The integration of the two telecoms businesses will see agencies VCCP and Adam&EveDDB pitch for the new business.
The merger of telecommunications companies Virgin Media and 02 will see the consolidation of its advertising account, with the respective incumbents Adam&EveDDB and VCCP set to enter a closed pitch for the business in the coming weeks.
Virgin Media O2 is the new company that launched last June, combining two of the U.K.’s largest communications and broadband providers, however both will continue to offer their respective products while introducing joint services in the future.
O2 was one of VCCP’s founding clients and in October last year was involved in the launch of “Volt” by devising an integrated campaign which promised existing customers of both companies to bring together the best they had to offer as they combined.
The year prior to that, the agency also introduced O2’s robotic brand mascot Buble who has featured in solo brand campaigns ever since.
Virgin Media appointed Adam&EveDDB in 2019. The agency produced a number of brand campaigns, most recently one that was fronted by a skater girl which introduced the end line, “We’re better, connected,” reflecting the growing integration of the two businesses.
Latest element of consolidation
Led by Simon Groves, director of brand and marketing who was named as the overall lead for marketing communications (he previously held the same role at O2 prior to the merger), the pitch is the latest element of the consolidation taking place across the newly created entity.
A Virgin Media O2 spokesperson told Adweek: “We are currently carrying out a closed pitch process to appoint a lead advertising agency. We’re thankful for the fantastic relationship we have with our current agencies and are immensely proud of the incredible campaigns that have been produced over many years.”
Neither agency commented on the pitch or their participation when approached by Adweek.
Following the merger, both media companies lost senior women within their marketing team as entertainment group Global media announced that Cilesta Van Doorn would join from Virgin Media as its new chief marketing officer and Nina Bibby left O2 after eight years of heading up its marketing. She has since joined Verizon as svp of consumer segment marketing.
