This week, digital agencies have received letters from Unilever informing them that they have been appointed to the UK and European digital roster, but that they are now required to pitch again as part of a global review.
This process is being handled by Caroline Slootweg, Unilever's digital and new-media marketing director. She is looking for agencies to work on global strategy and development across all of Unilever's global brands.
Successful agencies will also have agency-of-choice status for implementation of strategy in local markets. However, individual Unilever marketing departments will retain the final say on which local agency they choose.
Agencies now have to fill out a new global credentials document, understood to be almost identical to that used in the UK pitch.
The brief asks agencies to submit cost proposals for a Christmas campaign for the Axe/Lynx brand in a bid to gauge agency fee levels.
The UK pitch was called two months ago as part of a digital and direct roster review. More than 20 agencies were involved in a process instigated by Rachel Bristow, Unilever's UK head of direct communications and new media. The direct pitch is understood to be ongoing.
The original UK pitch involved digital agencies including Dare, Agency Republic, Tribal DDB and AKQA. Direct agencies included Chemistry, Craik Jones Watson Mitchell Voelkel, Iris, The Marketing Store and Tullo Marshall Warren.
No-one at Unilever was available to comment.
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