Gallaher has taken its Silk Cut Tennis Challenge PR account from Hill &
Knowlton and handed it to Karen Earl.
The move severs a 13-year relationship with H&K, but both it and the new
consultancy were keen to play down any question of client disaffection.
‘We don’t see it as a snub at all,’ said H&K associate director Libby
Mudditt. She described the move as a ‘natural progression’ since Karen
Earl already handles most of Gallaher’s sports sponsorship business
ventures.
This includes sponsorships of cricket, ice hockey and fly fishing events
for Benson & Hedges and of rugby and show jumping events for Silk Cut.
The Silk Cut Tennis Challenge, now in its fourteenth year, is one of the
premier UK tennis tournaments, attracting entries from 1,000 clubs. It
concludes in September at the Queen’s Club.
