Powell maintains Labour ad role

Claire Cozens
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday May 30 2001 09.53 BST

Chris Powell, the chairman of Labour's former agency BMP DDB, is still involved in the party's advertising, it emerged today.

BMP resigned the Labour account after the last election and all the party's advertising is now spearheaded by TBWA/London and adman Trevor Beattie, the man behind Wonderbra's "hello boys" ad and the FCUK campaign.

But Mr Powell, who now spends only a third of his time at BMP, hinted he was still heavily involved in the party's campaign.

In an online discussion with MediaGuardian.co.uk, Mr Powell revealed he had previewed a new Labour advertising campaign.

"I think you'll find some new posters appearing from today are very direct," he said, before going on to explain the new poster would feature William Hague in a Thatcher wig.

Mr Powell remains a member of the Labour party and also chairs the Institute for Public Policy Research, a left-wing think tank. His brother, Jonathan Powell, is Tony Blair's chief of staff.

But the extent of his involvement in Labour's advertising will come as a surprise to many, who had thought it ended when BMP gave up the account.

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