WPP’s virtual group wins telecoms job

A “virtual” company put together by the WPP Group has won a multi-million pound project to service the global communication needs for ICO, the fledgling telecommunications company.

The virtual company includes Sampson Tyrrell Enterprise and is being led by ad agency J Walter Thompson. The other WPP companies involved in the project are PR firm Hill & Knowlton, Metro G Force and Research International. WPP will issue a monthly bill to ICO for the entire service, and companies will be paid according to percentage of input.

ICO uses groups outside the WPP Group and will continue to do so, but the WPP company will lead its global communications strategy.

Sampson Tyrrell is currently working on identity guidelines for ICO’s identity, designed by The Identica Partnership for ICO’s launch in October 1995. But Sampson Tyrrell Enterprise’s project director Elske Willenborg says there is a possibility of reviewing the identity itself.

“We are currently developing design systems around the existing identity – it certainly captures the spirit of ICO’s organisation at the moment. But this is a total identity programme, and we’re not ruling out a review,” says Willenborg.