign
labour.
The company admitted the shirts had been sewn abroad.
