CLOSE-UP: LIVE ISSUE/AGENCY RESIGNATIONS - Is an agency's reputation at risk if it gets rid of a client? Francesca Newland writes.(Brief Article)

The current downturn means there are not that many interesting accounts to pitch for just now, but the TBWA network's decision to ditch Cadbury for Mars last week has put some to-die-for brands on to the market. Flake, Creme Eggs, Dairy Milk, Wispa and Buttons will now all need a new agency home for their combined pounds 6 million in UK billings. So was there any method in TBWA's madness?

Absolutely. First and foremost Mars is a truly global corporation, which will lend the TBWA network global strength. Added to this is Whiskas, the global Mars brand that TBWA stands to gain in the first instance, which spends more internationally than Cadbury does on all of its brands.

But even so, things are not that simple. The relationship between TBWA and Cadbury had developed some deep cracks since 1993 when GGT walked away from a merger with Young & Rubicam because it would have involved resigning the account to fit in with Y&R's Kraft client. Mike Greenlees felt it would betray a client that had been loyal to him when he founded GGT.

Since then Cadbury has called a global pitch that rumbled on for almost two years. The review put both TBWA and Euro RSCG Wnek Gosper, the other main Cadbury roster agency, under pressure, but yielded little in terms of account moves or new assignments.

Euro RSCG was eventually handed the pounds 10 million sponsorship of Coronation Street, which saw adspend diverted away from individual brands. Insiders say TBWA has been jumping through hoops, but for little reward.

So it cannot be with too much regret that Paul Bainsfair, the president of TBWA northern ...