Landmark Win is First for the Agency's New Management
LONDON, Aug. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Grey London has won the hotly contested pitch for
Marks & Spencer's integrated creative account. The account will
comprise both advertising and digital and marks the first time the
retailer has appointed one agency to handle both parts of the
business.
The iconic brand is Grey London's first major win since the
agency unveiled its new management line-up earlier this year and
first under CEO Leo Rayman, who was
appointed in June. Wayne Brown was
promoted to COO and Matt Tanter to
CSO, while Vicki Maguire,
Dominic Goldman (both ECD) and
Perry Nightingale (Executive
Creative Technologist) assumed responsibility for the creative
department.
Leo Rayman says: "This is
a defining moment in the Grey London story. We've been after a
marquee retailer for a number of years, and they don't come more
famed, more loved and bursting with opportunity than M&S. We've
championed integration across our clients for a long time but in
many ways this win is the zenith of it. To bring advertising and
digital together under one roof for one of the biggest retailers in
the country sets a new benchmark, not just for us but for the
industry.
"That they've fully bought into the new team here, and more
importantly what we're trying to achieve, is a real show of faith.
We couldn't be happier, and I can't think of a better partner with
whom to start what is an exciting new chapter for the both of
us."
Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne
Executive Director of Customer, Marketing & M&S.com
adds: "Putting our customers at the heart of
everything we do is central to every decision we make as a
business. Following the competitive pitch process we're
delighted to announce we will be working with Grey London as
our fully integrated agency across all M&S product categories
and services. Grey will ensure M&S maintains strong
creative leadership and engagement with both existing and new
customers across all channels – in-store, digital, social
and mobile, and our members club - Sparks."
Grey London CEO Leo Rayman, CSO
Matt Tanter, ECD Vicki Maguire and Managing Partner Barbara Waite
led the pitch, which took 10 weeks to complete.
Vicki Maguire says: "I've
been waiting for the chance to work on M&S for years.
Seriously. It's just one of the biggest, best-loved brands in the
country. It's a proper institution; somewhere I've been shopping
for more years than I care to remember. They asked us to push them,
and we really, really did – and it became obvious very early on
that we shared the same ambition and the same vision. We recognised
that in them, and they recognised that in us. I am beyond excited
and genuinely proud to have them as the client Grey is going to
move forward with."
David Patton, President and
CEO, Grey EMEA, adds: "Grey London's new management, led
passionately by Leo Rayman, has hit
the ground running. To have a business as significant as M&S
put its faith into that team, from day one, is incredibly
gratifying. This win, which is one of the most significant the
agency has ever had, is testament to Leo's ambitious vision and
represents a real statement of intent. What an exciting time for
everyone involved with Grey London."
About Grey
Grey Group ranks among the largest global communications
companies and its parent company is WPP (NASDAQ: WPPGY). With
headquarters in New York City,
Grey operates in 96 countries and 154 cities. Under the banner of
"Grey Famously Effective since 1917," the agency serves a blue-chip
client roster of many of the world's best known companies and
leading brands. Grey was voted Global Agency of the Year by Adweek
in 2015. www.GREY.com.
Contact: Ollie Dearn
+44 20 3037 3090
ollie.dearn@greyeu.com