BMW car brand Mini has combined its direct, digital and advertising account into a single agency by handling the business to Iris following a pitch run by the AAR.
The move sees WCRS, which ran the ad business, Lida, which handled DM, and digital agency Profero lose out.
Iris beat an impressive line-up of agencies, including were Dare, WCRS’ parent Engine Group, Profero and The Corner. Lida’s parent company M&C Saatchi Group was knocked out at an earlier stage.
Lida was first appointed to handle the Mini direct marketing account in March 2005, following a pitch against the then incumbent EHS Brann (now Havas EHS).
However, the car company only completed a review of the business 30 months ago, which saw Lida fight off Partners Andrews Aldridge and Rapp to retain the DM brief and scoop the additional eCRM account. EHS Brann and Targetbase Claydon Heeley had been eliminated at an earlier stage.
The brand’s most recent campaign aimed to capitalise on the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations with an interactive Facebook app. Designed to play on the idea that Mini customers are, in fact, royalty to Mini and deserve a place in the spotlight, it offered followers the chance to wave from a specially designed ‘Royal Balcony’.
Related stories
Mini kicks off review of DM account
Mini taps into Diamond Jubilee
