Howells Leaves OMDtvi After Less Than Six Months

Andrew Howells, the director of OMD UK’s interactive division, OMDtvi, is leaving the agency less than six months after it launched.

Howells, who was previously managing director of BMPtvi, which rebranded as OMDtvi earlier this year, is leaving to launch his own interactive TV consultancy called Andrew Howell Associates.

OMDtvi’s head of interactive media, Toby Hack, will take-over from from Howells and will assume sole control of the agency. Hack said: “The business is out there and we will be continuing to pursue it over the coming months.”

In March BMPtvi, the interactive TV agency owned by BMP DDB, transferred its focus from creative to media planning and buying on interactive platforms and is relaunched as OMDtvi (see BMPtvi Relaunches With Interactive Focus). The agency shifted over to BMP’s main media agency OMD to focus on developing interactive TV campaigns with existing clients such as Rimmel.

Research published recently by iTV specialist Weapon7 in collaboration with Chinwag shows that 71% of the advertising industry expects most broadcast commercials to include a degree of interactivity by 2005 (see Media Industry Not Up To Speed On iTV, Says Report).

OMDtvi: 0207 258 4234 www.omdtvi.com

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