Gordon scoops Maggie's ad agency

Leading advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi wins the right to design Labour's election campaign.

Thursday, 13, Sep 2007 12:00

Gordon Brown has tightened his claim to Thatcher's legacy, by securing the services of Saatchi and Saatchi, the ad agency that helped the Conservatives win the 1979 general election.

Saatchi and Saatchi have won the contract to run Labour's ad campaign during the next general election, impressing party officials with the simple slogan "Not flash, just Gordon".

Labour's general election coordinator Douglas Alexander confirmed Saatchi and Saatchi had been appointed to design the campaign and said the party was "delighted" to have them on board.

The agency best-known association with Labour to date was conceiving the seminal election slogan "Labour isn't working". Displayed next to a long queue for an unemployment office, the image is credited with helping Margaret Thatcher to win the 1979 general election.

Charles and Maurice Saatchi – a Conservative peer - no longer own the company, having set up the rival M&C Saatchi in 1994.

Saatchi & Saatchi's chief executive Robert Senior said today the contract was a "seminal" moment for the agency.

He said: "We have the opportunity to take the strength and conviction that Gordon Brown has shown as prime minister and apply our creativity to that to do the right thing for the country".

The appointment adds to speculation Mr Brown is considering a snap general election.

The prime minister is rumoured to be considering calling an election at this year's Labour conference. The Liberal Democrats election coordinator Lord Rennard said last week there was a one in three chance of Mr Brown calling a surprise poll for this October.

It is unclear whether Saatchi & Saatchi could have a campaign ready to launch within weeks.

Labour has also been recruiting for media monitors on fixed term contracts. Media monitors were used heavily during the last election to analyse Tony Blair's media profile.