Tesco Screens Creative RFP – Shortlist

Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief

“Dear John” emails went out to folks on Friday who did not make the shortlist for the Tesco Screens Creative RFP and folks who are going into Ealing next week to present have had phone calls inviting them in.

TWO surprises to us was that one of the networks that we definitely thought would get through (someone we have done work for previously) didn’t make it with the reason being cited as “no retail experience” – very true but we thought the owner’s vision and creativity and the fantastic work that their large content studio had been doing for some VERY high profile brands in the UK would have got them to the presentation stage at least.

The other surprise omission was Avanti Screenmedia who with their 20+ person content / creative / production / scheduling / traffic mgmt studio would have been an ideal choice we think. They were not shortlisted – again the reason being “lack of retail experience” – that is surprising considering their retail clients suych as Co-op, Marks and Spencers etc. Perhaps the correct term would have been a perceived “lack of grocery clients”

A real shame but we understand the decision making process in whittling down the final 6.

Dear John is a British sitcom, written by John Sullivan. Fourteen episodes and one “special” were broadcast in 1986-7.

This sitcom’s title was a reference to letters sent by girls to their boyfriends breaking off the relationship, known as Dear John letters. In the opening episode of the series, John discovered that his wife was leaving him for a friend, and was forced to find lodgings. In desperation, he began attending meetings of the 1-2-1 singles club, and found the other assorted members mostly social misfits.


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