Save the Children has called a review of its above-the-line
advertising arrangements after a period spent handling projects
in-house.
The charity has drawn up an initial list of about ten agencies, which is
expected to be significantly reduced before pitches are held later this
year. The agency hunt has been triggered by a need for the charity to
raise its profile and is expected to result in an increase in budget
from the £500,000 spent above the line in the UK last year.
Save the Children's account has most recently been held by M&C
Saatchi.
The agency was responsible for creating the "Save the children from
violence" campaign in 1999.
The charity has a reputation as a conservative client, with the vast
majority of its budget spent on press advertising, in contrast to the TV
campaigns for charities such as the National Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Children. However, Save the Children has made several
changes to its marketing arrangements this year. In February, Save the
Children's global direct marketing arrangements were pooled into the
charity's London office as the charity moved to cut down the number of
its various international direct marketing agencies to one.
Feather Brooksbank has since been appointed to Save the Children's media
planning and buying account.
Feather Brooksbank's appointment followed the departure of Save the
Children's marketing director of ten years, John Kingston, in March.
Kingston, who left to become the head of individual donor services at
the charity's Aid Foundation, helped increase the charity's funds from
£34.6 million in 1990 to £48.8 million last year.