The creative director of an advertising campaign has pointed out the similarities between his artwork and Tracey Emin’s proposal for Trafalgar Square’s empty fourth plinth.

While the advertisement shows 22 meerkats scattered across boxes of various sizes, Emin’s bronze sculpture has four meerkats on a single plinth. The advertising campaign was launched last September, while Emin unveiled her proposal last month.

Steve Henry, creative director of TBWA which produced the campaign for E.on, the power company, said: “It’s nice to be on the other side of the fence in this sort of argument. It is more usual for advertising agencies to be accused of plagiarism. But we’re all fishing in the same pool.”

Emin categorically denied having seen the advertisement: “I haven’t been influenced by any advertising campaign in my life. The fact is that I adore meerkats. I have drawings of meerkats from 12 years ago. I’m completely besotted by the creatures. A plinth is not a box ... they have to be standing on a plinth as it’s in Trafalgar Square.”

Emin is one of six artists – including Antony Gormley and Anish Kapoor – being considered for the £300,000 commission.

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