Home Office gets another ad agency for ID cards
PrintTell a lie big enough, and keep repeating it
Posted in Government, 10th July 2009 11:57 GMT
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The Identity and Passport Office has appointed another advertising agency to persuade the public of the apparent benefits of ID cards.
The IPS has chosen Proximity after also hearing pitches from EHS Brann, Tequila and TMW. The firm will deal with "below the line" marketing - typically PR and promotions rather than billboard or media advertising.
The three or four year contract covers ID cards, passport and promotion of the General Register Office - where births, deaths and marriages are recorded.
The IPS already employs M&C Saatchi to promote the introduction of ID cards for foreigners to employers.
Back in March the IPS announced a "three to four year" contract with ad agency Abbot Mead Vickers BBDO to promote its services.
The IPS is already buying Google search terms to get its own website at the top of results for surfers looking for ID card information.
Apart from spin doctors the IPS has also awarded other contracts for the £4.7bn project.
These include CSC, which has grabbed the £385m contract for the enrolment system, while moneymaker De La Rue gets £400m to print new passports.
IBM will make the biometric database in exchange for £265m. ®
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