Cawley Nea Advertising & Marketing has won the ESB Retail account, which has an annual media spend of more than £1 million (€1.27 million).

The move to appoint an outside agency signals the company's intention to revitalise its 80 shops across the State, which are experiencing serious competition from the large British electrical multiples.

ESB Retail is the Republic's largest non-food retailer and distributor of electrical goods. Agencies which pitched for the account included MCM, AIM, Javelin and Brindleys.

The closing date for the Advertising Agency of the Year Award is November 18th and the competition is open to all full service agencies. Criteria include accounts won and lost, as well as creative achievements and innovations in online and multimedia activity.

Last year's winner was DDFH&B (which also won in 1996) and further information about submission content is on Marketing magazine's website at www.marketing.ie.