A war of words has broken out between the Island's largest advertising agency and a production company over the use of local talent.

Elmore Warren of Fresh Creations Productions International Ltd. accused AAC and other agencies of a tendency to hire overseas talent rather than local companies when doing advertising jobs on the Island.

He was speaking after AAC hit back at the Bermuda Telephone Co. Ltd. (BTC) for dropping the company in favour of a Toronto firm. AAC said BTC had shown a "fundamental lack of commitment to Bermuda'' by dropping the firm in favour of Canadian-based Communique Group.

But Mr. Warren said that AAC also used overseas talent to the detriment of local companies. "It's like the pot calling the kettle black,'' he said.

Mr. Warren said his company had been cut out of being able to bid on contracts on numerous occasions by AAC.

"AAC are major culprits in using outside talent,'' he said.

However AAC co-owner Rhona Emmerson said the attack was unfair. "It's not true,'' she said. "Bidding is open to local companies ...of course we use overseas talent as all other agencies do according to the clients' needs.'' She said there was good production available on the Island, including Fresh Creations which the agency used from time to time. "I love to work with Fresh Creations when the client wants to,'' she said.

She added her criticism of BTC still stood -- that the company had sent the entire account to an overseas company.

Mr. Warren called on Government to ensure that local production companies were given a fair chance.