The appointment comes ahead of Lacoste’s opening of its first UK flagship store in London later this year. MPG Media Contacts started working with Lacoste this week.

Lacoste previously worked with the luxury specialist media agency Cream.

MPG Media Contacts’ other clients include Hermès, Hugo Boss and Boden, as well as fragrances from Paul Smith, Jimmy Choo, Burberry, Paco Rabanne and Nina Ricci.

Paul Frampton, managing director at MPG Media Contacts, said: “We are very excited to be adding to our portfolio of high-end fashion brands.

The agency has hired Herve Hannequin to lead global strategy on Pedigree and Kathy Slack to lead global strategy on Galaxy.

Hannequin has worked at DDB for three years and ran the global Phillips account. He previously worked at WCRS&Co as head of international planning.

Slack headed up the VW, Harvey Nichols and Gu accounts at DDB. Prior to that, she worked on Lynx and Persil at BBH. Read full story here

Masters joined Haymarket as a salesman in 1958, a year after the company was founded by Michael Heseltine.

He played a pivotal role first in selling Town – Britain’s first modern consumer style title for men, which provided the basis of success for Haymarket – and later in applying the quality and design of the title to trade magazines with the help of Simon Tindall, who would later become his chief executive. read full story here

The review, which was conducted by Marc Sands, the Tate director of audiences and media, kicked off after the company and its previous incumbent Fallon parted ways in September.

Fallon was appointed to the business in November 2004 and went on to produce award-winning work such as the print executions “hungover”, “gig meeting” and “split up”, which won a Grand Prix in the Outdoor category at Cannes in 2006.   read the full story here

MPG wrestled the planning and buying for the Philips consumer lifestyle business across France, southern Europe and parts of America from Carat, the incumbent.

Carat has retained the media account for the remainder of the consumer lifestyle business, as well as across the Philips corporate organization.

Antonio Hidalgo, chief innovation, marketing and strategy officer at Philips consumer lifestyle, said: “Continuing our relationship with Carat is testimony to the strength of their strategic offering and the trusted partnership we have built in the recent years 

Philips has split its £300m global media planning and buying business between Carat and MPG Media Contacts.

MPG wrestled the planning and buying for the Philips consumer lifestyle business across France, southern Europe and parts of America from Carat, the incumbent.

Carat has retained the media account for the remainder of the consumer lifestyle business, as well as across the Philips corporate organization.

Antonio Hidalgo, chief innovation, marketing and strategy officer at Philips consumer lifestyle, said: “Continuing our relationship with Carat is testimony to the strength of their strategic offering and the trusted partnership we have built in the recent years Read full story here

Turner joins from Gum, the media arm of digital agency Grand Union, where he was managing director. He launched the division in 2010, working on a range of clients including Waitrose, P&G, Pernod Ricard and Freeview.

Prior to Gum, Turner spent seven years at digital media agency i-level, where he left as head of media.

read full story here

The Recma agency league is designed to track the development and performance of media agencies.

A total of 15 UK media agencies were ranked according to criteria across four categories: competitiveness, momentum, resources, and client profile.

Each agency’s pitch performance, market-share growth, quality of clients and digital resources over the past three years were also assessed.

Read the complete story here

Tom Ewart, joint executive creative director at Publicis London, has resigned without a job to go to.

According to a Publicis London spokeswoman, Ewart has not decided what he plans to do next.

However, his departure has sparked rumours that he may be involved in a start-up with ex-Publicis London chief executive, Neil Simpson.

The agency has not decided whether it is to seek a replacement for Ewart, who led the creative department with fellow joint ECD Adam Kean. Read the full story here

Ladbrokes has called a review of its £8 million advertising account, which is currently with M&C Saatchi.

A number of agencies have been approached through ISBA with an initial request for information.

The successful agency will be responsible for overseeing all of Ladbrokes’ main brand communications, which predominantly involves TV, press and radio activity.

M&C Saatchi has worked with Ladbrokes on its advertising business since January 2007. Among its first moves after the winning the account was to introduce a campaign featuring a number of ex-footballers, including Ally McCoist, Chris Kamara and Ian Wright.

The bookmaker continues to use Kamara and Wright in its ad campaigns, and last year launched a TV spot featuring the pair to help attract new betting customers ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The campaign also introduced a new slogan: “Got the Feeling? Get to Ladbrokes.”

Earlier this year, Ladbrokes announced plans to invest £50 million in revamping its brand over the next two years, in order to help tackle falling profits. Read the full story here

NO to AV, the campaign aimed at preserving the current parliamentary voting system, has launched a marketing drive with less than a week to go before the referendum voting day.

It has appointed creative agency Other to develop an integrated push. The work, which will comprise digital and guerrilla marketing, is rolling out in the final days before the 5 May polling day.

Jag Singh, the director of digital communications for NO to AV, said he expected the drive to generate new momentum as the vote draws closer.

Earlier in the year, NO to AV distributed more than six million copies of a leaflet that informed readers only three countries, Australia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, use the alternative vote for parliamentary elections. Read Full Story Here