Sainsbury’s lines up top quartet for possible pitch
Sainsbury’s is reviewing its £60m creative account and it seems that Mother, MullenLowe and Wieden+Kennedy are lining up against AMV BBDO, which has held the account since since 1981 with the exception of a brief interregnum at M&C Saatchi. But it isn’t a formal pitch, according to Campaign, although the AAR is involved. Maybe some of you understand these things..
As lists go it seems sensible enough. All the agencies know retail: Mother handles Boots, MullenLowe handled Morrisons before it went to Publicis, Wieden+Kennedy had a bash at Tesco and now handles TK Maxx. At one point Sainsbury’s is believed to have talked to newbies Lucky Generals and Joint. CHI/The&Partnership might have been expected to be a contender but it’s going for Marks & Spencer instead, in a ‘closed’ WPP pitch. CHI handles Argos which Sainsbury’s is in the process of buying.
On the face of it it’s hard to see how an agency, in these circumstances, could have done a much better job than AMV. How will Sainsbury’s work out if one of these contenders can do it better? That’s hard to see as well unless they produce a full-on campaign for the pitch – assuming Sainsbury’s has one, of course.
Could be an expensive business for somebody.
Update
Lucky Generals tell me they weren’t involved. Why not?