±±¾©Èü³µpk10

Somerfield has reappointed McCann-Erickson following its third

advertising review in less than a year, and told the agency to come up

with a replacement for the long-running ’Annie the housewife’ theme.

McCann-Erickson has held the pounds 15m account on a temporary basis

since Somerfield’s acrimonious split with Leo Burnett last August

(Marketing, August 12, 1999), but has continued to run the ’Annie’ ads,

originally created by RPM3, which held the account before Leo

Burnett.

In December, McCanns was asked to pitch for the business against RPM3

and Delaney Potter Cawley, the agency headed by Mary Cawley, who ran the

Somerfield account at RPM3.

The hiring comes as the supermarket continues to seek a group marketing

director.

Martin Sutherland, head of Somerfield’s external marketing, said McCanns

would now work on the account on a permanent basis. ’RPM3 was

impressive, but McCann-Erickson appeared to be best equipped to work on

a large retail account,’ he said.

McCanns will also continue to handle advertising for Somerfield-owned

Kwik Save, which is done on a project basis, and for Somerfield’s home

shopping business, 24/7.

Somerfield is trying to stem haemorrhaging profits by selling off 350

Kwik Save stores and converting others to the Somerfield format. The

move will see Somerfield concentrating on its smaller,

neighbourhood-style outlets.

The appointment arrived a day before the chain was due to report its

interim trading figures, expected to include a 20% sales decline over

the key Christmas period.

It is also set to reveal buyers for the stores it is selling, thought to

include major supermarket groups.