AMV Creates Media Giant With PHD

Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO is about to sign a deal to buy Pattison Horswell Durden which could be worth as much as £5m.

David Pattison, one of the owners of PHD, confirmed to MediaTel that the merger was going ahead: he said it would be complete in a matter of weeks rather than months though he would not be drawn on how much the deal was worth.

The new media planning and buying department will be called New PHD and run by David Pattison, Nick Horswell and Jonathan Durden (of PHD) and Ken New of AMV. When the deal is finalised it will create one of the UK’s largest media buying outfits, having billings of around £260m.

PHD: 0171 446 0555

AMV.BBDO: 0171 402 4100