Hasta La Creative!

In an interesting move, Argos has shortlisted Now to go head-to-head against the incumbent, CHI Partners, for its 55 million ad account, having discarded Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y R, JWT London and Publicis London after pitches last week. A result is expected shortly.
BMW held initial chemistry meetings with agencies last week. Four made the cut, including the incumbent, WCRS.
The cinema chain Odeon is holding chemistry meetings this week regarding its CRM account. The brief asks for a focus on planning and strategy, which could develop into content creation, in a process that is managed by Creativebrief.
AAR is whittling down the participants for the Smart Meter Central Delivery Body s pitch, after 20 agency groups (comprising media and creative) were approached to complete RFIs. All but four submitted the forms, and the pitch is now at the screening meeting stage, when the body will pick six shops to go through to chemistry meetings.
The final agencies to make it on to the Government s comms planning pitch for the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy , supported by No10, are Carat, MEC and MediaCom. A story last week stated that Carat, which holds the Navy business, is not on the Government s strategy and planning framework. However, it is, and the shop intends to defend the account.