Y&R scoops 2m Le Crunch apple account

Sopexa (UK), the marketing body for the French food and wine industry, has appointed Young & Rubicam to handle its 2m Le Crunch apple account.

Y&R beat D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles and the incumbent K Advertising to the business. Ammirati Puris Lintas was also shortlisted, but pulled out before the final pitch.

The group of French apple producers which market a variety of apples under the name Le Crunch is one of Sopexa’s biggest clients.

Others include Vin de Pays wines, Côtes du Rhône, French cheeses and AOC wines.

Past TV campaigns for Le Crunch matched different types of apple with the different days of the week in French, under the English strapline “Polish up your French… every day.”

Sopexa was formerly called Food & Wine From France and has 40 offices in 34 countries. It receives more than a quarter of its finances from the French Ministry of Agriculture with the remainder from the private sector.

The group has had a UK office since 1964 and employs 28 bi-lingual staff. Their activities for more than 50 clients include marketing, public relations, promotions, direct marketing, exhibitions, tastings and sponsorship.

Marketing director Nicola Peers was unavailable for comment on the pitch as Marketing Week went to press.