M4C wins COI media-buying deal

The UK's biggest advertiser, the Central Office of Information, has handed agency M4C the contract to handle all its media buying. Today's decision is a huge boost for M4C, which is part of media-buying network Group M, a subsidiary of WPP, the global advertising conglomerate run by Sir Martin Sorrell. The COI coordinates the government's £540m annual marketing and communications spend and is consolidating its media-buying activity with a single agency in a bid to cut costs. The new arrangement will come into effect in April and the contract will run for about four years. M4C's contract win follows a COI tender that brought together all its lucrative media-buying activity. This was previously split, with different agencies handling the media buying accounts for TV, radio, print and online advertising. The decision follows a tender process contested by Smile, a consortium backed by Starcom and i-level, and Unify, which is owned by Aegis, as well as M4C. In the 12 months to the end of March 2009 the COI's budget increased by 43% year on year. The amount spent on traditional advertising – including TV, press and radio – increased by 35% year on year to £211m. Spending on digital marketing rose 84% to £40m. The Conservative party has promised to cut the amount spent on government advertising if it wins the upcoming general election. "As the media landscape is transforming, pulling all COI media-buying spend together – digital, mainstream and sponsorship – will deliver increased efficiencies both within and across channels, including further savings on media costs," the COI said. • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".