The agency takes over with immediate effect from incumbent Saatchi & Saatchi, which pitched along with Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, Bartle Bogle Hegarty, Wieden & Kennedy and Rapley Smith & Jones. BBH worked on the launch of Xbox, the rival to Sony's PlayStation, although PlayStation was not included in the review.
The account will include planning and creative for television, online, radio, newspaper, magazine and outdoor media in approximately 20 European countries. Fallon will handle Sony's consumer audio, video and IT products in Europe, from hi-fi components and Wega Theatre home entertainment systems to Walkman, digital still cameras and Vaio computers. The first creative work is scheduled to appear in April 2003.
The appointment comes as Sony shakes up its agencies across the globe. This year, it has appointed TBWA\ to its creative account in Asia, a new US media agency Universal McCann and last month it appointed OMD to its 拢320m media planning business in Europe.
Barbara Haase, director of marketing communications for Sony Europe, said: "Our decision to appoint Fallon follows an extensive selection process whereby we reviewed presentations from some of the leading agencies in Europe."
She added: "We look forward to working with Fallon, an agency which understands the importance of a brand and which has developed a reputation for creating powerful advertising that engages consumers. We believe Fallon can take us to the next stage of our advertising strategy."
PlayStation will continue to be handled separately by TBWA\London.
Saatchi & Saatchi's most recent work for Sony included a television campaign featuring the "Blythe" dolls for Sony's Walkman brand. Activity included a campaign of one-second ads. The agency held the account for three years, winning it from BMP DDB.
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