The pensions and life insurance business is also reviewing its £15m direct account. Retained agencies Team Spirit and Navigator will be invited to repitch and the company expects to shortlist five shops.
Naked was appointed to the media planning account in autumn 2004 by interim customer and brand marketing director Rob Rees. He was replaced in September by interim Barclaycard marketer Mike Hoban, who said: "It was difficult to see the value [Naked] added."
Rees had previously worked with Naked at Orange, where he appointed it to handle strategic communications for the mobile phone firm's consumer division. He also handed Naked the £11m centralised communications planning business for Campbell's brands including Homepride, OXO, V8 and its eponymous soup, when he was the company's marketing director in 2002.
Naked has confirmed that it is serving out notice on the account. "When there is a new regime, there are new ways of doing things, and new marketing managers are often keen to change what their predecessors put into place," said agency partner Will Collin.
Last year, Naked lost out on a planning review at Scottish Widows' parent, Lloyds TSB. The bank was set to appoint the agency to its £18.5m strategic media planning business, but the review, which was being overseen by then-head of marketing Alan Gilmour, was abruptly halted due to a change in strategy.
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