LONDON: Mobile brand O2 is reviewing its UK consumer and b-to-b PR account after four years with Blue Rubicon and amid the rollout of its 4G service.
Agencies have submitted credentials, and the UK's second-biggest mobile operator has drawn up a shortlist.
“We are very happy with our current support, which has been in place for four years, but together with our procurement team, we are keen to see what else is on offer to ensure we remain fresh and industry-leading,” said an O2 spokesperson.
The Telefonica-owned operator has worked with Blue Rubicon since 2009, when it consolidated its PR duties with the agency without a pitch.
The account was estimated to be worth a seven-figure sum at the time. However, O2 would not comment on the size of the current brief or whether the work could be split among agencies.
It has employed Hope&Glory in the past year for a consumer-focused brief aimed at increasing “talkability” for the brand, and it works with John Doe on a rolling project basis.
It is understood that neither agency is affected by the review.
In the battle for 4G customers, O2 introduced a multimillion-pound advertising campaign and brand strategy in July featuring the slogan “be more dog.” O2 and rival Vodafone began their 4G rollouts at the end of August, almost a year after EE, which has since established itself as the leading 4G provider in the UK.
In October, O2's in-house team was named PRWeek UK's In-House Team of the Year.
This story originally appeared on the website of PRWeek UK.
