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The catalogue company Freemans has drawn up a list of agencies to

pitch for its pounds 3 million media planning and buying business.

The account is handled by the direct marketing specialist Mansfield Lang

Direct Media. It is understood that the company is in talks with about

six agencies, but no-one from Freemans was available to comment as

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Freemans called a review of its media arrangements only three years

ago.

BBJ Media and Media Planning took part in the three-way pitch against

Mansfield Lang, before Freemans called off the review.

The company’s creative advertising work has been developed in-house.

The pitches will be overseen by Andrew Jackson, the marketing director

of Freemans, who joined the company from Norwich Union Direct at the end

of last year. His appointment followed the departure of Michael Cutbill

who left the company last August to join the financial services group

Saga.

Freemans, which, with Great Universal Stores and Littlewoods, dominates

the UK catalogue market, was bought last year from its parent company

Sears by the German mail-order giant Otto Versand for pounds 150

million. Otto Versand also owns the mail-order company Grattan.

Littlewoods bid for Freemans two years ago and the sale was agreed

before the deal was blocked by the Government.