Industry observers expressed surprise that Grey, which is Vodafone’s retained UK creative agency, had to compete against J Walter Thompson for the project.
It is understood that Vodafone wanted to canvass ideas from more than one agency ahead of the TV launch, which is expected in the first three months of next year. The company picked Grey after presentations this week.
Vodafone wants to offer a "quad play" of services – mobile, broadband, home phone and TV – as it seeks to challenge BT, Sky, Virgin Media and TalkTalk and increase sales. The company reported earlier this week that UK revenues fell 0.5 per cent in the three months to September.
Grey won Vodafone’s estimated £60 million UK account from another WPP agency, Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R, in February. WPP looks after a range of services for Vodafone, under the name Team Red, and different agencies within the group sometimes pitch for work.
Vodafone, Grey and JWT declined to comment.
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