Prestigious account for new group CKBT

A new multidisciplinary consultancy has landed a pan-European account with the Motorola Paging brand within weeks of setting up business.

Capon Kirchner Balmforth Trendall launched in early July. Boasting an eight-strong design team and high-profile names from the marketing, advertising and corporate identity fields, its client list already includes Abbey Credit, Eastman Kodak, Procter & Gamble and Rizla.

The consultancy, headed by former Mirror Group Newspapers group marketing director Charles Kirchner, claims to offer clients senior personnel and “360 degree creative solutions”.

It provides strategic advice together with advertising, design, sales and new media skills. The Motorola job, believed to have been won after a creative pitch against Euro RSCG, involves repackaging and rebranding across Europe.

CKBT has had a controversial start. In its marketing material it describes itself as a “fusion” of advertising agency CBT and design and marketing communications agency Ginn Jeffrey.

But Ginn Jeffrey, which is still trading, vigorously debates this description.

CKBT senior partner Nicholas Jeffrey, was, until last month, the managing director with Ginn Jeffrey. He quit, taking five of Ginn Jeffrey’s 11 staff, and, although not yet confirmed in writing, at least two accounts.

However, his former partner, principal director Alan Ginn, continues to run the design group and accounts such as Rothmans and Xerox. Jeffrey and Ginn, working partners for 13 years, are now communicating through company advisors. Ginn is recruiting new staff and is in merger talks with two outfits including German multidisciplinary agency Feller Geher Kafer.