Dell Computer Corporation is looking for a pan-European PR agency
as it attempts to increase its share of the supply of PCs to
businesses.
Countrywide Porter Novelli is believed to be in the frame for the task,
which involves developing strategy for all aspects of PR throughout
Europe and the organisation of local agencies to implement strategy.
Dell has used Imagine in the UK on project work. Countrywide’s fellow
Omnicom group member Fleishman-Hillard has also worked for Dell UK in
the past.
The review follows the appointment of Annick Devillard as Dell’s
European PR director last February. She has responsibility for raising
the company’s profile across its 12 European subsidiaries. Its largest
European markets are the UK, France and Germany but it is also looking
to expand into southern Europe and the Middle East.
Dell abandoned retail stores in 1994 and sells custom-built PCs direct
over the phone, the internet and by direct mail to consumers and
businesses.
Some 90 per cent of its worldwide sales are to businesses.
Its business sales have overtaken Compaq’s in the US and it aims to do
the same in Europe. Europe accounts for 26 per cent of its sales.
However, despite overall sales of pounds 4.8 billion for 1996/97 Dell
trails Compaq in overall sales.
