Encyclopaedia Britannica Taps Deutsch Inc. for $25-35M Campaign

Chicago-based Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc. signed with Deutsch Inc. for a $25 million to $35 million advertising assignment to support its brand and launch the new Britannica.com Web service.

The campaign will be the largest in the encyclopedia company’s 231-year history, the firm said.

Deutsch will develop both off-line and online advertising to introduce and acquire customers for EB’s new knowledge and information service, which is currently under development and due to launch before the end of the year. The agency will also provide strategic counsel on marketing and branding issues and work with the client’s other marketing partners in site design and development, public relations and sales promotion.

Jorge Cauz, executive vice president of sales and marketing, for Encyclopaedia Britannica, said Deutsch will be charged with attracting and retaining traffic to Britannica.com, which will produce revenues from advertising, sponsorships and e-commerce.

“We are entering a new stage of our evolution into an Internet and new-media company, and our new model requires that we raise our profile among consumers in a significant way,” said Cauz. “We also face the challenge of redefining our brand as we develop new products and services under the Britannica name, providing. . .content, tools and technology for people with curious, probing minds.”

The selection of Deutsch followed a two-month review that included several other agencies. Deutsch Inc. is an $860 million full-service advertising agency with offices in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

Encyclopaedia Britannica introduced Britannica Online, the first encyclopedia on the Internet, in 1994. The Britannica Internet directory site was introduced in 1997 as the Britannica Internet Guide (later eBLAST). A free service, it currently provides Web navigation and commentary on a range of topics as part of britannica.com.