Brand Union bags Merrill Lynch account

Bank of America has appointed The Brand Union as Merrill Lynch’s global brand partner, following its acquisition of the investment bank last September.

WPP-owned consultancy The Brand Union beat Lippincott and Interbrand in a pitch to win the contract. The branding group’s London and New York offices will deliver the project together.

The appointment follows Bank of America’s engagement last year of The Brand Union to spearhead its marketing push in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The Brand Union’s worldwide chief strategy officer Crispin Jameson describes the brief as requiring ‘careful handling’ in order to achieve the goal of creating a ‘new entity that is greater than the sum of its parts’.

The Brand Union created Bank of America’s original identity in 1998.

Bank of America bought Merrill Lynch in September 2008 in a $50bn (£34bn) deal.