Oracle UK has merged its three public relations accounts and handed the
business, worth an estimated pounds 200,000, to consumer hi-tech agency
Bite Communications.
The fledgling agency, which broke away from Text 100 in May, will now
handle Oracle’s largest PR account, the product and corporate business,
held for seven years by Firefly.
Firefly, which had six staff handling the account, re-pitched for the
business two weeks ago along with Hill and Knowlton.
Bite has also been handed two smaller pieces of Oracle business in the
form of an estimated pounds 50,000 business development account
previously handled by Spreckley Pittham, and training work which moves
from Bogard Communications.
The review was sparked by the arrival of a new managing director Phil
Crawford at the US-based software and services giant in July, (PR Week
18 August).
Crawford, who now has overall responsibility for marketing, joined from
computer company Bull, where he worked with Text 100.
Bite Communications account director Clive Armitage said the agency
would help Oracle orchestrate its intended move from corporate database
management systems into the consumer market.
Firefly’s director Mark Mellor expressed disappointment at the loss of
the account: ‘The Oracle management team decided to change agencies
regardless of our pitch.’
