Army seeks technical digital agency

The British army is looking for a new digital agency to work alongside Publicis Modem, which will retain responsibility for the creative digital element of army recruitment marketing.

Publicis Modem is the agency behind the ‘Start Thinking Soldier' campaign, which encourages potential recruits to think about how they'd respond to the kind of challenges typically faced by serving soldiers.  While the TV ads were developed by Publicis, the group's digital division Publicis Modem created the online executions.  (Publicis Groupe UK currently enjoys the lion's share of the army's advertising account.)

Working alongside Publicis Modem, the new agency will be expected to provide digital services for the next three years.  The search for a new supplier is being co-ordinated by the COI, and a number of agencies have already been invited to pitch.

COI deputy director of interactive services Michael Smith commented: "Digital communications have become a key component of the army's recruiting strategy.  COI is committed to helping the army find the agency that most closely matches its technical digital needs at this time."

Army Recruitment Group marketing director Colin Cook added: "The success of our ‘Start Thinking Soldier' campaign has demonstrated the potential of innovative and effective digital marketing within army recruitment.  We are therefore delighted to confirm Publicis Modem as our digital advertising agency and look forward to appointing a technical digital agency to bolster our digital capacity still further."