Archived World Gold Council Document

NEWS RELEASE

Gold producers raise budget to over $50 million and appoint Bartle Bogle Hegarty to handle new global advertising initiative

 

The World Gold Council (WGC) announced today that it has appointed Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) to spearhead the first stage of a new long term promotional programme in key gold markets of the world.

The appointment follows the evolution of a gold branding project being conducted on behalf of the WGC by Wolff Olins (WO) since mid-2000. Brian Boylan, chairman of WO, the branding consultancy and creators of Orange, said that "few brands come with quite the same wealth of unique qualities as gold which has been revered for its warmth, beauty and emotional significance".

Following additional research to take the gold branding project forward, BBH, creators of outstanding advertising for many brands, such as Levi's and Audi, will promote these emotional values of gold far beyond its more material virtues of status and wealth. Historically gold has been one of the world's most beautiful and coveted of natural minerals, and it is its deep emotional value which will be the focus of the rebranding campaign.

Haruko Fukuda, CEO of the WGC, said "we are confident that in BBH we have found an agency that can create highly original and exciting advertising for gold. Although consumption is already increasing around the world this campaign will help stimulate even greater degrees of consumer demand for gold".

Steve Kershaw, Group Business Development Director at BBH said "We're excited about the opportunity to take the emotional values of gold to even greater heights and to communicate this to an international spectrum of consumers".

The WGC is an international organisation formed and funded by the world's leading gold producers to promote gold to a variety of different audiences in key centres of the world.

BBH will handle the campaign development from London, supported by its New York and Singapore offices and by its sister media buying operation, Starcom Motive.

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Contacts

Kerr Cruikshanks at World Gold Council Tel 0207 766 2706
Jane Wentworth at Wolff Olins Tel 0207 713 7733
Steve Kershaw at Bartle Bogle Hegarty Tel 0207 453 4616