WCRS wins £20m Churchill business

WCRS has won Churchill Insurance's £20 million advertising account and has been briefed to create a campaign featuring the eponymous dog brand icon.

The review, which was kicked off in January (Campaign, 27 January), saw Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy, VCCP and the incumbent, Elliott Borra Perlmutter, fight for the account.

The win has earned WCRS a place alongside M&C Saatchi and Clemmow Hornby Inge on the Royal Bank of Scotland's agency roster. It is briefed to create a clearly differentiated campaign for Churchill, so as not to cannibalise the sales of its sister brand Direct Line.

WCRS's appointment is a blow to EBP. The agency has handled the account since 1989. It created the dog icon in 1994 and devised the nodding version two years later.

The insurance company confirmed that Churchill the dog will not be affected by the review and that WCRS has been briefed to develop the character.

WCRS also handles the ad accounts for Abbey and Prudential. There is no client conflict because Prudential's car and home insurance is provided by Churchill and Abbey's home insurance is through Norwich Union.

The review was overseen by the Churchill marketing director, Peter Corfield, through creativebrief.