Zenith extends Burger King task

Zenith Media Worldwide has won Burger King’s £18m media buying for five countries following the fast-food chain’s pan-European advertising review.

Zenith, which previously handled media buying only in the UK as Saatchi & Saatchi held the creative account, has added Sweden and Spain with immediate effect. Media buying for Germany and France, which is undertaken by local media independents, will give Zenith another £6m of business when contracts expire within the next 12 months.

D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles was awarded the UK creative account last week after pitching against Saatchi and SP Lintas.

It will continue to handle media planning for the five European markets but has lost about £4m of buying business in Sweden and Spain.

In the UK a media planning unit has been created within DMB&B to avoid a conflict with The Media Centre’s KFC business.

“Throughout the review we took a close look at all our business and as Zenith was doing a superior job in the UK we elected to expand its role,” says Burger King European marketing director Keith Snellgrove.

Zenith is treating the win as an endorsement of its strategy of maintaining its independence from Saatchi& Saatchi London in the aftermath of Maurice Saatchi’s departure.

Saatchi’s position on Burger King’s business was weakened by the departure of senior Saatchi figures during the pitch.