Direct Line moves £15m work from CHI to M&C

Direct Line has shifted its £15m financial services business out of Clemmow Hornby Inge and into M&C Saatchi after less than a year with the agency.

CHI was awarded the business last April without a pitch, resulting in the agency handling advertising for Direct Line's mortgages, loans and savings (Marketing, 20 April 2005). It was tasked with moving the brands upmarket.

The appointment of M&C Saatchi consolidates all of Direct Line's business into a single agency; last November M&C was awarded Direct Line's insurance business, which was also previously held by CHI.

CHI created the Direct Line insurance brand's 'Twins' execution, which featured brothers sharing an identical day that differed only because one had Direct Line insurance.

Direct Line's products include travel, pet and life insurance, breakdown cover, critical illness cover, loans, mortgages and savings.

The agency change follows the appointment of Mike Tildesley as Direct Line marketing director in August. Tildesley was previously marketing director at Royal & SunAlliance insurance band More Th>n.

Both CHI and M&C Saatchi are on the roster of Direct Line's parent, Royal Bank of Scotland.