Previously, Starcom handled the Marbles credit card business, and The Media Shop held the HFC Bank and, with David Coleman Media, the Marbles Loans account. The appointment follows a review through the AAR announced last October (Marketing, October 10, 2002).
As well as Marbles and HFC Bank, HFC's brands include Beneficial Finance, online credit card Marbles, Vauxhall's loyalty card - the GM Card - and Hamilton Direct Bank. It also runs more than 100 affinity schemes through its Beneficial division and attracts the majority of new customers through data captured via associations with other brands. Marbles, which recently teamed up with PC World to launch an affinity card, also provides finance deals on behalf of Dixons and Courts. HFC Bank has 130 branches and Beneficial Finance more than 90 in the UK.
Most of HFC's marketing spend is pumped into direct marketing, on which it spends around £1m per month. It uses Clark McKay & Walpole to produce the majority of its creative work. The current campaign is a continuation of a DRTV one for Marbles, created in July to persuade more consumers to buy its loan products. HFC also uses Black Cat to develop its marketing strategy and customer communications and TBWA/ GGT Direct for the GM Card.
In November, HFC appointed marketing heads for each of its business divisions. Stuart Haire was made customer information director, Jane Perrins direct marketing services director and Rob Davis commercial marketing director. They all report to group marketing director Mark Robinson.
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