LBG appoints 'Team Y&R' for Insurance and Scotland brief

London – 21 July 2010 – Lloyds Banking Group has appointed Cohn & Wolfe and Burson Marstellar to handle its wide-ranging brief for Insurance and Scotland. The remit includes both media relations and public affairs.

C&W and BM will operate under a ‘Team Y&R’ umbrella. Both agencies are owned by advertising giant Young & Rubicam – a subsidiary of WPP. ‘Team Y&R’ also includes independent, Glasgow-based agency, McGarvie Morrison Media, who will handle Corporate & Public Affairs in Scotland.

Heading up ‘Team Y&R’ will be Geoff Beattie, global practice leader for corporate affairs at Cohn & Wolfe.

The appointment follows a comprehensive agency search by LBG’s Insurance and Scotland team. The process was led by Oystercatchers, a leading search, evaluation and pitch consultancy. From an initial list of over 20 firms, four competed in the final rounds, which were held at the end of June.

Among the major elements of the brief will be supporting the in-house team on media relations and public affairs for Scottish Widows – LBG’s leading life, pensions and investments brand – as well as the Group's activities in Scotland, including the repositioning of Bank of Scotland.

John Penman, Head of Corporate Communications for Insurance & Scotland at Lloyds Banking Group, said:

“We wanted to build on the excellent public affairs and media campaigns that have successfully positioned Scottish Widows as a thought leader over recent years, as well as further developing the Group's profile in Scotland.

"It was undoubtedly a challenge to find one agency that could meet such a broad and complex brief but we are delighted with the value and expertise Team Y&R is able to provide.

"It brings together two ‘best of breed’ corporate and public affairs teams from the same company with one of Scotland's best all-round agencies.”

Geoff Beattie said:

“When we received the brief, it clearly required the best talent that Y&R could offer. That’s why we decided to combine our expertise in corporate affairs and media relations with George Hutchinson and his public affairs team at Burson Marstellar.
Our combined track record in financial services is among the best in the business.”

“With McGarvie Morrison Media on board, we are very confident that Team Y&R is in an ideal position to handle all of LBG’s requirements for Insurance & Scotland.”

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