German-owned tyre manufacturer Continental Tyres has appointed
Harrison Cowley for its consumer and corporate PR in the UK.
The agency won the account, understood to be worth 'a large six-figure
sum', after a four-way pitch process.
Harrison Cowley will take responsibility for the account from January
next year, replacing incumbent agency icas PR.
HC's remit involves working on a media relations, event and sponsorship
management campaign.
HC consumer director Alan Twigg and account director Carla Marshall head
the account, reporting to Continental communications manager Fiona
Pinkey.
According to Twigg, the campaign will target the consumer market, but
will also see the products promoted to workshops, car dealers and the
fleet sector.
He added that the campaign will be slanted towards the female market,
which he claimed is often neglected in the automotive industry.
In September the Continental group was criticised for appointing unknown
Manfred Wennemer as CEO, after Stephan Kessel stepped down after a clash
with the board.
The firm already had a poor public image in Britain following the
closure of its Newbridge plant near Edinburgh in September 1999 with the
loss of almost 800 jobs.
One in four cars produced in Europe is fitted with Continental's tyres.
