INTERNATIONAL: BBJ wins Peugeot-Citroen UK

<p>BBJ has secured the entire £75 million (about US$107 </p><p>million) Peugeot-Citroen UK media account in a move that seems likely to </p><p>break open current client conflict practice in the industry. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The holding of both halves of the PSA business in BBJ, which reverses a </p><p>strategy to split the account with Carat, appears to leave BBJ's sister </p><p>agency free to handle the £360 million European Renault account </p><p>that it scooped last month. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>With Carat already handling BMW in Europe, the group as a whole now </p><p>holds an unprecedented three major auto accounts. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Rumours had circulated that Peugeot-Citroen was reopening discussions </p><p>with incumbent Initiative as well as with Media Planning, Optimedia and </p><p>OMD following the news that Carat had won the Renault business. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>However, sources indicated that the consent of Renault was the main </p><p>stumbling block to a deal keeping all three auto businesses within the </p><p>group. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The move of both halves of PSA into BBJ would seem to indicate that such </p><p>consent has since been given. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The immediate consequences of the deal are expected to include the </p><p>long-awaited merger between Initiative and Western, which handles </p><p>Vauxhall. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>